Письмо 66
Focusing the Heart for Communion
The author advises against spiritual restlessness and encourages a focused, penitent preparation for the Eucharist.
May God help you. May the Lord bless you for the good work of preparing for Communion.1 But here is the point. Go to whichever church you want—only go to one. But roaming from church to church, as people suggest you do, is absurd. Is preparation for Communion a time for diversions? Weeping is what is fitting.
The Nearness of Divine Grace
Reflecting on the presence of the Mother of God, the author reminds the reader that God remains active and present to sustain us in His truth.
I've heard about the wonder-working icon, though they told me a different version of how it began. Well, it's all the same. The point is that the Queen of Heaven is near us. These days we urgently need manifestations of God's power in us. Thanks be to the Lord! So, He doesn't want to abandon us, but wants to keep us in His truth.
Contentment in Spiritual Simplicity
The author encourages the reader to avoid the search for novelty and instead cultivate a life of prayer and contentment within their own parish.
It's good that you changed your mind about going to Sergius. This is no time for itching ears.2 At our church they read well, and glory to God. What more do you need? Even if you didn't have that, you could gradually get used to praying in silence yourselves.3 May the Lord bless you!
Read the original Russian
Бог в помощь! Благослови вас, Господи, на доброе дело говения. Но вот что! В какую хотите церковь, ходите, только в одну. А мыкаться по разным церквам, как вам предлагают, нелепо. Разве говение есть время развлечений? Плакать подобает.
Про икону чудотворную я слышал, только мне не так рассказывали начало. Ну, все одно. Дело в том, что близ нас есть Царица Небесная. Ныне крайне нужны явления силы Божией в нас. Благодарение Господу! Стало быть, Он не хочет бросать нас, а хочет держать в истине Своей.
Хорошо, что вы раздумали ехать к Сергию. Чесать слух – не время. У нас в церкви читают хорошо, и слава Богу. Чего еще? Если б и этого не было, можно самим понемножку привыкать молиться в молчанку. Благослови вас, Господи!
Notes
- 1 ↩говение is the Orthodox discipline of prayer, fasting, and confession in preparation for Holy Communion; rendered as 'preparing for Communion' rather than left as the technical term govenie.
- 2 ↩Russian «чесать слух» is the biblical idiom for craving pleasing speech (cf. 2 Tim 4:3, 'itching ears'); rendered to keep that force rather than a flat 'to entertain yourself'.
- 3 ↩«в молчанку» is colloquial for praying silently / in silence; kept as plain 'in silence' rather than a technical monastic term.
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