A great mystery

A great mystery has been performed through Mary, a mystery that exceeds all understanding and knowledge.  The Mother of God has received tremendous powers, in virtue of which she is greater than all the saints we honor. 



On regaining spiritual comfort

 

Just as the sun’s rays are sometimes hidden from the earth by a thick cloud, so for a while a person may be deprived of spiritual comfort and of grace’s brightness; this is caused by the cloud of the passions.  Then, all of a sudden, without that person being aware, it is all given back.  Just as the surface of the earth rejoices at the rays of the sun when they break through the clouds, so the words of prayer are able to break through to drive the thick cloud of the passions away from the soul. 

On forgiveness

Let us not render evil for evil, and we shall not receive our due for our sins.  For we find the forgiveness of our trespasses in the forgiving of our brothers; and the mercy of God is hidden in mercifulness to our neighbor. Therefore the Lord said, “Forgive and you shall be forgiven,” (2 Peter 2:22).  And, “With what measure you mete, it shall be measured to you again.”  See how the Lord bestowed on us the method of salvation and has given us eternal power to become sons of God.  So, finally then, our salvation is in our will’s grasp. 

 

 

Examine yourself

Examine yourself daily in the sight of God, and discover which of the passions is in your heart.  Cast it out, and so escape His judgment. 

On the greatness of gentleness

 

Do you see what a great thing gentleness is?  More than any vehemence, it pricks our hearts, inflicts a keener wound.  For in the case of bodies which have become callous, the man that strikes upon them does not affect the sense so powerfully, but if he first mollify them and make them tender, then he pierces them effectually.  But that which softens is not wrath, not vehement accusation, not personal abuse; it is gentleness. 

 



Prayer when dejected and weary

When you are praying alone, and your spirit is dejected and you are wearied and oppressed, remember then, as always, that God, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, that is the Trinity, looks upon you with bright eyes, brighter than the sun; and so do all the angels, including your own guardian, and all the saints of God.  Truly they do, for they are all one in God, and where God is, there are they also. 

 

On blame and the need for humility

Oh, Brethren, what is the result of pride? Oh, see what humility can do? What was the need for all these sufferings? For, if from the beginning Man had humbled himself, obeyed God, and kept the commandment he would not have fallen.

Again, after his fall, God gave him an occasion to repent and to receive mercy but he kept his stiff-neck held high. He came to him and said “Adam, Where are you?” instead of saying “What glory you have left and what dishonor you have arrived at?” After that, He asked him “Why did you sin? Why did you transgress the commandment?” By asking these questions, He wanted to give him the opportunity to say, “Forgive me.” However, he did not ask for forgiveness. There was no humility, there was no repentance, but indeed the opposite.

He answered, “The woman whom You gave to be with me” (Gen 3:9-12), he did not say, “the woman deceived me,” but “The woman whom You gave to me,” as if he wanted to say: “This catastrophe has come upon me because of You.” So it is, brethren, since Man is not accustomed to blame himself. He does not hesitate to consider even God as the cause of evil.

Then God came to the woman and said to her, “Why did you not keep the commandment?” as if He wanted to say, “At least you, say forgive me, so as to humble your soul and to receive mercy.” Again, there was no request for forgiveness. She also answered, “The serpent deceived me,” (Gen 3:13) as if she wanted to say, “If the serpent sinned, where is my mistake?”

Why did you act in this way, you pitiable ones? Make a bow of repentance, recognize your fault, be sorry for your nakedness. Neither one of them could blame himself, neither of them had the least bit of humility.