“Never lose heart”

The Holy and Great Monastery of Vatopedi – The Monastic Republic of Mount Athos – 20/11/17

When you’re wounded because you’ve fallen into some sin or other through your weakness or, sometimes, to your harm, through your own will, don’t lose heart, don’t be upset about it, but turn straight to God and say: ‘You see, Lord, I did the things I did because of who I am. You can’t have expected anything different from me, who am so ill-disposed and weak, other than that I would fall and collapse’. And then berate yourself for a good while and be sorry with pain in your heart, for making God sad.

Without becoming upset, be disappointed with your foul passions, especially against the one which caused you to fall, and say: ‘Lord, I wouldn’t have stayed upright even this far had you not held me with your great goodness’.

And render thanks to Him and love Him more than ever, in admiration of His great loving-kindness. For the fact that, although you saddened Him, He still gives you His right hand and assists you, so that you don’t fall into sin again.

“Saint Nicodemus the Hagiorite”

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