Письмо 55
The Futility of Diversions
The author warns against seeking relief from inner suffering through worldly amusements, which only deepen the soul's ache.
What is going on with you? Hold firm and take heart! But don't think you'll find help for yourselves in distractions.1 Distractions bring on a heaviness of heart even by themselves—and when you're already heavy-hearted, they only make it worse.2 Yes, that's true. In moments of outward cheerfulness the sickness of the heart is forgotten; but then, when the amusements and diversions have passed and the soul is left alone, it makes itself known to its master with doubled, tripled, even tenfold grief and aching longing.3 After all, the whole world knows this—and yet it doesn't listen, no matter what you say. And there you are, following everyone else.
Turning to God for True Consolation
Instead of worldly diversions, the reader is encouraged to seek lasting comfort through prayer, church, and spiritual reading.
. . Grief hits, and right away you go looking for distractions. Stop that—it's better to ask the Lord for mercy and consolation, and the Most Pure Lady as well.4 If They do grant it, they'll give real, lasting consolation, as is proper. Turn to Them. To do that, of course, you need to stay home more and pray, or go to church and do the same; it's also good to reflect and read.5 You can clearly follow St. Isaac the Syrian—and don't abandon him. He'll teach you everything. I wish you every consolation from the Lord. Pray, and the Lord, the healer of every infirmity, will heal you.
Read the original Russian
Что же это с вами? Крепитесь и воодушевляйтесь! Обаче не думайте, что вы найдете себе помощь в развлечениях. Развлечения и без того тоску наводят, а при тоске от них еще тоскливее. Да, так. В минуты веселости внешней забывается болезнь сердца, но за то, когда, по миновании увеселений и развлечений, душа останется одна, дает же она знать о себе своему хозяину удвоенным, утроенным и даже удесятеренным гореванием и тоскованием. Ведь это весь свет знает, да не слушает, что ни говори. Вот и вы себе за всеми.
. . Взяло горе, и ну развлечений искать! Бросьте, лучше у Господа просите милости, утешения, и у Пречистой Владычицы. Вот если Они дадут, то уж дадут, как следует, прочные утешения. К Ним и обращайтесь! Для этого, конечно, надо более сидеть дома и молиться, или ходить в церковь и тоже творить; и поразмыслить немного, и почитать – хорошо. Вам внятно читается св.
Исаак Сирианин, и не бросайте его. Он всему научит. Утешения всякаго вам от Господа желаю. Молитесь, и Господь, целитель всяких немощей, уврачует вас.
Notes
- 1 ↩Обаче is Church Slavonic for 'however/nevertheless'; rendered as plain English 'But' for register.
- 2 ↩тоска/тоскливее = aching melancholy, yearning gloom, heaviness of heart; rendered as 'heaviness of heart' / 'heavy-hearted' to keep interior force without therapeutic paraphrase.
- 3 ↩болезнь сердца kept as 'sickness of the heart' (interior affliction, not medical). хозяину = the person as 'master/owner' of the soul; rendered 'its master' to preserve the personification.
- 4 ↩Пречистая Владычица rendered as Most Pure Lady (traditional Orthodox Marian title).
- 5 ↩творить here means perform prayer (not create); rendered as do the same.
Letters on the Christian Life companion
Rule yourself daily, not just on retreat
Chosen Portion turns the mirror into a daily practice — a short reading and examining question each morning before you lead anyone.
Chosen Portion makes the mirror daily: the ruler-formation questions this collection preserves become a two-minute morning examination in the app.
- A daily formation reading drawn from centuries of counsel to those in authority
- One pointed examination question a day — two minutes, before the meetings start
- Track your practice over weeks and watch the examined life become a habit