Righteous Lot was afflicted night and day, living amidst profligate and licentious
people. He was oppressed, seeing their shameful acts. Nevertheless, he didn’t judge
any of them, which is why he was counted worthy of the divine appearance of the
angels and was considered worthy to be spared when God burned down the cities of
the wicked and destroyed the licentious.
Aren’t things here worse than Sodom and Gomorrah? Shouldn’t we expect the fire
and brimstone of God’s wrath? Therefore, let us pay heed to Lot’s example so that
we may not also be destroyed—not temporally, as of old, but eternally and endlessly!
Let us be vigilant, for we do not know in what hour the thief—death—is coming. Let
us be watchful in order to guard our riches—not only the riches of our Orthodox faith,
but also of the grace we were counted worthy of when we were baptized in the holy
baptismal font.
What will come more certainly than death? It is the most certain thing that every
person will encounter. We ought to keep the remembrance of death alive within us
constantly, so that through this most saving remembrance, we may avoid the soul’s
death, which is nothing but complete separation from God in the afterlife.
Violently compel yourselves, says the Lord in the gospel, 1 for you do not know
when the Bridegroom of your soul will visit you, and woe to him whom He finds
indolent and neglectful of his salvation. Pray also for me, for I do not practice what I
preach. Woe to me the thrice-wretched! With what face will God look at me?
—-
1 cf. Mt. 11:12
subm. no. 26
paragraphs: 5-8, 10-13 from pages 150-157
From the book
Councels from the Holy mountain
Selected from the letters and homilies of Elder Efraim of Arizona
Selection of passages from the book by Silviu Podariu
