All Generations Will Call Me Blessed: Sermons on the Mother of God

by St Philaret of Moscow

Whoever you might be, fellow wanderer in this earthly life, hear me now. Sooner or later, both your soul and mine will stand before the invisible domain of the age to come. Have we thought about what we will encounter there? Who will greet us? Will we be found worthy of having our souls borne by the angels to the mansions of light, like the soul of the poor man Lazarus? Or perhaps you do not think of this, and instead imagine that you might manage without this honor? Do not delude yourself. It is true that this is an honor for those who are worthy, but is it not also an aid for those in need? If we need the protection and guidance of angels in this visible life, will we not need them all the more when we step into the unknown and limitless invisible world? Now the physical world stands before us like a wall that separates us from the bright kingdom of heaven, but it also protects us from the dark kingdom of hell. But now, more or less, the influence of the abyss comes through to reach us, and so we need the helping influence from the kingdom of light all the more! What will happen when our souls, separated from our bodies, step beyond the threshold of the physical world and enter into direct contact with the spiritual world? Will we not then be threatened by an open attack from the dark powers, at the moment when we will not be able to say, as the Sinless One said, The ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me?