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8 Jan You mention your peace and tranquility; But I advise him not to trust and not to be deluded, but rather to look at the past time of life and reproach himself: but who knows, maybe even imaginary calm is not a plant of the enemy, so as to ensure that you have already been saved? And you don’t need to do this in order to deliberately indulge yourself in urges to rage. I wrote to you that I should read it to admonish myself, and even more so I should be in fear and trembling, for the sake of temptations and rapids (2 words by Isaac the Sir). You mourn that there are no tears; but tears without humility can do more harm than good; and you are already looking for success and fruits; you have not yet entered the fire of temptation. – Read in the 49th word, half of it, St. Isaac, how the grace of God allows temptations to strengthen upon us; and in the 78th word also, similarly in the 61st word: about the knowledge of your weaknesses, etc. - read the whole book; there you will learn how to humble yourself; But what can I teach you when I don’t have it myself? You write about N. N.’s relentless presence. prayer and other things; you need to find out if she has a secret opinion about this, and this will increase her weaknesses; you need to pray to the Lord, that he will not allow you to fall into delusion. January 9. Now I have also received your letter dated January 2 and I hasten to add to this letter: I wrote to you as much as I could about the prayer dispensation, but, being blind in my eyes, can I enlighten others in this great matter? The charm is so subtle and diverse that you won’t even see how it can creep up; humility alone can escape all the snares of the enemy; but who will boast of having it? Therefore, neither you nor M. E. should be hopeful, and you should not completely abandon psalmody, for it is the words of the Holy Spirit; but as much as possible, according to strength and time; just don’t be cowardly about leaving when it happens. The great fathers did not abandon psalmody, as it is said about one thing that, starting the psalms, he could feel only one glory, and the rest was delighted until the sun rose and warmed his face; Did he really not have the gift of prayer? And you are not yet at such an extent as to completely abandon the psalms and so on. You mention the prefaces given to you, written; didn’t you really read them printed in the book: the life of St. Paisia? All four are printed there; that's how you read books. January 10. In the same book there is a Scroll of Elder Paisius on mental prayer: very useful, I advise you to read it; in the life of St. Paisius, first edition, on page 60 his instructions to the brethren are printed; there it is said after some instructions: “I will predate the time and work of this; as I do it, I will be given tears, weeping and some small hope for the consolation of the soul.” We must remember that all this - as it is born from humility - must be dissolved by humility. The Monk Neil in the 123rd chapter says: “Blessed is the monk, cut off all for yourself and not feel.” While going through prayer, one must prepare against the enemy’s battle; of the same Nile, chapter 91: “if you pray diligently” and so on. and John of Carpathia, chapter 41: “Those who use green prayer are the ones who are taken captive by terrible and fierce temptations”; - you need to be cheerful. - It’s good that E... P... came to you, and God is building all this, according to her good and simple will, in the search for salvation; however, do not think that only you have salvation, and others do not; but on the contrary, consider yourself the last of all and the most unreasonable; and if someone uses something, then the Lord Himself gives it to them, according to their faith, and through the unworthy. The Lord will somehow arrange its premises, granting every bird a nest. About S.... I don’t know what to say, apparently we must endure her weaknesses for the smallness of her mind; and may the Lord keep everyone else in His fear, and grant them strength and strength in this intelligent spiritual battle. – I ask for God’s peace and blessing for all of you, and I ask you to pray for me, the great sinner I.M. You might be interested in: