1788 - September 7, 1860
Elder Macarius's face was scarred by smallpox, he stuttered and was
always poorly dressed, but he was distinguished by a very refined
personality. He was born to a landed gentry family, loved music and was a
talented violinist. After some years' experience in the world as a
bookkeeper, in 1818 he entered upon the monastic path at the Ploshchansk
Hermitage. There he formed ties with Elder Leonid and followed him to
Optina.
With Elder Leonid's repose, the burden of the spiritual
guidance of the skete fell to Elder Macarius. He was soft-spoken and
emanated a quiet joy in the Lord. Like Elder Leonid, he used his gift of
spiritual discernment to work numerous healings, especially of the
demon-possessed. He also carried on a tremendous correspondence: his
letters of counsel fill two volumes, each numbering a thousand pages.
Elder Macarius did not tolerate idleness among the brethren. He
introduced various handcrafts: bookbinding and woodworking. He also
adorned the skete with mass planting of flowers. His greatest
contribution to Optina, however, was to initiate its work of publishing
patristic texts. This was historically significant, since Peter's
reforms had greatly curtailed such activity, which subsequent laws
restricted to ecclesiastical print shops. The result was that many works
of Holy Fathers existed only in manuscript form or in very limited
editions. Meanwhile, the secular press was churning out translations of
mystical-philosophical works from the West, some of them plainly hostile
to Orthodoxy. With the blessing and earnest support of Metropolitan
Philaret of Moscow, and the active collaboration of the Orthodox writer
and philosopher Ivan Kireyevsky, Elder Macarius began meticulously
editing manuscripts translated from the Greek by Paisius Velichkovsky,
which he had acquired in Ploshchansk, and other patristic manuscripts
donated by various individuals, thus launching an undertaking which, in
50 years, produced more than 125 books in 225,090 copies. These were
sent to libraries and seminaries all over Russia, putting into
circulation the works of St. Isaac the Syrian, St. Symeon the New
Theologian, St. Nilus of Sora, Elder Paisius (Velichkovsky), and others,
and inspiring a growing circle of religiously inclined intelligentsia.
Counsels of Elder Macarius
“To your question as to what constitutes happiness in life—whether it
is grandeur, glory and wealth, or a quiet, peaceful family life—I will
tell you that I agree with the latter, and I will also add that a life
spent with a pure conscience and with humility brings peace,
tranquility, and true happiness, while wealth, honors, glory, and high
position are often the cause of many sins and do not bring happiness.
“People for the most part desire and seek well-being in this life, and
tend to avoid sorrows. This seems to be good and pleasant, but constant
well-being and happiness are harmful to a person. He falls into various
passions and sins and offends the Lord, while those who lead a life of
sorrow attain salvation, and for this reason the Lord has called a merry
life the broad path: For wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that
leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat (Mt.
7:13), while the life of sorrow He called strait: Strait is the gate,
and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that
find it. (Mt. 7:14). Thus, out of His love for us and seeing its
possible benefit for those who are worthy of it, the Lord leads many
people away from the broad path and places them on the narrow and
sorrowful path, in order to arrange their salvation through their
endurance of illnesses and sorrows, and to grant them eternal life.”
“You not only wish to be good and not do anything bad, but you also
wish to see yourself as such. The desire is laudable, but the wish to
see one’s own good qualities provides food for vanity. Even if we acted
sincerely and correctly in all things, we still would have to regard
ourselves as unworthy servants. However, being faulty in all things, we
must not consider ourselves to be good even in our thoughts. For this
reason we are embarrassed instead of being humble. For this reason God
does not give us strength for the execution of things, in order for us
not to have pride in ourselves, but to attain humility. And when we do
attain it, then our virtues will be strong and will not allow us to be
vain.”
“We, weak-minded people, thinking to arrange our
possessions, bustle around, despair, deprive ourselves of rest, only in
order to leave our children a good estate. But do we know whether it
will be of benefit to them? A foolish son is not helped by wealth—it
only serves to lead him into immorality. We must concern ourselves with
leaving our children the good example of our lives and rearing them in
the fear of God and His commandments—that is their primary treasure.
When we seek the Kingdom of God and His truth, all that is needful here
will also be added (cf. Mt. 6:33). You will say: but we cannot do this,
the modern world requires different things now! All right, but have you
borne your children for this world only, and not for the hereafter?
Comfort yourself with the word of God: If the world hate you, ye know
that it hated me before it hated you. (Jn. 15:18), while the carnal mind
is enmity against God. It is not subject to the law of God, neither
indeed can be (cf. Rm. 8:7). Do not desire earthly glory for your
children, but that they may be good people and obedient children, and
when God grants it—kind spouses and tender parents, concerned for those
serving them, loving to all, and tolerant of their enemies.”
“You wish to get nearer to God and attain salvation. That is the
responsibility of all Christians, but it is done only through the
keeping of God’s commandments, which consist entirely of love for God
and neighbors, and even stretch to love for one’s enemies. Read the
Gospel and there you will find the way, the truth, and the life;
preserve the Orthodox faith and the canons of the Holy Church; study the
instructions contained in the writings of church pastors and teachers,
and arrange you life according to these teachings. However, rules of
prayer alone will not help us do good… I advise you to pay as much
attention as possible to works of love for your neighbors, to your
relations with parents, spouses, and children, and try to bring up your
children in the Orthodox faith and good morality. The holy Apostle Paul,
enumerating the different types of virtues and labors of
self-sacrifice, says: “Even if I do such-and-such, but have no love,
there is no benefit to me.”
