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Hieromonk Ambrose
was born on the 23rd of November 1812 to the
family of a sexton Michael Feodorovitch and his wife Martha
Nikolaevna, in a village called Big Lipovitsa, situated in
the district of Tambovsk. On the eve of his birth, many
guests gathered at the house of his grandfather, who was the
village priest. On that day, the house was overflowing with
bustling people – inside as well as in the courtyard. Martha
Nikolaevna was moved to the bathhouse, and shortly
thereafter, gave birth to Alexander – future Elder of Optina
hermitage – holy Ambrose of Optina. Later in life, the
Starets would jokingly reiterate: “Just as I was born in the
middle of a crowd, I continue to live surrounded by them.”
Michael Feodorovitch had 8 children: 4 sons and 4 daughters;
Alexander was the 6th child. As a child,
Alexander was a lively, happy and bright boy. According to
the custom of that time, Alexander was taught to read in
Slavonic alphabet, both the Prayerbook and Psalms. Every
church festive day, he would read and sing with his father
in the choir section. As he was brought up in a strictly
church and religious environment, he never saw or heard
anything corrupt.
When
he turned 12, he was enrolled in first form at the
ecclesiastical college of Tambovsk. He studied well, and
upon finishing the course in 1830, was admitted to the
Tambovsk Seminary. Once again, study came easy to him. As
one of his former classmates used to reminisce: “Sometimes,
you would spend your last cent to buy a candle so that you
can continue studying your lessons; he (Alexander Grenkov)
however studied little, but would appear in the classroom
and answer all the mentor’s questions – just as it is
written, better than anyone.” In July 1836, having
successfully completed his studies, Alexander did not enter
the ecclesiastical Academy nor did he enrol to study for
priesthood. It was as though he felt a special calling in
his soul and was therefore in no hurry to commit himself to
a fixed position; as though he was expecting God’s call. He
spent some time as private tutor to a country squire’s
family and then as a teacher in a religious school at Lipets.
Possessing a lively and cheerful disposition, benevolence
and a sharp wit, Alexander Mihailovich was loved by his
friends and workmates. Falling dangerously ill during his
final year of studies at the Seminary, he gave a promise
that should he recover, he would be tonsured into a monastic
order. Upon recovering from his illness, he did not forget
his promise. Nevertheless, he delayed its fulfilment for a
few years, because as in his own expression, he was
“reluctant.” However, his conscience was not giving him any
peace. The more time elapsed, the greater were his pangs of
remorse. Periods of youthful and carefree gaiety and
insouciance were replaced with intervals of sharp anguish,
melancholy, fervent prayers & tears.
Once, during a walk through a forest in Lipetsk, he paused
on the bank of a river and through the bubbling sounds of
the water, distinctly heard the words spoken “Praise God,
love God.”
Returning home and isolating himself from inquisitive eyes,
he started to pray ardently to the Mother of God so that She
may enlighten his mind and direct his will. On the whole, he
did not possess a strong will, and in his old age would say
to his spiritual children: “You must listen to me from my
first word. I am a very obliging person. If you start to
argue with me, I may accede and that would not be to your
benefit.” In the same diocese of Tambovsk, in the village of
Troyekoorovo, there lived a well renowned ascetic Hilarion.
Alexander Mihailovich came to him for advice and was told by
the starets: “Go to Optina hermitage – there you will become
experienced. You could also go to Sarov, but now there are
no experienced elders as there were before” (Seraphim of
Sarov reposed a short time earlier). When the summer
holidays arrived in 1839, Alexander Mihailovitch together
with his seminarian friend and colleague from Pokrov
educational institution at Lipetsk, outfitted a tilt-cart
and set out on a pilgrimage to the Troitsa- Sergius
Monastery to worship before the Abbot of Russia – Saint
Sergius.
Returning home to Lipetsk, Alexander Mihailovitch continued
to hesitate and could not make the decision to forsake the
world. Nonetheless, this did happen one evening as he was
amusing fellow guests. Everybody was happy and contented,
and dispersed to their respective homes in high spirits.
With regard to Alexander Mihailovitch, if in the past, under
similar circumstances, he felt remorse, now his promise
given to God vividly conjured up in his mind. He remembered
the fervidness of the spirit in the Troitsa monastery, the
former long prayers, the lamentations and tears, God’s
directives conveyed to him through Fr. Hilarion.
In
the morning, on this occasion, his resolve grew firm.
Fearing that he may start to waver because his relatives and
friends might try to persuade him to stay, and without even
receiving permission from the diocese authorities, Alexander
Mihailovitch quietly departed for Optina.
Here
he found monastic life at its height: such stalwarts as
Abbot Moses, elders Leo (Leonard) and Macarius. Brother of
ascetic and sagacious Moses – Hieromonk Anthony – was the
superior of the monastery and was equal in spiritual
eminence to Alexander Mihailovich.
Under the guidance of the elders, monastic life carried the
imprint of spiritual virtue. Simplicity (honesty), meekness
and humility – all were outstanding features of Optina
monasticism. Junior brothers attempted to humble themselves
not only before the seniors, but also in front of other
junior members. They were even afraid to offend by looks and
any misunderstanding saw the brother hurry to seek
forgiveness.
It
was in this atmosphere that Alexander Grenkov arrived at the
hermitage on 8th Oct. 1839. Leaving his coachman
at the guesthouse, he went directly to the chapel. After
Liturgy, he proceeded to Elder Leo for his blessing to
remain in the monastery. The starets blessed him and
directed him to initially live in the guesthouse,
transcribing the book “Salvation for sinners” (translated
from Modern Greek), dealing with the struggles against
carnal desires.
In
Jan. 1840 he moved into the monastery although he did not
wear an under-vestment. At this time there was an ongoing
correspondence with the diocesan authorities - regarding his
disappearance - and the superior of Optina had not received
a directive from the Archbishop of Kaloozh, inducting
teacher Grenkov into the monastery.
Finally, in April 1840, A.M.Grenkov received a blessing to
wear monastic raiment. For a short period, he acted as cell
assistant and reader (rites and church services) to the
elder Leo. Initially, he worked in the monastery bakery
producing yeast and baking bread. Then in November 1840, he
was transferred to the hermitage. From there, the young
novitiate continually visited the starets Leo to receive
preceptorials from him. At the hermitage he was an assistant
cook for a whole year. Because of his work he often had to
visit elder Macarius, to receive his blessing regarding food
preparation, or whether he had to toll the bell before a
meal, or for some other associated matter. These
opportunities allowed him to express his spiritual state to
the elder and receive his answers. The aim was for a person
to conquer temptation, and not temptation man.
Starets was especially fond of the young novitiate and
affectionately called him Sasha. However, motivated by
spiritually educational aims, the elder used to test his
humility in front of others. With this in mind, he gave him
a nickname – “chimera” – and at times would take on an
appearance of being angry with him. This name was intended
to mean a sterile flower just like cucumber plants produce.
But to others he would say “He will be a great man.”
Expecting his imminent death, starets Leo called Father
Macarius and told him about the novitiate Alexander. “Here
is a man that has sought refuge in us elders. I am now very
weak. So now I am handing him over to you completely, guide
him as you will.”
After the death of elder Leo Alexander became a lay brother
to starets Macarius (1841-1846). In 1842, he was tonsured
and took the habit with the name Ambrose (in honour of Saint
Ambrose of Milan (whose memory is celebrated on the 7th.
Of December). This was followed with him becoming a
hierodeacon (1843) and 2 years later – ordained as
hieromonk.
During these years, Fr. Ambros's health was greatly
weakened. On the 7th of December 1846, during his
journey to Kalooga for his ordination, he caught a cold
which impacted on his internal organs, leaving him ill for a
long time. From that point on, he never really recovered.
However he did not feel despondent but rather acknowledged
that his physical infirmity was beneficial to his soul: “God
does not expect physical deeds from a sick person, but only
patience with humility and gratefulness.”
From
September 1846 to the summer of 1848, his health
deteriorated so dangerously that he was tonsured into schema
(the severest monastic order) in his cell with the retention
of his name. However, to the surprise of many, he started to
improve rapidly and even went for outside walks. This sudden
break in his illness was a clear sign of God’s will, and as
the elder himself would comment later: “Merciful God! In the
monastery, the ill do not die quickly but linger on and on,
until their illness brings them some real benefit. It is
good to be slightly ill in a monastery, particularly for the
young, so that the flesh does not rebel and to minimise
empty thoughts entering one’s head.”
During those years, Father Ambros's training was not only
guided by physical ailments sent by God, but through his
beneficial communion with the senior brothers, among whom
there were real ascetics. As an example, we will cite an
event about which subsequently the elder himself related.
Shortly after being ordained as a deacon, he had to serve at
a liturgy in a church at Vedensk and consequently, came into
the altar to receive abbot Anthony’s blessing, who in turn
asked him:“Well, are you getting used to it?” Father Ambrose
replied in a nonchalant manner: ” With your prayers father!”
To which Father Anthony continued: “Toward fear of
God?”….Father Ambrose understood that his tone of voice was
out of place in the altar and became confused. “In this
way,” concluded Father Ambrose ” the former elders were able
to teach us reverence.”
During those years, his communion with elder Macarius was
especially important for his spiritual augmentation.
Notwithstanding his illness, as before, Fr. Ambrose remained
in full obedience to the starets, giving him an account of
even his minor actions. Receiving Fr. Macarius’s blessing,
he busied himself translating books written by holy fathers,
and in particular, prepared for publication, the work “The
Ladder” written by the holy Abbot John of the Sinai.
Thanks to elder Macarius’s guidance, Fr. Ambrose was able to
learn without any special hindrances, the skill of skills –
wise prayer. A novitiate’s activity is accompanied by many
dangers, and through his inexperience, in trying to apply
his own will in the face of significant lamentations, the
devil attempts to lead that person toward self-exaltation.
In following this path and without a spiritual guide, a
novitiate can inflict great harm to his soul. This is what
happened to starets Macarius himself when he independently
attempted to master this skill. Because he had a highly
experienced guide in elder Macarius, Fr. Ambrose was able to
avoid the pitfalls of distress and sorrow during his
progression through the clever prayer. Although the starets
loved his student, but in order to destroy the novitiate’s
self-love, it did not stop him, on occasions, to place him
in humiliating circumstances. Starets Macarius was guiding
him to become a strict ascetic, adorned with poverty,
humility, patience and other novitiate virtues. Whenever
anybody defended Fr. Ambrose with “Father, he is an ill
person!,” starets Macarius would respond “Do I know less
than you? However, to a monk, reprimands and criticisms are
but brushes that sweep away sinful dust from his soul;
without this, a monk rusts.”
Even
while starets Macarius was alive, some of the brothers would
visit Fr. Ambrose to discuss their innermost thoughts.
This
is how Abbot Mark (he retired to Optina) described it, “As
much as I could notice, in those days, Fr. Ambrose lived in
isolation without speaking to anyone. Whenever I visited him
– which was nearly every day – to discuss my thoughts, I
always found him reading spiritual books. Absence from his
cell meant that he was with starets Macarius, helping him
with correspondence with his spiritual children, or, that he
was translating spiritual books. Sometimes I found him
sitting on his bed, holding back barely perceptible tears in
his eyes. It seemed to me that the elder always moved as if
he was in God’s presence, or as though he was constantly
aware of His presence, just as it states in a psalm “I have
set the Lord always before me…” (Psalm 16:8). Consequently,
all his actions were made for God’s sake and to please Him.”
That is why he constantly agonised, afraid that he may
offend God, and this feeling was reflected in his face.
Whenever I was in his presence and seeing this concentrated
look of the starets, I was always trembled with reverence.
And it was impossible for me to be otherwise. Whenever I
knelt before him as I usually did to receive his blessing,
he would very quietly inquire “Brother, what can you say to
me that is good?” Perplexed by his concentration and
feelings, I answered “For God’s sake, forgive me batushka.
Maybe I have come at a wrong time?” – “No” was the elder’s
reply – “say what you have to say, only be brief.” Having
listened to me attentively, he would reverently give me
beneficial instructions and affectionately, release me.
Although rich in spiritual intellect, his instructions did
not come from his personal wisdom or reasoning. When he did
instruct his spiritual young, it was as if he was one of the
learners, offering them not his personal advice but
invariably, the potent teachings of holy Fathers.” If Fr.
Mark complained to Fr. Ambrose about an individual that had
inflicted a hurt upon him, the starets would respond in a
sad tone of voice “Brother, brother! I am a person that is
dying,” or, “Today-tomorrow I shall die. What will I do with
this brother? After all I am not the Father Superior. You
need to reproach yourself, humble yourself before the
brother and you will find peace.” Such replies used to evoke
self-reproachment in Fr. Mark’s soul. After bowing humbly
before the starets and asking his forgiveness, he would
leave composed and comforted – “fly out as though on wings.”
Apart from monks, Fr.Macarius encouraged the bringing
together of his lay spiritual children with Fr.Ambrose. Upon
seeing Fr.Ambrose conversing with them, he would murmur
jokingly “Look, look at that, Ambrose is taking my bread
away from me!” In this way, Fr.Macarius was gradually
preparing himself a worthy successor. When starets Macarius
reposed (7th Sept 1860), the slowly changing
events developed in such a way that saw Fr.Ambrose appointed
in his place. Forty days after the death of starets
Macarius, Fr.Ambrose relocated to another building close to
the abbey courtyard, to the right of the belfry. On the
western side of this building was an addition called
“Shanty,” which served as a reception area for visiting
women (as they were not allowed inside the abbey).
Fr.Ambrose spent thirty years at this abbey, independently
serving his brothers before departing for “Shamardino.”
He
had two cell-assistants: Fr.Michael and Fr.Joseph (future
elder). His main secretary was Fr.Clement (Zederholm), son
of a Protestant pastor. A highly educated individual, who
was a Master of Greek literature, he converted to Orthodoxy.
Initially, in order to observe the rites, he would wake up
at 4 am, ring the bells which summoned his assistants, who
would then read the morning prayers, 12 selected psalms and
First Hour. Afterwards, he would retire to spend time in
wise prayer. After a short rest, the starets would attend
the hours: third, sixth and typika, and depending upon the
time of the day, the canon and acathithus to Jesus Christ or
His Holy Mother. He would listen to these akathists
standing. After prayer and a light breakfast, the working
day would begin, interrupted by a short lunch break. The
amount of food the starets would consume equalled to that
given to a three-year-old child. During lunch, the cell
attendants would relay questions to him posed by the
visitors. After a brief rest, the intense toil recommenced –
continuing deep into the night. Notwithstanding his weakened
and ailing state, the starets always finished the day with
evening prayer rule, made up of small compline, canon to the
Guardian Angel and evening prayers. The continuous flow of
people visiting the starets had his cell attendants run off
their feet. Occasionally the elder would lie still, as
though without any feeling. After the Rule, the starets
would ask forgiveness “for having sinned gravely by deed,
word, thought.” Having received his blessing, the cell
attendants would head for the door, as the bells would peal
the Hour. The starets would inquire feebly “Which hour is
it?,” “The twelfth” came the response. “You are late” would
be his comment.
After two years, a new sickness overtook the starets. If
before his health was fragile, now it was completely feeble.
From that point on, he was unable to go to church and
partook of the Holy Sacraments in his cell. In 1869, his
health reached such a low point that hope for his recovery
started to wane. The miracle-working icon of Mother of God
of Kaloozh was brought to him. After Te Deum, cell vigil and
Extreme Unction, his health improved although extreme
weakness remained with him for the rest of his life.
These severe relapses returned more than once. It is
difficult to imagine how the starets, confined to his bed
totally fatigued in a state of debilitating infirmity,
continued daily to receive multitudes of people and respond
to tens of letters. It was through him that the words “God’s
strength is realised through infirmities” became a reality.
Without God’s selection of him as His crucible through which
He spoke and acted, such a feat and gigantic labour would
never have been possible through purely human effort.
Clearly, God’s life-giving benevolence and assistance was
present.
God’s abundant benevolence that resided in him, was the
source of those spiritual blessings that allowed him to
serve those that visited him, comforting the grieving,
strengthening the faith in those that were wavering and
directing everybody toward the path of salvation.
Among the spiritual blessings that were gifted to starets
Ambrose, which drew thousands of people to him, his
perspicacity has to be mentioned in the first instance. He
would penetrate deeply into the soul of his visitor and
without any need for any explanations, would read it like a
book. Without anyone noticing, he would subtly point out the
person’s weaknesses, compelling him to think about them
seriously. One woman, who visited him often, was addicted to
playing cards but too embarrassed to acknowledge this. Once
on her visit, she started to ask the starets for his card.
Attentively, the elder fixed her with his distinctive look
and said: “What mother? Do you think we play cards here at
the monastery?” She understood the allusion and confessed
her weakness to the starets. His sagacity amazed many, and
this immediately influenced them to place themselves fully
in his hands in the firm belief that the starets knew better
than them what they lacked, what was beneficial for them and
what was harmful.
One
highly qualified young woman, having finished her higher
education in Moscow, and who was an offspring of a woman
that was one of Fr.Ambrose’s spiritual daughters, although
having never met Fr.Ambrose, did not like him and called him
“hypocrite.” Her mother talked her into spending some time
with Fr.Ambrose. Arriving at a public visit to the starets,
she stood at the back of everyone, next to the doorway. In
opening the door to enter, the starets isolated her behind
it. Having said a prayer and glancing over the multitude, he
suddenly looked behind the door and said: “And who is this
giant standing here? Is this – Faith having come to view a
hypocrite?” Afterwards, he spoke to her privately, and this
changed the young woman’s attitude toward him completely.
She came to love him deeply and her fate was settled – she
entered a convent at Shamordino. Whoever placed himself -
with total faith - under his guidance, never regretted their
decision even though initially they may have received
directives from him that seemed strange and totally
impossible to fulfil.
Usually, very many people gathered at Fr.Ambrose’s. Once, a
young woman that was persuaded to visit the Batushka, became
irritated because she was kept waiting. Suddenly the door
opens wide. The starets, with a bright face, appears in the
doorway and loudly states: “Those who are impatient come to
me.” Coming up to the young woman he leads her away. After
their conversation, she becomes a frequent guest at Optina
and visitor to Fr.Ambrose.
On
one occasion, a group of women gathered in the courtyard.
One of them, an elderly woman with a pained face sitting on
a tree stump, related how she walked from Voronezh in the
hope that the starets would cure her afflicted legs. Seven
miles from the monastery, she became lost on the
snow-covered path and fell on a log, exhausted. Suddenly, an
old man approached her. Dressed in an under-vestment and
skoufia, he approached the woman and enquired as to the
cause of her tears. Pointing which path to take with his
walking stick, the woman followed his direction and rounding
some bushes, immediately sighted the monastery. Everybody
agreed that the old man was either the monastery’s forester
or one of its brothers. Suddenly, a young novice appeared on
the perron and loudly asked: “where is Eudoxia of Voronezh?”
Everybody glanced at one another but kept quiet. The novice
repeated his question, only louder, and added that Batushka
is calling her. Having just arrived at the monastery, the
woman with the afflicted legs exclaimed, “Dear me, but
Eudoxia of Voronez is I!” Forging through the throng that
had given way, she arrived at the top of the steps and
disappeared through the doorway. After some 15 minutes, she
came out of the house in tears, sobbing that the old man in
the forest that directed her was non-other than Father
Ambrose himself, or someone that looked very much like him.
However, there was nobody in the monastery that looked like
him, and during winter, due to ill health, he was unable to
venture out of his cell. Yet here he is, appearing in the
forest, giving directions to a traveller, and then having
detailed knowledge of her, half an hour before her arrival!
Here
is another instance of Fr.Ambrose’s perspicacity as related
by an artisan that visited him: “Shortly before the death of
the Starets, some 2 years, I had to travel to Optina to get
some money. We had finished making an iconostasis and I was
there to receive a rather large sum of money from the
father-superior. Having received my payment, I dropped in to
Fr. Ambrose to receive his blessing for my return journey. I
was in a hurry to get home as was waiting to receive a large
order – for about 10,000 roubles, and the clients would
definitely call at my home the following day. As usual, the
number of people waiting to see the Starets was
overwhelming. Having found out about my waiting to see him,
he sent his cell attendant to ask me to come in the evening
to drink tea with him. Although I was hurrying to get home,
the honour and joy to have tea with the Starets were so
great, that I reasoned that if I delayed my journey till the
evening, I will still be able to get home on time if I
travelled all night.
When
evening arrived, I went to the Starets. Greeting me, the
Starets was so happy and joyful that I did not feel the
ground beneath my feet. Batushka, our angel, kept me fairly
long as it was getting dark. “Well, go with God” he said,
“Sleep here tonight and tomorrow I will bless you to attend
liturgy, and afterwards come over for tea. “What’s this?” I
thought. However, I didn’t dare object. I slept over,
attended liturgy and went to drink tea with the Starets
while lamenting about my clients, thinking: perhaps I will
be able to get home in the evening. Here’s hoping! Finishing
my tea and before I can say to the Starets: ‘Bless me on my
journey’, he announces ‘Come over tonight and sleep here.’
Even my legs started to sag; yet I could not object. The day
passed, the night passed! In the morning, I became a bit
bold and thought: To be or not to be, I shall leave today:
perhaps my clients will wait for me for one day. Would you
believe! I couldn’t open my mouth when the Starets said: “Go
to vespers tonight and liturgy tomorrow morning. Then sleep
here again.” What sort of parable is this! Here, I began to
really grieve, and to be truthful, sinned against the
Starets: what a sage! He knows precisely that because of his
generosity, a lucrative job has slipped through my fingers.
I was so incommodious with the Starets that I was unable to
relay my feelings to him. This time, during vespers, I was
not up to praying as thoughts flooded my head: “Well here’s
a great Starets! Here is a sage…! Your earnings are blown.”
Ah, was I really annoyed at that time! And my Starets, well,
as though purposely and to my sin, God forgive me, and
seemingly to taunt, greets me in a joyful mood after the all
night vigil! I became bitter and insulted: I thought why is
he so happy…But I still did not have the audacity to voice
my thoughts. I spent the third night in the usual manner.
Overnight, my lament slowly diminished: it was like water
under the bridge. In the morning, I came over to the
Starets, to be told by him: “Well, its time for you to
depart! Go with God! God will bless you! And with time, do
not forget to thank God!”
From
this point, all my sorrows fell away from me. I left Optina
with such a light heart and joy that it is impossible to
convey…Only why did batushka tell me: “Later, do not forget
to thank God!”…..I thought it was maybe because He gave me
the great honour of spending three days in church.
Travelling home unhurriedly and not even thinking about my
clients, I was very happy that batushka treated me the way
he had. I arrived home and what do you think? I am driving
through the gates and my clients are right behind me. They
were three days late! Well, I thought, my blessed Starets!
Your works are indeed wondrous Lord!….However, this did not
end here. You listen to what happened further!
A
short time later, Fr.Ambrose passed away. Two years after
his righteous death, my senior artisan is taken ill. A
trusted person, he was worth his weight in gold. He lived
with me continuously for twenty years. His illness is life
threatening. We sent for a priest to administer the last
rites while he was still conscious. Approaching me from the
deathbed, the priest says: “The sick person is calling for
you, he wants to see you. Hurry, before he dies.” As soon as
he saw me coming, he somehow managed to prop himself up on
his elbows, looked at me and burst into tears: “Please
forgive my sin boss! I did want to kill you….” “You what,
God forbid! You are delirious….” No boss, I truly wanted to
kill you. Remember when you were three days late in
returning from Optina. Well, through my arrangement with two
others, we waited for you three nights under the bridge: we
were after the money you received at Optina for the
iconastasis. Due to someone’s prayers, had God not led you
away from an unrepentant death, you would not have been
alive that night. In God’s name, forgive me, an accursed
one, and release my soul with peace!” “God forgive you as I
forgive you.” He then began to emit death rattles. May his
soul rest in Heaven. Great was his sin, but great was his
repentance!”
Father Ambrose’s perspicacity was combined with another most
valuable gift, especially for a clergyman – discernment. To
people who thought deeply about religion, his directives and
advice appeared as sound and practical scripture. Often the
Starets would give his preceptorials in a semi-humorous
format, thereby lifting the person from despondency, yet not
diminishing the deep meaning of his words. Because of
Fr.Ambrose’s picturesque expressions, people would
invariably ponder over them and remember their meaning for a
long time. Sometimes, during general gatherings, the
constant question would be raised: “How to live?” To this,
the Starets would benignly reply: “We must live on earth
just as a wheel turns, where only one point is in contact
with the ground, while the rest reaches out upward: but we,
once we lie down, are unable to get up.”
As
examples, we will cite some other sayings of the Starets.
¨
“Where there is simplicity, there are a
hundred Angels, but where there is cleverness – there are
none."
¨
“Do not boast peas that you are better than
beans, once you are soaked – you too will burst.”
¨
“From what does a person become bad? – From
forgetting that there is a God above him.”
¨
“Those who think of themselves as having
nothing, will lose out.”
The
Staret’s reasoning also extended toward practical questions,
far removed from those problems of spiritual life. Here is
an example.
An
affluent landowner comes to the Starets and as a matter of
course, announces that he intends to establish a watering
system throughout his wide-spread apple orchards. Totally
occupied with the watercourse, batushka begins with his
usual words: “People say that the best way” – and then
pictures the waterway in detail. Returning home, the
landlord begins to read literature on the topic and realises
that batushka’s description was the latest invention in this
field of technology. The landlord returns to Optina. ‘Well,
what about the watercourse?” asks batushka. Everywhere,
apples are spoiling, but with the landlord – a bumper
harvest.
Thanks to the powers of reasoning and perspicacity within
Starets Ambrose that combined with a remarkable, pure
maternal softness of the heart, he was able to alleviate the
heaviest sorrow and console the most grieving soul.
Some
3 years after the death of Starets in 1894, one inhabitant
from Kozelska related the following: “I had a son who worked
for the telegraph company by delivering telegrams. Batushka
knew us both. My son used to deliver telegrams to him quite
often while I went to him for his blessing. Then my son
became ill with tuberculosis and died. I came to him – we
all came to him with our sorrows. He stroked my head and
said: “Your telegram has been cut short!” “Yes, cut short
batushka!” and I began to cry. His compassion made my soul
feel light, as though a heavy stone was removed. We lived
beside him as though with our own father. Now, there are no
more staretses like him. Maybe God will send another one to
us.”
Love
and wisdom – these were the precise qualities that attracted
people to the Starets. From morning till evening, people
came to him with their pressing questions into which he
immersed deeply, living them during the conversation. He
always encompassed the crux of the matter with reason and
explicated it with incomprehensible wisdom. However, during
this 10 to 15 minute dialogue, not only was one issue
decided, but during this time Fr.Ambrose intercalated into
his heart, the whole human being – with all his attachments,
desires – his whole being, internal and external. By the
elder’s words and directives, it was clear that he loved not
only that person that he was conversing with, but all his
loved ones, his life and everything that was dear to him.
Considering all aspects of life that may be affected by the
subject matter, Fr.Ambrose always bore in mind the possible
resultant, significant ramifications – independent of the
matter at hand – that may arise from his determinations and
affect not only on that person, but others as well. What
type of mental concentration was required to solve these
problems? Yet these types of enigmas were brought to him by
tens of lay people - not counting fellow monks and 50
letters that arrived and were attended to – on a daily
basis! Being close to God and in possession of His gift of
clairvoyance, the Starets’s words carried great authority.
It was prophet’s work.
Insignificant matters did not exist for the Starets. He knew
that everything in life had value and its own consequences.
Consequently, there was no question that he did not respond
to with commitment and a desire to do good. Once, a woman
employed by the wife of a landowner to look after her
turkeys came to the Starets. For some reason, the turkeys in
her charge were dying off and the employer was on the verge
of dismissing her. “Batushka!” she turned to him tearfully
“I am running out of strength giving all my time to them. I
look after them as I would after a treasured one – yet still
they fall ill. The mistress wants to replace me. Have pity
on me father.” The people present laughed at her. Sharing
her concerns and after hearing how she fed them, the Starets
gave new feeding instructions, blessed her and sent her
home. The Starets then pointed out to those that laughed
that her whole life revolved around those turkeys. Later it
became known that those turkeys became sickness-free.
Instances of his healings were countless and would be
impossible to enumerate in this short treatise. The Starets
always tried to hide these occurrences.
Once, stooped and leaning on his stick, Starets Ambrose was
walking along the road from somewhere toward the abbey.
Suddenly, he is confronted with the following scene: a cart
fully loaded, next to it lies a dead horse over which a
peasant is crying. The loss of a horse, provider to the
peasant’s existence, was a substantial misfortune! Nearing
the horse, the Starets commenced to walk around it, slowly.
Then taking a switch he whipped the horse, shouting: “Get
up, loafer” – and the horse stood up obediently.
To
many, Starets Ambrose appeared as a distant figure,
comparable to Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker, either for
the purpose of healing or for liberation from misfortunes.
To some, extremely few, the Starets’s power of prayerful
intercession before God was revealed graphically. We will
bring the recollections of a nun who was one of Fr.Ambrose’s
spiritual daughters.
“In
his cell an image lamp was alight and a small wax candle was
burning on his table. It was too dark and I had no time to
read from my notes. I hurriedly said what I remembered and
then added: ‘Batushka, what else can I say?' In what else do
I repent? – I’ve forgotten.’ Starets rebuked me for this.
Suddenly, he got up from his bed. Taking two steps he stood
in the middle of his cell. Standing on my knees, I
involuntarily followed him with my eyes. Starets
straightened out to his full height, lifted his head and
raised his arms upward, as though in a prayerful position.
It appeared to me at the time that his steps were separated
from the ground. I was looking at his radiant head and face.
I remember that the ceiling of the cell was as if it was not
there, it separated, while the head of the Starets seemingly
went upwards. All this appeared to me quite clearly. After a
minute, Batushka came up to me in my astonished state and
leaning in front of me, blessed me saying; ‘Remember, this
is what repentance can lead you to. Go.” I left him swaying,
and all through the night I wept over my senselessness and
negligence. In the morning, we were given horses and we
left. During his lifetime, I was unable to relate this to
anyone. He forbade me once and for all of talking about such
events, saying threateningly: “Otherwise you will lose my
help and benevolence.” People from all the ends of Russia
converged on hut of the Starets – poor and rich, the
intellectuals and the plain folk. He was visited by
well-known public figures and authors: F.M. Dostoevski, V.C.
Soloviev, K.N. Leontiev, L.N. Tolstoy, M.N. Pogodin, N.M.
Strahov and others. He greeted all of them with equal
affection and benevolence. He had a constant need to perform
charitable acts, distributing his largess through his
cell-attendants while he personally looked after the widows,
orphans, the sick and the suffering. During the last years
of his life, he blessed the establishment of a women’s
monastery some 12 miles away at Shamordino. At that time, it
was distinct from other women’s monasteries because it
accepted mostly ill and destitute women. In the 90’s of the
nineteenth century, the number of novitiates reached 500.
As
fate would have it, the hour of death would find Fr. Ambrose
precisely at this monastery. On the 2nd of June
1890, he left to spend summer at the monastery, as was his
usual practice. At the end of summer, the Starets attempted
to return to Optina, but due to illness, was unable to do
so. After a year, the illness intensified and he lost his
hearing and voice. His final sufferings began. As he himself
acknowledged, they were of such severity, the likes of which
he had never experienced. On the 8th of
September, Hieromonk Joseph together with Frs.Theodore and
Anatolius, administered Extreme unction to the Starets, and
the next day, Holy Communion. On the same day, the Father
Superior of Optina, Archimandrite Isaac arrived to visit the
Starets. The following day, 10th Oct 1891, at
11.30, after three deep breaths and crossing himself three
times with difficulty, the Starets expired.
The
liturgy of the Departed with the order of Burial was
performed at the Vedensk church in the Optina hermitage.
Nearly 8000 people congregated for the funeral. On the 15th
of Oct, the body of Starets Ambrose was interred on the
southeasterly side of the church, next to his teacher
Hieromonk Macarius. It is worthy to note that one year
earlier, on that very same date of Oct 15th,
Starets Ambrose instituted the feast day in honour of the
miracle-working Mother of God icon ” Ripening of the
harvest,” before which he used to utter his fervent prayers
on many occasions.
Immediately after his death, miracles began to occur through
which, as in life, the Starets healed, instructed and called
for repentance.
The
years passed, but the path to the Staret’s grave did not
grow over with weeds. A period of massive upheavals arrived.
The Optina Hermitage was looted and closed. The small chapel
on the Staret’s grave was demolished. However, the memory of
the great God-pleasing Starets was impossible to eradicate.
The people marked the position of the chapel and continued
to flow to their teacher.
In
Nov 1987 the Optina Hermitage was returned to the Church and
in June 1988, the local Council of the Russian Orthodox
Church acclaimed Starets Ambrose into the ranks of the
Saints. On the day of his death – 23rd Oct. when
his memory is commemorated – in the presence of many
pilgrims, a triumphant hierarchical liturgy was performed in
the Optina Hermitage. By this time, the remains of Blessed
Ambrose were discovered. On that day, everybody involved in
this celebration, experienced a pure and indefinable joy
that the holy father loved to endow during his life to all
those that came to him. One month later, on the anniversary
of the monastery’s renaissance and by the grace of God, a
miracle occurred: the icons of Mother of God of Kazan and
Saint Ambrose, as well as his remains became odoriferous by
exuding fragrant oils. His holy remains performed many other
miracles, assuring us sinners that he has not stopped
interceding for us before our Lord, Jesus Christ. Eternal
praise be to Him! Amen.
Selected Preceptorials
of
Starets Ambrose
How
to live
“How
to live?” – was this extremely important question posed to
the Starets from everyone. He would answer in his usual
humorous tone: “Live – do not grieve, don’t judge anyone, do
not vex anyone and my respect to everyone.” Often the
Staret’s tone would produce smiles on the frivolous
listeners. However, if one was to contemplate this
instruction, the deep meaning would become apparent to
anyone. “Do not grieve,” that is, so that the heart does not
occupy itself with sorrows and misfortunes that are
unavoidable to a human being, but rather it be directed to
the Sole Source of eternal joy – God. Through Him, a person
is reconciled with his sorrows, becomes “submissive” and
thereby obtains tranquillity. – Don’t judge anyone,” “do not
vex.” Judging and vexing, which are the offsprings of
destructive pride, are the two most common activities among
people. They are sufficient to decline a person’s soul into
the depths of hell; even while in the main, on the surface
they might think that they are not sins. - “My respect to
everyone” – refers to the Apostle’s directive: “in honour
giving preference to one another” (Romans 12:10)
Gathering all these thoughts into one, we can see that in
the above pronouncements, the Starets was mainly preaching
humility – the basis of spiritual life, the source of all
goodness without which one cannot be saved.
On
how much we care about our bodies
and
how much we care about our souls.
The Bible tells us: “For what will it profit a man if he
gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” (Mark
8:36) That is how precious the human soul is. It is more
precious than the whole earth with all its treasures and
blessings. However, it’s frightening to think how little we
understand our soul’s worth. From morning to night, we
direct all our thoughts to the body, the housing for worms,
this fallen coffin, and on God’s most precious and beloved
creation, on His image of glory and majesty, we hardly spare
one thought in a week. We spend the most flourishing years
of our life in serving our body, and only the last minutes
of our decrepit old age, toward eternal salvation. Daily,
the body indulges itself with full cups and sumptuous
dishes, as though at a rich man’s feast, while the soul
barely gathers crumbs of God’s words on His doorstep. The
insignificant body is washed, dressed, cleaned, adorned with
all types of treasures from nature and the sciences, while
the priceless soul, the bride of Jesus Christ, inheritor of
Heaven, wanders with exhausted steps, donned in clothing of
a poor wanderer that is without charity.
The
body doesn’t tolerate one blemish on its face, any dirt on
its hands, not one patch on its clothing, while the soul,
from head to toe, covered with filth, that goes from one
sinful quagmire to another, and its yearly confessional
which is often hypocritical, only increases its patches
rather than rejuvenating it. The body demands various forms
of diversions and gratifications; it frequently ravages
whole families, for its sake people sometimes are willing to
exert all types of efforts while the soul - has barely one
hour on Sundays to partake in the Divine Liturgy, scarcely
minutes for morning and evening prayers, reluctantly
collects a handful of copper coins for charity and when
thinking about death, expresses its satisfaction with a cold
sigh. For the sake of health and welfare of the body, the
atmosphere and habitat is substituted, foremost and distant
physicians are summoned, there is abstinence from food and
drink, the most bitter medicines are consumed, the body is
allowed to be burned and dissected, yet for the health of
the soul, for the avoidance of temptations, for distancing
away from sinful infection, they take not one step but
remain in the same atmosphere, in the same iniquitous
society, in the same corrupt house, not seeking any
spiritual physician, or else selecting one that is
unfamiliar and inexperienced, hiding from him that which is
already known to Heaven and hell, and about which they
themselves boast among their circles. When the body is
dying, you hear lamentations and despair, but often no
thought is given when the soul is dying from mortal sin.
Like
Adam and Eve, we don’t know the value of our soul and give
it away for a seemingly rich yield.
At
least why don’t we cry like Adam and Eve? Unfortunately, in
the main, our concerns are for acquiring earthly benefits
and not Heavenly ones. We forget that earthly gains soon
pass and cannot be retained, while Heavenly gains are
eternal, endless and cannot be taken away. Most gracious
Lord! Help us to despise everything transient and concern
ourselves only with the needs to save our souls.
On
salvation
Through the words of Peter of Damascus, while a Christian
lives on Earth, his salvation remains between fear and hope.
But humans still keep searching for total fulfilment on
Earth and that from locations or from people, when Christ
Himself says in the Scripture: “You will be sorrowful in
this world.” These words clearly show that irrespective
where a Christian is located, he cannot be without some type
of sorrow. There is only one solace – in fulfilling the laws
of the Scriptures, just as the Psalm says: “Great peace
have those who love Your law, and nothing causes them to
stumble.” (Psalm 119:165) If something or someone does
tempt or confuse us, it clearly shows that we are not
relating correctly to God’s laws, among which the greatest
one is that of not judging or condemning anyone. On
Judgement Day, everyone will either be glorified or shamed
by their deeds. The Old Testament decrees that we attend
ourselves toward salvation and betterment of our soul. It is
towards this that we should concern ourselves mostly.
There isn’t anywhere that God induces us against our will,
but rather offers us a choice for our determination, and it
is through the personal will that individuals turn out to be
either good or evil. Therefore, it is useless to blame those
that live with us or surround us as interfering and impeding
our salvation or spiritual improvement. Samuel lived and was
brought up by the priest Elias, among his debauched sons,
yet preserved himself and was a great prophet. Even in
Heaven, Eve violated God’s law. While Judas, living three
years in the presence of Christ Himself, did not improve
even though he saw so many miracles and continually heard
the Scriptural sermons, but became worse and sold his
Teacher and the world’s Redeemer, for thirty pieces of
silver.
Our
failure to find spiritual fulfilment emanates from us
ourselves, from our ignorance and our incorrect thinking
which we are loathe to part with. And it is this that leads
us to confusion and doubt and various perplexities; all this
torments and weighs us down into a disconsolate
circumstance. It would be good if we were able to understand
the simple words of a holy father: “If we humble ourselves,
and not mentally roam all over places where it will not
improve us and maybe make us worse, we will find peace in
every situation.”
On
humility
You
must humble yourself before everyone and regard yourself as
worse than anyone. If we did not commit an offence that had
been perpetrated by others, then it may be that we did not
have the opportunity, or the situation and circumstances
were different. While in every person there is something
good and kind, all we normally see are their iniquities and
do not notice anything good in them.
To
the question that can one wish for spiritual perfection, the
Starets answers: “Not only can you wish but you must
endeavour to perfect yourself in humility, that is, to
regard yourself in your heart that as lower than every human
being and every creature. It is natural and essential that a
sinful human humbles himself. If he doesn’t, then he will be
humbled by circumstances, arranged thoughtfully for the
benefit of his soul. During times of good fortune, he
usually ascribes it to himself, to his puny strength and so
called authority, but as soon as some type of misfortune
befalls him, he asks for mercy and from an imaginary enemy.
The
Starets also related how fortuitous circumstances humble a
person: “Once, a person organised a luncheon and dispatched
his servants to invite his guests. Confronted by a rather
careless-looking servant, one of the invited guests asked of
him: ‘Don’t tell me that your master could not find a
better-looking servant than you?’ To which the servant
replied: ‘The handsome servants he sent to the handsome
guests and me, he sent to your lordship.’”
Starets Ambrose further instructed his students on humility:
“Once, a visitor called on Father Superior Moses, and not
finding him home, went to see his brother Abbot Anthony.
During their conversation, the visitor posed the question:
“Tell me batushka, what type of precepts do you maintain?”
Fr.Anthony answered: “I had many precepts: I lived in the
desert and monasteries and they all had different rules. Now
there remains only one endeavour left: ‘God have mercy on
me.’”
Batushka also recounted how “One woman kept wandered here
and there, to Kiev then to Zadonsk, and one starets told
her: ‘All this is of no benefit to you. Sit in one place and
utter the Wise Thief’s prayer.’”
On
unbelief
“I
once mentioned to Batushka,” wrote one of his spiritual
daughters, “about one family, which I felt very pity for
them because they did not believe in anything, neither in
God nor afterlife. I pitied because it may not be their
fault, due to them being either brought up in such unbelief,
or perhaps for another reason. Batushka shook his head and
said very angrily: “There is no justification for
unbelievers. The Scripture is written for everyone,
decidedly everyone, even heathens; after all, the knowledge
of God is implanted into us at birth, so they themselves are
to blame. You ask can we pray for them. Of course, you can
pray for anyone.”
Starets also stated that some renounce their faith in God by
imitating others and through false shame. Here is an
example: there was a person who did not believe in God for
this reason. However, during the war in the Caucus, when he
had to fight and during the heat of battle, when bullets
were flying past him, he bent over and hugged his horse all
the while uttering: “Blessed Mother of God, save me.” Later,
when he recalled the incident and his comrades laughed at
him, he repudiated his words. At which point he added: “Yes,
hypocrisy is worse than not believing.”
On
repentance
In
order to give the necessary understanding about the power
and importance of repentance, Starets Ambrose would say:
“What times have befallen us! Before, when somebody
sincerely repented his sins, he changed his sinful lifestyle
and lived chastely. But now it often happens, that during
confession a person would detail all his sins and then
continue his lifestyle unchanged.”
Starets imparted another instructional narrative: “A demon
in the appearance of a human was sitting and dangling his
feet. Seeing him with his spiritual eyes, he asked him: “Why
aren’t you doing something?” The demon replied: “Well there
is nothing for me to do but to dangle my legs, because
people are doing everything better than me.”
“There are three stages for salvation. St. John the Golden
Tongue states: a) Do not sin. b) If you have sinned, repent.
c) Those who repent inadequately, have to bear their sorrows
as they find them.”
“It
happens,” Batushka used to say, “that although our sins are
forgiven through repentance, our conscience does not cease
to reproach us. As a comparison, the reposed Starets
Macarius used to show his finger that was cut a long time
ago: the pain had long gone but the scar remains. That is
exactly the same that after repentance, the scars remain,
that is, admonitions of the conscience.”
“Although God forgives the sins of those repenting, every
sin demands a cleansing punishment. For example, after
Christ said to the wise thief: “Today you will be with Me in
Paradise,” his knees were broken. And what was it like to
hang on his hands only, with broken kneecaps, for some three
hours? It meant that he had to cleanse himself through
suffering. The cleansing of those sinners who die
immediately after repentance, is done through the prayers of
the Church and those present, while those living, have to
cleanse themselves through a change in their lifestyles and
charity that would cover their sins.
On
suffering
“God
does not create crosses for people, that is, cleansing
spiritual and physical sufferings. And however heavy that
cross may be for that individual, the tree that produces its
timber grows from the soil of his heart.”
The
Starets also said: “If a person walks a straight path, for
him there is no cross. However, when he starts to lurch from
one side to the other, then different circumstances appear
which push him back onto the right track. These elements
constitute a cross for a person. Of course they occur
differently, according to the individual’s need.”
“Sometimes The cross is a mental one, confusing the
individual with sinful thoughts. But the person is not at
fault if he doesn’t accede to them. The Starets cited an
example: ‘Once a female ascetic was agitated for a long
period over having unchaste thoughts. When Christ appeared
and drove them away from her, she cried out to Him: ‘Sweet
Jesus, where were You up to this time?’ Christ replied: ‘I
was in your heart.’ She said: ‘How can that be? But my heart
was filled with unchaste thoughts.’ And Christ said to her:
‘Therefore understand that I was in your heart, and that you
had no disposition toward those unclean thoughts but more
so, endeavoured to liberate yourself from them. Not being
able to do so, you suffered over them, thereby preparing a
place for me in your heart.’
“Sometimes, suffering is sent to an innocent person, so that
he, as with the example of Christ, suffers for others.
Christ Himself suffered for people. Likewise, His Apostles
were tortured for the Church and people. To have absolute
love means to suffer for your close ones.”
On
love
Love
encompasses everything. And he, who is benevolent to his
close ones - through the inclination of the heart and not
moved just by duty or desire – the devil is unable to
interfere with him.
Of
course, love is higher than everything. If you find that you
have no love within you but wish to obtain it, then perform
acts of love, even though at the beginning without love. God
will see your desire and suffering and will implant love
into your heart. “Those who have an unsightly heart should
not despair, because with God’s help they can reform it. All
you need to do is watch yourself attentively, do not allow
an opportunity to be beneficial to your close one slip by,
disclose your thoughts to your starets and be benevolent to
the utmost. Of course this cannot be done suddenly, but God
is very patient. He only terminates the life of a person
when He sees that he is ready to cross over into eternity,
or, when He sees that there is no hope for improvement in
him.
On
charity
Starets Ambrose had this to say on acts of charity:
“St.Dimitri of Rostov wrote: if a person rides up to you on
a horse and begs you, give it to him. You will not be
responsible as to how he applies your alms.”
And
more: “St. John the Golden Tongue says: begin by giving the
needy that what you don’t need, that is just lying around,
then you will be in a situation to give more even at your
own expense, and finally you will be ready to give away all
that you have.”
On
laziness and despondency
Tedium is the grandson of despondency and the daughter of
laziness. To drive her away, exert yourself in work and
don’t be lazy with prayers: then your tedium will pass and
zeal will arrive. And if you add to this patience and
humility, then you will rid yourself of many banes.”
Sometimes posing his own question: “Why do people sin?” the
Starets would answer: “Either from not knowing what you have
to do and what you have to avoid; or if they do know, they
forget, and if they did not forget, then they are lazy and
become despondent. Conversely: as people are very lazy when
it comes to performing good deeds, they very often forget
their main responsibility that of serving God. Laziness and
forgetfulness leads to extreme senselessness or ignorance.
These are the three ogres: despondency or laziness,
forgetfulness and ignorance, from which the whole human race
is bound through the shackles of indecision. Whereupon,
carelessness follows with all its multitude of evil desires.
That is why we pray to the Queen of Heaven: “Most-holy …”
On
patience
When
you are being plagued, never ask what for and why. You will
never find that in the Scripture. Instead, it says: “If
somebody strikes you on your right cheek, turn the other one
to him. It is really difficult to strike one on the right
cheek and should be understood as: if somebody starts to
denigrate you or provoke you unjustifiably, that will mean
hitting you on your right cheek. Do not grumble but bear
this blow patiently, and turn your left cheek, that is,
remembering your past faulty deeds. If in this time you are
innocent, then you have sinned greatly in the past; with
this you will be convinced that you deserve punishment. Self
justification is a large sin.”
“Batushka, teach me patience” – said one sister. “Learn,”
the Starets answered, “and begin by being patient with the
disappointments that you find and meet.” “I can’t understand
how you can not get upset with insults and unfairness.” The
Starets’s answer: “Be fair yourself and don’t upset anyone.”
On
irritability
No one should justify his irritability with some type of
illness because it comes about from pride. According to the
words of St Apostle James: “for the wrath of man does not
produce the righteousness of God.” So as not to succumb
to irritability and anger, you should not hurry.”
On
envy and malice
Starets said: “You must force yourself, though against your
will, to do some good for your enemies and mainly, not to
seek vengeance but to be careful so as not to offend them
with an appearance of contempt and humiliation.”
One
woman asked: “I don’t understand Batushka, how you not only
do not get angry at those who speak ill of you, but continue
to love them.” To this, the Starets laughed at length and
said: “You had a young son. Did you get angry with him when
he did not say or do something properly? Instead, didn’t you
try to cover up his deficiencies?”
On
pride
For
many, there is nothing to be proud of. This was the reason
that the Starets related the following story: “One woman,
during confession, told her spiritual father that she was a
proud person. “What are you proud of?” he asked her, “Are
you famous?” – “No” she answered – “Well, talented?” – “No.”
– Well then, rich?” – “No.” “Hmmmm… in that case, you can be
proud,” he said finally.”
To
the question: how is it that the righteous, knowing that
they are leading a chaste life according to God’s laws, are
not exalted through their piety, the Starets answered: “They
do not know what awaits them at the end. That is why,” he
added “Our salvation should be performed between fear and
hope. Under no circumstances is one to despair, but at the
same time, one should not hope excessively.
On
the meaning of temptations
The
free will of all intelligent beings has been tested and till
now is being tested until it is confirmed in goodness.
Because without trials, goodness is never firm. Every
Christian is subjected to some kind of test: one with
poverty, another with sickness, a third with various bad
thoughts, the fourth with some type of misfortune or
humiliation, while another, with perplexities. This tests
the strength of one’s faith, and hope, and love for God,
that is, shows the person’s inclinations, his attachments,
whether he aims for sorrows or is still affixed to earthly
things. So that through these trials a person-Christian
himself could see in what position he is in, what his
disposition is, and involuntarily humble himself. Because
without humility, as all the holy fathers of Godly wisdom
confirm in one voice, all our works are unsettled. Even the
free will of Angels was tested. If the Heavenly dwellers
could not escape the test, then more so must the free will
be tested of those living on earth.
On
the meaning of fast and its necessity
In
the Scripture, we see the necessity to observe fasts,
firstly from the example set by Christ Himself, who fasted
40 days in the wilderness, even though He was God and had no
need of this. Secondly, to the Disciples’ question as to why
they could not drive out the evil spirit in a person, He
replied: “Through your unbelief;” and then added:
“This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting.”
(Mark 9:29) Apart from this, there are directions in the
Scripture that we must observe Wednesdays and Fridays as
days of fasting. On Wednesday, Christ was given up for
crucifixion and on Friday, He was crucified.
Plain food is not nasty food. It does not corrupt the body
but fattens it. And St.Apostle Paul says: “Even though
our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being
renewed day by day” (2 Cor 4:16) He calls the outward
person as body and the inward, as the soul.
The
Bible states that every deprivation and every constraint is
precious before God: “...the Kingdom of Heaven suffers
violence, and the violent take it by force” (Matt.
11:12) Those who audaciously and wilfully violate the
established fasting rules, are called enemies of the Cross.
To them, their God is their stomach and their glory lies in
their shame. It is stated in the Psalms: “lost through the
stomach.” Understandably, its another matter if a person
violates the fast due to an illness and weakness of the
body. But the healthy become healthier and on top of that,
they sometimes live longer even though they may look gaunt.
With fasting and self-restraint, the body does not rebel as
much, we don’t succumb to sleep as much, less empty thoughts
invade our mind, and spiritual books are read more eagerly
and with greater understanding.
And
so, if by the grace of God you developed a desire to cleanse
yourself of your internal iniquities – let it be known to
you that their origins cannot be extracted except through
sincere prayer and fasting, and then sagaciously. Otherwise,
you may have a foolhardy example that occurred here. One
landowner, living an indulgent life suddenly wanted to
observe a severe fast: he resolved that all he would eat
during Great Lent is ground hemp-seed washed down with kvass
(a Russian soft drink). From this severe change of
indulgence to fasting, his stomach was so damaged that it
could not be remedied after one whole year. Incidentally,
there are words of Holy Fathers that tell us we should not
be body killers but vice killers.
On
prayer
So that people did not remain unconcerned and placed all
their hopes on outside prayers of help, the Starets used to
repeat an ordinary Russian saying: “God help me, but you
yourself peasant don’t lie idly.”
One
nun said: “Batushka! Through whom do we ask for prayerful
help if not through you?” Starets replied: “And you yourself
ask for it! You recall, when the 12 Apostles beseeched our
Saviour on behalf of a Canaanite woman, He did not hear
them. But when she started to entreat herself, she did
receive.”
Because prayer is the most powerful weapon against the
invisible foe, he tries in various ways to distract people
from it. Starets related the following story: “A monk at Mt.
Athos had a much-loved, talking starling that used to
entertain him with his chatter. But here was a strange thing
– no sooner than the monk commenced to fulfil his rule of
prayer, the starling would commence talking non-stop, not
allowing the monk to pray. Once, on the bright Holy Day of
the Resurrection of Christ, the monk came up to the cage and
said: “Starling, Christ has risen!” And the starling
replied: “That is the woe to us that He did,” and
immediately perished, filling the cell with unbearable
stench. Thereupon the monk realised his error and repented.”
Starets said that the most important thing that God looks at
is the internal disposition of a person’s soul: “Once, Abbot
Anthony was visited by a man with ailing legs who said:
“Batushka, my legs are aching and I am disturbed that I
cannot bow to the ground.” Fr. Anthony replied: “Well it is
said in the Scripture: “Son, give me your heart,” and it
doesn’t say – “legs.”
One
nun told Starets that she saw the icon of Mother of God and
heard Her say: “What did you bring as an offering?” She
responded: “What will I bring, I have nothing.” Then
Batushka said: “It is written in the Psalms: “Whoever offers
praise glorifies me.”
On
external and moral progression
One
of Batushka’s spiritual daughters relayed the following
questions from her son. 1. “According to the Scriptures,
before the end of the world, human society is presented in
the most horrible way. This denies the possibility of
continuous improvement of mankind. Is it possible to labour
for the good of mankind, knowing beforehand that there are
no means that will be capable of achieving a concluding
result of moral perfection for the human race, before the
world’s demise. 2. The responsibility of a Christian is to
create good and endeavour that this good will triumph over
evil. In which way can we attempt to conquer evil with
goodness, knowing that these efforts will not be crowned
with success and that in the end, evil will triumph?”
Answer from Starets Ambrose: “Tell your son: evil has
already been vanquished, vanquished not by the efforts and
strength of human beings but by the Lord and Saviour
Himself, Son of God Jesus Christ. Who for that reason came
down to Earth from Heaven, incarnated, suffered humanly and
through His suffering on the Cross and Resurrection -
smashed the power of evil and its source the devil who had
reigned over the human race – liberated us from the devil’s
and sinful slavery as He himself said: “Behold, I give you
the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over
all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means
hurt you” (Luke 10:19) Now, through the Mystery of Baptism
and by obeying the laws of the Scripture, every practising
Christian is given the strength to trample evil and create
good, and except those that are negligent in keeping God’s
laws or mainly the ones that voluntarily submit themselves
to sin, nobody can be forcibly possessed by evil. Wanting to
conquer evil with your own strength, evil that has already
been conquered through Christ’s coming, shows a lack of
understanding of the Christian Mysteries of the Orthodox
Church. It exposes signs of human pride in self-reliance
which wants to do everything with its own strength, not
turning to God for His assistance when Christ Himself says:
“for without Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).
You
write: the Bible states that before the end of the world,
evil will triumph over good. The Bible does not state this
anywhere, but it only speaks that faith will diminish during
the last days: “when the Son of Man comes, will He really
find faith on Earth?” (Luke 18:8) and “And because
lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold”
(Mat 24:12). While Apostle Paul says that before the Second
Coming of Christ: “and the man of sin is revealed, the
son of perdition, and who opposes and exalts himself above
all that is called God or that is worshipped” (2 Thes
2:3-4), that is, antichrist. However, it too states here
that Christ will destroy him “with the breath of His mouth ”
and through His coming, exterminate him…Where is there evil
triumphing over good here? And generally all triumphs of
evil over good are imaginary and temporary.
On
the other hand, it is also unfair to state as though
humanity on Earth is continually improving. Progress or
improvement is only in the outward human works, in life’s
comforts. For example, we utilise railways and telegraph,
which did not exist before; coal is being dug up which used
to conceal itself in Earth’s bosom etc. In Christian-moral
respects, there had been no progress. Throughout all times,
there had always been people – guided by the true faith of
Christ and following the true Christian teachings in
accordance with Divine Revelations which God revealed to His
Church through the God-inspirited, Prophets and Apostles–
that achieved high Christian-moral eminence. These people
will also exist during the times of antichrist, and as
written, for whose sake time will be shortened: “And
unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved;
but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened”
(Mat 24:22).
Spiritual perfection on Earth is attained partly, not by
mankind collectively, but by every faithful individually,
according to the measure of fulfilling God’s commandments
and to the measure of humility. Final and complete
perfection is reached in Heaven, in the next never-ending
life, toward which yet our short life on Earth serves as a
preparation and is similar to that of the years spent by a
youth in a learning institution, which serve him as a
preparation for future practical activity. If the destiny of
mankind was limited to its earthly existence, if for a human
being everything concluded on Earth, then why: “both the
earth and the works that are in it will be burned up” (2
Peter 3:10) Without the future blessed, everlasting life,
our earthly sojourn would be harmful and incomprehensible.
The
desire to toil for the good of mankind appears very
admirable, but is misplaced. In words, everybody wants to
labour for the good of close ones, ignoring or paying very
little attention to the necessity of first shunning sin
themselves and then worrying about others.
The
broad schemes of the modern generation about grand
activities for the good of all mankind has the appearance
that of someone, not having finished an educational course,
wishing that he could be a professor and instructor in a
university. However on the other hand, to think that if we
cannot move humanity forward then we shouldn’t labour at
all, is the other extreme. Every Christian is obliged to
toil according to his capacity and position for the good of
others, so that everything timely and orderly, and that the
fruit of our labours are presented to God and His holy will.
In
conclusion, I would say this: advise your son not to confuse
outer human endeavours with the spiritual- moral. In outer
devices and partly in the sciences, let him find progress.
But in a Christian-moral respect, I repeat, universal
progress in mankind is non-existent and cannot be. Everybody
will be judged according to their deeds.
Tropar
Tone 5
We
run to thee O Ambrose, our Father as to a healing spring.
For thou dost truly instruct us on the path of salvation,
preserving us from misfortune and calamity by the prayers,
consoling us in sorrows of body and soul, teaching above all
by humility, patience and love. Pray to Christ, the Lover of
mankind, and to our Fervent Intercessor that our souls may
be saved.
Kontakion
Tone 2
Having fullfilled the precepts of the Sheperd of sheperds,
thou didst inherit the grace of eldership, having pity on
all who run to thee with faith. Therefore we, thy children,
cry out to thee in love: Holy Father Ambrose, pray to Christ
God that He would save our souls.
Addendum
Reprinted from:
The Orthodox Word
’97 #192
Selections from the fourth volume of the
Optina Elders series of books,
published by the St. Herman Brotherhood.
The life of Elder Ambrose by Archpriest Sergius
Chetverikov.
Elder Ambrose is
considered the pinnacle of Eldership in Optina. He embodied
the virtues of all the elders in the highest degree: divine
humility, purity of mind and heart, overflowing love, and
total self-sacrifice for the salvation of his fellow man.
Because he had attained the depths of humility, the Lord
blessed him with spiritual gifts by which to heal suffering
souls. He read human hearts, was granted to know the past,
present and future of people, and spoke to them the direct,
revealed word of God. So great were his gifts that hundreds
of people flocked daily to his humble cabin in central
Russia. Among these were the writers Dostoyevsky, Tolstoy,
Leontiev and Solovyev. Dostoyevsky was so moved by his
pilgrimage to Optina and by Elder Ambrose that he wrote his
last and greatest novel, The Brothers Karamazov, with the
specific intention of depicting the spiritual image of
Optina Monastery and the Elder. The well-known character of
Elder Zosima in his book was modeled after Elder Ambrose,
whose words of counsel Dostoyevsky put directly into the
mouth of his unforgettable character.
This edition of Elder Ambrose's life is a faithful
English translation of the original Optina edition, printed
in Russia in 1912. Through its pages we enter the world of a
heavenly man, an angel in the flesh who beheld the mysteries
of the future age: the perfect love and silent oneness of
immortal spirits.
Manifestations of the
Grace of God in Elder Ambrose
ALL WHO KNEW ELDER AMBROSE spoke unanimously of his
characteristic gift of clairvoyance. For him there were no
secrets. A stranger could come to him and be silent, but the
Elder knew his life and his circumstances, his spiritual
state, and why he had come. Fr. Ambrose questioned his
visitors, but to an attentive man, it was clear by the kind
of questions he posed that the matter was known to the
Elder. Thus, a young man from the gentry once came up to him
with his hand bandaged and began to complain that he could
in no way be healed. Another monk and a few laymen were with
the Elder then. The man had not managed to finish saying,
“It hurts, it hurts a lot!” when the Elder interrupted him.
“And it will hurt — why did you offend your mother?”
Marriage or Monasticism
Once two sisters came from St. Petersburg to the
Elder. The younger one was a prospective bride in a joyful
mood; the older one was quiet, thoughtful and reverent. The
first asked a blessing to be married, the other to go to a
monastery. The Elder gave a prayer rope to the fiancée and
said to the elder sister: “What kind of monastery? You'll
get married — but not at home that's what you'll get!” And
he named a province, to which she had never traveled. They
both returned to the capital. The bride learned that her
bridegroom had betrayed her. This brought about a terrible
change, for her emotional attachment was deep. She
comprehended the vanity of all that had occupied her before;
her thoughts turned to God, and she soon entered a
monastery. Meanwhile, the elder sister received a letter
from that distant province from an aunt she had forgotten
about, a devout woman who lived close to a women's
monastery. She was summoning her to have a look at the life
of the nuns there. But it turned out otherwise: while living
with her aunt, the niece became acquainted with a man no
longer young but quite suited to her by his character, and
she married him.
A rich merchant once proposed marriage to a poor
woman of the gentry because of her beauty. But the Elder
said to her mother: “You need to refuse your bridegroom.”
The mother threw herself at him: “What do you mean,
Batiushka?! Such a thing was beyond our wildest dreams; God
sent him to an orphan, and you tell us to refuse!” But Fr.
Ambrose answered, “Refuse this one; I have another
bridegroom for your daughter, better than this one.” “But
what do we need a better one for she's not going to marry a
prince, is she?” said her mother. “I have such a great
bridegroom that it is difficult to express. Refuse the
merchant.” They turned the merchant down, and the girl
became ill and died. Then they understood what kind of
Bridegroom the Elder was talking about.
Disobedience
A resident of Kozelsk by the name of Kapiton had an
only son, a grown-up youth, clever and handsome. He decided
to send him off to work and brought him to the Elder to
obtain a blessing from him for this notion. They were both
sitting in the corridor, and near them were several monks.
The Elder came out to them. After he and his son had
received a blessing, Kapiton stated that he wished to send
his son off to work. The Elder approved his intention and
advised him to send his son off to Kursk.
Kapiton began to argue with the Elder. “In Kursk,”
he said, “we don't know anyone; but bless, Batiushka, to
send him to Moscow.” The Elder, in a joking tone, answered,
“Moscow will knock his socks off and smack him with boards.
Let him go to Kursk.”
But Kapiton nevertheless did not obey the Elder and
sent his son to Moscow, where he quickly found a good job.
The employer into whose service he had entered was at this
time constructing a building. Suddenly, several boards fell
down from the top of the building and crushed both legs of
the young man. His father was immediately informed by
telegram. With bitter tears he came to the Elder to inform
him of his sorrow, but it was already impossible to help his
grief. The injured son was brought back from Moscow. He
ailed for a long time, and though the wounds healed, he
remained a cripple for good, unable to do any kind of work.
Fr.
George
Fr. George Kosov, the now-famous priest of the
village of Spas-Chekriak, of the Orel Province, related the
following: “When I arrived at my parish, I was seized with
panic: What am I supposed to do here?! No way to live, no
way to serve! The house was old — dilapidated. The church —
you go to serve and you might fall through the floor boards.
There was almost no income; the parishioners were far from
the church and from the clergy. The people were poor; in the
best of times they could barely feed themselves. What could
I do here? I was then a young priest, inexperienced. On top
of that my health was weak, and I coughed up blood. My
matushka was an orphan, poor, without any dowry.
Consequently, neither from here nor from there was there any
support, and I also had younger brothers on my hands. It
remained only to run away. That's what I contemplated. At
that time the glory of Elder Ambrose was great. Optina
Monastery was thirty-six miles from us. Once in summer, on a
sleepless night I raised myself up from my pillow. It was
neither light nor daybreak. I put my knapsack on my
shoulders and off I went to him for a blessing — to leave
the parish. At 4:00 in the afternoon I was already at
Optina. Batiushka didn't know me, either by sight or by
having heard about me. I went into his 'hut' and there were
already people there — a crowd, waiting for Batiushka to
come out. I stood on the side to wait. I look, and out he
comes, and straight at me through everyone he beckons me to
come to him: 'You, priest! What on earth are you
contemplating? To abandon all? Eh? Don't you know Who
assigns priests? And you want to leave?!... His church, see,
is old; it has started to fall down… But you — build a new
one, a big, stone one, and warm. And the floor — make it
wooden. They'll bring sick people there, so it will be warm
for them. Go home, priest, go; and kick that nonsense out of
your head. Remember — a church. Build a church, like I'm
telling you. Go, priest; God bless you!'
“But I had no sign of priestly garb on. I couldn't
utter a word. I went home right away. I'm walking and
thinking: what on earth is this? I have to build a stone
church? At home you're almost dying from hunger, and now
build a church. How skillfully he consoles; there was
nothing to say.
“I came home and somehow dodged my wife's question.
Well, what was I supposed to say to her?! I said only that
the Elder didn't bless me to ask for a transfer. What was
going on in my soul then, you can't even put into words…
“A nagging depression came over me. I want to pray
but no prayers go on in my mind. I didn't talk with people,
not even with my wife. I became lost in thought. And I began
to hear, both night and day, mostly at night, some kind of
strange voices: 'Get out,' they say, 'quick! You're alone
and there are lots of us! How are you going to fight with
us?! We'll be the death of you altogether!...'
Hallucinations, it must be… Well, whatever it was, it
finally got to the point that not only was I unable to pray,
now blasphemous thoughts began to pop into my head… Night
comes. I can't sleep — and some kind of power throws me
right off the bed onto the floor, and not in a dream, but
right when I'm wide awake. It just picks me up and tosses me
from the bed to the floor. And the voices, even more
dreadful, more terrible, more persistent: 'Get away, get
away from us!'
“Terrified, barely remaining sane from the fear I
was going through, I again rushed to Fr. Ambrose. Fr.
Ambrose, as soon as he saw me, straightway, without
questioning me at all, says to me:
“'Well, what are you scared of, priest? He's one,
and there are two of you.'
“How
is that, Batiushka?” I say.
“Christ God and you — see, that comes out to two.
And the enemy — he's one. Go home,' he says, 'and do not be
afraid of anything that's before you. And the church, the
big stone church, and warm — don't forget to build it. God
bless you!'
“And with that, I left. I come home, and it's as if
a mountain had fallen from my heart. And all fear fell away
from me. Right then I began to pray to God. I put an
analogion in the church behind the left cliros before the
icon of the Heavenly Queen, lit a lampada, lit a candle; and
I began, all alone in the church, to read a Canon to Her. I
began to add some of the other prayers.
“I look and, after a week, someone else came alone,
stood by himself in a corner, and together with me prayed to
God. Then another, a third, and already they began to gather
and fill the church…”
We
will add to this that now, by the care of Fr. George, a
large stone church, a hospice, orphanages and schools have
been built, and from all the ends of Russia worshippers come
for advice, a blessing, prayer and consolation.
A
Life-Saving Delay
Here is yet another striking occurrence. A master
Iconostasis builder from K. conveyed the following. “Not
long before the repose of the Elder, about two years, I had
to go to Optina for money. We were building an Iconostasis
there, and I was due to receive a fairly large sum of money
from the Superior for this work. I received my money and
before my departure visited Elder Ambrose to be blessed for
the return trip. I was in a hurry to go home; I was waiting
to receive a large order on the next day — ten thousand
rubles — and the customers were to be, without fail, at my
place in K. on the next day. That day, as usual, there was a
swarm of people at the Elder's. He knew about me, that I was
waiting, and he told me through his cell attendant to visit
him in the evening for tea.
“Even though I needed to hurry home, the honor and
joy to be with the Elder and have tea with him was so great
that I decided to put off my trip until evening, in full
confidence that, even if I had to travel all night, I would
manage to get there on time. Evening came, and I went to the
Elder. He received me so gladly and so joyfully that I
didn't even feel the ground under my feet. Batiushka, our
angel, kept me for a pretty long time — it was beginning to
get dark, and he said to me, 'Well, go with God. Spend the
night here, and I bless you to go to Liturgy tomorrow; and
from Liturgy, stop by to have tea with me.'
“'How can this be?!' I thought. But I didn't dare
contradict the Elder. I spent the night, attended the
Liturgy, went to the Elder for tea, but I was grieving over
my customers and thought to myself, 'Maybe I'll make it to
K. at least by evening.' But it didn't work out that way! We
finished tea. I wanted to say to the Elder, 'Bless me to go
home,' but he didn't let me utter a word: 'Come to me today
to spend the night,' he says. My legs were giving way, but I
didn't object.
“The day passed, the night passed! In the morning I
had already become bolder, and I thought, 'No matter what, I
am leaving today. Maybe my customers waited for me with the
money.' No, you'll never make it! Again the Elder didn't
give me a chance to open my mouth. 'Go to the All-Night
Vigil,' he says, 'and tomorrow to Liturgy. Spend the night
here again today!' What a strange thing! At this point I
really began to get upset and, to confess, I sinned against
the Elder: 'Well, here's a clairvoyant! He just does not
know what's going on with me; by his mercy a profitable
business has now gone right out of my hands.' And I was so
agitated at the Elder that I can't even express it to you. I
wasn't able to pray at the Vigil that time — there just
knocks around in my head: 'Here's your Elder for you! Here's
your clairvoyant!... Now your wages are whistling by…' Ach,
how annoyed I was at that time!
“But
my Elder, as luck would have it, well, just as if — Lord
forgive me — in mockery of me, meets me so joyfully after
the Vigil!. .. I became bitter and hurt. 'And what,' I
think, 'is he so happy about?' But all the same I did not
dare to express my grief aloud. I spent the third night sort
of well. During the night my sorrow eased somewhat: 'You
can't bring back what has floated away, and it floated off
right through your fingers…' In the morning I come from
Liturgy to the Elder, and he says to me, 'Well, now it is
time for you to go home! Go with God! God bless you! But
after a while, do not forget to thank God!!'
“And right then all my grief fell away. I left
Optina for home, and my heart was so light and joyful that I
can't describe it… Only, why did Batiushka say, 'After a
while, do not forget to thank God?...' It must be, I
thought, for the fact that the Lord made me worthy to be in
church for three days in a row. I went home in no hurry, and
I didn't even think about my customers; I was so gratified
that Batiushka had treated me so well.
“I arrived home, and what do you think? I'm at the
gate, and my customers are right behind me. They were three
days later than our arrangement. Well, I think: Ah, my
grace-filled little Elder! This is the real thing — Wondrous
are Thy works, O Lord! However, this all didn't end here.
You listen to what happened next! A little time went by
after that. Our Fr. Ambrose died. Two years after his
righteous repose, my senior foreman became sick. He was a
trustworthy man; not just a worker, but real gold. He lived
with me continually for more than twenty years. He was sick
unto death. They sent me for a priest, to confess and
commune him while he was still conscious. Only, I look and
the priest comes to me from the dying man and says, 'The
sick one is calling for you; he wants to see you. Hurry,
before he dies!' I come to the sick man and he, as soon as
he sees me, raises himself up somehow on his elbows, looks
at me, and now he begins to cry, 'Forgive my sin, boss! I
actually wanted to kill you!...'
“'What are you talking about? God be with you! You're
delirious…'
“'No, boss, I really wanted to kill you. Remember,
once you were three days late coming home from Optina? Well
we — there were three of us — by my arrangement, we lay in
wait for you on the road three days in a row under a bridge.
We were envious of the money you were bringing from Optina
for the Iconostasis. You would not have been alive at this
time but the Lord, by someone's prayers, saved you from a
death without repentance. Forgive me, the wretch; for God's
sake, let my soul go in peace.'
“'May God forgive you as I forgive you!'
“Right then my sick one started wheezing and began to die.
May his soul be granted the Kingdom of Heaven! Great was his
sin, but great was his repentance!”
Hit
in the Teeth
In imitation of one of his predecessors in
Eldership, Hieroschemamonk Leonid, Fr. Ambrose sometimes
liked to conceal his miraculous help with humorous words or
gestures, to divert the attention of witnesses. For
instance, a monk once came to the Elder with a terrible
toothache. Walking past him, the Elder hit him in the teeth
with his fist with all his might and merrily added: “Well
done, eh? “Well done, Batiushka,” the monk answered, to
general laughter, “but it really hurts.” However, upon
leaving the Elder he felt that the pain had gone, and it did
not return afterwards.
Peasants noticed well this characteristic of Fr.
Ambrose, and those who suffered from headaches would say to
him: “Batiushka Ambrose, hit me; my head hurts.”
Deliverance From Tobacco Addiction
The St. Petersburg resident Alexis Stepanovich
Maiorov, excessively addicted to smoking tobacco, sensed the
danger to his health from this. He wrote a letter to Elder
Ambrose, asking for his advice on how he could be del |
