Many Christians are lazy to go to Church. Even
on feast days, in some churches the bell rings just like in a desert, and the
churches are just empty. This is why we have decided to offer the lazy ones to
listen to the word of St. John Chrysostom. If they do not listen to us, then may be they will listen to one of the universal teachers.
“I am begging you, those who have come there, that you teach
the lazy ones to go to church, for you have savored the beauty of the teaching,
but they have not… The church is a shelter for everyone. If you are pious,
then come in to preserve your holiness; if you are sinful, then hurry to come
in so that you can save yourself. If a person does not hear the teaching of the
Church, then how can he direct his soul to good? The word of God is called "the light", and this light is much more precious than the visible light, for it
enlightens the souls. This is what Prophet Isaiah told about: people are
sitting in the deadly darkness, but can see the great light, i.e. the true
teaching. Those of you who go to church regularly, foster the others so that
they do not say, “I am busy, I cannot come”. Think about those who were invited
to the King’s supper and still did not come. One of them said, “I have bought
five yoke of oxen” and another said he has bought a piece of ground, and still
another said that he has got married a wife. And the king got angry at them.
You do not want to devote even an hour of your time. Is it really difficult for
you to go to work after you have visited the church? If anyone begins to hand
out gold or silver or give some honey or beer, would you not hurry to him? But you come seldom to the church, where I hand out the word of God every
day, which is better than gold, more sweet than honey and even more precious
than gemstones. This is why I condemn your laziness and blame you for your negligence
towards the Church of God and deprive yourself of its spiritual teaching,
through which you could learn piety and save your souls”.
So, brethren, come all to the church of God. Here you
will be pleased with the word of God, which is better than gold and gemstones;
here during the Divine liturgy you will be pleased with the saving recalls of
the life of our Savior; here you will glorify God together with cherubims and seraphims;
here, finally, you will commune with God as close as possible through His Blood
and Body. Amen.
Source: https://azbyka.ru/otechnik/Viktor_Gurev/prolog-v-pouchenijah-na-kazhdyj-den-goda/296
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