“When the enemy derides you for some sin which you see in
yourself, and you, hearing this, do not answer him with insults but begin to
sigh and to entreat God, you will smooth over your sin. Lest you think that I am merely consoling you
with empty words, I will call on the testimony of Holy Scripture. There were a Pharisee and a Publican. The latter had reached the vilest depths of
sin, and the former jealously guarded his righteousness. Once, both of them went to the temple to
pray. The Pharisee stood and said, God, I thank Thee, that I am not as other
men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican, (Luke
18:11). And the Publican, standing on
the side, did not answer with insults, and did not say any sinful words like those
that we hurl at each other every day, but sighed bitterly and smote upon his
breast, saying, God, be merciful to me a
sinner (Luke 18:13), and went away justified.
Do you see how quickly he was justified? He got soiled, and he washed away the spot;
he realized his sins and was released from them, the accusation of sin turned
into a loosening of sin, and the enemy became a benefactor against his own
will. Is there anything more gracious
than this? If there any other, easier
way of breaking free from sin?
Otherwise, how long the Publican would have labored, fasted, kept vigil,
lain on the ground, given away his property to the poor, and sat in ashes in
order to erase his sins. Now, without
doing any of these things, he was freed from all sin and disgrace with just a
word. The slander of the man who had
obviously insulted him brought him the crown of righteousness without long-lasting
efforts and labors.”
Such are the fruits of true Christian endurance and
long-suffering. The man who is not quick
to anger and knows how to endure is helping his own salvation. The man who does not immediately take
offense, but waits meekly, is humble.
The humble one always seeks the blame for everything that befalls him in
himself and never in others. Thus having
realized that he himself is to blame for the insults which are hurled at him,
he is angry with himself and not with others.
He unites with those that attack him and in this way in alliance with
his enemies, he easily and quickly drives away the real enemy of his soul—sin. To be
continued…
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