What is the best time to read the gospel? Reading Holy Scriptures

How to read the Gospel? - for the most FAQ questions asked online, Bishop Jonah (Cherepanov) answers
17 October 2012 19:14
Yulia Kominko

Answering for the magazine “Nachalo” these and many other questions often asked to clergy online, the abbot of the Kyiv Trinity Monastery of St. John, Bishop of Obukhov IONA, notes: the main thing is to read the Gospel. Read every day and try to live by it.

About the phenomenon that we encounter while reading the Gospel

– Vladyka, the first question is about why the Bible is so difficult to read. Any magazine or newspaper, as a rule, is “swallowed” in one breath. But as for the Gospel and soul-helping books, this is more difficult. Either you can’t get around to it, or you don’t want to at all. Can we talk about some kind of special laziness that “attacks” a person precisely when he has to do something for the soul?

– It seems to me that in this case we are talking about a phenomenon that really confirms the existence of another world - the world of angels and demons - a very subtle, mysterious world.

Indeed, you noted a very interesting point. When we have either a laptop or an exciting novel in our hands, for some reason we don’t want to sleep, and we are able to listen to what is written until late. But as soon as we get into the hands of some kind of spiritual book - this does not mean spiritual fiction, which has appeared in abundance in our time, but serious ascetic theological literature and, especially, the Holy Scriptures - then for some reason we immediately feel sleepy. Thoughts are not contained in our skull, they begin to scatter in the most various directions, and reading becomes very, very difficult.

All this shows that someone in the world of dark spirits really does not like what we are doing. That there is someone who in such a clear way opposes us in reading, which edifies us, brings us closer to God.

I would like to note this point. Even if we do not completely remember everything that we read - due to poor memory or for some other reasons - it is still necessary to read. This question was revealed in the book “Fatherland” by St. Ignatius Brianchaninov, which collected the statements of Egyptian saints of the 4th-5th centuries. A certain student came to the elder and said: “What should I do, no matter how much I read the Holy Scriptures and other books, nothing remains in my head, I don’t remember anything. Is it worth reading in this case, maybe it’s not necessary? To which he was told: just as dirty laundry placed in a stream is cleaned even without washing, because running water washes away all the dirt from it, so reading divine books washes away dirt and debris from our heads and enlightens our thoughts with the light of the Gospel.

Is it necessary to read the interpretation of the Gospel?

– Regarding reading the Gospel, I would like to ask about purely practical aspects, based on the questions that are often asked to clergy on the Internet. For example, is it necessary to make extracts from the text while reading? After all, this way we read less, but it is remembered. Or is it better to try to read more without being distracted by note-taking?

– It seems to me that everything depends on the degree of organization of a person. There are people who need to systematize everything, somehow record it, break it down point by point - this way they will perceive it better. It is indeed useful for them to take notes and make some extracts.

There are those who are not distinguished by such systematicity, I think they are the majority. Such people need to regularly and constantly read the Holy Scriptures and, preferably, with interpretation. It is clear that the first few times you need to read it completely without distractions. But the more we read, the more we see the need to understand him better. At some stages, we still cannot comprehend many things with our minds, so it is worth turning to the 20-century experience of the Church.

– Which books of interpretation could you recommend for reading? Preferably one that is available for wide consumption, written in a light style and style.

– In general, I highly recommend to all people who are at the beginning of their spiritual path, who are just joining the church, to read the book of Archpriest Seraphim Slobodsky “The Law of God.” Perhaps the title suggests that the book is intended for children in some elementary school, but in fact it is quite serious. In my opinion, this is a brilliant example of how it is possible to collect and formulate very succinctly and clearly the basic concepts of faith, the Church, and Orthodoxy in one small book. Including, there is a section about the Holy Scriptures, about the history of the Church, so that a person can get a systematic idea of ​​what the Church is and what place it occupies in our lives. This book is a must-read for every churchgoer.

As for the interpretation of Holy Scripture, there are quite a lot of wonderful publications. A classic is the interpretation of St. John Chrysostom. But for a beginner it may seem somewhat complicated and not entirely clear. In my opinion, if a person is just going to start studying the Holy Scriptures, then it is best to use the interpretation of Archbishop Averky (Taushev). It will certainly be understandable and clear to everyone.

How to read the Gospel at home

– More practical questions about reading the Gospel at home. Do you have to read standing or can you sit?

– According to custom, special reverence for the Holy Scripture involves reading it while standing.

But, in my opinion, nothing should distract from attention to the Gospel words; it is necessary to immerse yourself in reading as much as possible. But standing still presupposes some instability. And in this case, anyone, especially a young person, will definitely have thoughts that it would be nice to sit down, or that he needs to run somewhere, or go do something. Therefore, if in church we listen to the Holy Scripture “Forgive”, that is, standing straight, with our hands down, then at home, I think, we can read it while sitting, in order to better understand and not be distracted by thoughts from paying attention to the divine words.

– Question about the form of clothing for women: should the head be covered?

– In my opinion, such questions are already from the category of “straining out a mosquito.” It turns out that if a person finds himself in a situation where he cannot cover his head, then in this case what - don’t read the Holy Scriptures?..

We know that a woman must cover her head during prayer, whether at home or in church. Reading the Holy Scriptures is not a prayer, so I think it is quite acceptable to read it with your head uncovered.

- Is it necessary to wear a skirt when reading, or is it possible in home clothes - in sweatpants, for example?

My opinion is that it is not necessary to wear any special clothes for reading or prayer rules. If these are your favorite pajamas and slippers in the shape of bears, then it’s quite possible. The main thing is that it is clothing, and not, say, underwear.

But this applies to the situation when a person prays himself. If we are talking about a Christian family, especially when there are children, then you need to try to dress in what is more consistent with prayer. The woman should wear a skirt and headscarf, the man should also be in more or less decent clothes - to emphasize the importance of the moment of the family’s coming before God. This is especially important for raising children - by this we show that prayer is not done on the go, but is the most important common task.

– During the days of natural purification for women, they should not venerate icons, or approach the cross for blessings. What about the Gospel? It is believed that it is also forbidden to kiss it. Accordingly - and read?

This is a joke, of course. But, in fact, in my opinion, such prescriptions are complete nonsense. Instructions regarding the purity of women primarily concern the sacraments - confession, communion, unction and others. On certain days a woman cannot participate in them. All other restrictions are already the tradition of this or that locality, this or that parish. That is, the Church does not have clear instructions on what cannot be done during this period.

It is traditionally believed that in addition to not participating in the sacraments, a woman should also abstain from eating prosphora and holy water, not venerate icons, and theoretically should not take a blessing from the priest.

But again, you need to understand that in addition to the theoretical, there is also a practical side of life: if eating a prosphora or venerating an icon is entirely in our will, then when you come face to face with a priest, explain to the priest why you are hiding your hands behind your back, I think it would be inappropriate.

Again, being in this state does not exclude contact with certain sacred objects. After all, the greatest shrine is the cross of Christ, which we wear on our bodies, but we do not take it off during this period, it remains on us. And we impose the sign of the cross on ourselves. It’s the same with the prayer book and the home Gospel: I think that it is possible and even necessary not to interrupt your established prayer rule and, accordingly, not to stop reading the Holy Scriptures.

– It is desirable, but not necessary.

About prayer and reading the Gospel on the road

– Continuing the topic of reverent attitude towards the Holy Scriptures - is it possible to read it in transport? A lot of time modern man spends time on the road and combines this time with reading prayers and holy books. Is this acceptable?

– It seems to me that the prayer rule should be read at home, in a calm environment, when nothing distracts from the conversation with God. The only exceptions can be force majeure situations, when a person either stayed late at work, or there was some kind of disruption to the established schedule, and the person knows for sure that he will come home and, due to objective reasons, will no longer be able to read all the prayers. In this case, it is allowed to read in transport. But this should not become a habit and become a constant practice. You should always listen to your conscience and evaluate whether the need to pray on the road is real and justified.

As for the Gospel, spiritual literature, I think it can and should be read on public transport. After all, most of the information enters a person through the eyes, so it is better to let them be busy perceiving the word of God than to be scattered on the people around them, on advertising and on other things that do not bear any fruit and are even harmful.

On Protestant editions of the Holy Scriptures and the dangers of some translations

– Is it possible to use editions of the New Testament that are distributed free of charge by representatives of Protestant denominations? Or purchase the Gospel in churches of other faiths?

– In Protestant publications, you always need to look at whose translation it is. If it says that it was reprinted from a synodal publication (published before the revolution with the blessing of the Holy Governing Synod, the body that governed church life at that time), then you can safely read it.

If there is no such indication or it is said that this is a translation from some society, or a new translation, or adapted, or something else, then, of course, it is better to abstain. Often, many denominations, translating the Holy Scripture anew, adapt it to their own creed. For example, Jehovah's Witnesses significantly distorted the Gospel with their pseudo-translation for the reason that they do not recognize the deity of Jesus Christ. They remade all the places where the deity of the Savior is spoken of. Such publications should not be used and at the first opportunity they should be disposed of - just like any shrine that has become unusable. Usually the shrine is burned, and the ashes are either buried in an untrodden place, that is, where no one walks, or swept into running water - into a river, for example.

– Many believers doubt whether they can use the Gospel publications published by the World Bible Society, and trust only what is sold in church shops and stores. What do you think?

– Holy Scripture, as I already said, it is advisable to use only what is reprinted from the synodal translation, which was once made back in the 19th century in the Russian Orthodox Church.

The Bible Society may also publish adapted translations. They probably do not contain the distortions that are present in various translations of Protestant denominations, but it seems to me that it is better to use the traditional Synodal translation.

In addition, you still need to understand that when acquiring the Holy Scriptures it is in Orthodox church, you thus contribute to the temple. Although books may be somewhat more expensive than in the Bible Society or among Protestants.

– Do purchased editions of the Bible or New Testament need to be blessed?

– It seems to me that, firstly, the Holy Scriptures in themselves are already sacred, so there is no need to consecrate them. Secondly, there is no rite of consecration of the Holy Scriptures.

It should be said that previously crosses and icons were brought to the temple not for consecration, but for blessing. In Greece, the tradition has been preserved that neither crosses nor icons are consecrated, but only blessed in the temple.

What does it mean to be blessed? The priest, as a censor, looks at how much a given image corresponds to the canons of the Orthodox Church, and blesses or does not bless its use.

Actually, the very rite of consecration - both the pectoral cross and icons - came to us from Catholic breviaries from the time of Peter Mogila and is not entirely Orthodox in spirit.

– The same Bible Society publishes many children’s books – adapted New Testament stories, for example. There are publications where all the heroes of the Gospel events are depicted, one might say, as cartoon characters. Is there any prejudice on the part of the Church towards depicting Christ and the saints in this form?

– I am a big opponent of the profanation of everything sacred, including if this sacred thing is brought to children in some inappropriate form.

As for whether to use such publications, this could have been discussed 10-15 years ago, when the Orthodox did not have any analogues. Now in Russia a huge number of children's books are published with wonderful illustrations, which are made in the spirit of the Orthodox Church. There are even wonderful children's books with canonical icons. And all this is done brightly and efficiently. Thus, from childhood a child learns to perceive Christ, the Mother of God, in the image that the Orthodox Church has preserved for us.

We need to understand that in what image we first meet a character, he will often remain in our minds. Stirlitz - main character books by Yulian Semenov - appears exclusively in the image of actor Vyacheslav Tikhonov. Alexander Nevsky - in the form of actor Nikolai Cherkasov, who played him in the film of the same name.

It’s the same with a baby: if for the first time he comes into contact with Christ, with the Mother of God, with the apostles in some comic books, there is a high probability that this primitive image will be imprinted in his child’s head.

Is there a difference in what language to read the Gospel and pray in?

– Are there any regulations regarding what language the Bible should be in? Many believe that the Gospel and Psalter should be read only in Church Slavonic - as is done in churches during services. But since we are all already cut off from tradition, when Church Slavonic was studied in primary schools, then we do not understand everything we read correctly and do not fully comprehend the meaning of the words. In this case, it would be logical and natural to read in the language we speak, what do you think?

– Due to the fact that the Holy Scripture is not some kind of light reading, then, in my opinion, it is better to read it in translation - in Russian, Ukrainian or any other language - one that is understandable to a person.

The same applies to the Psalter - if a person wants to read the psalms carefully, and not just drum his tongue, uttering beautiful Church Slavonic phrases. You can read alternately: for example, once all the psalms are in Church Slavonic, the next time - in Russian. Ideally, reading the Psalter should be part of a daily prayer routine. At least little by little, you need to read it, because the psalms are used in the circle of services of the Orthodox Church. And while at the service, if we read the Psalter in translation, we will be able to understand those allusions and references to it that sound at the service in the temple.

In addition, there is a commandment: sing to God wisely. This means that psalms - and these are, in essence, spiritual songs - need to be understood and sung intelligently. As Elder Paisios of Athos said, if we do not understand what we are praying for, then how can we come to an agreement with God?

But I am deeply convinced that one should pray in Church Slavonic. Still, prayers in colloquial speech are devoid of the sublimity that is present in the text not just in another language, but in CHURCH Slavonic.

And I consider references to the fact that everything is not always clear when reading prayers to be completely unfounded and even stupid. Now there are courses where people learn a foreign language in a month or two, so I think anyone can learn 20-30 incomprehensible Church Slavonic words from prayer sequences.

About why the same Gospel passages are read in churches

– During each Divine Liturgy in the church, the Gospel is read, and, as a rule, on certain Sundays we hear the same passages prescribed by the charter. Why are only certain episodes chosen for reading in the temple?

– It cannot be said that only individual episodes were selected. Over the course of a calendar year, the Gospel is read in full at daily services in church.

Where did the tradition of reading the Gospel at services come from? We know that 100% literacy of the population became possible only thanks (at least in our country) to the efforts of grandfather Lenin. Before the revolution, and even more so even in more ancient times, not all people were literate. And those who knew how to read did not have the opportunity to have the Holy Scriptures, since books were rare. We know how expensive lists and handwritten books were - they were literally worth their weight in gold. When such a book was sold, they often put some jewelry on the opposite side of the scale. Therefore, rarely did anyone have the text of the Holy Scriptures.

At the time when, in fact, worship was being formed Christian Church, all Christians attended common prayer almost every day and gathered daily for the Eucharist in the church. And during these meetings, some part of the Gospel was read. And since people regularly attended services and lived in the spirit of the Holy Scripture, they knew it, because throughout the year it was read in full.

And now, if we open the liturgical calendar, then Gospel passages are indicated there for each day. And on Sundays the Church established the reading of the most edifying fragments.

I think that if a person wants to live in Christ, then for him any opportunity to hear the Holy Scriptures is always joyful and gratifying for his soul. Moreover, you need to understand that the Gospel readings have a yearly cycle. I think hardly anyone can remember what they read a year ago. Every time, even if a person reads the Gospel at home, that small passage that is read on Sunday is a small discovery for him, a reminder of the most significant parables and the most significant events in the life of Christ.

– Orthodox Christians quite often hear reproaches from non-church people that we have the same thing every day - the same prayers, similar friend for each service, one book for daily reading - the Gospel. If we try to answer this reproach, then why is this daily repetition necessary?

– It seems to me that such reproaches are kind of absurd. If we follow the Holy Scripture literally, then the Lord Jesus Christ left us only one prayer - “Our Father.” But if we only read her alone, there would probably be even more reproaches.

For me, the question has never been posed this way; it’s quite strange for me to hear it. If a person is embarrassed by monotony, then become a saint, achieve holiness, and then you will have the gift of prayer, and you will know what to pray for.

But if someone is confused by daily morning and evening prayers, then we can suggest: okay, pray in your own words. What will the majority ask for? - Lord, give me health. Lord, make it good at work. Lord let my children grow up good people. And everything like that.

That is, most of us have a consumerist attitude towards prayer, although the Lord said: “Seek first the Kingdom of God, everything else will be added to you.” And the morning and evening prayers are precisely aimed at ensuring that a person learns to pray. This can be called a kind of spiritual gymnastics. When we do gymnastics in the morning and evening, we repeat basically the same movements. For what? In order for these movements to become a habit, so that we acquire some physical qualities, the skills we need for life.

In the same way, morning and evening prayers are gymnastics for our prayer consciousness. So that we get used to praying, know what to ask for: about the sublime, about the heavenly, about humility, about purity, about those things that lead to the Kingdom of God. Please note that in the morning and evening prayers ah, which were compiled by the saints, there is no “everyday stuff”, but only exclusively that which helps bring us closer to the Kingdom of God. You need to get used to praying in this direction.

Of course, if a person leads a spiritual life, if he has a confessor who knows his mental and heart structure, and this person gets tired of reading morning and evening prayers, then the confessor can bless him to read, for example, the Psalter. But this cannot be a universal practice, but only with the blessing of a priest who knows the person who turned to him.

In this regard, we can also recall the preparation for communion. Those who receive communion relatively rarely have great difficulty reading and complaining about the rule established in the Church for Holy Communion, which consists of three canons and a sequence. The following approach is practiced: if a person does not receive communion at every Sunday Liturgy, then in this case the rule for Communion can be “stretched” for a week: on one day read the penitential canon, on the next - the canon to the Mother of God, then to the Guardian Angel, and so on, so that before the communion itself, only prayers for Holy Communion are left. In this way, a person’s prayer work will increase for several days, a certain prayerful mood will be created, and before communion itself there will no longer be such fatigue from reading a large number of prayers.

But I want to emphasize that everything should always be done only with the blessing of your confessor. You cannot apply in life all the advice that you have read or heard somewhere, even from the most authoritative people. This is very dangerous spiritually, because what is said to a particular person may not always be useful to others. Everyone’s structure is known to their confessor, so if there is a desire to change something in your prayer rule, then this should be done only after consulting with your confessor.

- What if there is no confessor?

If there is no confessor, it means that the spiritual state of such a Christian leaves much to be desired. After all, it turns out that in the matter of salvation he is guided only by his vision of Scripture and Tradition, choosing solely according to his own will what is saving for him and what is not.

Hence, by the way, - and a large number of micro-heresies (“heresy” means choice) in the lives of many overly freedom-loving parishioners or those parishes where the priest confines himself to performing divine services, does not work with the flock, and is not a real spiritual father for them.

At the end of our conversation, I would like to note that the things we talked about are still secondary and far from the most important in life Orthodox Christian. If a person strives to live according to the Gospel, if he loves God and loves his neighbor, then he will perform all external actions with natural reverence, he will not need to drive himself into artificial frameworks.

The most important thing is to remember and fulfill the words of the Lord. Christ said: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life.” And Holy Scripture is the book in which this path is outlined. Therefore, when reading the Gospel, you need to think not about when to cross yourself or where to sit in the this moment, but how to fulfill it in your life.

Nika Kravchuk

Why read the Gospel every day?

The Gospel is holy book Christians, the good news about the coming of the Savior into the world. From it we learn how Christ lived on earth and what commandments he left to humanity. Passages from the Holy Scriptures are read during services. But this is sometimes too little to understand and live according to the commandments. The question arises: how to read the Gospel at home and why do it?

Every time you open it like the first

The Church teaches that a person can be saved by fulfilling the Gospel commandments. Is it possible to accomplish what you don’t know? It follows from this that the first step towards God is prayer and reading the Gospel.

This is a completely unique book. A skeptic will say: just think, four stories from different authors, despite the fact that three of them present practically the same plots in different ways - what’s new and unique in this? The peculiarity of the Gospel is that each time you open it differently. Many Christians have read it several times, but each time they pay attention to something new.

An experienced Orthodox Christian woman, a radio physicist by training, says: “Friends and fellow students say to me: what did you find in your religion? You are a smart person, a physicist by training. And I answer: you see, in our industry I have already reached the “ceiling”, and reading the Gospel, every time I discover something new for myself. Sometimes you sit and realize: I’ve been holding this book in my hands every day for 20 years. But it feels like I’ve never read this fragment before. There is such a depth here that you won’t reach the bottom even in your entire life.”

If a person regularly reads the Gospel and thinks about what he reads, then he simply cannot help but change.

How to read the Gospel at home?

There are no specific rules, but there are only individual recommendations, which indicate a respectful attitude towards the shrine. The gospel is the good news of God the Word. From the sacred pages, a person seems to be talking with God. Therefore, it is advisable to have a specific mindset and throw distracting thoughts out of your head. You can read a special prayer before reading the Holy Scriptures or turn to God so that you receive spiritual benefit from reading, and not vice versa - you sin by inattention, absent-mindedness and fussiness.

As a sign of reverence, it is customary to read the Gospel while standing. But if a person is tired during the day, is unable to stand, and is constantly thinking about how to lean on his elbow, then it would be better for him to sit down immediately.

It’s good if you have the opportunity to be alone, to communicate one-on-one with God, when no one and nothing distracts you. But it doesn't always work out that way.

How often and in what volumes should you read the Gospel?

It is advisable to do this every day. If you have a strong intention, ask your confessor for a blessing.

There are two optimal ways to discover Holy Scripture:

1. a chapter a day;
2. look in church calendar, what passage is being read at the service today, and read it.

The first method is more time-consuming, but it eliminates the possibility of misunderstanding the context of the Gospel story. The second is useful because if you read in the evening those fragments that will be heard at the Liturgy, then while you are in church a person will listen carefully to the reading of the Gospel.

Why use additional explanations?

To avoid misunderstanding, it is advisable to know historical context and use interpretations. Look at the Protestants. They get acquainted with sacred texts every day, but each is accustomed to understanding the essence of what is written in their own way. This is where various heresies and schisms arise. Therefore, it is better for a person not to “create amateur activities”, but to take advantage of the centuries-tested experience of the church.

• John Chrysostom;
• Blessed Theophylact of Bulgaria;
• Bishop Michael (Luzin);
• Archbishop Averky (Taushev);
• Professor Alexander Lopukhin.

Beginners may encounter the fact that the thoughts of John Chrysostom or Theophylact of Bulgaria will not seem entirely accessible to them. Therefore, first you can read the Law of God of Seraphim Slobodsky and the texts of the last three interpreters. Questions are also often asked about which language is best to read the Gospel. If you find Church Slavonic too difficult, read in your native language. Over time, you can study the language of the church and read different translations at the same time.

What to do when you don’t understand and it’s very difficult to read?

We must not stop. Understanding does not come immediately, but as a result of the efforts made. It is also necessary to pray that the God of the Word himself will reveal his good news to us.

Why is it difficult to read? Because the demons are trying different ways distract you from the Holy Scriptures. They are afraid that you will accept it and live according to the commandments.

In “Fatherland” by Ignatius Brianchaninov there is a story about a certain student who already long time I read the Gospel, but did not understand anything. One day he came to the teacher for advice: what to do? Do you need to read if you don’t understand or absorb anything?

To which the teacher replied: if you throw dirty laundry into a stream, then even without washing it will be cleaned (running water will act on it). If we throw the Divine Word into our heads, it will also purify our thoughts and enlighten our perception.

Therefore, the answer is clear: you need to read and cleanse yourself. It is also important to be aware of what Book you are holding in your hands. Some believers, with blessing, read the Gospel at home and pray. There are those who ask for their family and friends, read a chapter every day, doing it for a specific person.

There are even testimonies of those who did this for a long period (40 days, six months, a year), and then were surprised when people completely far from faith came to God. So reading the Gospel can be called a kind of prayer.

Take it for yourself and tell your friends!

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Archpriest Alexey Uminsky

Speaking about the Gospel, one can argue for a long time that this is a special book that has educated humanity over the past two millennia, that New Testament- the basis of not only European, but also the entire world culture. It is necessary to know the Gospel, if only in order to correctly navigate the cultural space that surrounds us - in literature, painting, architecture and music.

The Gospel can be described as great book, which sets out the basic tenets of Christianity, but it seems to me that it is best to perceive it as a portrait of Christ left to us, because the most important thing that is in the New Testament, the most important thing that Christians have, is Christ Himself, as he once said great religious thinker Vladimir Solovyov.

Of course, the Gospel contains numerous instructions regarding how we should act, how we should live in order to inherit the Kingdom of Heaven, but even all this fades into the background. According to the words of the Apostle John the Theologian,

About what was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and what our hands have touched, about the Word of life - for life has appeared, and we have seen and testify, and we proclaim to you this eternal life that was the Father and appeared to us, we proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us: and our fellowship is with the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. And we write this to you so that your joy may be complete (1 John 1:1-4).

The evangelists set themselves the most important task, striving not only to convey to us the teachings of the Lord, but also to capture the image of Jesus, because He and His teaching are inseparable from each other. And they achieved their goal: first of all, we treat the Gospel not as a textbook of life, not as a code of rules of conduct, not as a moral and philosophical treatise. This book gives us the opportunity to have a precious meeting with Christ Himself.

Of course, each of us must understand what the will of God is. But perhaps even this is not the most important thing. When a person begins to pray, his heart rushes to God. Ascended prayers do not come from the mind, but from the heart. The person praying often asks for the impossible in the everyday sense, but the most important thing for himself and really hopes to be heard. These hopes will not be put to shame, because man is always heard by the Lord, although he himself does not always hear God.

The Gospel is more than a book; it is a call addressed to man to hear God. We cannot hear or see Him physically, but we have immortal souls created by God for whom this is possible through the Gospel. And then a real miracle happens to a person: he meets God. He may not understand Him, he may even resist the will of the Lord, but if he once met God through the Gospel, he will not escape Christ anywhere.

The Lord says:I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate manna in the wilderness and died; and the bread that comes down from heaven is such that whoever eats it will not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever(John 6:48-51).

People are not ready to hear these words, because they simply do not understand what we are talking about. Many of those who had previously flocked to him in crowds as to the Messiah, whose coming coming the prophets had announced, departed from Christ. When only the twelve closest disciples remained with Him, the Savior addressed them:don't you want to leave too? Simon Peter answered Him: Lord! who should we go to? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed and known that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God(John 6:67-69).

A person discovers the Gospel for himself, striving first of all to know the Divine essence, which we cannot fully understand, but which we can accept, with which we can come into contact and even unite. The Apostle Peter calls on all of us:

How His Divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and goodness, by which He has given us great and precious promises, so that through them you might become partakers of the Divine nature.(2 Peter 1:3-4).

Despite the fact that we know: God is invisible and incomprehensible, despite apophatic theology, that is, the theology of unknowability, God suddenly reveals itself to us by the closeness of Christ, His endless, all-consuming love.

The Apostle Paul did not have a chance to see Jesus in his life, but he met with His disciples, and their words about God, their Gospel, their good news burned Paul so much that he said:the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword: it penetrates to the dividing of soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and is a judge of the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from Him, but everything is naked and open before His eyes: to Him we will give an account.(Heb. 4:12-13).

The Gospel is an opportunity, if not to fully understand, then at least to feel the Truth and at the same time to gain the meaning of life, to realize the true purpose of one’s suffering, to test the strength of one’s desire to follow Christ wherever He goes. The Gospel is Christ Himself speaking to us directly, Christ Himself touching us, Christ Himself calling us and looking into the depths of our hearts. All this is the Gospel: not just a book containing sermons and parables and which gave humanity immortal images that were later embodied in great works of art, but, first of all, Christ Himself.

The one who seeks Christ, the one who wants to know Him, let him take the Gospel in his hands. Only this should be done for real, with a heart ready to search for the Lord, with a soul open to meeting Him. And then the Gospel will be revealed to man, and he will begin to understand the word of God.

Many people read the New Testament, but at the same time it remained unread by them. They wanted to somehow alter the Gospels, simplify them and “improve” them, making them more understandable and closer to human needs. Many have tried to write their own “gospels”, to seek their own Christ, especially during the last few centuries. This means that, unfortunately, they were not looking for Christ, but were looking for themselves in the Gospel.

However, you can find yourself in the Gospel, but only after you have found Christ, because the Gospel is not a book that is worth quoting in order to show off your erudition, not a book in which you should look for contradictions and build on them research and scientific career. There are no secrets in the Gospel, to which a person is usually so susceptible, imagining religious life as an endless series of secrets, sacraments and miracles. The Gospel is a frank book, a book open to everyone. It contains nothing secret, nothing ambiguous, nothing that should be deciphered or transmitted to initiates as secret knowledge. People who treat the New Testament this way are left without Christ, although they can know this book by heart and quote it on any occasion. If a person wants to strengthen himself at the expense of the Gospel, he will not succeed.

Any of us at some point can find our Gospel, and every time we plunge into this space, we find ourselves real. The New Testament can suddenly illuminate everyone so much that we can see who we are and what we are truly capable of, hear the call of Christ and understand where He is calling us. We can find the real Jesus - alive and dear, staying next to us.

A person re-reads the Gospel again and again, because the Gospel is life. Every day he lives is a day either of his life with Christ, or of life without Christ. Every day he solves the same problem, makes the same choice, asks the same questions: who am I? Why am I living? where am I going? does God hear me? Do I hear Him?

Recently, reading the New Testament has become part of the prayer rule for many. Of course, a person needs a certain self-discipline, some kind of compulsion to pray and spiritual study, but if he reads the rules but does not pray, studies the Gospel but does not hear Christ, fasts but does not sacrifice himself, all his efforts are meaningless.

A person must love the New Testament. At some point, I suddenly realized with bitterness that I was reading the Gospel, in fact, without reading it at all. And I don’t think that such daily reading is our absolute duty. Of course, as a priest, I still read this or that fragment during the service. But something else became important to me in the Gospel. For me, experiencing the Gospel no longer goes in parallel with its reading, although at a certain stage, careful, repeated reference to the texts was necessary, at least in order to navigate through them.

How often should you read the New Testament? I don't know. I don’t think that this question should confront a person at all. It is always good to read the Gospel, but there must be the same urgent need for this as, for example, the need for communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ. If a person does this simply because it is supposed to be so, as a kind of “spiritual physical education,” then he simply does not understand at all why he goes to Church and why he reads the word of God. He does not understand that the Gospel was written about him, and specifically for him.

Here we read in the Gospel of Mark:

In the morning, passing by, they saw that the fig tree had dried up to the roots. And, remembering, Peter said to Him: Rabbi! Look, the fig tree that You cursed has dried up. Jesus, answering, said to them: Have faith in God, for truly I say to you, if anyone says to this mountain, “Be taken up and cast into the sea,” and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. whatever he says. Therefore I say to you: whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you receive it, and it will be done for you.(Mark 11:20-24).

A person reads this passage and encounters the following words:

Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; and whoever does not believe will be condemned. These signs will accompany those who believe: in My name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will take snakes; and if they drink anything deadly, it will not harm them; lay hands on the sick and they will recover(Mark 16:16-18).

It seems to us that all this is written not about us, but about someone else. But the fact is that the words of the Lord are addressed not to an unknown “someone” who lived once upon a time, but to us now...

Giving a lecture to Orthodox Christians, I asked them: “Please tell me how you perceive Peter’s call: Lord!<…>command me to come to You on the water (Matthew 14:28)? Do they apply to us? And the listeners decided that these words did not apply to us at all, because we were talking about Peter and no one else. But if this is exactly the case, and the Gospel is not written about us and not for us, then it is completely unclear why we read it at all! Just like a sacred text? But this is not what the Gospel was created for. The Gospel was given to us so that we, Christians, understand: it is for us to walk on waters, for us to move mountains, for us to raise the dead, for us to drink mortal things, for us to be crucified on the cross, for us to go to hell with Christ and to rise with Him.

Of course, it is unpleasant for a person to realize that he cannot accommodate and implement what was said to him, just as the pious young man did not find the strength to respond to Jesus’ call to follow Him and did not go with the Lord. Even the apostles were perplexed: “Well, who can be saved then?” And Christ answers them that this is impossible for humans, because He offers something that none of the normal, ordinary people can understand or accept. Therefore, the Gospel is a book for people who are able to renounce their “normality” and rise above it.

However, what is impossible for people is possible for God. The entire New Testament testifies that every person is given the opportunity to become like the Lord. Understanding this gives us the Gospel, our Holy Church gives us, inextricably linked with each other, because the Gospel and the Church, the Gospel and the communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ do not exist without each other.

From the Preface to the book “Conversations on the Gospel of Mark”

As we prepare to listen to or read the New Testament, we must ask God for help. There are many cases when believers began to interpret divine books in their own way and, as a result, moved away from the Orthodox faith.

The prayer before reading the Gospel, which the holy fathers commanded us to do, can sound in different versions. Their meaning, as a rule, boils down to one thing - there must be a petition to God for the granting of understanding of Holy Scripture.

For example, one of them, the most capacious: “Lord, enlighten the eyes of my heart with the light of the mind of Your Holy Gospel.”

The prayer of Ignatius Brianchaninov before reading the Gospel is widespread: “ Save, Lord, and have mercy on Your servants (names) with the words of the Divine Gospel, which are about the salvation of Your servants. Lord, the thorns of all their sins fell, and may Your grace dwell in them, scorching, cleansing, sanctifying the whole person in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.»

The prayer before and after reading the Gospel will be clear and meaningful if it is structured according to the following scheme:

• read before reading the Divine Revelation a prayer for the enlightenment of the mind and the granting of understanding of the Divine Words;
• after reading the Holy Letter, follow the rule of Ignatius Brianchaninov, in which a petition is raised for the cleansing of the sins of all those for whom the Holy Gospel was read.

Most believers do exactly this. Chapters of Divine Scripture are included in the prayer rule performed by believers Orthodox Church every day. Therefore, it is very important to pray properly before reading the Gospel at home.

There are many books that fill our bookshelves. Almost everyone has a personal library.

Based on the books that are in it, one can with a high degree of probability make a judgment about the person who owns them. About who he is, what he thinks and dreams about, what he strives for, what his life is like.

Most of the books we have are enough to read once, and we never return to them.

But there are those that we turn to again and again, reading them throughout our lives. Divine Revelation is the most important book of any Christian. It can be compared to air and food, which we need every day to live and pray to God. She leads, inspires, supports on the difficult path towards eternity and does not allow you to turn away from it.

The Bible was a reference book for many prominent people. It was read and reread many times by Dostoevsky, Pushkin, Gogol, Mendeleev, Pavlov and others no less famous personalities. In pre-revolutionary Russia, at the end of any educational institution graduates were given a volume of the Gospel along with their certificate, as parting words and guidance for their future lives.

The Bible is Divine Scripture. This means that each of his lines is filled with a special spiritual power that can change and enlighten our lives. Each of us has those days, periods when everything seems filled only with darkness.

It would seem that there is no light, melancholy and hopelessness are around us. And so, as soon as we begin to reread Revelation, spiritual light begins to illuminate our path in life.

Getting rid of passions

Through the Divine Books the Lord himself begins to act in us, in our lives.

There are numerous testimonies telling how the Higher Power helped a believer cope with some of his bad skills and sinful habits.

So one person suffered from alcoholism for a long time and could not get rid of this addiction, for which he turned to doctors, tried to fight this habit by exerting his own will, but all these attempts were unsuccessful.

And one day he came to the monastery to consult with the elder on what he should do to overcome this sin.

The old monk advised him, every time a craving for something evil or sinful arises, to pick up a volume of the Holy Book and begin to re-read it over and over again. That's what this man did.

When a craving for alcohol appeared, and his hand reached out for a glass, before giving in and giving in to the destructive passion, he began to re-read the Holy Letter. And a miracle happened. As soon as he finished reading the chapter, he discovered that the passion that tormented him so much either faded away completely or weakened and became insignificant.

There are many examples of how the Word of God changed a person’s life. Therefore, we should not forget and turn our gaze to the Holy Scripture as often as possible, re-read it every day, so that the light of Divine Revelation illuminates us.

And so that through reading this Holy Book the Lord will always be with us, and our life will be filled with his light. Prayer before reading will promote and help this like nothing else.

How to read the Gospel correctly

Today, every person has the opportunity to buy a Bible, open it and start flipping through the pages, rereading them over and over again. But will this always be a saving grace? If we do this hastily, without proper preparation and mental attitude, without deeply immersing ourselves in the meaning of what is stated, then it is unlikely.

It is unacceptable to behave towards the Holy Letter like an ordinary novel or detective story, re-reading it somewhere on the subway or while away the time on the bus. Leafing through the sacred pages casually, hastily and without certain internal efforts, we are unlikely to understand anything.

It is good to have in your library explanations of Divine Revelation:

1. Theophylact of Bulgaria.
2. John Chrysostom.
3. Bishop Michael.
4. Feofan the Recluse and others.

Holy ascetics, who have shone in the church with their exploits, believe that it is better to re-read Scripture, checking the Orthodox calendar. It contains daily instructions on which verses (passages) from the New Testament are included in the liturgical circle.

So, together with the whole church, we read the four Gospels throughout the year. Thanks to this, the New Testament opens from a completely different side. We cease to see and perceive only the eventual, historical outline of Divine Revelation. Its deep spiritual meaning begins to be revealed.

The Gospel is the way, the guide to action. This is how we should perceive the commandments given by Christ. They must be fulfilled, they must be lived every minute.

One should not seek only the pleasure given by the Holy Spirit to everyone who touches the Divine Scripture with their eyes and thoughts.

We must strive to see the infallible Truth hidden in the words of Divine Revelation. To perceive the reading of holy books as an appeal from God to each and every one of us personally.

Attention! When reading the Gospel, both in church and in private, you must stand with your head bowed.
At home, if you lack physical strength or are very tired, you can kneel down and listen to the words of God himself in a reverent position. Prayer before reading the Gospel , as a rule, must always accompany this mysterious act.

How to read at home

If you have received the blessing of a confessor or you yourself have come to such a decision under the influence of reading spiritual literature or listening to sermons, you must remember that you should read the whole chapter at a time, without leaving its completion for tomorrow. On the advice of illustrious ascetics, the daily prayers performed by Orthodox believers should include the deeds, as well as the messages of the apostles.

There is another way , how to read the Gospel at home. Many Orthodox Christians choose a similar path.

One chapter is read in full and one or more, at will or in accordance with the blessing of the confessor, chapters of the Apostle per day.

You need to read everything in order, from the beginning to the very end, and then come back and repeat everything again.

You shouldn’t randomly open the first page you come across and read everything that catches your eye or that catches your eye the most. There must be a gradually ordered reading of the Holy Scriptures, chapter by chapter.

Only in this case will a clear, precise picture of all the biblical events that took place be formed in a person’s mind.

When reading the Holy Revelation, one should not behave too freely or uninhibitedly. This is still a liturgical act, although performed independently, at home. That's why appearance the person praying, and the behavior must correspond to what is happening.

There is no need to become like the sectarians who belittled the Holy Letter so much that they read it almost while sitting in the outhouse. Disrespect for God is a great sin.

Standing in prayer or reading the Divine Letter generates reverence in a person. This makes you more focused. On the other hand, if it’s difficult, in private prayer you can give yourself some relief and read while sitting.

Exclusively to make it easier to concentrate on the meaning of the Holy Scriptures, and not be distracted by shifting from foot to foot. But it is also necessary to sit with reverence, and not reclining in a position that is too loose and inappropriate for the occasion.

Attention! If any sorrow or trouble occurs, do not get confused and find a prudent way out difficult situation Prayers before reading the Gospel at home, as well as listening to and paying attention to the Holy Letter, are very helpful.

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Summarize

Believers and many people who are completely non-religious recognize the Bible as the source of the highest culture and spirituality for all mankind.

Divine Revelation presents us with fundamental moral truths that have long been lost and completely forgotten in the constant race for material benefits, progress and personal comfort.