Письмо 79

From the three letters of yours that I received, I see how much you suffered, being deceived by your imaginary love for God, and being carried away into false, seductive visions; here is a shutter, a mantle, and so on, in which only you find to see your imaginary shrine. What's next? What fruits? Insurances and horrors are; and all the same enemies are cunning: there they hide themselves with the guise of flattery and false pleasure, and then appear in their true stingy form and intimidation. You ask me, what does the noise in your cell mean? Who can know all their deceits and flattery! They pretend to be defeated so that, having raised their minds, they again make a powerful attack. Be careful and don't rely on yourself. And the love of God consists in fulfilling the commandments of God, and not in what you think - in the admiration of the mind; This is not at all your measure. Better, seeing your weakness, humble yourself, and consider yourself the worst of all, and do not at all rely on yourself that you will no longer be carried away by delusion again; and ask the Lord to deliver you from this delusion. But don’t be alone in your cell; have someone sleep in your cell: this is very necessary for you. Do not doubt about my forgiveness of you: may God forgive you, and I forgive you. May the Lord protect you from now on from the snares and charms of the evil one, and grant you peace and tranquility. I remain the sinful hieromonk Macarius. You might be interested in: