Saturday. [Gal. 1:3-10; Luke 9:37-43]

   After coming down from the mount of the Transfiguration, the Lord heals a youth possessed with a devil. A reproach for unbelief preceded the healing, as the reason why the misfortunate one was not healed by the disciples. Whose unbelief this was—whether of the father who brought his son, of the people who gathered together, or perhaps of the Apostles—it is seen only that unbelief closes the doors to God’s merciful intercession and help, whereas faith opens it. The Lord said to the father: as much as you can believe, so you will receive. Faith is not just a matter of thought and mind, when it relates to a person, but embraces the entire essence of man. It is a mutual obligation of the believer and the One in Whom he believes, though it might not be expressed literally. He who believes counts on the one he believes in for everything, and does not expect a refusal from him in anything. That is why he turns to him with undivided thought, like to a father, goes to him as to his treasure chamber, with the surety that he will not return empty. Such an attitude inclines without words the one towards whom this attitude is held. This is how it is with people. But the power of dispositions is truly manifest when they are directed toward the Lord, Who is almighty, omniscient and desires to give us every good; and a true believer’s expectations are never betrayed. If we do not have something, and do not receive it when we ask for it, it is because we do not have the proper faith. First and foremost we must seek and introduce in our heart complete faith in the Lord, seek and obtain it of Him through our entreaties, for it comes not from us, but is God’s gift. When faith was required from the father of the youth, he prayed: “Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.” He believed weakly, wavering, and prayed about the strengthening of faith. But who can boast of such perfect faith as his, and who, therefore, does not need to pray, “Help, O Lord, mine unbelief?” If only the full force of faith were in us, our thoughts would be pure and feelings holy, and deeds God-pleasing. Then the Lord would heed us like a father his children; and no matter what comes to our heart—and what would come to a person in this state could only be pleasing to the Lord—we would receive everything without refusal or delay.

Friday. [II Thess. 3:6-18; Luke 13:31-35]

   Behold, your house is left unto you desolate, the Lord said about Jerusalem. This means that there is a measure to God’s longsuffering. God’s mercy is ready to be eternally patient, awaiting good; but what should He do when we reach such disorder that helping us is pointless? This is why we are abandoned. So it will be in eternity as well. Everyone says, “God’s mercy will not allow people to be eternally outcast.” It does not want this; but what can one do with those who are filled with evil and do not want to correct themselves? They put themselves beyond the limits of God’s mercy, and are left there because they do not want to leave. Spiritualists have invented a great number of reincarnations as a means for cleansing sinners. But one who is defiled by sins in one incarnation may be the same in ten others, and then without end. As there is progress in good, so is there progress in evil. On the earth we see people embittered in evil—they could remain this way beyond the earth, and then forever. When the end to everything comes, and it will inevitably come, where is one to put those who are embittered in evil? Of course somewhere outside of the bright region determined for those who worked on themselves, for the cleansing of their impurities. This is hell! Would those who did not improve under the best of circumstances really improve under the worst? And if not, this is eternal hell! It is not God who is guilty of hell and the eternal torments in it, but sinners themselves. If there were no unrepentant sinners, there would be no hell. The Lord very much desires for there to be no sinners; it is for this that He came to the earth. If He desires sinlessness, this means, that He desires that nobody fall into eternal torments. Everything depends upon us. Let us agree and destroy hell with sinlessness. The Lord will be glad of this; He revealed hell so that everyone would be careful not to end up there.