The Prologue from Ohrid: Lives of Saints by Saint Nikolai Velimirovič for Old Calendar date March 30, and New Calendar date April 12.
1. THE VENERABLE JOHN CLIMACUS
John Climacus is the author of "The Ladder of Divine Ascent." John came to Mt. Sinai as a sixteen year old youth and remained there, first as a novice under obedience, and afterwards as a recluse, and finally as abbot of Sinai until his eightieth year. He died around the year 649 A.D. His biographer, the monk Daniel, says about him: "His body ascended the heights of Sinai, while his soul ascended the heights of heaven." He remained under obedience with his spiritual father, Martyrius, for nineteen years. Anastasius of Sinai, seeing the young John, prophesied that he would become the abbot of Sinai. After the death of his spiritual father, John withdrew into a cave, where he lived a difficult life of asceticism for twenty years. His disciple, Moses, fell asleep one day under the shade of a large stone. John, in prayer in his cell, saw that his disciple was in danger and prayed to God for him. Later on, when Moses returned, he fell on his knees and gave thanks to his spiritual father for saving him from certain death. He related how, in a dream, he heard John calling him and he jumped up and, at that moment, the stone tumbled. Had he not jumped, the stone would have crushed him. At the insistence of the brotherhood, John agreed to become abbot and directed the salvation of the souls of men with zeal and love. From someone John heard a reproach that he talked too much. Not being angered by this, John however remained silent for an entire year and did not utter a word until the brothers implored him to speak and to continue to teach them his God-given wisdom. On one occasion, when six-hundred pilgrims came to the Monastery of Sinai, everyone saw an agile youth in Jewish attire serving at a table and giving orders to other servants and assigning them. All at once, this young man disappeared. When everyone noticed this and began to question it, John said to them, "Do not seek him, for that was Moses the Prophet serving in my place." During the time of his silence in the cave, John wrote many worthwhile books, of which the most glorious is "The Ladder." This book is still read by many, even today. In this book, John describes the method of elevating the soul to God, as ascending a ladder. Before his death, John designated George, his brother in the flesh, as abbot. George grieved much because of his separation from John. Then John said to him, that, if he [John] were found worthy to be near God in the other world, he would pray to Him, that, he, [George], would be taken to heaven that same year. And, so it was. After ten months George succeeded and settled among the citizens of heaven as did his great brother, John.
2. MEMORIAL TO A MONK WHO JOYFULLY DIED AND WHO NEVER JUDGED ANYONE IN HIS LIFE
This monk was lazy, careless, and lacking in his prayer life; but throughout all of his life, he did not judge anyone. While dying, he was happy. When the brethren asked him how is it that with so many sins, you die happy? He replied, "I now see angels who are showing me a letter with my numerous sins. I said to them, Our Lord said: `stop judging and you will not be judged' (St. Luke 6:37). I have never judged anyone, and I hope in the mercy of God that He will not judge me." And the angels tore up the paper. Upon hearing this, the monks were astonished and learned from it.
HYMN OF PRAISE
SAINT JOHN OF THE LADDER (CLIMACUS)
As a kind of torch on Sinai, the Mount,
John was glowing in heavenly light
Subduing the body, subdued his thoughts,
Thirty steps, he numbered toward victory.
Miraculous strategy, wonderful tactic
As a legacy, to the spiritual warrior he gave
The spiritual warfare, who desires to learn
And in this warfare to gloriously conquer.
"The Ladder," all miraculous, by the Spirit written,
After the dreadful strife was ended,
When John the Victor, the world from himself shed,
As a precious gift, to the brethren he brought it.
An epic poem, that is the soul of man,
When from dust, toward heaven it desires to climb,
An awesome epic poem of struggle and suffering,
A sparkling epic poem of faith and hoping.
This, John, to us gave, illumined by God,
Weapons, all-glowing, to you and to me.
And now before the Lord, John prays
That the Lord be pleased to send us help
When, to Him, by the Ladder we climb.
That to us, His hand He extends, that we
May to Him arrive.
REFLECTION
If humility before men is necessary for the sake of being exalted before God and temporal effort for the sake of eternal life, what do you care if someone wags their head and laughs at your humility? John the Silentary [the Hesychast] was a bishop in Ascalon for ten years. Seeing that the honors of men hindered him, he disguised himself as a simple monk and entered the Monastery of St. Sabas the Sanctified, where he was assigned to gather wood and to boil lentils for the laborers. When he was recognized, he closed himself in a cell, where he lived for forty-seven years, feeding on vegetables only. This is how the Fathers avoided worldly honors, for which many in our day, in neck-breaking struggle, squander their souls away to dust and ashes.
CONTEMPLATION
To contemplate the Lord Jesus in death:
1. How His body is taken down from the cross by Joseph of Arimathea;
2. How Joseph and Nicodemus wrapped the Body of the Lord in a pure linen cloth, anointed Him with ointments and placed Him in a new tomb;
3. How faithful and unafraid were these two distinguished men among the many enemies of Christ in the midst of general fear and denials.
HOMILY
About recognizing the Son of Man among the common darkness
"Truly, this was the Son of God" (St. Matthew 27:54).
These words were spoken by the captain who carried out his duties conscientiously as a soldier. Under orders of his superiors, he had to guard the body of Christ on Golgotha. Externally, like a machine, but internally, a soul wide awake.
He, a Roman soldier, a pagan, and an idolater, saw all that had occurred at the time of the death of Christ the Lord, and cried out: "Truly, this was the Son of God." Not knowing about the One God and not knowing the Law and the Prophets, he immediately comprehended that which the priests of the One God and authorities of the Law and the Prophets were unable to comprehend! On this occasion, the word of God came true. "I came into this world for judgment, so that those who do not see, might see, and those who do see, might become blind" (St. John 9:39). Truly, he who was blind in the spirit saw and those who thought they could see were completely blinded. Was it not possible that the elders of the Jews did not see the darkened sun, did not feel the earthquake, did not notice how the rocks were split, did not see that the veil in the Temple was rent, did not recognize many of the saints who came out from opened graves and appeared in Jerusalem? They saw all of this and all of them accurately witnessed all of this. Nevertheless, their spirits remained blind and their hearts, stony. All of these manifestations, the awesome and the unusual, they probably interpreted as the unbelieving would do today - accidents and illusions. The pagans of all times interpret everything as accidents or self-deceptions whenever the finger of God appears to reprimand men, to direct or to inform them. The Roman captain Longinus, which was the soldier's name, saw all that occurred without prejudice and beneath the cross confessed his faith in the Son of God. His exclamation was not wrested accidentally from his frightened heart. But that was his confession of faith, for which he later on laid down his life to embrace a better life in the Kingdom of Christ.
O brethren, how great is this Roman captain, who upon seeing the lifeless Lord between thieves crucified on the dunghill of Golgotha, recognized Him as God and confessed Him as God. O brethren, how petty are those Christians who recognize the Lord as resurrected, as Glorified, as the Victor and the Victor-bearer through thousands of His saints but, nevertheless, retain in their hearts doubt like a poisonous serpent who poisons them every day and buries their lives in eternal darkness.
O crucified and resurrected Lord, have mercy on us and save us!
To You be glory and thanks always. Amen.
2. Спомен на монаха, који радосно умре, јер никога у животу не осуди. Овај монах беше лењив, небрижан, немолитвен, али кроз цео живот ниједног човека не осуди. И кад умираше, би весео. Кад га братија упиташе, како при толиким гресима умире весео, он одговори: „Видех сад ангеле који ми показаше хартију са многобројним гресима мојим. Ја рекох њима: Господ је рекао: не судите да не будете осуђени. Ја никад никога не осудих и надам се у милост Божју да ме не ће осудити.” И ангели исцепаше ону хартију. Чувши ово монаси, удивише се и поучише се.
Ко буктиња нека на Гори Синају
Јован се сијаше у небесном сјају
Покоривши тело, покорив помисли,
Он ступње к победи до тридес исчисли.
Стратегију чудну и дивну тактику
У аманет даде духовном ратнику.
Кој' духовну борбу жели изучити
И у овој борби славно победити.
„Лествица" пречудна Духом написана,
Када страшна борба беше окончана,
Кад Јаван Победник свет са себе стресе,
Као дар драгоцен њу браћи донесе.
Епопеја то је душе човечије,
Кад из граха жели к небу да с' извије,
Епопеја страшна борбе и страдања,
Епопеја светла вере и надања.
То нам Јован даде, Богом просвећени,
Оружје пресветло и теби и мени.
А сада се Јован пред Господом моли,
Да нам Господ помоћ послати изволи
Када се ми к Њему лествицом дижемо.
Да нам руку пружи, да Му и стигнемо.
РАСУЂИВАЊЕ
Ако је унижење пред људима нужно ради узвишења пред Богом, и привремени труд ради бесмртног живота, шта те се тиче, што ће неко махнути главом и насмејати се твоме унижењу? Јован безмолвник био је 10 година епископ у Аскалону, по том видећи да му сметају почасти људске преруши се у проста монаха и дође у манастир Светог Саве Освештаног, где му се даде да скупља и доноси дрва и вари сочиво за раднике. Кад и ту би познан, он се затвори у келију где проживе 47 година хранећи се само зељем. Тако су стари избегавали почасти људске за које се многи у наше дане вратоломно боре расипајући душу своју у прах и пепео.
СОЗЕРЦАЊЕ
Да созерцавам Господа Исуса у смрти, и то:
1. како тело његово скиде с крста: Јосиф из Ариматеје;
2. како Јосиф и Никодим обвише тело Господње у чисто платно, помазаше Га мирисима и положише у гроб нов;
3. како верни и небојажљиви бише ова два угледна човека усред множине непријатеља Христових и усред општега страха и одрицања.
БЕСЕДА
о познавању Сина Божјег усред општег мрака
Заиста овај бијаше син Божиј (По Матеју 27, 54).
Те речи изговорио је капетан који је вршио своју дужност савесно као војник. По наредби својих претпостављених он је имао да чува тело Христово на Голготи. Споља као једна машина, унутра човек са будном душом. Он, римски војник, незнабожац, идолопоклоник, виде све шта се зби при смрти Христа Господа, и узвикну: заиста овај бијаше син Божји! Не знајући за Бога Јединога, нити знајући закон и пророке, он на једанпут схвати оно што свештеници Бога Јединога и познаваоци закона и пророка не могоше никако схватити .И тако се обистини и овом приликом реч Господња: ја дођох на овај свијет, да виде који не виде, и који виде да постану слијепи (По Јовану 9, 39). Ваистину, прогледа онај који би духом слеп, а сасвим ослепише они који мишљаху да виде!
Није могуће да старешине јеврејске не видеше помрачење сунца, не осетише земљотрес, не смотрише камење како се распада, не сагледаше завесу у храму како се цепа, не познаше многе од светих који из отворених гробова изађоше и јавише се у Јерусалиму. Све су то они видели и о свему се тачно осведочили, па ипак је дух њихов остао слеп и срце камено. Све те појаве, страшне и необичне, они су вероватно тумачили — како би и данас неверни чинили — случајем и привиђењима. Безбожници свих времена све тумаче случајем и самообманом кад год се прст Божји јавља да људе покара, упути или, обавести.
А римски капетан, Лонгин — тако му беше име — по гледа без предрасуде у све што се деси, и исповеди под Крстом веру своју у Сина Божјег. Његов узвик није се отео случајно из његовог устрашеног срца. Него је то било његово вероисповедање, за које је он доцније и живот свој положио, да прими бољи у Царству Христовом.
О браћо, како је велики овај римски капетан, који видећи мртва Господа, усред разбојника, распета на ђубришту на Голготи, познаде Га као Бога и исповеди Га као Бога. А како су малени, о браћо, сви они из хришћана, који познаше Господа као васкрсла, као прослављена као победиоца, и победоносиоца кроз хиљаде светитеља Својих, па ипак држе сумњу у срцу своме као отровну змију, која им све дане трује и живот њихов у вечни мрак сахрањује.
Господе Распети и Васкрсли, помилуј нас и спаси! Теби слава и хвала вавек. Амин.
Свети Николај Велимировић
Saint Nikolai Velimirovič
1. THE VENERABLE JOHN CLIMACUSJohn Climacus is the author of "The Ladder of Divine Ascent." John came to Mt. Sinai as a sixteen year old youth and remained there, first as a novice under obedience, and afterwards as a recluse, and finally as abbot of Sinai until his eightieth year. He died around the year 649 A.D. His biographer, the monk Daniel, says about him: "His body ascended the heights of Sinai, while his soul ascended the heights of heaven." He remained under obedience with his spiritual father, Martyrius, for nineteen years. Anastasius of Sinai, seeing the young John, prophesied that he would become the abbot of Sinai. After the death of his spiritual father, John withdrew into a cave, where he lived a difficult life of asceticism for twenty years. His disciple, Moses, fell asleep one day under the shade of a large stone. John, in prayer in his cell, saw that his disciple was in danger and prayed to God for him. Later on, when Moses returned, he fell on his knees and gave thanks to his spiritual father for saving him from certain death. He related how, in a dream, he heard John calling him and he jumped up and, at that moment, the stone tumbled. Had he not jumped, the stone would have crushed him. At the insistence of the brotherhood, John agreed to become abbot and directed the salvation of the souls of men with zeal and love. From someone John heard a reproach that he talked too much. Not being angered by this, John however remained silent for an entire year and did not utter a word until the brothers implored him to speak and to continue to teach them his God-given wisdom. On one occasion, when six-hundred pilgrims came to the Monastery of Sinai, everyone saw an agile youth in Jewish attire serving at a table and giving orders to other servants and assigning them. All at once, this young man disappeared. When everyone noticed this and began to question it, John said to them, "Do not seek him, for that was Moses the Prophet serving in my place." During the time of his silence in the cave, John wrote many worthwhile books, of which the most glorious is "The Ladder." This book is still read by many, even today. In this book, John describes the method of elevating the soul to God, as ascending a ladder. Before his death, John designated George, his brother in the flesh, as abbot. George grieved much because of his separation from John. Then John said to him, that, if he [John] were found worthy to be near God in the other world, he would pray to Him, that, he, [George], would be taken to heaven that same year. And, so it was. After ten months George succeeded and settled among the citizens of heaven as did his great brother, John.
2. MEMORIAL TO A MONK WHO JOYFULLY DIED AND WHO NEVER JUDGED ANYONE IN HIS LIFE
This monk was lazy, careless, and lacking in his prayer life; but throughout all of his life, he did not judge anyone. While dying, he was happy. When the brethren asked him how is it that with so many sins, you die happy? He replied, "I now see angels who are showing me a letter with my numerous sins. I said to them, Our Lord said: `stop judging and you will not be judged' (St. Luke 6:37). I have never judged anyone, and I hope in the mercy of God that He will not judge me." And the angels tore up the paper. Upon hearing this, the monks were astonished and learned from it.
HYMN OF PRAISE
SAINT JOHN OF THE LADDER (CLIMACUS)
As a kind of torch on Sinai, the Mount,
John was glowing in heavenly light
Subduing the body, subdued his thoughts,
Thirty steps, he numbered toward victory.
Miraculous strategy, wonderful tactic
As a legacy, to the spiritual warrior he gave
The spiritual warfare, who desires to learn
And in this warfare to gloriously conquer.
"The Ladder," all miraculous, by the Spirit written,
After the dreadful strife was ended,
When John the Victor, the world from himself shed,
As a precious gift, to the brethren he brought it.
An epic poem, that is the soul of man,
When from dust, toward heaven it desires to climb,
An awesome epic poem of struggle and suffering,
A sparkling epic poem of faith and hoping.
This, John, to us gave, illumined by God,
Weapons, all-glowing, to you and to me.
And now before the Lord, John prays
That the Lord be pleased to send us help
When, to Him, by the Ladder we climb.
That to us, His hand He extends, that we
May to Him arrive.
REFLECTION
If humility before men is necessary for the sake of being exalted before God and temporal effort for the sake of eternal life, what do you care if someone wags their head and laughs at your humility? John the Silentary [the Hesychast] was a bishop in Ascalon for ten years. Seeing that the honors of men hindered him, he disguised himself as a simple monk and entered the Monastery of St. Sabas the Sanctified, where he was assigned to gather wood and to boil lentils for the laborers. When he was recognized, he closed himself in a cell, where he lived for forty-seven years, feeding on vegetables only. This is how the Fathers avoided worldly honors, for which many in our day, in neck-breaking struggle, squander their souls away to dust and ashes.
CONTEMPLATION
To contemplate the Lord Jesus in death:
1. How His body is taken down from the cross by Joseph of Arimathea;
2. How Joseph and Nicodemus wrapped the Body of the Lord in a pure linen cloth, anointed Him with ointments and placed Him in a new tomb;
3. How faithful and unafraid were these two distinguished men among the many enemies of Christ in the midst of general fear and denials.
HOMILY
About recognizing the Son of Man among the common darkness
"Truly, this was the Son of God" (St. Matthew 27:54).
These words were spoken by the captain who carried out his duties conscientiously as a soldier. Under orders of his superiors, he had to guard the body of Christ on Golgotha. Externally, like a machine, but internally, a soul wide awake.
He, a Roman soldier, a pagan, and an idolater, saw all that had occurred at the time of the death of Christ the Lord, and cried out: "Truly, this was the Son of God." Not knowing about the One God and not knowing the Law and the Prophets, he immediately comprehended that which the priests of the One God and authorities of the Law and the Prophets were unable to comprehend! On this occasion, the word of God came true. "I came into this world for judgment, so that those who do not see, might see, and those who do see, might become blind" (St. John 9:39). Truly, he who was blind in the spirit saw and those who thought they could see were completely blinded. Was it not possible that the elders of the Jews did not see the darkened sun, did not feel the earthquake, did not notice how the rocks were split, did not see that the veil in the Temple was rent, did not recognize many of the saints who came out from opened graves and appeared in Jerusalem? They saw all of this and all of them accurately witnessed all of this. Nevertheless, their spirits remained blind and their hearts, stony. All of these manifestations, the awesome and the unusual, they probably interpreted as the unbelieving would do today - accidents and illusions. The pagans of all times interpret everything as accidents or self-deceptions whenever the finger of God appears to reprimand men, to direct or to inform them. The Roman captain Longinus, which was the soldier's name, saw all that occurred without prejudice and beneath the cross confessed his faith in the Son of God. His exclamation was not wrested accidentally from his frightened heart. But that was his confession of faith, for which he later on laid down his life to embrace a better life in the Kingdom of Christ.
O brethren, how great is this Roman captain, who upon seeing the lifeless Lord between thieves crucified on the dunghill of Golgotha, recognized Him as God and confessed Him as God. O brethren, how petty are those Christians who recognize the Lord as resurrected, as Glorified, as the Victor and the Victor-bearer through thousands of His saints but, nevertheless, retain in their hearts doubt like a poisonous serpent who poisons them every day and buries their lives in eternal darkness.
O crucified and resurrected Lord, have mercy on us and save us!
To You be glory and thanks always. Amen.
+ + +
Охридски пролог
Свети Николај Велимировић Жички.
1. Преподобни Јован Лествичник. Писац знамените „Лествице” Дошао од некуд на Синајску Гору као шеснаестогодишњи дечко и ту остао, најпре као послушник, потом као отшелник и најзад као Синајски игуман до своје 80. године, када је и скончао, око 563. године. Његов животописац, монах Данил, каже за њега: „Узнесе се телом на Гору Синајску а духом на Гору Небесну.” Код свога духовног оца, Мартирија, проведе у послушању 19 година. Анастасије Синајски, видевши једном младога Јована прорече о њему, да ће бити игуман Синајски. По смрти свога духовника Јован се повуче у једну пештеру где у тешким подвизима проживе 20 година. Његов ученик Мојсеј заспа једног дана у хладу јсдног великог камена. Јован на молитви у својој ћелији виде да је његов ученик у опасности, и поче се за њ Богу молити. Када доцније дође Мојсеј, паде на колена и заблагодари своме духовном оцу, што га спасе од сигурне смрти. И исприча како у сну чу где га Јован виче, па скочи, и у том часу онај камен паде. Да није скочио, камен би га убио. На наваљивање братије Јован се прими за игумана, и управљаше спасењем душа људских са ревношћу и љубављу. Чу једном прекор од неких, као да је он многоглагољив. Не расрдивши се ни мало Јован заћута и целу годину не проговори ни речи, док га браћа не умолише да проговори и настави учити их својом богоданом мудрошћу. Једном дође 600 поклоника у манастир Синајски. При трпези сви видеше једног окретног младића у јеврејском оделу, који слукаше и другим слугама заповедаше и распоређиваше. Наједанпут тога младића неста. И кад се сви обзираху и распитиваху, рече Јован: не тражите га, то пророк Мојсеј послужи на своме месту. За време свога молчања у пештери Јован написа многе корисне књиге, од којих је најславнија, и дан данас много читана „Лествица”, у којој се описује метод узношења душе к Богу као уз неку лествицу. Пред смрт одреди Јован за игумана брата свог по телу, Георгија. Но овај туговаше много због растанка са Јованом. Тада му Јован рече, да ако се он удостоји близине Божје у оном свету, молиће, да и он, Георгије, те исте године буде узет на небо. Тако се и зби. После 10 месеци и Георгије успе, и усели се међу грађане небеске као и велики му брат Јован.Охридски пролог
Свети Николај Велимировић Жички.
2. Спомен на монаха, који радосно умре, јер никога у животу не осуди. Овај монах беше лењив, небрижан, немолитвен, али кроз цео живот ниједног човека не осуди. И кад умираше, би весео. Кад га братија упиташе, како при толиким гресима умире весео, он одговори: „Видех сад ангеле који ми показаше хартију са многобројним гресима мојим. Ја рекох њима: Господ је рекао: не судите да не будете осуђени. Ја никад никога не осудих и надам се у милост Божју да ме не ће осудити.” И ангели исцепаше ону хартију. Чувши ово монаси, удивише се и поучише се.
Ко буктиња нека на Гори Синају
Јован се сијаше у небесном сјају
Покоривши тело, покорив помисли,
Он ступње к победи до тридес исчисли.
Стратегију чудну и дивну тактику
У аманет даде духовном ратнику.
Кој' духовну борбу жели изучити
И у овој борби славно победити.
„Лествица" пречудна Духом написана,
Када страшна борба беше окончана,
Кад Јаван Победник свет са себе стресе,
Као дар драгоцен њу браћи донесе.
Епопеја то је душе човечије,
Кад из граха жели к небу да с' извије,
Епопеја страшна борбе и страдања,
Епопеја светла вере и надања.
То нам Јован даде, Богом просвећени,
Оружје пресветло и теби и мени.
А сада се Јован пред Господом моли,
Да нам Господ помоћ послати изволи
Када се ми к Њему лествицом дижемо.
Да нам руку пружи, да Му и стигнемо.
РАСУЂИВАЊЕ
Ако је унижење пред људима нужно ради узвишења пред Богом, и привремени труд ради бесмртног живота, шта те се тиче, што ће неко махнути главом и насмејати се твоме унижењу? Јован безмолвник био је 10 година епископ у Аскалону, по том видећи да му сметају почасти људске преруши се у проста монаха и дође у манастир Светог Саве Освештаног, где му се даде да скупља и доноси дрва и вари сочиво за раднике. Кад и ту би познан, он се затвори у келију где проживе 47 година хранећи се само зељем. Тако су стари избегавали почасти људске за које се многи у наше дане вратоломно боре расипајући душу своју у прах и пепео.
СОЗЕРЦАЊЕ
Да созерцавам Господа Исуса у смрти, и то:
1. како тело његово скиде с крста: Јосиф из Ариматеје;
2. како Јосиф и Никодим обвише тело Господње у чисто платно, помазаше Га мирисима и положише у гроб нов;
3. како верни и небојажљиви бише ова два угледна човека усред множине непријатеља Христових и усред општега страха и одрицања.
БЕСЕДА
о познавању Сина Божјег усред општег мрака
Заиста овај бијаше син Божиј (По Матеју 27, 54).
Те речи изговорио је капетан који је вршио своју дужност савесно као војник. По наредби својих претпостављених он је имао да чува тело Христово на Голготи. Споља као једна машина, унутра човек са будном душом. Он, римски војник, незнабожац, идолопоклоник, виде све шта се зби при смрти Христа Господа, и узвикну: заиста овај бијаше син Божји! Не знајући за Бога Јединога, нити знајући закон и пророке, он на једанпут схвати оно што свештеници Бога Јединога и познаваоци закона и пророка не могоше никако схватити .И тако се обистини и овом приликом реч Господња: ја дођох на овај свијет, да виде који не виде, и који виде да постану слијепи (По Јовану 9, 39). Ваистину, прогледа онај који би духом слеп, а сасвим ослепише они који мишљаху да виде!
Није могуће да старешине јеврејске не видеше помрачење сунца, не осетише земљотрес, не смотрише камење како се распада, не сагледаше завесу у храму како се цепа, не познаше многе од светих који из отворених гробова изађоше и јавише се у Јерусалиму. Све су то они видели и о свему се тачно осведочили, па ипак је дух њихов остао слеп и срце камено. Све те појаве, страшне и необичне, они су вероватно тумачили — како би и данас неверни чинили — случајем и привиђењима. Безбожници свих времена све тумаче случајем и самообманом кад год се прст Божји јавља да људе покара, упути или, обавести.
А римски капетан, Лонгин — тако му беше име — по гледа без предрасуде у све што се деси, и исповеди под Крстом веру своју у Сина Божјег. Његов узвик није се отео случајно из његовог устрашеног срца. Него је то било његово вероисповедање, за које је он доцније и живот свој положио, да прими бољи у Царству Христовом.
О браћо, како је велики овај римски капетан, који видећи мртва Господа, усред разбојника, распета на ђубришту на Голготи, познаде Га као Бога и исповеди Га као Бога. А како су малени, о браћо, сви они из хришћана, који познаше Господа као васкрсла, као прослављена као победиоца, и победоносиоца кроз хиљаде светитеља Својих, па ипак држе сумњу у срцу своме као отровну змију, која им све дане трује и живот њихов у вечни мрак сахрањује.
Господе Распети и Васкрсли, помилуј нас и спаси! Теби слава и хвала вавек. Амин.
Свети Николај ВелимировићSaint Nikolai Velimirovič
