Elder Barsanuphius of Optina
Talks with Spiritual Children (Part II)
April 13, 1911
The Feast of Pascha.
"Our life is in Heaven"—this is the usual theme of my talks. By this thought I tear
myself and my listeners away from attachments to earthly, created things. "Our
life is in Heaven." Dissatisfaction with things earthly can be sensed in our
great worldly writers—for example, in Turgenev and Pushkin; and in
foreigners—Schiller, Shakespeare and Heine.
Fifty
years ago, when I was still walking along the broad streets of this world, I
read Heine, but he always made a painful impression on me. This was a great
talent, but it was not enlightened by the spirit of faith in Christ. He was born
a Jew, and although he accepted Christianity, it was only for the sake of
privilege. In his soul he was an atheist, and believed neither in Christianity
nor in Judaism. The ancient pagan philosophers—Aristotle, Plato and
Socrates—were not satisfied by the earth. But here was a sad phenomenon: the
higher they strove to soar up from the earth, the deeper they fell.
This
doesnt happen with a Christian. On the contrary; raising himself up from the
earth, tearing himself away from lifes attachments, ascending the mountain
towards God, he is changed; he is reborn and becomes capable of feeling lofty
joys.
Melancholy over lost blessedness shows through in the works of the
great writers and artists. But nowhere is this sorrow—which is dissolved,
however, by consolation—expressed so powerfully as in our church hymns and
prayers. In them is heard, first a lament over lost paradise, then deep grief
over sins, then a joyful and victory-bearing song about our Redeemer.
Take
our Paschal Canon! How majestic and delightful it is; how it moves and comforts
a soul that has not yet lost the taste for things spiritual: Now all things
are filled with light, Heaven and earth and the nether regions.... Let the whole
world, visible and invisible, keep festival. Yes, these are great days. In
the world too theyre rejoicing on these days, but not in a spiritual way. One
rejoices that hes received money; another, that hes received ranks and medals;
another for other reasons. Some people rejoice that the Fast is over and the
time has come when all food is permitted. This perhaps is a legitimate joy, if
only one doesnt believe that the chief happiness is in food.
But
in the holy monasteries there is joy over the Risen Lord. Dont cease visiting
the holy monasteries, especially on feast days, even when Im gone. Here there
flickers spiritual life, which warms the soul of a man. True, there are also
earthly joys which ennoble the soul. Its not a sin to take delight in the
beautiful things of this world. There are on the earth extraordinarily beautiful
places: the wonderful Alps, illumined by the sun, and many magnificent spots in
Italy—for example, a proverb has been made up about Naples: "See Naples and
die." Neither about Paris nor about Rome is this said, but only about Naples,
which really is wonderfully nice with its azure sea and mountains.
Our
northern nature is also nice. Turgenev clearly and vividly described it in his
works. He, by the way, visited Optina, and was enchanted by the beauty of our
Monastery. But the present world is only a weak similitude of the former
pre-Fall world. There is a world on high, about whose beauty we have no
comprehension. Only holy people understand and take delight in it. This world
has remained undamaged, but the earthly world changed sharply after the fall
into sin. This is the same as if someone divided the best work of music into
separate tones. Then the impression of the whole would not be obtained. Or, for
instance, one could tear a painting by Raphael into shreds and examine the
separate pieces. What would we see? Well, some kind of finger; on another scrap
a piece of clothing, and so on. But the magnificent impression which comes from
the works of Raphael, we would of course not receive. Thus it is with the
present world. Certain ascetics have even averted their gaze from it. There is
known one ascetic who blocked the only window in his cell with an icon, though
an enchanting view opened up from it. He was asked, "How is it that you, father,
dont even want to look, while we never tire of looking at the sky, the
mountains, and the Aegean Sea with its islands." "Why I close the window,"
replied the ascetic, "is not given to you to understand, but I have no desire to
contemplate the beauty of this world." This was because the ascetic was
contemplating the beauty of the heavenly world, and did not want to distract his
attention from it.
Truly, he who has known the highest bliss is not sensitive to earthly
consolations. But for this knowledge one must have a lofty soul.
Im
reminded of the following instance. In one rich family there was an evening
party. At it, one talented girl played the best works of Mozart surprisingly
well. Everyone was captivated. But by the lintel the butler who served the
guests stood and yawned. "What are these gentlemen listening to such boring
music for? ... Now if only they would play the balalaika!..." He was correct in his
judgment, since serious music was absolutely incomprehensible to him. To
comprehend even works of earthly art, one must have artistic taste. Lets take
singing. Now theatrical tunes and melodies have even penetrated into the Church,
forcing out ancient chant. Meanwhile, the latter is more highly artistic, but
they dont understand this.
Once
I was in one monastery at the Liturgy, and there I heard for the first time
so-called "stolbovoy"chant. The Cherubic Hymn and "A Mercy of Peace..." made a
powerful impression on me. There were few people there, and I stood alone in a
corner and cried like a child. After the Liturgy I dropped in to see the abbot
and questioned him about my impressions.
"And
you, in all likelihood, have never heard stolbovoy chant?" the abbot asked
me.
"No,"
I replied, "Ive never even heard the name."
"And
what is a stolbovoy nobleman?"
"Well, this means someone who is of an ancient lineage."
"Thats how it is with stolbovoy chant—its an ancient chant. We
adopted it from our fathers, and they from the Greeks."
Now
stolbovoy chant can rarely be heard anywhere; its being forgotten. Many new
melodies are appearing—those of Alyabyev, Lvov, and others. True, even from
among the new ones there are unusually talented ones, such as Turchaninov. His
melodies are known not only in Russia, but abroad as well, even in America. The
English also appreciate him. Not long ago the choir director asked me:
"Bless me to sing It is the day of Resurrection... for the
post-Communion hymn."
"God
bless you," I replied, "thats just whats needed."
"Only
with a new melody."
"What
kind? Sing it through, at least in one voice." He sang it. "Well," I said, "that
kind of melody can evoke only tears of despair, rather than a joyful state. No,
sing it the ancient way." And thats how they sang it.
The
Paschal Canon was composed by John Damascene—and so wondrously, majestically
composed. It elevates the soul and fills it with spiritual joy, to the measure
of the receptivity of each. But the question arises: where is the key to the
opening up of spiritual joys? To this there is one answer: in the Jesus Prayer.
There is great power in this prayer. It has varying degrees. The very first is
the simple utterance of the words, "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on
me, a sinner." At the highest degrees it attains such power that it can move
mountains. Of course, not everyone can attain to this, but to utter this great
prayer is not difficult for anyone, and the benefit is enormous. This is the
most powerful weapon for the struggle against the passions. One woman, for
instance, is proud. Another is overcome by lustful thoughts; it would appear
that she doesnt even see a man, but a thought keeps telling her to fornicate. A
third is envious and has no strength to fight against it—where does one get this
strength? Solely in the Jesus Prayer. The enemy distracts us from it in every
way: "Well, what is this nonsense of repeating the same thing when neither the
mind nor the heart takes part in the prayer? Better to replace it with something
else...." Dont listen to him, hes lying; continue laboring in the prayer, and it
will not leave you fruitless.
All
the saints held to this prayer, and it became so dear to them that they wouldnt
have agreed to exchange it for anything. When their mind was distracted by
something else, they suffered and strove to begin the prayer again. Their
striving was similar to the desire of a thirsty man to drink. Sometimes a man
does not manage to satisfy his desire due to the lack of water; then, finding a
spring, he drinks insatiably. Thus did the saints thirst to begin the prayer,
and they began it with ardent love.
In Zadonsk there labored the ascetic George, who was well-known in
his time. Early on he realized all the vanity of worldly life and went to a
monastery, but was not satisfied even with this and chose for himself absolute
solitude—reclusion. Here he spent his time in fasting, prayer and contemplation
of God, but temptations did not leave him. When he was still in the world, he
had loved a girl with a pure love, and her image often stood before him,
disturbing his state of spiritual calm. Once, sensing his helplessness in the
struggle, he cried out: "O Lord, if this is my cross, give me the strength to
bear it; but if it is not, then erase the very recollection of her from my
memory." The Lord heard him. And on that very night he saw in a dream a young
maiden of uncommon beauty, clothed in gold raiment. In her gaze there radiated
such unearthly majesty and angelic purity that George was unable to tear his
eyes away from her, and with reverence he asked, "Who are you? What is your
name?" "My name is chastity," she replied, and the vision came to an end. Coming
to himself, the ascetic offered up thanks to the Lord for bringing him to
reason. The image he had seen in his dream was so ingrained in his mind that it
completely erased all other images.
And I
earnestly beg you—banish all images from your head and heart, that there might
be only one image there—Christs. But how do you attain this? Again, by the
Jesus Prayer. The other day one of our skete schema-monks came to see me.
"Ive
fallen into despondency, Abba, since I dont see in myself—in one who bears the
exalted angelic habit—a change for the better. The Lord calls one strictly to
account if hes a monk or schema-monk only according to his clothing. But how
can I change? How can I die to sin? I sense my total feebleness."
"Yes," I replied, "were absolutely bankrupt, and if the Lord judges
according to works, He will find nothing good in us."
"But
is there hope for salvation then?"
"Of
course there is. Always say the Jesus Prayer, and leave everything to the will
of God."
"But
what kind of benefit can there be from this prayer if neither the mind nor the
heart participates in it?"
"Enormous benefit. Of course, this prayer has many subdivisions, from
simple utterance to creative prayer. But for us, even if we were to be on the
bottom step, it would be salvific. The powers of the enemy run from one who
utters this prayer, and sooner or later hell be saved all the same."
"Ive
been resurrected!" the schema-monk exclaimed. "I wont be despondent
anymore."
And
so I repeat: say the prayer, even if only with your lips, and the Lord will
never abandon you. The utterance of this prayer doesnt require the study of any
kind of sciences. Count Leo Tolstoy was a man of well-rounded education, but he
didnt have Christ in his soul—and he perished. Earthly knowledge didnt help
him. He rejected the Holy Church—and was rejected.
Now
is a joyous time—Pascha. Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death
by death, and on those in the tombs bestowing life. Who are "those in the
tombs?" They are those sinful people who before were dead to God, but have been
resurrected into new life through the death of Christ the Savior.
June 11, 1911
[The Elder began his talk with the reading of an excerpt from the book In the
Mountains of the Caucasus, about the Jesus Prayer. He said beforehand that
to those of us who had been with him earlier, that which he read would not say
anything new. Everything would be familiar, but one could repeat this familiar
material many times. The excerpt began with these words: "What angelic language
can worthily express all the meaning of the Jesus Prayer?"]
And
so the author thinks that its not for human language to speak of it. But what
actually is an angelic language? And is there such a language? Of
course there is, only were unable to imagine its characteristics; its not
composed of sounds—after all, there is nothing physical there. We know that
people often understand one another without words. There is a language of the
eyes—people glance at one another and understand one another. There is a
language of gestures, by which one may make oneself understood to deaf-mutes.
What the angelic language is like, we dont know. And only by this is it
possible to express the miraculous meaning of the Jesus Prayer. It can be
understood only by those who have become acquainted with it through experience.
To apply himself to this prayer the author withdrew to the mountains of the
Caucasus and there led a solitary life, only rarely coming to a monastery for
Confession and Communion of the Holy Mysteries. Everything written in his book
is worthy of complete confidence, as something realized through experience. The
action of this prayer is always hidden by the greatest mysteries. It does not
consist merely in speaking the words, "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy
on me, a sinner," but reaches the heart and mysteriously settles there. Through
this prayer we enter into relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. We become
accustomed to Him, we merge with Him into one whole. This prayer fills the soul
with calm and joy amidst the most difficult trials, in the midst of every
oppression and human vanity.
I
received a letter: "Batiushka, Im suffocating! Afflictions are pressing in from
all sides, theres no way to breathe, nothing to look back to; I see no joy in
life, Ive lost the very meaning of it." What do you say to such an afflicted
soul? That he needs to endure? But afflictions, like a millstone, oppress a
mans soul, and he suffocates under their weight.
Take
note that Im not speaking now of unbelievers and atheists, nor of those who are
depressed that they have lost God. No, it happens that believers who have set
forth on the path of salvation, souls who are under the influence
of Divine grace, lose the meaning of life. They dont know that this is a
temporary condition which passes, which one must wait out. They write: "Ive
fallen into despair, something dark has surrounded me." Im not saying that such
an affliction is legitimate, but I am saying that it is the lot of every man.
This is not a punishment, this is a cross; and one must bear this cross. But how
does one bear it? Where is the support? Some seek this support and consolation
from people—they think to find peace in the midst of the world, and they dont
find it. Why? Because one must not seek it there. One must seek peace and light
and strength in God through the Jesus Prayer. When it becomes very hard for you
and gloom surrounds you, stand before the icon, light the lampada if it hasnt
been lit, kneel if youre able, or else just say "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God,
have mercy on me, a sinner." Say it once, again, a third time—say it so that
its not just your lips that are pronouncing it, but in such a way that it
reaches your heart. And then, the sweetest Name of the Lord will without fail
reach your heart, and little by little the melancholy and grief will subside and
your soul will become bright. A quiet joy will reign in it.
Only those who have come to know it experientially can comprehend
this wondrous action of the Jesus Prayer. Some man has never tried honey in his
life and begins to ask, "What is it?" How do you explain it to him? You tell
him, "Its sweet, its made by bees, you get it from a hive, you slice the
honeycomb into pieces...." But he still wont understand what it is. Isnt it
simpler to say, "Do you want to know about honey? Well, try it!"... Has he tried
it? Is it sweet? "Its sweet." "Now do you know what honey is?" "Now I know."
Was it necessary to come running for some kind of scientific explanation? No.
The man tried it and understood it himself. Thats the way it is with the Jesus
Prayer. Many, having come to know its sweetness and meaning, have left all, have
given their whole life over to it, to come close to it, to merge with the
sweetest Name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
For
you in your educational or other occupations its impossible to fill your whole
life with the Jesus Prayer, but each of you can go through, some twenty, some
forty, some fifty, some even a hundred prayers a day. Each, according to his
strength, can acquire the habit of it. Let one succeed in an inch, another in a
yard, another in a fathom, and another, perhaps, will go forward a mile. Its
important to go, if only an inch, but go—and glory be to God! For everything,
glory be to God.
People go to monasteries to take up this prayer. True, at the present
time monasteries, especially convents, are placed in such a position that people
are always going off to fulfill obediences, to their chores and work. Its hard
for the nuns, but all the same theyre gradually permeated by the prayer and
become accustomed to it.
I remember how, when I was entering the monastery, I imagined that
the only thing they knew was this (the Elder lifted up his hands prayerfully).
Well, but when I did enter, it turned out quite differently. There was little
prayer, few prayerful labors. You didnt live on prayer alone—the labor of
obedience was also necessary. If prayerful labor and the fulfilling of
obediences took turns, replaced one another, then it was good. By this path one
could easily attain salvation.
I
recall that it was forty, or else fifty years ago, and I was in someones home.
There were many guests there. Some, as is customary in the world, were playing
cards; others were conversing, and then the dances began.... This wasnt a real
ball, but then, everything turned out unexpectedly. At that evening party there
was one young woman of exceptional beauty. Several prospective partners
approached to invite her to dance, but she refused. Then she arose, went up to
the piano and began to play. One could sense that she had completely escaped her
surroundings and had become absorbed within, in her own inner world and,
perhaps, in these sounds. It was a wonderful moonlit night. The young woman
played for a long time, and when she had finished playing she stood up, walked
over to the window and became lost in thought. She began to interest me, and I
attempted to make her acquaintance. I approached one lady and asked, "Do you
know so-and-so?"
"I
know her."
"Introduce me to her."
"Very
well, I can introduce you, but will it be worthwhile? I assure you that shes
quite uninteresting, and youll find nothing in her."
"Well, let me judge for myself."
And I
was introduced to this young woman. She was, I dont recall exactly, but no less
than twenty years old. She turned out to be very profound by nature, and lived
her inward life. She had loved, and had loved as such people are capable of
loving.
"It
was my first and, I assure you, my last love," she said to me, and she was not
lying. "You understand, hes all that I live by, the light of my life;
everything around me and in me is filled with him. Without him all is gloom, all
is darkness, and life has lost all meaning. I gave him my whole self, my soul
and my heart."
"But
where is he?"
"Its
frightful to say!"
"What, has he gone far away?"
"No,
he died!"
"And
you love a dead man?"
"Yes,
I love him, and Ill never love another. I gave him my soul, my love—its all
with him, hes carried it all to the grave, and I have nothing left."
My
acquaintance with this girl did not continue for long—she soon left for Samara;
but the entire time I knew her, she mourned over her first love: "Ill never
love another." If I were to meet this girl now, Id know what to tell her. Id
say to her, "You were in love? From such love there remains only sadness, only
emptiness? And you say that youll never love another? But I advise you to love
another—do you know Whom? The Lord Jesus Christ! Youve given your heart to a
man, and youre perishing from melancholy. Give it to Christ, and He will fill
it with light and joy in place of the gloom and sorrow that youre left with
after love for a man."
Thats what I say to you—some, perhaps have experienced such a
feeling and, half-extinguished, it still smolders as a barely visible spark in
your heart. Extinguish that spark! Others, perhaps, are now going through the
very height of this feeling—drive it away, dont give your heart over to it. The
Lord demands your heart for Himself: My son, give me thine heart
(Prov. 23:26). Dont allow your heart to become attached to the corruptible
good things of this world—drive every passion from it. The Lord can make a
habitation for Himself only in a heart free from passions.
The foundation of the whole law of God is love for God and ones
neighbor. Try to love the Lord. But how can this be attained? He Himself spoke
to us about this: He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is
that loveth me (John 14:21). And so, according to the word of the
Lord Himself, the path to Him, to His Divine love, is a single one—the
fulfillment of His commandments, concerning which He says, "My commandments are
not grievous" (cf. I John 5:3). His commandments are known to all—they are read
or sung each day at the Divine Liturgy: Blessed are the meek, ...
Blessed are the merciful (Matt. 5:5, 7). Someone will say, "Im
unable to observe this commandment, since I have no means to give alms." No,
anyone can fulfill the commandment concerning mercy—if not materially, then
spiritually. You ask, "How is that?" Heres how: someone has grieved you in some
way or another—forgive him! And that will be spiritual alms. "No, I cant do
that! Is it really possible to forgive such a terrible insult? As soon as I
think of him, Im ready to tear that person to pieces, and you say
forgive."
"So
you cant forgive?"
"I
cant."
"But
youve got to forgive!"
"Its
beyond my strength!"
"Not
enough strength? Ask God! Turn to Him and say, Lord Jesus Christ, Son
of God, have mercy on me, a sinner and help me to forgive! Say it once,
again, a third time, and you yourself will learn by experience—youll forgive
the offender."
Now
someone else says, "Here so-and-so has spread my name around as evil before
men and has slandered me in something which never happened, and with her
caustic remarks and taunts she gives me no peace."
"But
you be silent, answer nothing, and endure."
"But
is it really possible to endure all this?"
"You cant? Again, turn to the Lord: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of
God, have mercy on me, a sinner, and help me to endure." Try saying that,
and youll see from experience what will come of it. And so, in every difficult
situation, turn to the Lord, and He will help you. Fulfill His commandments and
ask His help. Theres trouble if someone hopes in his own strength and takes it
into his own head to fulfill them himself, without running to Divine help; if
someone gets the notion to do it without humility. Two virtues are necessary in
the work of salvation—one is love, and the other is humility. Without these two,
not only mental prayer, but salvation itself is impossible.
After
all, look at Tolstoy—how terribly he ended. But you know, earlier on he was a
religious man—he ordered the serving of Molebens, he prayed with tears.
Everything seemed to be in place. One thing was not there—humility. He liked to
judge others and didnt know how to forgive the shortcomings of others. Someone
began to speak to him about one of his neighbors. "What do you mean," he said,
"can he really be a human being?"
"What
else? Of course hes a human being!"
"Now
look—what kind of human being can he be? Hes just a creature."
"But
after all, everything is a creature; even angels are creatures: In
thee rejoiceth, O thou who art full of grace, all creation: the angelic assembly
and the race of man...."
"No,
its impossible to consider him a man!"
"But
why?"
"Hes
an atheist, he doesnt go to church, he doesnt believe in God—is that a man,
then?"
But
his old nanny said to him... [At this point there was a knock at the door—Br.
Gregory said that Br. Philip had come to ask a blessing to go riding and was
asking if he could be given a horse. "They can give him a horse, let him go and
harness it," said the Elder. Br. Gregory left.]
See,
thats how it goes in the Monastery with us—the Jesus Prayer, and suddenly
Philip has come, and a horse has come.... Well, the horse has come and gone and
were left where we were.
And
so, the old nanny said to Tolstoy, "Levushka, dont judge them; just let them do
as they please, but dont you judge them—what is it to you? Look after
yourself." But he couldnt change himself and came to a bad end.
And
now another woman thinks, "I go to church, but she over there doesnt; who does
she think she is?... And look what she does do—well, you know what that
resembles." And so she continues to give her up as hopeless and considers
herself to be better than others. You look, and shes reached the point where
shes fallen lower than those whom shes condemned. You have to consider
yourself the least worthy of all.
And
so, heres the first and only path to salvation—the fulfillment of the Lords
commandments. The Lord said concerning them that theyre not grievous, but we
cant fulfill them by our own strength. We must ask the Lord for help, and He
will give it. It seems simple. Simple, but complicated as well. Let us pray to
Him, that He strengthen us in His love. Amen.
From Elder Barsanuphius of Optina (Platina, CA: St. Herman Press),
pp. 450-463. Copyright 2000 by the St. Herman of Alaska Brotherhood, Platina, California. Used with permission.
|