Instructions of Hieromonk Hilarion of Sarov

In August we posted an article: “Confessor of the Sarov Brotherhood, Hieromonk Hilarion”.  Now we will be offering a translation of his instructions.

On Obedience

Struggle to bear holy obedience with zeal, without complaining, and to pass through it by rejecting your own will.  As for the service laid upon you, carry it out with attention and judiciousness as if it were given to you by the Lord Himself, since it is written: “Treat your Igumen as God Himself, and your brothers as the angels of God.  He, who obeys his superior, the Igumen, in other words, imitates an angel; he who opposes – invites the Devil into his heart.”  Lord have mercy! Frightening is this word that St. Ephraim the Syrian writes.  Christ the Savior showed us an example Himself: He humbled himself, and was obedient even until death; “when he was reviled, He did not revile in return, when He suffered, He did not threaten” [1 Peter 2:23].  Resentment is a double-edged sword – it harms the owner with one edge and his neighbor with the other.  Treat all of your brothers well, with affection.  Keep your heart, your eye and countenance joyful, filled with spiritual reverence.  Become attached with your heart to the brethren and serve your spiritual father sincerely, without hypocrisy.  Do not allow yourself to think that you may receive praise from someone, but imagine that you are serving God and His Angels, and of this service you are not worthy at all – praise God instead that He has allowed you to do so.

Watch carefully for a proud and vainglorious thought taking up arms against you—that you supposedly do everything splendidly in serving the brethren.  Try as much as you are able not to allow this unprofitable, vile, soul-damaging thought to act within yourself. It comes so softly into a soul of a man that he may not even notice how this thought arises and thus prepares his own fall.  Do always what you are ordered to do, what you have received a blessing previously to always do, or what you have been asked to do.  As for yourself, do not dare to engage in any ordinary undertaking on your own, no matter what it is.  When busy with handiwork or obedience, keep a prayer as much as you can on your lips, and in your mind and thoughts, as well as the priceless, soul-saving silence.  Also struggle to be attentive to yourself. Be vigilant with attention over your own soul and feelings in the midst of any handiwork or obedience with which you happen to be busy.  If there is someone along with you taking part in the same obedience, make a deep bow to him with humility and pray quietly.  Once you have received a blessing, do according to what has been said above with prayer, love, diligence and full attention.  Do it as if you are doing it not in front of men, but entirely in front of God and His Angels, since you are not doing the work for a person, but for God Himself.  Keep in mind that anyone who does the work of God with disdain is cursed and is a man-pleaser.  Preserve yourself as much as possible from disdain and man-pleasing.

On Conscience

One should have a pure and open conscience.  The Apostle says: “I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men” (Acts 24:16); and “for we are confident that we have a good conscience, in all things desiring to live honorably” (Hebrews 13:18).  As it is impossible for rain to pour without a cloud, it is the same way impossible to please God without a good conscience.  For this cause, we not only reveal what we say, but also what we think of to our fathers since what is revealed is light, what is not – darkness.  We shall not be judged according to a book of knowledge and understanding, but according to the book of a clean conscience.  Examine yourself beloved, and your conscience diligently, whether perhaps you are guilty of this, or that sin; if not a great one, then a small one; if not a deed, then a word or a thought.  

Be careful of judging.  If you can see neither the thoughts of your brother who has sinned, nor his repentance, then how can you judge him?  I believe that it is better for you yourself to fall and to rise than to judge your neighbor, since he who has sinned is compelled to humble himself and to repent; but the one who judges a sinner becomes ensnared in self-admiration and pride.  If you can, immediately confess whatever sin you fall into during the day.  You must come to your spiritual father after the evening meal and bow to him as to Jesus Himself, falling down to your knees.  Open to him what state your soul has been in throughout the day, examining yourself in every aspect – what you have done or thought improperly, or said; however you have allowed yourself to transgress your conscience; or insulted someone or was annoyed by someone; or grumbled, or judged someone.  Try to notice and expose the most subtle thoughts, which trespass the purity of your conscience.  If you cannot recall everything, then write down on paper what you must confess.  After this type of detailed true confession, having received the absolution as if from God Himself, and having kissed the Icon and the Cross, bow to the ground before your spiritual father and go quietly to your cell, thanking God wholeheartedly that He found you worthy of the confession and pacification of conscience.  If you do not have a spiritual father, if necessary, you may confess what disturbs your conscience to a brother at the monastery or to another person with whom you are close.  This should be someone who lives a God-pleasing life and has spiritual discernment. Afterwards ask for his prayers and a blessing.  If you do not even have this kind of a person around you, then go before the angel and the archangel with tears, with reproof and reproach and with great heartfelt desire confess to God, beating your chest.  If your conscience reproves and reproaches you in something, set a spiritual punishment for yourself and carry it out until you will have a chance to confess to your spiritual father.

As for the spiritual father or a guide to whom you should confess your deeds and thoughts, love him, and have unwavering faith in him.  Have such respect that you may not judge him in anything or become disturbed if some may slander and criticize him.  Even if it seems to you that he sins, do not become bewildered; and do not do not lose faith in him even a bit. Instead, rebuke yourself, but not him.  Say these words to yourself, “I, a sinner, looked at my father with an impure eye and judged him according to my own impurity, and thus, I do not see his innocence.” Condemn yourself in this manner and pray to the Lord God diligently for his advancement.   If, indeed, he has tripped, think of it in this manner—the Lord God has allowed a temptation to come upon him; and how can I, a sinner, judge him, not seeing his deeds and his repentance?  Can I see his soul?  If he committed a sin, he may have already thoroughly repented and has received complete purification from God.  Do not let these words depart from your heart and thoughts: “Before his master he stands or falls” [Rom 14:4].