This present life, beloved, is given to us so that we may be prepared for eternal life, for unchangeable glory. This present life ends in death , and worldly glory is unstable and passes away. For many of the mighty of the earth have been unexpectedly brought down to hell, many of the judges of the earth have been handed over to the judgment of those whom they once judged, the rich have become poor, those who were thought wise have been found foolish, the strong have become weak, the healthy have fallen into sickness, those who had power have lost it.
There is nothing firm and permanent in the world, because there is nothing good. Children despise and insult their parents; parents fear their children. Wives leave their husbands, husbands do not remain faithful to their wives. Young men and old men lose their minds; old men and young men indulge in wicked amusements. There is no fidelity between friends, and no love between brothers. People show love for each other in conversation, but in their hearts they harbor hatred for each other. Treachery and malice are visible everywhere, deception reigns everywhere.
God has given us understanding so that we might know His will and do good; but we know His will and do evil. God has commanded us to be virtuous so that we might do what is right and pleasing to Him; but we love wickedness. He has given us wealth so that we might help the poor; but we, having wealth, oppress the poor. He has given us power and strength so that we might defend the innocently persecuted; but we do not defend them, but rather persecute them.
No one walks the path of God's commandments. Love has dried up - and hatred has multiplied its fruit. Sincerity is considered as nothing, and pretense is seen everywhere. Humility has become shameful, pride - respectable. Truth is banished, and lies reign on earth.
O, the depth of the riches, goodness and longsuffering of God!
God tolerates our iniquities for a long time and does not take revenge on us. He moderates His anger not because He cannot punish us immediately, but because, as a Merciful Father, He awaits our repentance and turning to His mercy. For God does not want the death, but the repentance of the sinner.
How great is our strength, that we resist the power of God? The wind blew upon us, and we withered; the storm arose, and scattered us like small twigs. What can earth and ashes be proud of? It is written: I saw the wicked exalted, and towering up like the cedars of Lebanon: and I passed by, and behold, he was not; I sought him, but his place was not found ( Psalm 37:35–36 ).
Let us not think that after death we will turn into nothing and that after earthly life there will be no judgment. No, after death there will be a resurrection of the dead and we will be judged by God, Who rewards everyone according to his deeds.
So let us not deceive ourselves, let us not live like dumb animals. If there is no resurrection, there is no death. But if there is a resurrection, there will also be a judgment. For He who determined death for man also promised to make a judgment. If God is just in the first case, He cannot deceive in the last.
What is more convenient for a person to do? To destroy an old house and rebuild the same house from its substance, or to prepare a new substance and build a new house?
If then God brought forth the earth from nothing, from which man was created, how can He not with greater convenience recreate in the first image the same man who died and returned to the earth? God feels no difficulty in His works. His work is His word; His word is His thought. He spoke, and they were made , says the Scripture of God ( Ps. 32:9 ). He calls those things which are not as though they were ( Rom. 4:17 ).
As the power and might of God are unsearchable, so are His works. And as His wisdom is immeasurable, so His ways are unsearchable ( Rom. 11:33 ).
Let us therefore leave unbelief. Let us beware lest we be condemned more for unbelief than for evil deeds. Evil deeds sometimes arise from our weakness; on the contrary, the source of unbelief is always recklessness and audacity. But the reckless and audacious are hardly capable of any good deed.
So, while we have time, let us take care of ourselves and try to appease God for our sins, so that He does not command us to be bound hand and foot and cast into outer darkness, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth ( Matt. 8:12 ).
What else does weeping signify, if not the cruelty of terrible torments? What else does gnashing of teeth show, if not late repentance for the sins committed? For only then will we begin to be indignant at ourselves and reproach ourselves with gnashing of teeth, when there is no longer time for repentance and hope for liberation.
So, if we can serve God in the short time of this life and protect ourselves from Gehenna and eternal torment, then why do we neglect and despise the commandments of God, why do we follow our evil lusts and become worthy of eternal punishment? Our God, the Great, the Lover of Mankind, rich in mercy ( Eph. 2:4 ) and mighty in His works, will Himself strengthen our weakness, He will crush Satan under our feet soon ( Rom. 16:20 ) and give us strength and spiritual understanding, so that in the time remaining to us we may serve Him truly and faithfully and find His mercy on the terrible day of His judgment.
Amen.