Письмо 191

With the consciousness of our unworthiness and repentance of sins, God forgives our sins, and the sacraments come to us for the cleansing of sins; but who would be so crazy that he would consider himself worthy of the sacrament of communion? When the saints, the Great Basil and John Chrysostom, considered themselves unworthy, will we dare to consider ourselves worthy? – And this is a network of enemies that wants to embarrass you. Then unworthiness condemns us when, wallowing in the mire of sins and malice, we still dare; but, approaching with repentance and humility, we receive forgiveness. You are deceiving yourself; you have not committed many sins: murder, fornication, theft of church things, incendiary, poisoning and many similar ones associated with them; yes, it’s easy to say: “everyone is a sinner,” or as you write: “there is not a single sin that you have not committed”; - but to say: every sin, in appearance, brings shame, and is the reason for the forgiveness of sins; for, according to the word of Saint Gregory, the shame here is part of future torment. I remain the sinful I.M. November 23, 1859. You might be interested in: