A sermon on how to spend the Dormition fast

The word is of very great importance in our human society. One word can kill and bring great evil and disaster to human society. And word can resurrect people and save whole cities and States. Sermon of Archimandrite Kirill (Pavlov) in Moscow metochion of the Holy Trinity St. Sergius Lavra on how to spend the Dormition fast.

We are with you, dear in Christ brothers and sisters, now entered the field of the Dormition fast.

And although the Dormition fast is a short post, it is very strict. Therefore, we are required these days a lot of attention to himself and to his behavior, his actions. Especially in these days remaining before the feast of the assumption, it is necessary to pay attention to our language.

How to spend the Dormition fast

We do so much and often don’t sin, as his intemperate language. So first of all and curb this rampant horse. If we win, will refrain from idle talk, will overcome his perseverance, we will succeed and all your body.

Of the many known to us of the virtues of the venerable Sergius, the author of his life tells about one particularly attracted to him the respect of listeners. It is his gentle, touching words and speech. So, tells that the monk was the custom every night to patrol around the cell of the brotherhood and a light knock on the window or door to remind Prazdnikova that monk is the best class ever – how to spend free time. The next morning, and careful hints, not directly denouncing the perpetrator, quiet and gentle with words he caused the guilty remorse without any annoyance.

Thanks to its gentle to the Saint was summoned from the depths of the hearts of the good feelings and had them to ourselves. So, under the blessed influence of his word could not resist a harsh Prince Oleg of Ryazan, for reconciliation which the monk came to Ryazan. Quiet and gentle words of the old man softened his heart, and he was reconciled with the Moscow Prince Dimitry Donskoy. Therefore, the word is very important. The word is the gift of God which we have from the Lord. And so you need very careful about it.

Our word is a cast of the word of God. God has a Word, man is the word. God’s Word is the very image of His substance, the only begotten Son of God. In humans the word is not an empty phrase, but also the imprint and image of his spirit. If our words to put it all together, then we would see your own image.

The word is the gift of God that is held by only one person, than he differs from other creatures of God. Word is the conveyor of our feelings, desires, thoughts, joys, sorrows. The word holds the Union and the power of the human race. Uymite word, and everything will nisprovergatelya in the human race. When the Lord wanted to punish the haughty thoughts of the ancient people intending to build a tower to heaven, then resorted to a very simple remedy: He confused their languages and thereby destroyed their vain attempt.

Therefore, the word is of very great importance in our human society. One word can kill and bring great evil and disaster to human society. And word can resurrect people and save whole cities and States. Every idle word, says the Saviour, – how men shall speak, they shall give account in the day of judgment: for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned (Matt. 12, 36-37).

The word is given to us to edify others, to improve, to glorify the name of God. And not to of our mouth comes the rotten, idle, vain, abusive speech. Therefore, extreme caution and moderation in words at all times was revered not only as a great Christian virtue, but as the best means of preserving peaceful happy life in human society.

Spoken word – it is never in vain does not disappear, not disappear without a trace. It’s not coming back. But it goes into the minds, hearts, mouths of other people and gives birth to many feelings, wishes, acts and deeds. And that grew into a mighty tree with its fruit, it will be sure to meet us at the judgment of God.

How to spend the Dormition fast

You should be able to hold his tongue. To have abstinence in the word. Intemperate, ill-considered word a proud person can cause irritation. Weak – to seduce. Chatty can lead to condemnation and slander. From the intemperate man’s word when he is angry, always spilling from his mouth countless every insult, reproach people, even neighbors, even innocent. Intemperate in the word person in trouble, pouring out a flood of grumbling and complaints about everybody and everything.

With contentment, on the contrary, the pouring out of countless bragging, boasting, self-righteousness and self-glorification. The Apostle James says the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things… full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing should not, my brethren, these things ought so to be. Whether flowing from the same spring sweet and bitter water? (Jas. 3, 5, 8-12). And so we need to be careful what we say.

And what we say. Our word should be just good only for edification, only to glorify the name of God. It is to the edification and building up of the spiritual salvation of one’s neighbor. At all times people paid attention to it. Although idle talk sometimes people suffer for the sake of entertainment, but still love to Prazdnikova lose respect in the eyes of the people. And the ancient sages always, when he took to himself disciples, do not hurry, but first tested them in a long silence, and only then, left to myself. They are so attentive to the selection, to receive their students.

A good word always brings forth abundant fruit. The word evil, rotten and always has evil consequences. Church history knows many such examples: examples of the disastrous consequences of the evil of idle words, and Vice versa, examples of the beneficial effects of good and gentle word. So, for example, near the monastery of the monk Benedict, who lived in the V century, lived two postnice, virgin, who by fasting and prayer to serve God. But despite these feats, they had one drawback – was not fosteriana. Loved now you pereseivat the middle.

Reverend Benedict has repeatedly made comments and threatened them: “I will ban you from the sacrament, if you do not fix it”. But they never corrected and in the condition they found death. They died. Them as Postnet, molitvennits buried in the narthex. But godly people have seen during the Liturgy, when the deacon proclaims “ogloszenie, come out”, they got up from the coffins and left the temple. This was conveyed to the Reverend, and he unfortunately brought about them prayers and the Bloodless Sacrifice, and only after this vision these stopped.

And here is another comforting example of edification: the beneficial effects of the word which comes from the meek, pious hearts when a kind word humbles the proud, and softens the hearts of fierce. In the days of St. Pope Leo the Huns, a wild, warlike people – chaired by the ferocious Attila, conquered the whole of Europe. On their way they destroyed had by all, and without mercy slaughtered all the people. Destroying the 500 cities of Europe, they came to the capital of the Roman state – Rome. All the people were in fear and confusion, not finding the strength to fight these hordes.

They were not afraid of only one Pope Leo. By order of the Emperor he went out to meet the terrible Attila, the conqueror, and took with them not a military weapon, and the weapon of the meek, kind words. “Attila the Hun, said to him Dad, you win the entire universe. Now we ask of you is to beat yourself. Don’t ruin our city. Have mercy on us.” Convincing these meek words did more than the army. Attila replied, “Your words touched my heart. Don’t know who you are, man or angel, but only his salvation of Rome owe to you. Elder you one minute, a few words did more than my many warriors. I admit defeat you.” Here are examples of the beneficial effects of gentle and kind words that comes from a godly heart.

Therefore, dear, when you feel that your heart is outraged in some distress, excited, will keep his word and join the fight and try to hurry to satisfy the wrath of a gentle word. And you will make more than irritation and annoyance. To refrain from verbosity – this is the best way to avoid all the evils, troubles in family life and in public. Refraining from anger, we will avoid many quarrels, often, maybe even very dangerous and violent quarrels, avoid prolonged enmity. So the significance is kind, soft words.

Relates how a hermit who lived in the desert, when it came to the robbers to Rob him and kill him, full of love, brought a basin and asked them to wash their feet. And, stigende such attention, love, thieves turn from their evil intent, and generally thereafter repented, and from his robbery, and from the evil of their deeds behind.

Here is another example of the beneficial effect of kind, gentle word and a bad word. One day St. Macarius the Great went with his disciple Nitrian mountain. The disciple he sent ahead of himself. And when the student went, there met him one pagan priest who had to run, carrying the log. Seeing him, this monk cried: “Demon, what’s the hurry?” Angry priest beat the monk so that he barely remained alive. Proceeding further, the priest met with St. Macarius. The monk, when he saw him, from afar greeted: “Hello, rodoliubetz! Hello!”

Surprised by the greeting the priest asks him: “why do you greet me so warmly?” The monk says, “I see you toiling and in a hurry. Therefore, and greeted you.” And then the priest said, “your greeting was umorilas my heart. I see that you are a great servant of God. But ahead of you was a monk who swore at me, I beat him.” And the monk says: “I will not leave you until you will not make me a monk”. Then they went and took the battered body of the monk, brought him to Church.

Brethren, seeing that the monk is the priest, very surprised. But after a while the priest accepted the Christian faith, then became a monk. And many of esteeming him the idolaters seeing that their priest had accepted the Christian faith, left his wickedness and embraced Christianity. On that occasion a certain monk said, “the word proud and the evil and the good of man inclines to evil. And the word humble and good and evil man does good”.

So, dear brothers and sisters, bearing in mind these examples, these instructions, the remaining days of the Dormition fast will try to carry out first of all not in the multitude of words, and refrain from any unnecessary words, keeping in mind the proverb: “word – silver, silence – gold”. These days we should spend in tihosti, in humility, in meekness, in condescension to one another, in love. This will be the best sacrifice for the glorification of the Mother of God, in Whose honor the Holy Church established this short, but strict Dormition fast. Fast post nice, pleasing to the Lord. True fasting is the alienation of evil, temperance of tongue, rage deposition, lusts weaning (1st stanza at Vespers, Monday of the 1st week of lent). That’s true and nice post, pleasing to the Lord.

We will be to each other kind and considerate. Let us not condemn, to slander, to backbite. Going to keep my mouth from all kinds of rottenness, remembering that the word is the gift of God. Will his word to use only for the glory of God’s name and for the edification and benefit of our fellowmen. Yes, and what will help us is the Lord our God Jesus Christ, to Whom be glory and honour now and ever and unto the ages of ages.

Archimandrite Kirill (Pavlov). Preaching. ©Moscow metochion of the Holy Trinity St. Sergius Lavra. Moscow, 1999

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