Письмо 102
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“Envy will be accepted by unpunished people,” says Holy Scripture; and St. Isaac writes: “if you find envy, you will find the devil”; This is what envy means; and when there are still faults: negligence, idle talk, condemnation, etc., then how can we arm ourselves against that destructive passion? I don’t know what benefit is there in your attitude towards me? This shows that I myself am a sinner and unworthy to be a nurturer. If humility and love vegetated in your heart, then envy would have no place; being overcome by it, you discredit me; but I have no complaints about myself, but I regret about you that you are not trying to fulfill God’s commandment of love, which commands you to even love your enemies; and when we love only those who love us, then we are in no way different from a pagan; for even pagan women love those who love them, and when, when everything was corrected, the Lord commanded to consider ourselves as inexorable slaves, then how, given such shortcomings, should one not humble himself? And it comes from contemplating oneself and from self-reproach. May the Lord forgive you and help you correct yourself according to His will; I remain the desire for your salvation, many-sinful I.M.
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