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And truly this constitutes the greatest virtue when we love not only those who are sincerely disposed toward us, but when we attract people who want to harm us with affection. There is nothing more powerful than meekness. Just as poured water extinguishes a fiercely burning flame, so a word spoken with meekness quells anger, inflamed more than the fire in a furnace, as a result of which a double benefit occurs for us: by this we ourselves discover meekness in ourselves, and, having calmed the irritated spirit of our brother, we save his mind from shock. And tell me, perhaps: do you not reproach, do you not condemn a brother who is angry and hostile to you? Why don’t you try to act differently yourself, but become even more irritated? After all, fire cannot be extinguished by fire: it is unnatural. Likewise, anger cannot be tamed by anger under any circumstances. What water is to fire, meekness and tenderness are to anger. That is why Christ said to the disciples: “If you love those who love you, what will be your reward?” (Matt. 5:46) (1). When an enemy is in your hands, do not worry about how to take revenge on him and, showering him with countless curses, put him to shame, but about how to heal him, how to return him to meekness; and until then, do not stop doing and saying everything, until with your meekness you defeat his cruelty. There is nothing more powerful than meekness. Pointing to this very thing, someone said: “A soft tongue breaks a bone” (Proverbs 25:15). What's harder than bone? However, at least someone was as firm and cruel [as she], and he will be easily defeated by the one who treats him meekly. And again: “A gentle answer turns away wrath” (Prov. 15:1). From here it is clear that you have more power than your enemy himself to both irritate and tame him. Indeed, it is up to us, and not those who are angry [at us], to both extinguish the flame of their anger and fan it further. And this same thing was explained again by the one who said the previous words with a simple example. If, he says, you blow on a spark of fire, the flame will ignite, and if you spit, you will extinguish it; both are in your power: “both come out of your mouth” (Sir. 28:14). Truly, nothing is so much a cause of enmity and discord as love for real goods, passion for fame, or wealth, or pleasures. When you break all these bonds and do not allow your soul to be captivated by anything like that, then you will see where the discord originates, where the foundation of virtue lies. This is why Christ commands us to be sheep among wolves, so that you do not say: I suffered this and that and that is why I became hardened. Even if you have suffered countless insults, continue to be a sheep and you will defeat the wolves. Such and such a person is evil and wicked; but you have the power with which you can overcome even the evil ones. What's humbler than a sheep? What's fiercer than a wolf? However, the former overcomes the latter, as can be seen in the apostles, because there is nothing more powerful than meekness, nothing stronger than long-suffering. This is why Christ commands us to be sheep among wolves. But, having said this and wanting to explain what His disciple should be like and that this simplicity, that is, the meekness of a sheep, is not enough for him, he adds something else: “Be,” he says, “like doves” (Matt. 10:16), combining the meekness of two meek and gentle animals. This is the kind of meekness He requires from us when we turn among the wicked! Don't tell me: he's angry, I can't stand it. Then it is especially necessary to show meekness when we are dealing with the evil and hostile; then its power is revealed, then its effectiveness, dignity and benefit shine (2). Truly, it is better to be subjected to countless lightning strikes than to see how the meek face of the Lord turns away from us and His clear eye does not want to look at us. And indeed, if He loved me, His enemy, with all the hatred towards Him and disgust from Him, so much that He did not even spare Himself, but gave Himself up to death, and if after all this I do not give Him even bread when He is hungry, then with what eyes will I look at Him? But here too, notice His meekness. He does not count His blessings, does not complain that you have despised such a great benefactor, does not say: I brought you from non-existence into existence, breathed a soul into you, made you ruler over everything that is on earth; for you I created the earth and the sky, the sea and the air, and all things; I was despised by you and seemed to you lower than the devil, but despite all this I did not leave you: I discovered countless means for your salvation, I wanted to become a slave, I was beaten on the cheek, spat on, slaughtered, and died a most blasphemous death; even in heaven I intercede for you, I give you the Spirit, I honor you with the Kingdom and offer you such benefits; I wanted to be your head, bridegroom, robe, house, root, food, drink, shepherd, king and brother; He chose you as His heir and joint heir, and brought you out of darkness into the region of light. Although the Lord could have said this and even more, He does not say anything like that (6). Let us be ashamed to act contrary to the commandment of Christ and attack our enemies like wolves. As long as we are sheep, we will conquer; even though countless wolves surrounded us, we will overcome and defeat them. If we are wolves, we will be defeated, because the help of the Shepherd will retreat from us (He feeds not wolves, but sheep); He will leave and move away from you because you will not allow yourself to be revealed to His power. When you show meekness in suffering, then all victory belongs to Him; and when you yourself attack and fight, you spoil the victory (6). Every virtue is good, but especially kindness and meekness. It brings out the people in us; she distinguishes from animals; she makes them equal to the Angels. Therefore, Christ often speaks a lot about this virtue, commanding us to be meek and gentle. And he not only commands this in words, but teaches it by deeds himself, sometimes patiently enduring being beaten, sometimes being subjected to reproaches and slander, and, despite this, again dealing with the slanderers (8). Do you see what a great blessing is meekness? It hurts our hearts with more cruelty and causes a more sensitive wound. Just as the one who strikes hard bodies produces a sensation that is not so strong, and whoever softens them in advance and makes them tender strikes more powerfully, so it is the same here - first it is necessary to soften them and then hit. It is not anger that softens, nor strong accusations, nor reproaches, but meekness: anger still increases bitterness, but meekness destroys. So, if you want to touch someone who has offended you, turn to him with great meekness (10). Let us repay those who strike us with meekness, silence, and long-suffering. These are more serious wounds, a stronger and more effective blow, since the damage is not to the body, but to the soul. We hit a lot of people; but if it is done out of friendship, then you even like it; If you beat someone with anger, you touch his heart and therefore cause him great grief - this is how we hit their heart more. Let us prove, if possible, that meekness is more striking than resistance. The clearest proof of this would be from deeds and experience; but, if you wish, we will explain this in words, although we have already done this many times. When insulted, we are not so upset by anything as by the opinions of those present; it doesn’t matter whether you receive an insult in front of everyone or in private; We easily endure those insults that are inflicted on us in private, when there are no witnesses and no one knows about it. Consequently, it is not the insult itself that upsets us, but the fact that it is inflicted in front of everyone, so that if someone praised us in front of everyone, but reviled us in private, we would still be grateful to him. This means that grief does not depend on the insult itself, but on the opinion of those present, before whom [we do not want] to appear worthy of contempt. Now: what if their opinion is in our favor? Will not the offender himself suffer more if they vote for us? Who, tell me, do outside witnesses condemn: the one who inflicts the insult, or the one who is subjected to it and remains silent? Anger carries us away while an insult is being given; Let us see now, when we are free from this passion, so that we do not get carried away even then. Who are we all judging? Without a doubt, the one who inflicts the insult; if he is lower than us, we say that he is mad; if equal, we say: he is mad; if it’s higher, then we don’t approve. Who, tell me, is worthy of approval? Is it the one who is indignant, goes berserk, rages like a wild beast, rebelling against those of the same nature as himself, or is it the one who remains calm, as in a harbor, and maintains great wisdom? Is the latter not like an Angel, and is he also like a man? He cannot restrain his own evil, but this one also restrains someone else’s; he cannot control himself, but this one also curbs the other; he is shipwrecked, but this one sails safely on his ship with a fair wind; It is he who does not allow the wind of anger to rush into the sails and sinks his mental boat, but a light and pleasant wind - the breath of gentleness - blows on him and with great calm leads him to the haven of wisdom. Just as when a ship is wrecked, those sailing on it do not know what they are throwing into the sea: their own property or the property of others entrusted to them, but they indiscriminately throw everything in it - both precious and non-precious; when the storm stops, then, thinking about what they abandoned, they cry and do not rejoice in the calm weather due to the loss of what was thrown away - the same is true here. When anger rages and this storm arises, they do not think about what needs to be thrown away and what is not; when the anger ceases, then, reflecting on what they threw away, they see only harm and do not rejoice in the calm itself, remembering with what words they disgraced themselves and what great damage they suffered, not in money, but in attitude to humility and meekness (10). Meekness is a sign of great strength; to be meek, you need to have a noble, courageous and very high soul. Do you really think that it doesn’t take much [mental strength] to receive insults and not be indignant? The one who calls such a disposition towards one’s neighbors even courage will not be wrong; whoever was so strong that he overcame this passion will, of course, be able to overcome the other; that is, there are two passions: fear and anger; if you overcome anger, then, without a doubt, you will also overcome fear; you will overcome anger if you are meek, and if you overcome fear, you will show courage (10). You might be interested in: