Feel pity for your persecutors; Church Fathers: Day 109

The wise abbot Chaeremon told St. John Cassian that forgiveness and compassion are the signs of a soul purged from sin. If you forgive your persecutors as Jesus did those who crucified him, you really are following the Lord’s commandments.

When anyone has acquired this love of goodness I was talking about, and the imitation of God, then he will be endowed with the Lord’s heart of compas­sion, and will also pray for his persecutors, saying in the same way, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34).

But it is a clear sign of a soul that is not yet thoroughly purged from the dregs of sin not to sorrow with a feeling of pity at the offenses of others, but to keep to the rigid censure of the judge. For how will anyone be able to gain perfection of heart if he does not have that by which the full requirements of the law can be fulfilled? As the Apostle pointed out: “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2). How can he gain that perfection if he does not have that virtue of love, which is not grieved, is not puffed up, thinks no evil, which endures all things and bears all things (see 1 Corinthians 13:4-7)?

For “a righteous man has regard for the life of his beast, but the mercy of the wicked is cruel” (Proverbs 12:10). And so a monk is quite certain to fall into the same sins which he condemns in another with merciless and inhuman severity, for “a stern king will fall into misfortunes,” and “He who closes his ear to the cry of the poor will himself cry out and not be heard” (Proverbs 21:13). –St. John Cassian, Conferences, 11.10

IN GOD’S PRESENCE, CONSIDER . . .

Who gives me the most grief at my job, or at school, or in the neighborhood?

Am I still angry, or can I bring myself to feel sorrow for that person’s sins?

CLOSING PRAYER

Father, help me follow your law of love, so that I may sincerely love all who persecute or grieve me and return good for any evil done to me.

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