Письмо 194
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Venerable N.N. in the Lord!
I regret your illness, and even more so about your cowardice, knowing how cowardly and impatient you are in such cases. You are afraid of death: but which of us is immortal! But death is not the destruction of our existence, but a transition from a real short-term life and from a worse to a better life. The Lord says: believe in Me, even if he dies, he will live (John 11:25) for He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to Him live are all (Luke 20:37). For your best peace of mind, I advise you to partake of the Most Pure and Life-Giving Mysteries of Christ; even if she was not sick, this entire fast should have fulfilled this duty; Although you live in the world, but are not busy with anything, you are obliged to begin this sacrament during all fasts. I don’t know any way to alleviate your illness. – Faith and trust in God are the main means, and He is able to send you physical means when it is necessary and useful for you; The soul is greater than the body, and you need to take more care of it in order to be healthy. I remain your unworthy pilgrim, the great sinner I.M. November 25, 1847.
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