HOW TO COME BACK TO CHILDHOOD. DAY OF ST. GABRIEL OF SAMTAVRO. ARCHPRIEST SERGIY BARANOV

Sermon on the day of the Monastery’s patron saint venerable Gabriel of Samtavro, Just try, it is easy to call to your mind the state you had when you were a child. Not an event, but the state of childhood in your mind, in your heart. This recollection brings such joy and carefreeness. Afterwards the difficulties and problems of adult life appeared and smothered us a little bit. But then, back in our childhood, this state of lightheartedness gave such sense of freedom that it makes you feel nostalgic for it. You want to experience it once more, but the time has passed. One may experience this state in a monastic life, through the mystery of obedience. Speaking of childish carelessness, I do not mean idleness, as we used to help – we washed dishes, swept the floor, went shopping. But we did our chores carefreely. We bought a loaf of bread and ate a half of it on the way home forgetting ourselves. This carefreeness gave us simplicity...