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If my feeble-minded and insignificant lines could ever serve as a consolation for you, then attribute this to the grace of God, bestowed upon you by your faith, and not to my unworthiness. In my long-standing non-writing to you, I can give the following account: that, having no reason for this, I considered it unnecessary to address my empty lines to you, and they will truly be empty when I myself am called with them; Moreover, I don’t always have free time: having received your writing, I consider it my duty, but to the strength of my dementia, to answer. At the end of your letter, you inform that on the day of the Resurrection of Christ you wish to begin to receive the Most Pure Mysteries and in order through this acceptance to be accepted into the number of His servants, to this I will tell you: that since He is our Creator and Lord, then we are His servants; but He has deigned us, through this taking upon Himself, to create our fallen and untouchable servants as His children, and also as friends; I say not to whom I say you are servants, but friends (John 15:15); This is how God loved the world, for He gave His only begotten Son to eat for it, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but may have eternal life (John 3:16); How can we be worthy of such His ardent love for us? Listen to His sweetest voice: he who loves Me keeps My commandments. What are they like? Read the Gospel with attention, and you will see and know how far we are still from God’s love, and humble yourself in your wisdom, asking for His all-powerful help in seeking Him. You previously wrote that you love God, but this stemmed from your lack of knowledge of yourself. Perhaps some tenderness or heartfelt joy already seemed to you like love, but love for God is tempted by the opposite, and it is certainly necessary to fight with our three enemies: the world, the flesh and the devil, and in such a struggle our hero, the Lord Jesus Christ, looks at the inclination of our will, to what it tends; if it means good, it helps, and when it means the opposite, it does not force, but allows; but He provides everything for salvation and draws those worthy through sorrow to Himself. Glory to His bounties! O the depth of the wealth, wisdom and mind of God! Who understands the mind of the Lord, or who is his counselor (Rom. 11:33, 34, 35)? Consider yourself to be an unstoppable servant, according to the word of the Savior: if you do all that is commanded, you say, for we are unstoppable servants (Luke 17:10). Beware of having a high opinion of yourself and putting others down: and invisibly the God of peace will be with you. April 8, 1838. You might be interested in: