To your critical, judicious, and skeptical attention, I offer this second compilation of quotes from my spiritual father. I have attempted to select and classify these quotes by certain themes, as best I could, which I wanted to highlight and share. Thoughts may sometimes repeat. This is because quotes that are almost identical in form point to different nuances of reality, and since I am not a writer or a master of verbal forms, I sometimes have to repeat myself to avoid losing something important from the thought. Before reading this booklet, it is advisable to first read the first part (at least pages 6-77 and 228-285).
Each responsible person, who tries to be truthful, says what they themselves want to hear (does, tries to do to others what they want done to them; does not do to others what they do not want done to them). Every author writes what they themselves would like to read (writes a book that they dream of reading themselves). We talked in the first part about the “living word,” that it is such when the preacher speaks primarily to themselves… Likewise, a Book (whose author or compiler tries to be truthful) is a kind of revelation of the author’s (or compiler’s) inner world… Therefore, in arranging these two parts, I selected quotes from the father that are most resonant with my worldview and partial understanding of Reality. That is, I imbue the father’s verbal forms (quotes) with my own understanding and content. I am a sinful person (not like the Holy Fathers—they also said they were sinners, but they saw their sin, their godlessness)—one who is still struggling to become capable of carrying the Gift of Grace—seeing their own sins. I know nothing about the father: a person’s life is a mystery. But I select the father’s quotes (in which I see nothing heretical, at least in what I quote) to my “taste”; I, who am still groping and need guidance myself. (Heretics from the Holy Scripture selected quotes to their “taste” and according to their whims and needs!). So be attentive! Think about what and how you read! I (a sinful blind man!) assert that everything written here is orthodox (i.e., a correct indication of Reality, the Path to Life, which, of course, one must follow!). But heretics also claimed that they held the truth and were infallible! So be attentive, judicious! And do not try to implement anything written here in life without the advice of a spiritual advisor, without a COMMUNITY!
This booklet, like the previous one, is for the mind, for reflection (for listening, as the beginning of the process of knowing reality directly (faith, as being in experience, begins with trust, which in turn is born in the process of listening to the word—see below); not for seeing, i.e., for self-deception that I already know something: to know (rationally) about something and to know (to perceive) something are absolutely different things), so that you ask questions and seek answers; and verify—whether Reality is really as stated in this book, or the compiler is mistaken!
On occasion, cautioning us against mistakes, I want to respond to the reproach-accusation posed by an attentive reader of the first part, who said I said nothing about the eternal torments of sinners in hell. I remind you that in the first part, pages 287-312, we talked about how all are already saved (not “saved themselves,” but “are saved”). The reader says there are “theologians” who defend the view that not everyone will be saved, i.e., there will be beings who will eternally and endlessly be in agony, suffering. I do not want to cite now (call to witness authors of the Holy Scripture: prophets, apostles, holy fathers, and mothers) from the Bible and the works of the holy Fathers and Mothers, in which it is said that all will be saved and that the torments in the third form of existence (see below about the three forms of existence: prenatal, postnatal, and post-mortem) are eternal (as a qualitative category), but finite (as a quantitative category)… Talk to Alexei Osipov about this—he is a professor who discusses this issue in detail and “proves” that everyone will be saved. Let’s say the following. There are quotes in the Holy Scripture “for” universal salvation (apokatastasis in the Orthodox understanding, when God will be all in all, i.e., for everything and everyone God will be everything; for everyone, in the end, God will become the Lord) and as if “against” (i.e., there will be those, endowed with free will, beings for whom God will be a source of unspeakable, eternal, INFINITE torments; will be tormented endlessly, suffer). The question is the following: why do some defend the position “for,” and others “against,” when both are in the Scripture?! According to what criterion do some choose certain quotes and ignore others (which, at least in form, contradict the chosen ones)? That is, we need to find out what a person wants to say, what goal they pursue, to which vision they want to connect me and, of course, for what purpose this information is for me (for proper spiritual life or…), how they explain, understand formal contradictions (if they, of course, are not deceitful—one takes, the other deliberately does not notice—to talk about such is not worth it). So, why do some emphasize (push) “for,” and others “against,” and which are convinced of their correctness (about the deceitful—those for whom a certain position is advantageous—we do not speak, everything is clear there). There are two (conditionally speaking) categories of people: who know God and who know only about God, or do not know and do not want to know either God or about God, and each selects quotes according to their spiritual (spiritual) state and understanding (rooted in at least partial experience or unfounded fantasy: “it seems to me…”). The first category of people (who have known God, who is Love) are for the universal hope of the salvation of all and everything capable of entering Eternal Life—and cannot assume that someone will perish; “Love cannot bear that someone perished” says the husband who met the Risen Christ; in the Holy Spirit, the Great Fathers prayed for the salvation not only of all people but also of the demons (perhaps the Lord partially revealed to them His providence regarding the fallen angels). The second category of people (with the maximum knowledge of reality, which the Old Testament religion reached, and up to extreme atheism), which does not know (the division is conditional!—do not forget) God-Trinity-Love, not only admits eternal perdition but also, often without realizing it, insists on justice, on the punishment of the sinner, saying, the culprit himself…