Warriors of Life,
wage war mightily and do not waver in your faith in victory.
Victory is bestowed on the one whose
eye keeps its untiring gaze fixed upon it. Whoever even thinks of
defeat, loses sight of victory and does not find it again. Victory
is a tiny star in the distance, which
continuous gazing magnifies and
draws nearer!
Keep watch with vigilance, so that not
even one of the enemy jumps over the wall into your city. If even
one adversary jumps in, the city is lost. Only a single serpent
slithered into Paradise, and Paradise was transformed into Hell.
Indeed, just one drop of poison enters
a full body of blood, and physicians predict death!
It is not as important to slay your
enemy outside the city as it is not to let him into the city.
Warriors of Life, wage
war mightily and do not waver in your faith in victory.
What does it profit you, if you conquer
and gain possession of the world, and the world takes the place of
your soul. Truly, the world will remain, but the soul will no
longer be yours. The soul is a timid bird; if you throw even a tiny
bit of ashes at her, she takes to flight and flees to escape.
The soul is more valuable than the
world - you would do better, therefore, to subjugate the soul rather
than the world. The soul is a more faithful ally than the world --
you would do better, to forge an alliance with the soul. The soul is
richer than the world -- you would do better, to make her your
fortress. The soul is more healthful than the world – you would do
better, to seek your health in her. The soul is more beautiful than
the world -- you would do better, to take her for your bride. The
soul is a more fruitful field than the world - you would do better,
to exert yourself over her.
Warriors of
Life, wage war mightily, and do not waver in your faith in
victory.
Do not cast out a demon with a demon.
For you will always have a demon in the house. But cast out the
devil with God. And the devil will flee, but God will remain.
Do not fight fire with fire. For you
will make the fire into a conflagration, and your house will burn
down along with your enemy's. But fight fire with water, and you
will extinguish it.
Do not raise death as a weapon against
death, for you will only increase the range of death. But raise life
as a weapon against death, and death will retreat as a shadow does
before the face of the sun.
Warriors of Life, wage
war mightily, and do not waver in your faith in victory.
Your objective is your weaponry. If
you wage war for Life, expect also a crown of glory from Life.
Have neither two objectives, nor
twofold weaponry. When the objective is life, life is also the
weaponry. When the objective is death, death is also the weaponry.
Wherever life and death are intermingled, death is the victor.
Do not expect a reward from both
sides. For the other side is death. Do not serve two masters. For
the name of the other master is death.
Sacrifice everything for Life, and
expect everything from Life. And Life will give you everything.
Whoever captures Life, has truly taken
the wealthiest city in all realms. And he will find more treasure in
that city than an eye can behold, a heart can desire, and a dream
can dream of.
Warriors of Life, wage
war mightily, and do not waver in your faith in victory.
From Prayers by
the Lake by St. Nicholai of Zhicha
Our small parish in Billings, MT is the first
church world-wide to have the honor of having St. Nicholai of Zhicha as its
patron and protector.
Holy Bishop Nicholai,
pray for us that we be
worthy of this honor!
