50. Death, to people that understand it, is
immortality, while to simpletons that do not understand it, is death. One
should not be afraid of physical death but the destruction of the soul, which
comes about from not seeing God — this is a terrifying thing for the soul! Life
is the attachment of soul and body: and death is the rupture in their
association and not the disappearance of those aspects of human nature. God
preserves all this after their separation. Just like a baby emerges from its
mother’s womb, so does the soul emerge naked from its body. It happens that one
might be clean and bright, another stained with its failings, while another
black from its many sins. That is why a clever and God-loving soul, in
reminding itself and discoursing about the woes after death, lives piously so
as not to be condemned and be inflicted with them. But through their
foolhardiness, the non-believers do not realize this and sin; not thinking
about what awaits them over there. Just as one having emerged from the womb
doesn’t remember being there, so the soul leaving the body does not remember
being there. Just as having emerged from the womb you become advanced and
bigger in body, so will you traverse into Heaven advanced and incorruptible if
you emerge pure from your body. Knowing beforehand that death awaits them,
mortals should be concerned about their salvation. Because a holy death is the
lot that occurs to a blessed soul that dwells in goodness, a soul that becomes
evil will meet eternal death. Remember that your youthfulness has passed, your
strength has been exhausted while your weaknesses have grown, and the time of
your departure is near at hand when you will have to give account of all your
deeds. Also know that there, a brother will not be able to redeem his brother
or a father deliver his son. Always think of the departure from the body,
bearing in mind the eternal condemnation. If you will maintain this frame of
mind, you will never sin.
51. What a great number of demons there are and
how multitudinous are their traps! Even after we have repented and attempt to
avoid evil acts, they do not leave us alone but continue to tempt us with
despairing effort, knowing their destiny has been conclusively determined and
because of their extreme wickedness and rejection of God, that their
inheritance is hell. May the Lord open your inner eyes so that you may see the
many demons’ snares and how much evil they inflict upon us daily — may He grant
you a bold heart and a judicious spirit so that you may bring yourself as a
chaste and living sacrifice to God.
51. Because of his pride, the Devil fell from the
heavenly ranks and is attempting with all his might to entice toward
destruction — in the same manner as his own fall: i.e. through pride and love
for vainglory — all those who whole-heartedly want to serve God. These are the
methods used by the demons against us — these and other similar ones in order
to separate us from God. Apart from this, knowing that to love your brother is
to love God, they implant hatred against one another into our hearts — hatred
to such an extent that one is not capable of even looking or saying one word to
his brother. Many genuine great ascetics bore the difficulties of a virtuous
life, yet through foolhardiness destroyed themselves. This could happen with
you if for example you grow cool toward virtuous effort, thinking that you are
virtuous. Because here you have already fallen into the devil’s illness
(self-importance), thinking that you are close to God and are abiding in the
light, whereas in reality you are in darkness. What prompted our Jesus Christ to
take off His clothes, put a towel about His waist and wash the feet of those
lower than Himself, if not to teach us humility? Yes — humility. This He showed
by His own example. Indeed, everyone that desires to enter the first ranks
cannot do this other than through humility…Consequently, if a person does not
have extreme humility, is not humble with all his heart, his mind, his spirit,
his body and soul — then he will not inherit the Kingdom of Heaven.
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