Letter 3

27.4.1940

I have received your letter. By God's mercy I survived, although I sleep on a bunk, but I am calm in spirit, I do not even think about Valaam, just as I did not live there.

I understood your letter, for it was written from feelings, and I felt the power of words. I left Valaam calmly, and endured the bombardment of Valaam complacently. During the alarms, I did not run to hide in the shelter, although we had it in the cathedral, but sat in my cell and read the Holy Gospel. From the thunder of the bombs, the body shook, the glass in the windows shattered and the doors opened, and I had some inner conviction that I would survive. I had to leave Valaam in a hurry, although I took little with me, but I do not regret it, only it is a pity that your icon and your parents' blessing were left hanging on the wall. He took a few books from the Holy Fathers and dominated them.

Though you have freed yourself from passions, have humility and do not believe in yourself until you lie down in the grave. Our work must be in every virtue, and success already depends on God's grace, and God gives grace not for labor, but for humility, as much as a person humbles, so much grace will visit. I advise you to read St. Macarius the Great, 5 words on purity of heart — they are printed there by you.

Letter 4

27.7.1940

Blessed is your state if you feel yourself poor and a child among people who are spiritually educated; do not envy such and do not strive for spiritual rapture. Mystics strive for such grace-filled sensations, and instead of true contemplation they fall into the devil's delusion. The Lord gives a grace-filled sensation to a person if he is cleansed of passions; the Holy Fathers were in such a dispensation, and we, sinners, should pray in repentance and ask God for help in the struggle with the passions. In the Otechnik it is said: "The disciple said to the elder: so-and-so 'sees angels.' The elder answered: "It is not surprising that he sees angels, but I would be surprised at someone who sees his sins." Although this old man's saying is brief, it is very profound in its spiritual meaning, for it is the most difficult thing to know oneself. You write: "The words of the prayer and the Lord are united, and as if the Lord Himself is inseparable." There is no mistake here, this is how it should be.

Yes, "contentment, wealth, the love of parents and the praise of others" is a great obstacle in the spiritual life. The Holy Fathers were very afraid of these reasons for sin and avoided them with all their might; It was not in vain that you went to monasteries and deserts, but you do not need to run anywhere, but try to be wise as a snake, and meek as a dove, everything else temporary, emptiness, like tinsel. We must remember, even convince ourselves, that not today, but tomorrow, however, we will die, and there eternal life and time stands there. Lord, have mercy.

Your years and path are very slippery, humble yourself and do not believe yourself until you lie down in the coffin. May the Lord make you wise!

Continue to pray as you pray now. If you have the lives of the saints, I advise you to read them, they are very inspiring and teach you a lot.

With love in Christ.

Letter 5

Thank God that He has given you a taste, even in a small way, "for the Lord is good." Yes, even a spiritual father does not need to reveal his inner state if he does not go through the same inner life. St. Anthony the Great writes: "If you speak to a non-spiritual person about spiritual things, it will seem ridiculous to him." I wrote to you in the previous letter about humility, and I repeat again: "Humble yourself, child, the enemy is very cunning and we are very weak." St. Macarius the Great writes: "I have known such people who were in such spiritual perfection that they saw the glory of the saints in heaven, and in such a state they remained for six years, and it is terrible to say, they perished." He also cites some martyrs who fell after severe tortures. And about the forgiveness of sins of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit says through the prophet Ezekiel: "If a sinner repents and lives well, then the Lord will not remember his sins, neither will the righteous man, if he become corrupt, the Lord will not remember his righteousness."