Письмо 11

You write about A.A. that she cannot bear the sisters living with her without any reason, which she herself writes to me about; As much as I can understand about her illness, or even more about the disastrous state of mind: she fell into a strong delusion, which is the reason for the actions taking place on her. Having entered the monastery, she thought, through prayers and other deeds, that she was pleasing to God, which was what she was deceived by. And she had no concern at all about humility, patience, and self-reproach. I will write down for you from the teachings of the Moldavian elder Vasily, who was an elder to Elder Paisius; writing about those who practice virtues with good reason and proposal, who did not know what kind of virtue they pass, he says: “but they are not servile and unreasonable, and not exactly having in themselves, not even a single feeling, moreover, deciding the gift from the foretold, but lower knowing when such: jealous of the fasting and labors of the saints not with good reason and proposal, imputing this, like virtue they pass away. The devil crouches down like a dog to catch, plunging into their belly the seed of a joyful opinion; from it, having become pregnant, the inner Pharisee will be brought up; as day by day it is being destroyed, it betrays such people to complete pride; For the sake of this, the regions of Satan are allowed from God.” This is what she suffered too; There are quite a few similar examples. Recently, one girl, still a laywoman, about 19 years old, began to undertake exploits: she prayed, fasted, etc., and about two years later she became so upset that her parents did not know what to do with her; melancholy, sadness, boredom, cries, screams, cannot do anything due to relaxation of nerves, and even less can he bear a word; Anything that goes against her will cause trouble. Parents think she is spoiled; but we believe the opposite; there is no one, and there is no reason to spoil it. These are the consequences of self-inflicted and self-important exploits; I write to her the reason for her disorder: she did not start silence according to reason, and I cite fatherly teachings about this; I also imagine that on the path to salvation you need to treat people, and be patient with them. To heal her, she does not need removal, but knowledge of her weakness and humility; when she reproaches herself and not others, then the Lord is strong and able to heal her. For the cause of delusion is pride, and its cure is humility. This is how dangerous the path is that leads to the eternal belly; whoever walks along it without humility deviates either on the right side or on the side, and does not keep the middle path; however, although weak, i.e., sinful, living is bad and unpraiseworthy, the one who sins, having been admonished and coming to his senses, can correct himself more quickly through humility and repentance than the one who is blinded by his holiness; St. writes about this. Simeon the New Theologian. May the Lord comfort you and grant you to see peace and tranquility in your abode. Mnogohreshny I.M. January 31, 1842. You might be interested in: