Письмо 193

Don’t grieve too much about the fact that you can’t be in church due to illness, remembering the life of Pimen the Much-Sick: how did he not leave his cell and didn’t even want to get well and was honored with tonsure at the hands of the holy Angels? The rank of one who is sick and giving thanks is great before God and is even equal to one sitting in the desert, in perfect obedience to the elder. Thank the Lord, who has given you the closest means to salvation. Follow your rule according to your strength; if you don’t do something, don’t be cowardly, but humble yourself; Yes, even if you have fulfilled everything, dissolve it with humility, and try to have love for your neighbors, through it love for God is fulfilled. Do not judge anyone, even if you have seen or heard something from someone that is sorrowful, or that what seems to be wrong and should not be: consider yourself the worst and the last of all, then you will be calm. You can talk about your relationship with your mother to the abbess through M.Z., but not in all cases, but only in some small ones, and in others you need to ask your mother for permission with short notes; It won’t be difficult for her to write you a short answer on your own note. Mnogohreshny I.M. November 25, 1859. You might be interested in: