Письмо XL. Пресвитеру и игумену Фалассию

Having read carefully, my lord, the precious wise letter of your fatherly holiness, and having examined everything, and having looked through the entire book of my conscience, I did not find anything in it that you attribute to me. Therefore, I immediately reduced the excitement of the soul and tightened its relaxation, considering it foolish to attribute praise to other people’s virtues to myself - this, I reasoned, is characteristic only of a soul that has a tendency to be tempted and deceived by anything. For it is truly foolish [371] for one who has not actually earned such glory to rashly try to appropriate the praise to himself, as if he were full of virtue. However, my lord, judging the virtues of other people by his outstanding virtues, believes that because of the abundance of godlike perfection, he hides the shame 230 as is the custom among those who love the Lord. However, I, blessed lord, my call to the shining perfection of virtue, deserves all reproach and censure, since, due to my rashness, I willingly chose your love over my lord Abba Thomas. Striving, of course, with the assistance of the Lord, to fulfill this order of yours as much as possible. May God protect you, beloved and venerable father, and may you preserve your servant and slave through your prayers to God, I will add, those who love you dearly, and may you deliver through your intercession from all the tricks of the devil. Here and below is a damaged place in the text. You might be interested in: