151. Я не твой брат

We hear one saying this to another: I am not your brother. It’s wonderful that a man says to another, but is not ashamed to say: I’m not your brother! Look around, man, from what spirit are you uttering this word: “I am not your brother,” and you will see for yourself that the spirit of pride emits its evil smell. If you are not his brother, then whose? He is a man, but what should we call you: an angel or a demon? Tell me, tell me please. For you yourself say to a person: “I am not your brother.” I am tall, and he is short; I am rich, and he is poor; I am noble, but he is vile; I am the master, and he is the slave; I am worthy, but he is unworthy; I am a good person, and he is evil, and so on. Oh man! Look at Christ, the Son of God: who is higher than Him, who is nobler than Him, who is richer than Him, who is more worthy of Him, who is more glorious than Him, who is better than Him, who is wiser than Him? No one can compare with Him in anything, for He is the Eternal God, the King of kings and the Lord of lords, living in the unapproachable light. And when He is so great and glorious, yet He is not ashamed to call people His brethren, saying: I will proclaim Your name to My brethren; and again: go to My brothers and tell them: I ascend to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God (Heb. 2:12; Ps. 21:23; John 20:17). And who are you who say to a person: I am not your brother, and you don’t want to call someone like yourself a brother? Whether you are tall, you are just as much a person as you are short. Are you noble? But he is the same person as the thin one. Are you the ruler? But he is the same person as the one under your control. Are you sir? But he is the same person as your servant. Are you rich? But he is the same person as a beggar, and so on. And if you call yourself a good person and another evil person, then it is unknown who is better: you, or he, whom you call evil. He is not good who calls himself good, but he who does good and whom God, the Righteous Judge, praises. Look into the graves of the dead, and you will see that you are a brother to every man. You, princes, nobles, glorious, noble, masters, rich and all high, like gods in the world, are dying like men (Ps. 82:7). So, look around, beloved, see that you are the same person as others, see what the day of birth and death shows you and, putting aside pride, love the humility of Christ. Then you will call every person, even the most vile, your brother. Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and everyone who humbles himself will be exalted (Luke 18:14). You might be interested in: