http://lib.pravmir.ru/library/readbook/2341#part_39706
October 19. I thank you, Lord, Who has had the kindness to let me see another birthday, baptismal day, and name's day. According to Your mercy, I am greeting my 80th year. This is unspeakable mercy.
By my sins, I was unworthy to see 40 years, but here I am at 80. O, the innumerable bounties of my Lord! What can I offer or what can I give You, my Creator, my Savior, my Providence, my Doctor, my Glory, my Power! But give me a good ending, Lord, and do not shame me!
"Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment?" (Matt. 22:12). "Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called, but few are chosen "(Matt. 22: 13-14). Christ God, our Life Giver, likened Himself to a Holy Bridegroom, beautiful, luminous, eternal, having the good will to wed with eternal, incorrupt, authentic betrothal in the future unending life as well as pre-betrothal in the earthly life of the faithful soul to Himself. In order to betroth Himself with faithful souls-but that have defiled the garments of their souls with innumerable sins, distorting the image of God, being removed from Him, and becoming strangers to him according to their sins-the Lord bestowed upon them a beautiful , incorruptible, spiritual garment in the Mystery of Baptism and sealed them with the Holy Spirit through Chrismation by anointing them with Holy Myrrh. But man again defiled his garment and Baptism and again removed himself from God and clothed himself in stinking rags of passions, breaking and dishonoring his betrothal with God. The Lord, according to His mercy, has the good will to once again give him a wedding garment in genuine repentance and communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ, and man again receives a wedding garment and is united in an intimate way with the Heavenly Bridegroom in order to take guard in every way so as not to soil the wedding garment and to live in holiness. Who are those souls that are betrothed to Christ, the Heavenly Bridegroom? You are those souls, brothers and sisters. One wonders: is your wedding garment clean and adorned? Have you adorned your souls with good deeds-simplicity, meekness, goodness, humility, mercy, not holding grudges, patience, abstinence, holiness, chastity? With what will you appear at the wedding banquet in the Heavenly Kingdom? Are you constantly preparing to go there where the Beautiful Bridegroom of the Church of man and all the saints is awaiting us? Prepare immediately: time is running out and the end of our life is nearing, then we must make an account with the Just Master regarding our whole life. Yea, I say, we will prepare in order to acquire a clean, holy garment pleasing to the Heavenly Bridegroom. Amen. October 19, 1908.
