Письмо 145

I’ll say something about M. L. and your opinion about damage: she is too superstitious, and you are free-thinking, imitating the opinion of today’s smart people: as if there is no damage at all. Call me a superstition too, I will accept and tolerate it, but it can be proven that it exists, both from the lives of saints and from the experience of many, and not only simple ones, but also enlightened ones, and now there are still living people of such a position. From the writings of the lives of our fathers I will tell you only two examples, although there are many of them: 1st in the life of Macarius of Egypt: one wife was (let’s just say) spoiled, turned from a man into a horse, and could neither drink nor eat anything, but only neighed at the horse, and through the prayers of St. Macaria received healing; He also revealed to her the guilt for which such punishment was allowed; 2nd in the lives of Cyprian and Justina: there was an attempt by her lover to turn her to himself through sorcery, but due to the purity of the virgin, he did not succeed in not allowing God; and two more cases in the life of St. Basil the Great: through an enemy's obsession, one slave attracted his master's daughter to his love and married her. 3rd Theophilus, the bishop's steward was dismissed from this position, was so wounded by sadness about this that he looked for the sorcerer, and through him the Bishop again called him, and asked for an apology for saddening him and gave him the position again. Do you believe these stories, which St. Did Demetrius believe because he wrote? When you believe, then there is corruption; but who does it affect? On the one whom God allows, either for a sinful life, or for pride, or to temptation; and when there is nothing like that, then the Lord does not allow the enemy’s power to act, which is also evident in Justin. On the contrary, and without sorcery, St. The Apostle ordered the Corinthians to hand over one sinner to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that the spirit would be saved; but after punishment he pardoned him. “I don’t know if this evidence is enough to cure your freethinking?” And M. L. is too superstitious; he is afraid of everything, and does not believe that unless the Lord allows it, no one can do anything harmful; but if he allows it, then it cannot be avoided, and one must better try to cut off the guilt for which it is allowed, and surrender by faith in God’s Providence. I can’t write anymore; rest assured that I wish you true reason and salvation. The sinful hieromonk Macarius. January 20, 1847. You might be interested in: