Reading your letters, and seeing from them your present long-suffering life, which is painful in my heart for you, and I pray to the Lord God that He, by the command of His mercy, would moderate your suffering and rejoice your heart with the joy of salvation. Apparently, the Lord allowed melancholy to come upon you, so that you, who sow with tears, would reap joy. And therefore blessed are you who weep; for God Himself dwells with those who weep, according to the assurance of St. David, who says: I am with him in sorrow.

The holy word written by you: "For the sake of Jesus Christ I endure all things" – I kissed sweetly; therefore, O God, confirm this word, and with His all-powerful help strengthen you on the path you have chosen.

254. On the Sorrows of Soul and Body Permitted by the Lord

My most venerable and merciful benefactor in the Lord!

Pray in the Lord!

Reading your letter, and seeing in it the many sorrows of the soul and bodily illnesses described by you, I grieved in my heart, and asked and prayed to the Lord God for your help, intercession and deliverance. But from all that you describe, I see that the Lord God loves you and keeps you with Himself, otherwise you would have died long ago from faint-heartedness and impatience. Let us thank the Lord God that He preserves us and does not reward us according to our sins. If we sometimes endure sorrows, it is more and more from ourselves - from our sins, from our carelessness and from the spittle of the devil; Where will we flee from the devil? Where shall we hide from ourselves? For where we are, there is trouble at once. However, by God's mercy in me, I now live much more peacefully in spirit than I am against you; but for what excruciating pain I endure in my legs! so that even the unbeaten one almost cries out with impatience; For if I go to church for two or three days for a service and stand still, then at once a face opens in both legs, inflammation and unbearable pain occur, from which I pass my nights without sleep. But there is enough to talk about this; but I will say that for me the coldness and inattention to you are very pitiful..... For which we will not commemorate them dashingly, but rather say: forgive those who hate and offend us, O Lord! And besides, if it were in your power, then it seems to be good for you to pretend that you do not notice their coldness and inattention to yourself; and do not tell anyone that they despise you. And also, according to the advice of the wise Solomon, do not often bring your foot to them, but only on great feasts, and then by invitation; and with those who are close to them, no time should be lost, bow and go; and with the other sisters to have only an answer to the question. And after that, believe me, everyone will love you, as well as me, with all their hearts.

255. Through humility and suffering, the Lord leads us into His Kingdom

Beloved in the Lord!

Be saved in the Lord and rejoice, for you will have many rewards in Heaven.

Reading your letters, and seeing in them the bodily illnesses and spiritual sufferings that you describe, I greatly regretted this in my heart, and prayed to the Lord God for your relief and healing from all sufferings. Meanwhile, I notice from your sufferings that the Lord is leading you to the Heavenly Kingdom by the path of the Saints, who also suffered in this life, and through their suffering and many sorrows have finally reached the Heavenly Kingdom; and now there they rest in their souls. And you, good mother, will certainly rejoice there in the Lordships of the saints; cast away only your weakness from you, murmuring, from which the cross of Christ will not be easier. I myself suffer greatly; for my strength has almost completely forsaken me, and there is no healing in my flesh; but I try to endure without complaint, because impatience will not make it easier for me. The ever-weak and unworthy Hegumen Anthony.

June 9, 1856

As for the book you are writing, do not deign to be anxious that it is being written slowly. I do not set any date, for there is something for me to read without it. And now, and while I am still writing, I have written one page, which you will also take the trouble to copy into a book at the end of all the articles; and forgive me for not belittling, but adding to your labors.

St. Ammon.

Question: Father, if anyone grows old in sins, who is not able to fast, and to be vigilant, and to work, and to live a cruel life, how can he be saved?