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There, Where Life Is Eternal

Zosia began to feel more and more that she was living with God and in God — at every minute of her life!

This helped to prevent many earthly pains and challenges from happening in her life. After all, a revolution, a civil war, and what people later called the First World War were taking place in the world…

Zosia had been working in her hospital for many years as the chief physician and, during this difficult time, she managed to keep her staff of both doctors and nurses. And she managed to have everything necessary for treatments. Zosia also managed, without much effort, to maintain inner peace in the souls of the hospital staff by following the laws of love, respect, kindness, and mutual assistance.

The town had already passed from one power to another several times… All over the land, human blood was pouring, and agony was multiplying from wounds, hunger, the loss of all property, and the lack of a roof over one’s head. And all this was being done in a mad battle “for the Motherland!”…

In the hospital, Zosia received the sick and the wounded, not dividing them into “white” or “red”, military or civilian… At the children’s department, a home-shelter was formed for orphans, of which there were more and more…

* * *

Monk Vsevolod, a new student of fr. Alexander, entered the modest cell of his teacher.

Fr. Alexander was now in charge of the monastery, in which only twelve monks now remained.

The last abbot of the monastery, archimandrite Illarion, after receiving news of the massacres at the St. Nicholas Monastery of Belogorsk, decided to dismiss all the monks. Trying to protect them, he ordered them to go home, take shelter among relatives, and take with them the most valuable icons and church books and hide them in order to preserve everything for the future… Only a few of the closest disciples of fr. Alexander wanted to stay with him in the monastery in order to continue studying. And there were also those who had nowhere to go.

Monk Vsevolod had only recently become a monk of the monastery, being driven there by events of external life. But he considered all those events as being part of the great Providence of God, Which had led him to fr. Alexander! And never before had he met anyone like fr. Alexander! The wisdom and strength of the spirit of this man astounded him! He realized that he had found his teacher!

* * *

That morning, fr. Alexander, as always, greeted him kindly and blessed him, and then said:

“Today, after giving lessons in the orphanage, please go to Zosia in the hospital: she is waiting for you, and she is going to give us something.”

“How do you always know all this? It’s as if you had spoken with her on the phone!”

“Soon, you yourself will learn that souls can have a very clear understanding with one another even without a telephone.”

“Does this mean that she is also a saint, even though she lives in the world? But how could that be possible?”

“Well, observe this situation closely, and you will discover much to answer this question! And know, ‘saint’ is a special word; let’s forget about it for now. So, go! Being late is not good: we must teach children by our own examples in everything!”

* * *

Monk Vsevolod finished the lessons with the older children at the orphanage of the hospital. Giving lessons was a kind of monastic obedience, which fr. Alexander invited several well-educated monks to perform.

Vsevolod went to Zosia’s office. He was accompanied by those children whose turn it was today to help in the hospital. They happily showed Vsevolod the way. And they were also so happy that today they would see “mother Zosia”, as everyone in the shelter lovingly called her when she was not present.

The children happily rushed to hug Zosia, they talked about their deeds, and they tried to cuddle and hold on to her hands.

Vsevolod had time to look around and observe everything that was happening while the girls and boys shared their joys and difficulties, talked about the preparations for an upcoming concert in front of the sick, and about other news.

Zosia was very beautiful, slender, and elegant, and her thick brown hair was gathered in a simple hairstyle. She smiled affectionately, and calmly and softly explained everything to each of the children.

But there was something else in her appearance and in the whole space around. Vsevolod had previously noticed the same phenomenon with regard to fr. Alexander: as if around his body a halo of God’s Love was always manifest, which was invisible to the ordinary look, but perceptible to a kind soul.

Then, when the children left to go work on their simple assignments in the hospital, feeling joyful and at the same time full of serious responsibility for their assignments, Zosia turned to Vsevolod:

“I’m very glad to meet you! Fr. Alexander has told me about you. And I was expecting you today. Can you please pass this on to fr. Alexander?”

She held out a thick manuscript:

“The methodology for the rehabilitation of patients is described in detail here. It includes everything that I, myself, understood about how the soul and body can be brought to health and to a life of joy. I once thought about using it to defend my dissertation, but now it’s not the time…

“Let these records be preserved. They talk about how one can help his or her recovery through physical and spiritual exercises. Such exercises transform both the soul and the body! Everything is described here with examples of specific patients, and all research data is included in detail. I would like it to be preserved for people…

“Indeed, without a spiritual component, recovery is not even two, but five or six times slower!

“Moreover, the same breathing and physical exercises performed without trying to feel the Light of the Holy Spirit, only slightly restore the body. And if all the fullness of the human soul comes to life and acts, then miraculous healings take place!

“Modern medical science considers this impossible. But this is a clear and provable reality! Teaching people how to become healthy again, even if they have very difficult bodily problems, is possible!

“Many here now say that it is I who perform miracles of healing… But, through me, God would like to teach people how they can awaken the spiritual forces in themselves. And, when this happens, their bodies are then healed, and their whole lives are transformed!

“And also take some food for the monastery, Vsevolod! Do not hesitate: take as much as you need! The carts arrived yesterday from our farm. There is enough flour, milk, and vegetables in them for everyone!”

“Thank you, Zosia! It is amazing how you manage to arrange everything! Amazing! Only, it feels somehow awkward to take away food that was meant for the hospital, for sick people and children…”

“But you are a teacher in the children’s shelter of the hospital! So, you also have a right to this food for your labors!

“Would you like to hear a wonderful story that happened many years ago thanks to fr. Alexander?

“A lonely and wealthy landowner was dying in our hospital, and after a conversation with fr. Alexander, who then was still a novice, she decided to bequeath all her property to the hospital. Since then, a farm has been operating in her former estate, which has been supplying the hospital with its fresh produce for many years. And with the money that she bequeathed, so many useful things have been done! It is impossible to list them all! My father organized all this; I merely continue to support the program. And here, in our province, we have been able to buy all the most modern medical equipment with this money, and we have been able to have such great doctors! So, it shows how words spoken correctly and on time can change the lives of many people for many years! Now times are not easy, but we are surviving!”

“Yes, how wonderful are the miracles that fr. Alexander performs! Next to him — it’s as if there is no war, devastation, or persecution! Only — God!”

“It’s so wonderful when there are those who are united in spiritual aspirations nearby!

“And in my life, there are many very good people who are dear to me. I love all of them! There are those who are near, and there are those who are very far away. And they are all so different…

“Some of them don’t even know each other, and I cannot imagine that I could ever introduce them to one another… Among them there are those who would never even want to understand each other, let alone hug or love one another… But they all live in my heart; they are all united by my love for them…

“I seem to understand now that this is how we are all united, united in God’s Heart, in His Divine Unconditional Love!

“Nowadays, “white” and “red”, monarchists and revolutionaries… — they are all ready to die for their ideals and, at the same time, they are blind both in their love and in their hatred… They love slightly and, for some reason, also hate, supposedly in the name of their love…

“But God loves differently! He loves everyone, even the atheists who reject Him!

“But how to tell about it? How to teach kindness and mercy? Perhaps there should be more hearts on the Earth that can include all people in their love — maybe then peace and prosperity would become possible?”

“That’s what I talked about today with the children! Children easily understand the Eternal Truths! Maybe they will be able to build a future without wars, without hatred…”

* * *

The civil war continued…

One day, a group of drunken and armed bandits burst into the hospital where Zosia worked. They fully enjoyed the “freedom” to rob and kill… They demanded alcohol!

Upon seeing an officer of the White Guard who had a tunic, which had military decorations on it, draped over his bandaged shoulders, they shouted: “They are hiding the enemy here!” — and they began to burst into the wards and dragged into the hallway those wounded whom they intended to shoot.

Zosia went out to meet the bandits.

“Stop! There are no ‘whites’ or ‘reds’ here, there are only doctors and patients!”

“My dear, you shouldn’t be here… Go away! They might start shooting!” — one of the officers said in an attempt to stop her.

But Zosia calmly walked towards the rifles and pistols pointed at her. It was not the first time that she had tried with her confident and calm presence to stop bandits who attacked the hospital…

But this time, the attackers were also drunk.

“The doctor is a beautiful woman, still sexy! Should we finish her off now or later, after having our fun?” — the leader burst out laughing.

Zosia was calm and beautiful. There was not a shadow of fear or anger in her. In all her appearance, there was love and a special confidence — a confidence not in herself, but in God… There was also a calm readiness in her to accept the death of her body — to try to defend the lives of those people whom she healed and led to the Light of God — according to the extent that they were ready to accept…

“You must not shoot here! There are sick people here! Leave the hospital building, and then I will tell the staff to bring some alcohol out to you!” — Zosia said to the chief of the gang.

“Look at her trying to give ‘orders’!… We’re the ones in power here! We’ll take everything ourselves!” — he laughed back.

To prove his strength and impunity, he fired a round at one of the sick, who had been pulled out of one of the chambers by the bandits. The man had been standing on crutches, leaning against the wall, and now only a red stain of blood remained on the wall…

“Don’t you dare!” — Zosia said, shielding the other wounded people with her body…

The bandits began to shoot indiscriminately.

One of the officers rushed forward to shield Zosia from bullets — and was immediately killed too.

A cadet, just a boy, ran up to Zosia, waving his arms and covering her with himself:

“Do not shoot! What are you doing?! She’s a saint!”

From the chambers where the “reds” were, privates, officers, and commissars also ran to help. One of them, with a pistol in his hand, also rushed forward to cover Zosia and stop the attackers, but it was too late…

… The feat of her terrestrial life was completed…

Eternal Life embraced one more Divine Soul into Itself!

* * *

Over the river, on a high hill, Zosia’s body was buried.

A lot of people gathered.

A bell was ringing in the monastery. Its sound covered the whole space…

The good news about the arrival of another Divine Soul to the Abode of the Heavenly Father sounded in the worlds of Light — joyfully and solemnly!

But many of the people who gathered there, cried… For them, Zosia’s death seemed a tragedy.

They did not yet truly know that Those Who enter Eternal Life experience the everlasting Joy of Freedom and Bliss from the Unity with God!

For those Who are There, with God, there is no death, but there is LIFE that has no end!

And the examples of how they lived on the Earth help those who follow them!

* * *

Monk Vsevolod, returning to the monastery, opened the book that had been published in a small edition by Olga and Zosia’s efforts — the book that contained the sayings of the elder Zosima and began to read:

“The gates of the Heavenly Kingdom are open!

“But personal efforts to transform oneself are necessary for that person who strives for the Divine.

“The Kingdom of God, which Jesus told people about, is right here now, and always remains! It is not closed or hidden by anything other than the human self. Heart love against this misfortune of delusions is an effective medicine!

“Don’t expect anything from other people!

“And do not desire them to behave how you would like — in accordance with your ideas.

“Everything happens on time, everything is fair, everything is as it should be! He who understands this, while looking at situations together with God’s understanding, no longer feels sorrow about anything!

“Haste can get in the way of doing a job well and quickly. From a calm state of mind — everything turns out quickly! And to find this peace is a great blessing!

“The fuss of the mind subsides in the silence of the spiritual heart. The ability to clearly distinguish between what is important and what is transitory creates an unshakable foundation for this peace. The feeling of the Presence of God makes this peace, and there is Great Happiness from Contact with the Eternal Source of Life!

“Not worrying about temporal and useless things does not mean ‘doing nothing’ in the world. We live here to do good deeds, not only in the spiritual field, but also in caring for our neighbors! And you can take responsibility and care about all people! This is how you need to learn to do all things. And you must also learn to do them without taking your thoughts and heartfelt love away from God!

“Many will object saying that it is difficult to achieve this… But that is not so! If a person sincerely wants this, then God will help him or her in everything! However, the truth is that very few want this! This is the whole reason! When all the aspirations of the soul are directed towards God, then spiritual transformation happens quickly!

“If a person has a lot of material wealth, then he or she can lose a lot. And there are not many people out there who do not have desires to possess things or the subsequent fears to lose them. If a person’s wealth is spiritual, then that wealth cannot be lost, except by the connivance of the mind, which is inclined to be seduced by insignificant things.

“The one who has found heartfelt peace and love for God no longer loses the priceless Treasure of life in the Spirit, but increases it day after day. And, in this case, the Gates to Inseparable Life with God are open. Nobody and nothing can take this Treasure from the devotee!

“The death of the body frightens a person until it is considered as “the end” for him or her, until he or she knows that the soul is eternal and that the True Life opens up for the soul that is worthy of it! And it is for the cognition of this that efforts are needed by souls while they are in earthly bodies!

“When one’s desire to live life as the Spirit begins to prevail over one’s weaknesses and fears, then God will reveal beautiful mysteries to the devotee and give him or her joy — a joy which no longer diminishes and which is not of this world.

“The world of the Spirit is quiet and full of Light. Only the One Who has entered into this Shining Kingdom while still living in a body, understands how temporary and insignificant is everything, except for that Eternal Abode, in which there is Boundless Love!

“A soul can nurture this Love in itself — and then the world of Divine Light opens before it, and the Sun of God’s Love rises in that soul!

“One’s whole life can become so filled with God that one begins to feel that there is nothing else but Him! And this is Reality! This is so for every soul! But almost all souls have not yet awakened to this Divine Clarity and Love; they do not see, feel, or heed this!

“What a great happiness it is to see God in everything and behind everything!

“After all, there is no place where God is not!

To a superficial gaze, it may seem that the space of above the Earth is nothing more than a void filled with invisible air, and that here there is nothing more than your body, other bodies, plants, animals, water, earth... But all of this has been created and continues to be created at every moment by God’s Presence!”

“The First Cause of everything is He!

“And to know and unite with this Boundless Love, this Greatest Power and All-Encompassing Knowledge, is a happiness without limit! Uniting and knowing thus, there will be no more sorrow and suffering, and there will be no death itself!

“For everywhere and in everything — He is!

“The Divine Life has no end!

“The entrance to this World is in your spiritual heart, oh man!”