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St.Seraphim'sTransfigurationintheHolySpirit
.Ru,12011.
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See:St.SeraphimofSarov:OntheAcquisitionoftheHolySpirit
"Buthow,"IaskedFatherSeraphim,"canIknowthatI
aminthegraceoftheHolySpirit?"
"Itisverysimple,yourGodliness,"hereplied."That is
why the Lord says: All things are simple to those who
find knowledge (Prov. 8:9, Septuagint). The trouble is
that we do not seek this divine knowledge which does
not puff up, for it is not ofthis world.Thisknowledge
which is full of love for God and for our neighbour
buildsupeverymanforhissalvation.Ofthisknowledge
theLordsaidthatGodwillsallmentobesaved,andto
cometotheknowledgeofthetruth(ITim.2:4).Andof
thelackofthisknowledgeHesaidtoHisApostles:Are
you also yet without understanding (Mat. 15:16)?
Concerning this understanding [15], it is said in the
Gospel of the Apostles: Then opened He their understanding (Lk. 24:45), and the Apostles always
perceivedwhethertheSpiritofGodwasdwellinginthemornotandbeingfilledwithunderstanding,
theysawthepresenceoftheHolySpiritwiththemanddeclaredpositivelythattheirworkwasholyand
entirelypleasingtotheLordGod.ThatexplainswhyintheirEpistlestheywrote:Itseemedgoodtothe
HolySpiritandtous(Acts15:28).OnlyonthesegroundsdidtheyoffertheirEpistlesasimmutabletruth
for the benefit of all the faithful. Thus the holy Apostles were consciously aware of the presence in
themselvesoftheSpiritofGod.Andsoyousee,yourGodliness,howsimpleitis!"
"Nevertheless,"Ireplied,"IdonotunderstandhowIcanbecertainthatIamintheSpiritofGod.How
canIdiscernformyselfHistruemanifestationinme?"
Father Seraphim replied: "I have already told you, your Godliness, that it is very simple and I have
relatedindetailhowpeoplecometobeintheSpiritofGodandhowwecanrecognizeHispresencein
us.Sowhatdoyouwant,myson?"
"Iwanttounderstanditwell,"Isaid.
ThenFatherSeraphimtookmeveryfirmlybytheshouldersandsaid:"WearebothintheSpiritofGod
now,myson.Whydon'tyoulookatme?"
I replied: "I cannot look, Father, because your eyes are flashing like lightning. Your face has become
brighterthanthesun,andmyeyesachewithpain."
FatherSeraphimsaid:"Don'tbealarmed,yourGodliness!NowyouyourselfhavebecomeasbrightasI
am.YouarenowinthefullnessoftheSpiritofGodyourselfotherwiseyouwouldnotbeabletoseeme
asIam."
Then, bending his head towards me, he whispered softly in my ear: "Thank the Lord God for His
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unutterable mercy to us! You saw that I did not even cross myself and only in my heart I prayed
mentallytotheLordGodandsaidwithinmyself:'Lord,granthimtoseeclearlywithhisbodilyeyesthat
descentofThySpiritwhichThougrantesttoThyservantswhenThouartpleasedtoappearinthelightof
Thy magnificent glory.' And you see, my son, the Lord instantly fulfilled the humble prayer of poor
Seraphim.HowthenshallwenotthankHimforthisunspeakablegifttousboth?Eventothegreatest
hermits,myson,theLordGoddoesnotalwaysshowHismercyinthisway.ThisgraceofGod,likea
lovingmother,hasbeenpleasedtocomfortyourcontriteheartattheintercessionoftheMotherofGod
herself.Butwhy,myson,doyounotlookmeintheeyes?Justlook,anddon'tbe afraid! The Lord is
withus!"
AfterthesewordsIglancedathisfaceandtherecameovermeanevengreaterreverentawe.Imaginein
thecenterofthesun,inthedazzlinglightofitsmiddayrays,thefaceofamantalkingtoyou.Yousee
themovementofhislipsandthechangingexpressionofhiseyes,youhearhisvoice,youfeelsomeone
holdingyourshouldersyetyoudonotseehishands,youdonotevenseeyourselforhisfigure,butonly
a blinding light spreading far around for several yards and illumining with its glaring sheen both the
snowblanket which covered the forest glade and the snowflakes which besprinkled me and the great
Elder.YoucanimaginethestateIwasin!
"Howdoyoufeelnow?"FatherSeraphimaskedme.
"Extraordinarilywell,"Isaid.
"Butinwhatway?Howexactlydoyoufeelwell?"
Ianswered:"Ifeelsuchcalmnessandpeaceinmysoulthatnowordscanexpressit."
"This,yourGodliness,"saidFatherSeraphim,"isthatpeaceofwhichtheLordsaidtoHisdisciples:My
peaceIgiveuntoyounotastheworldgives,giveIuntoyou(Jn.14:21).Ifyouwereoftheworld,the
worldwouldloveitsownbutbecauseIhavechosenyououtoftheworld,thereforetheworldhatesyou
(Jn.15:19).ButbeofgoodcheerIhaveovercometheworld(Jn.16:33).Andtothosepeoplewhomthis
worldhatesbutwhoarechosenbytheLord,theLordgivesthatpeacewhichyounowfeelwithinyou,
thepeacewhich,inthewordsoftheApostle,passesallunderstanding(Phil.4:7).TheApostledescribes
itinthisway,becauseitisimpossibletoexpressinwordsthespiritualwellbeingwhichitproducesin
thoseintowhoseheartstheLordGodhasinfusedit.ChristtheSaviourcallsitapeacewhichcomesfrom
Hisowngenerosityandisnotofthisworld,fornotemporaryearthlyprosperitycangiveittothehuman
heartitisgrantedfromonhighbytheLordGodHimself,andthatiswhyitiscalledthepeaceofGod.
Whatelsedoyoufeel?"FatherSeraphimaskedme.
"Anextraordinarysweetness,"Ireplied.
Andhecontinued:"ThisisthatsweetnessofwhichitissaidinHolyScripture:Theywillbeinebriated
withthefatnessofThyhouseandThoushaltmakethemdrinkofthetorrentofThydelight (Ps. 35:8)
[16]. And now this sweetness is flooding our hearts and coursing through our veins with unutterable
delight.Fromthissweetnessourheartsmeltasitwere,andbothofusarefilledwithsuchhappinessas
tonguecannottell.Whatelsedoyoufeel?"
"Anextraordinaryjoyinallmyheart."
And Father Seraphim continued: "When the Spirit of God comes down to man and overshadows him
withthefullness of His inspiration [17], then the human soul overflows with unspeakable joy, for the
SpiritofGodfillswithjoywhateverHetouches.ThisisthatjoyofwhichtheLordspeaksinHisGospel:
Awomanwhensheisintravailhassorrow,becauseherhouriscomebutwhensheisdeliveredofthe
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child,sheremembersnomoretheanguish,forjoythatamanisbornintotheworld.Intheworldyou
willbesorrowful[18]butwhenIseeyouagain,yourheartshallrejoice,andyourjoynoonewilltake
fromyou(Jn.16:2122).Yethowevercomfortingmaybethisjoywhichyounowfeelinyourheart,itis
nothingincomparisonwiththatofwhichtheLordHimselfbythemouthofHisApostlesaidthatthatjoy
eyehasnotseen,norearheard,norhasitenteredintotheheartofmanwhatGodhaspreparedforthem
thatloveHim(ICor.2:9).Foretastesofthatjoyaregiventousnow,andiftheyfilloursoulswithsuch
sweetness,wellbeingandhappiness,whatshallwesayofthatjoywhichhasbeenpreparedinheavenfor
thosewhoweephereonearth?Andyou,myson,haveweptenoughinyourlifeonearthyetseewith
whatjoytheLordconsolesyoueveninthislife!Nowitisuptous,myson,toaddlabourstolaboursin
ordertogofromstrengthtostrength(Ps.83:7),andtocometothemeasureofthestatureofthefullness
ofChrist(Eph.4:13),sothatthewordsoftheLordmaybefulfilledinus:Buttheythatwaituponthe
Lordshallrenewtheirstrengththeyshallgrowwingslikeeaglesandtheyshallrunandnotbeweary
(Is.40:31)theywillgofromstrengthtostrength,andtheGodofgodswillappeartothemintheSion
(Ps.83:8)ofrealizationandheavenlyvisions.Onlythenwillourpresentjoy(whichnowvisitsuslittle
andbriefly)appearinallitsfullness,andnoonewilltakeitfromus,forweshallbefilledtooverflowing
withinexplicableheavenlydelights.Whatelsedoyoufeel,yourGodliness?"
Ianswered:"Anextraordinarywarmth."
"How can you feel warmth, my son? Look, we are sitting in the forest. It is winter outofdoors, and
snowisunderfoot.Thereismorethananinchofsnowonus,andthesnowflakesarestillfalling.What
warmthcantherebe?"
Ianswered:"Suchasthereisinabathhousewhenthewaterispouredonthestoneandthesteamrisesin
clouds."
"Andthesmell?"heaskedme."Isitthesameasinthebathhouse?"
"No,"Ireplied."Thereisnothingonearthlikethisfragrance.Wheninmydearmother'slifetimeIwas
fondofdancingandusedtogotoballsandparties,mymotherwouldsprinklemewithscentwhichshe
boughtatthebestshopsinKazan.Butthosescentsdidnotexhalesuchfragrance."
AndFatherSeraphim,smilingpleasantly,said:"Iknowitmyselfjustaswellasyoudo,myson,butIam
askingyouonpurposetoseewhetheryoufeelitinthesameway.Itisabsolutelytrue,yourGodliness!
Thesweetest earthly fragrance cannot be compared with the fragrance which we now feel, for we are
now enveloped in the fragrance of the Holy Spirit of God. What on earth can be like it? Mark, your
Godliness,youhavetoldmethataroundusitiswarmasinabathhousebutlook,neitheronyounoron
medoesthesnowmelt,nordoesitunderfoottherefore,thiswarmthisnotintheairbutinus.Itisthat
very warmth about which the Holy Spirit in the words of prayer makes us cry to the Lord: 'Warm me
withthewarmthofThyHolySpirit!'Byitthehermitsofbothsexeswerekeptwarmanddidnotfearthe
winterfrost,beingclad,asinfurcoats,inthegracegivenclothingwovenbytheHolySpirit.Andsoit
mustbeinactualfact,forthegraceofGodmustdwellwithinus,inourheart,becausetheLordsaid:The
KingdomofGodiswithinyou(Lk.17:21).BytheKingdomofGodtheLordmeantthegraceoftheHoly
Spirit.ThisKingdomofGodisnowwithinus,andthegraceoftheHolySpiritshinesuponusandwarms
usfromwithoutaswell.Itfillsthesurroundingairwithmanyfragrantodours,sweetensoursenseswith
heavenlydelightandfloodsourheartswithunutterablejoy.OurpresentstateisthatofwhichtheApostle
saysTheKingdomofGodisnotfoodanddrink,butrighteousnessandpeaceandjoyintheHolySpirit
(Rom.14:17).Ourfaithconsistsnotintheplausiblewordsofearthlywisdom,butinthedemonstration
oftheSpiritandpower(cp.ICor.2:4).Thatisjustthestatethatweareinnow.OfthisstatetheLord
said:TherearesomeofthosestandingherewhoshallnottasteofdeathtilltheyseetheKingdomofGod
comeinpower(Mk.9:1).See,myson,whatunspeakablejoytheLordGodhasnowgrantedus!Thisis
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whatitmeanstobeinthefullnessoftheHolySpirit,aboutwhichSt.MacariusofEgyptwrites:'Imyself
wasinthefullnessoftheHolySpirit.'WiththisfullnessofHisHolySpirittheLordhasnowfilledus
poorcreaturestooverflowing.Sothereisnoneednow,yourGodliness,toaskhowpeoplecometobein
thegraceoftheHolySpirit.WillyourememberthismanifestationofGod'sineffablemercywhichhas
visitedus?"
"Idon'tknow,Father,"Isaid,"whethertheLordwillgrantmetorememberthismercyofGodalwaysas
vividlyandclearlyasIfeelitnow."
"Ithink,"FatherSeraphimansweredme,"thattheLordwillhelpyoutoretainitinyourmemoryforever,
or His goodness would never have instantly bowed in this way to my humble prayer and so quickly
anticipated the request of poor Seraphim all the more so, because it is not given to you alone to
understandit,butthroughyouitisforthewholeworld,inorderthatyouyourselfmaybeconfirmedin
God'sworkandmaybeusefultoothers.ThefactthatIamaMonkandyouarealaymanisutterlybeside
thepoint.WhatGodrequiresistruefaithinHimselfandHisOnlybegottenSon.Inreturnforthatthe
graceoftheHolySpiritisgrantedabundantlyfromonhigh.TheLordseeksaheartfilledtooverflowing
withloveforGodandourneighbourthisisthethroneonwhichHelovestositandonwhichHeappears
inthefullnessofHisheavenlyglory.'Son,giveMethyheart,'Hesays,'andalltherestIMyselfwilladd
tothee(Prov.23:26Matt.6:33),'forinthehumanhearttheKingdomofGodcanbecontained.TheLord
commanded His disciples: Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things
shallbeaddedtoyouforyourheavenlyFatherknowsthatyouneedallthesethings(Mat.6:32,33).The
Lorddoesnotrebukeusforusingearthlygoods,forHesaysHimselfthat,owingtotheconditionsofour
earthlylife,weneedallthesethingsthatis,allthethingswhichmakeourhumanlifemorepeacefuland
makeourwaytoourheavenlyhomelighterandeasier.ThatiswhytheholyApostlePaulsaidthatinhis
opiniontherewasnothingbetteronearththanpietyandsufficiency(cp.IICor.9:8ITim.6:6).AndHoly
ChurchpraysthatthismaybegrantedusbytheLordGodandthoughtroubles,misfortunesandvarious
needsare inseparable from our life on earth, yet the Lord God neither willed nor wills that we should
havenothingbuttroublesandadversities.Therefore,HecommandsusthroughtheApostlestobearone
another's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ (Gal. 6:2). The Lord Jesus personally gives us the
commandmenttoloveoneanother,sothat,byconsolingoneanotherwithmutuallove,wemaylighten
thesorrowfulandnarrowwayofourjourneytotheheavenlycountry.WhydidHedescendtousfrom
heaven,ifnotforthepurposeoftakinguponHimselfourpovertyandofmakingusrichwiththeriches
ofHisgoodnessandHisunutterablegenerosity?Hedidnotcometobeservedbymenbuttoservethem
HimselfandtogiveHislifeforthesalvationofmany.Youdothesame,yourGodliness,andhavingseen
the mercy of God manifestly shown to you, tell of it to all who desire salvation. The harvest truly is
great,saystheLord,butthelabourersarefew(Lk.10:2).TheLordGodhasledusouttoworkandhas
givenusthegiftsofHisgraceinorderthat,byreapingtheearsofthesalvationofourfellowmenand
bringingasmanyaspossibleintotheKingdomofGod,wemaybringHimfruitsomethirtyfold,some
sixtyfoldandsomeahundredfold.Letusbewatchful,myson,inorderthatwemaynotbecondemned
withthatwickedandslothfulservantwhohidhistalentintheearth,butletustrytoimitatethosegood
andfaithfulservantsoftheLordwhobroughttheirMasterfourtalentsinsteadoftwo,andteninsteadof
five(Cf.Mat.25:1430).
"OfthemercyoftheLordGodthereisnoshadowofdoubt.Youhaveseenforyourself,yourGodliness,
howthewordsoftheLordspokenthroughtheProphethavebeenaccomplishedinus:IamnotaGodfar
off,butaGodnearathand(cp.Jer.23:23),andthysalvationisatthymouth(cp.Deut.30:1214Rom.
10:813).Ihadnottimeeventocrossmyself,butonlywishedinmyheartthattheLordwouldgrantyou
toseeHisgoodnessinallitsfullness,andHewaspleasedtohastentorealisemywish.Iamnotboasting
whenIsaythis,neitherdoIsayittoshowyoumyimportanceandleadyoutojealousy,ortomakeyou
thinkthatIamaMonkandyouonlyalayman.No,no,yourGodliness!TheLordisnighuntoallthem
thatcalluponHimintruth(Ps.144:18)andthereisnopartialitywithHim (Eph. 6:9). For the Father
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lovesthe Son and gives everything into His hand (cp. Jn. 3:35). If only we ourselves loved Him, our
heavenly Father, in a truly filial way! The Lord listens equally to the Monk and the simple Christian
laymanprovidedthatbothareOrthodoxbelievers,andbothloveGodfromthedepthoftheirsouls,and
both have faith in Him, if only as a grain of mustard seed and they both shall move mountains. 'One
shallmovethousandsandtwotensofthousands'(cp.Deut.32:30).TheLordHimselfsays:Allthingsare
possibletohimwhobelieves(Mk.9:23).AndtheholyApostlePaulloudlyexclaims:Icandoallthings
in Christ Who strengthens me (Phil. 4:13). But does not our Lord Jesus Christ speak even more
wonderfullythanthisofthosewhobelieveinHim:HewhobelievesinMe,notonlytheworksthatIdo,
butevengreaterthentheseshallhedo,becauseIamgoingtoMyFather.AndIwillprayforyouthat
yourjoymaybefull.HithertoyouhaveaskednothinginMyname.Butnowask...(Jn.14:12,1616:24).
"Thus,myson,whateveryouaskoftheLordGodyouwillreceive,ifonlyitisforthegloryofGodor
forthegoodofyourneighbour,becausewhatwedoforthegoodofourneighbourHereferstoHisown
glory.AndthereforeHesays:"Allthatyouhavedoneuntooneoftheleastofthese,youhavedoneunto
Me"(cp.Matt.25:40).Andso,havenodoubtthattheLordGodwillfulfillyourpetitions,ifonlythey
concern the glory of God or the benefit and edification of your fellow men. But, even if something is
necessaryforyourownneedoruseoradvantage,justasquicklyandgraciouslywilltheLordbepleased
tosendyoueventhat,providedthatextremeneedandnecessityrequireit.FortheLordlovesthosewho
loveHim.TheLordisgoodtoallmenHegivesabundantlytothosewhocalluponHisName,andHis
bountyisinallHisworks.HewilldothewillofthemthatfearHimandHewillheartheirprayer,and
fulfillalltheirplans. The Lord will fulfill allthypetitions (cp.Ps.144:1919:4,5).Onlybeware,your
Godliness,ofaskingtheLordforsomethingforwhichthereisnourgentneed.TheLordwillnotrefuse
youeventhisinreturnforyourOrthodoxfaithinChristtheSaviour,fortheLordwillnotgiveupthe
staffoftherighteoustothelotofsinners(cf.Ps.124:3),andHewillspeedilyaccomplishthewillofHis
servant David but He will call him to account for having troubled Him without special need, and for
havingaskedHimforsomethingwithoutwhichhecouldhavemanagedveryeasily.
"And so, your Godliness, I have now told you and given you a practical demonstration of all that the
LordandtheMotherofGodhavebeenpleasedtotellyouandshow you through me, poor Seraphim.
Nowgoinpeace.TheLordandtheMotherofGodbewithyoualways,nowandever,andtotheagesof
ages.Amen.Nowgoinpeace."
Andduringthewholeofthistime,fromthemomentwhenFatherSeraphim'sfacebecameradiant[19],
thisilluminationcontinuedandallthathetoldmefromthebeginningofthenarrativetillnow,hesaid
whileremaininginoneandthesameposition.TheineffableglowofthelightwhichemanatedfromhimI
myselfsawwithmyowneyes.AndIamreadytovouchforitwithanoath.

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