Saint Innocent of Moscow (Veniaminov) explained to his parishioners how to find the way to the Kingdom of Heaven with a parable. -Imagine that, beyond all expectations, you suddenly find yourself the only heir to your rich distant relative. Before his death, this relative bequeathed to you his luxurious dacha on the top of a picturesque mountain. Loving solitude, this relative did not build a road to his dacha, but himself got to it along the path. To help you take possession of the dacha, he left you a map of the mountain, marking the desired path on it. Thus, in order to get to the bequeathed dacha, you need to follow exactly the path that was marked by the relative who loved you. Something similar must be done for us who want to reach the Heavenly abode prepared for us by the Lord Jesus Christ. You need to know well which path leads to it, how not to go astray, what you should be careful of, and so on. Our map is the Holy Scriptures and Orthodox books; Foresters are shepherds of the Church, whose duty is to help believers and lead them towards heaven. Provisions are the grace of God, strengthening our spiritual strength. It is possible that in some places the path leading to paradise will be narrow, overgrown with bushes and difficult to travel, while other paths will seem wider and more comfortable. But it's better not to trust what it seems. The Lord Jesus Christ and the apostles repeatedly warned that only one path, which is indicated in the Gospel, reaches the Kingdom of Heaven. Source: Just believe. 101 parables. M., ed. "Nicaea" 2012
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru