An Example of Patience and Humility
May 11
(From the Paterikon.)
May 11
(From the Paterikon.)
By Archpriest Victor Guryev
When someone unjustly offends us, insults us, or slanders us, we usually lose control of ourselves and think only of how to take revenge on our enemy, and our anger knows no end. But this is not how we should act. In such circumstances we must always keep before us the image of the suffering Savior, Who from the Cross forgave His enemies, and arm ourselves with patience and humility. Then the Lord will reveal our innocence, our enemies themselves will ask our forgiveness, and our dishonor will be turned into glory for us.
One monk asked one of the fathers: “How does the devil bring afflictions upon the saints?”
The elder answered him:
“There was a certain father named Nikon, who lived ascetically on Mount Sinai. One day a certain man came to an Egyptian who had a grown daughter, and since there was no one in the house besides her, he fell into sin with her. Afterwards he sternly said to her: ‘See that you tell everyone that it was not I who sinned with you, but Abba Nikon.’
When the girl’s father returned and learned from her that Nikon had dishonored her, he took a sword and went to the elder intending to kill him. Nikon came out to meet him, and the Egyptian raised the sword against him. But God did not allow the evil deed to be accomplished. The Egyptian’s hand immediately withered.
Then he went and told the presbyters about his daughter’s disgrace. They summoned Nikon, and when he came they began beating him and driving him away. The elder, though innocent of everything, begged them to forgive him and said: ‘For God’s sake, leave me here so that I may repent.’
So they excommunicated him from the Church for three years and ordered that no one should dare visit him. And the meek elder spent three years under excommunication, going every week to the church to repent of his supposed sin. And all that time he said to everyone: ‘Pray for me! Pray for me!’
But at last the end of his suffering came. The man who had sinned with the girl repented and confessed his sin and his slander against Nikon before the entire church, saying: ‘I committed this sin and slandered the servant of God!’
And all the people gathered around the elder and asked his forgiveness, crying out: ‘Forgive us, Abba, forgive us!’
The venerable elder, of course, forgave everyone.”
Thus, behold what the humility and patience of the venerable one accomplished! Dishonor was changed into glory for him, his enemies were put to shame and begged forgiveness, and his innocence fully triumphed.
Therefore always remember that evil is overcome only by good, and humility and patience always remain victorious. So it was with the Lord Himself. He humbled Himself even unto death, even death on the Cross; and afterwards it is said:
“Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth.”
Here is an example worthy of imitation from the Lord Himself! Let us follow in His footsteps, and by the path of humility, patience, and self-crucifixion hasten toward the Kingdom of Heaven.
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.” Amen.
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
