---

The Legend of Peresvet/Chapter Nine: On Cognition of God. The Meeting with Jesus

---

Chapter Nine:
On Cognition of God.
The Meeting with Jesus

God, Who made the world and all things in it, …

does not dwell in temples made by hands;

and He isn’t served by people as if He needed anything.

He… is not far from any one of us.

We ought not to think that the Divine…

is like gold or silver or stone,

or an image

formed by the art and thought of man.

Acts 17:24-29

Peresvet was returning from Pereyaslavl with the bishop’s gifts.

Among these, were two books: the Bible in Greek and a list of the Gospels in translation. Both books were marvelous handiworks. But the most precious gift was an icon with a beautifully painted face of Jesus.

The icon was small and new, but executed with great skill. It seemed that with a little more — and this face would come to life in the material world. It was as if Jesus Himself touched the world with His Divine Presence if you looked at the picture with a loving heart for a long time.

Peresvet felt this as soon as he took it in his hands and gazed at it reverently…

However, neither the bishop of Pereyaslavl nor the monks there called this icon special or miraculous: evidently, they did not notice this.

Peresvet remembered how the Elder and Vlada had told him and showed how the Holy Souls can reveal Themselves to incarnate people, i.e., how They can become visible and fill the space with Divine Love. They also explained that not all people can perceive this immediately and that the ability of the soul to see and hear God can be developed in oneself.

* * *

Peresvet noted with an inner smile that he still called (to himself) the Elder the great Magus Beloyar, with whom fate brought him together twice in his life.

… Of course, he had many important conversations during his long recovery.

He remembered how he once asked:

“Can man see God?”

And the Elder answered: “Both no, and yes…”

“How so?”

“To begin with, a ‘blind’ person who is imprisoned in the body, must learn to see through the eyes of the soul and perceive the world with the spiritual heart.

“And to see God, you have to understand what you mean by the word God, what meaning do you assign to it?

“You can see Jesus or Goddess Lada, for example. They lived in bodies on our Earth. Sometimes, over the course of thousands of years, such Great Souls came to this world and brought the True Teachings to people. There were a lot of such Messengers in this world — not only Jesus!

“And even after Their earthly lives have ended, Their Divine Images can easily be remade by Them when needed! This is a great help for those who strive for spiritual knowledge. Such Divine Souls can say important words to man or simply bestow Their Bliss upon him or her, supporting their faith and aspiration. Such are the Sons and Daughters of God!

“But people sometimes see other things: imaginary images worshipped by many believers. However, even through such images, the Holy Spirit can sometimes choose to manifest Itself in order to help those sincere aspirants.

“Who is the Holy Spirit? You don’t understand this either, do you?

“This is the Divine Power, Which is the Master of everything in Creation, acting everywhere. The Holy Spirit is the Unity, the Union of all the Perfect Souls!

“Sometimes They act undivided, simultaneously merging together, like how many rivers flow into one great river. And sometimes They manifest Themselves as if separately, but all of Them proceed from the One Divine All-Consciousness.

“The Holy Spirit can be seen as a Divine Light or Fire. Or It can be revealed as Divine Appearances.

“You do not understand this yet, your understanding is only at the level of my words.

“But true understanding happens when you see clearly with the soul and live it — as a real experience that you will never doubt!

“I’ll tell you more, since you asked.

“There is Something else, Which is also called God by people. This is a Great All-Creating Power, abiding in the Primordial Calm. This is God the Father, Svarog, the Highest — as different peoples call Him! He is transparent and invisible to the common eye. He exists everywhere, permeating everything with Himself.

“But the Primordial Consciousness does not mix with anything, for It is the Subtlest of the Subtle. It is invisible in ordinary situations, but can be felt and seen by those who are ready to enter into the Heavenly Kingdom, who have approached that state themselves, as souls.

“You’re used to calling the Abode of the Creator the Kingdom of God, aren’t you? And have you heard that it is necessary to enter that Kingdom?

“Or they also call the Abode of God — Heaven? Do you realize now that this is not a blue sky with clouds, but the vastness of God’s Being?

“Jesus said: ‘My Father and I are One’*. But how many people today understand what this One is?

“And All Who have Attained are united in this One, that is, God!

“God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit… Do you understand even a little bit now — Who They are? Have you ever read or thought about this before?”

“No, I have not read much… I have not sought knowledge of spiritual things…”

“And now you’re looking for it?”

“Now I want to understand everything, but maybe not in the right way…”

“Yes, not so yet…

“Well, now that the conversation is over, learn that in all manifested things there is God, because He created everything from Himself; and He did this by as if making the most subtle things more and more dense, but not coarse.

“… Perhaps, this is why many peoples worship the forces of nature: the sun, fire, trees. But gradually, the Knowledge about the One Creator — behind all His visible and invisible Manifestations — goes away and disappears. And then a very sad thing results: all faith is reduced to idols, stones, groves, or ritual fires…”

The Elder then became silent, stood up abruptly, and went deep into the cave…

* * *

During these conversations with the Elder, Peresvet heard many things for the first time.

And after each conversation, he tried to study what he learned, trying to gain a true understanding. And not immediately, but very slowly, this true understanding came. Gradually, a clear vision in the subtlest Divine worlds was revealed. This, little by little, happened as the soul developed abilities through the techniques that the Elder and Vlada taught him.

… Now, on returning to his monastery with the gifts, he experienced a wondrous joy — a vivid awareness of the Divine Presence!

It was the feeling that behind his back, right where the bag with the gifts was, the Doors to the Infinity of Divine Light and Love were opening. It was as if immediately behind the back of his body, there was an Infinite Wall of the Light of the Holy Spirit. And there, where the spiritual heart resides in his chest, — there was a passage to that Infinity! It was as if two worlds existed side by side — and between them, was an invisible transparent border.

… The forest road lay ahead, the sun shone through the leaves, the birds sang. But as soon as he looked back from his spiritual heart — there was a boundless expanse of Holy Light and Divine Love!

Peresvet stopped for a while not to lose this amazing Divine Gift. But the Wall of Clear Light did not disappear. And the gentle Light gradually surrounded and enveloped Peresvet from all sides…

… And then Peresvet saw Jesus. It was not an icon but the Living Face of Jesus consisting of the subtlest Light. This Light shimmered, grew!

Jesus approached Peresvet! Everything external disappeared from perception! There was only Jesus!

Jesus said:

“Why are you, brave knight Peresvet, still afraid to believe fully in My Reality and in My Omnipotence? Why do you, at times, doubt what you clearly and forever already know?”

Jesus came very close, took Peresvet by the hand and continued:

“Do you feel this? Here, I am with you! I will continue to guide you always, even until your bodily death, and will meet you beyond its threshold! Do not be afraid to be close to Me, to be dear to Me! I am here with you now, not in icons or in the words of Scripture. All this is only a reminder that I am with each of those who turn to Me with love! I take each of those who trust in Me by the hand and lead them through life, as I do with you!”

Then Jesus began to move away, dissolving Himself in the Light. Peresvet tried to follow Him… But he could not go there forever: into the Infinity; he remained in the world where his body stood on the ground. But the soul, overflowing with the Love of Jesus, shone brightly and vastly!

… Previously, Peresvet had seen the Face of Jesus only a few times — with Vlada and with the Elder. But at that time, he thought that it was through them that the Love of God was given to him. And it was a long time ago. And it was not as clear as it was now, but like a dream or vision…

And now, came a clear Knowledge of the reality of everything that happened to him!

* * *

Peresvet continued on his way.

Sometimes, a slightly disconcerting thought suddenly rose in his mind: “How can I tell Sergius that I have seen Jesus, heard His words, touched His hand? If I do, I — a simple monk — will either be recognized as a saint, or all this will be called ‘a temptation from the evil one’.”

But Peresvet had no doubts: the Living Jesus talked to him! And it must be so: because Jesus — the Risen One! — is alive forever!

The Clear Light continued to shine in him, and his body was filled with inexpressible light, as if even his earthly body became a Part of this Light!

* * *

It was already evening when the robbers attacked Peresvet. There were two of them.

He felt their approach from behind him as some dark shadows. He smiled a little at the thought that now he himself, like the Elder, could also see “with his back”.

With the same smile, he turned around — and in a few moments intercepted a club, which one of the attackers wanted to stun him with. Then he knocked the knife out of the other’s hands.

Peresvet didn’t have much trouble with all this. His former strength had only increased with age and become different: calm and powerful.

After the robbers who attacked him were on the ground, he did not even tie them up, but calmly asked why they dared to do the crime?

They answered:

“We have not eaten for three days…”

… Peresvet took bread from his bag, unhooked the flask with water from his belt and handed it to the men:

“Here, there is no more food in my bag. Only holy books and an icon.”

Peresvet carefully took out the icon:

“Pray — and then eat!”

… They shared a long night together by the campfire! Important were Peresvet’s words about Jesus, faith, and a righteous life…

And, as a result, the two men, who in the last years of their lives were engaged in robbery, asked Peresvet to take them to the monastery to repent…