Chapter 4

Zeal for Salvation

From this it is clear that one who enters upon the path of Christian life, still weak, sick, and disordered, must already possess great strength and fortitude; otherwise he will fall under the weight of afflictions and labors prepared for him. The power that makes him endure and makes all his labors fruitful is zeal, diligence, striving, care for pleasing God and the salvation of the soul. Just as one who seeks a sure treasure does not look at difficulties, does not delay, and is not frightened by obstacles, so also the Christian—when he has zeal, seeking—will overcome everything and pass safely through all paths. Seeking provides everything; to it the Lord gave a special promise: “Seek and you will find” (Matt. 7:7). Seeking is the vital spirit, with the quenching of which life dies. This is the fire brought by the Savior to earth; this is His light and life. A steamship stops when the steam is released: and the one running after Christ falls, or rolls back, when he grows cold. This is what one must acquire when entering into the practice of the commandments and the purification of the passions! Without it, one cannot even begin this work in the true spirit; and if someone does begin, he will labor without fruit, sluggishly, half-heartedly. This is empty going-through-the-motions. Many people practice ascesis and exercise themselves at it, but without fruit: the fruit is from the Spirit, and the Spirit of God is in zeal. The Spirit of God passes into our passionate and impure nature through the ascetic practices, or rules of life, that are akin both to Him and to us, and there He brings healing, cures, and perfects. Consequently, ascesis and practice are the conduit of grace; and the path, or thread, that conducts it is the spirit of zeal. That is why all the Fathers especially insist that this Spirit not be quenched. Saint Isaac the Syrian calls it a barking dog and commands us to provoke it unceasingly. Saint Cassian considers one who has lost this spirit to be such a person to whom the Lord said: “I will spew you out” (Revelation 3:16) because he is neither hot nor cold, but sluggish—he does or does not do, or does one thing and not another. Macarius the Great says: Seek and knock; this is the beginning; enter through this door. You only seek, and the Lord will not forget His own… One who has zeal already communes with God. Saint Barsanuphius almost unceasingly repeats the counsel to kindle within oneself the fire brought by the Lord. And in John Climacus, zeal—that is, the consuming fire that devours brushwood—is the good, reliable, and secure foundation. Therefore he also commands us to hasten to restore it when it happens to be lost in some way. Some think it better to replace zeal with firmness of resolve or will, fearing rashness from zeal; but firmness of will is dangerous. It is close to calculating reason, cold indifference, and egoistic action. In the world it is acceptable; in the Christian life it is dangerous. Zeal is also dangerous if left on its own; but whoever has guarded it with obedience or renunciation of one’s own will and reason, and bound it with rules, has nothing to fear — let him only be zealous. Zeal, it is true, presupposes swiftness of action, but not rashness and thoughtlessness. It means: go, do not delay, do not stand still, press on with diligence, but press on along the indicated and defined path, under supervision.

The whole structure of this zeal can be expressed thus: “seek in hope, without predetermination, and continually beginning anew.” This is the thought of Saint Macarius the Great, which he repeats almost unceasingly. It is evident that a deficiency in any of the elements included here either corrupts zeal or weakens it (for example, Homilies 4–18, 27, 28).

Ahead lies much labor, many dangers: go, and there will be fruit. The farmer labors in sweat and eats bread: so it is with you too. Soon you will pass through afflictions, enter into rest, and delight both here inwardly and there. You are a soldier; look to the crown and do not fear death. Soon the signs of purity will appear, the beginning of the cultivation of the heart. The more decisive, the quicker, better, and more salvific.

Press on, act, labor, but do not determine the fruit. Fruit is a gift of God for the sake of labor; but to give the gift is in the will of the Giver. Therefore, whatever you have done, do not say “I have attained” or “I will attain,” but rather “I may yet attain.” A sailor may sail three-quarters of the way, but he still has not arrived, and he cannot say whether he will arrive. So it is with you: never consider yourself to have attained, but only to be seeking. Do not trust in the diminishing of passions, do not rely on the strength of your virtues. Everything can perish in an instant. Do not look back, but forward. Everything you have, the Lord has given; and it is in His power to take it back again. Therefore we should consider nothing secure, but cry out only: “Lord, save me! By whatever means You know, save me!”

Therefore, never say to yourself: “Well, that’s enough now; I’ve labored, I can rest.” Such indulgence, such laxity, is the first enemy. The thought may seem small and weak, but it is the most treacherous traitor; it opens the gates to the enemies. Whoever yields to it will fall. The holy Fathers have noticed this thought, and to everyone who is beginning they constantly urge: watch out, do not say, “That’s enough now, I can ease up a bit,” but say instead, “Why are you here?” or “Why are you doing nothing?” Or, turning to God, pray that He may help you lay the foundation of salvation—and continually begin anew. Continually begin anew, and exert yourself; but do not even think about relief, and so resolve in your heart that toil and labor are yours until death itself, that what lies ahead is not ease, but ever greater exertion.

Here is the true structure of the spirit of one who is zealous—safe, firm, allowing neither slackness nor unbridled fervor, neither presumption nor self-conceit!