Why is it so difficult for us to offer correction or to receive it? In his homily this morning Father Isaac quoted Saint Dorotheus, the sixth century abbot of Gaza, who gives us the following insights:
All in all, then, no one is disturbed or
troubled if he scorns and disregards what is said. But on the other hand, it is
also possible for someone to be disturbed and troubled by his brother’s words,
either because he is not in a good frame of mind, or because he hates his
brother. There are a great number of other reasons as well.
Yet the reason for all disturbance,
if we look to its roots, its that no one finds fault with himself. This is the
reason why we become angry and upset, why we sometimes have no peace in our
soul. We should not be surprised, since holy men have taught us that there is
no other path to peace but this.
We see that this is true in so many
other people; and yet we hope, in our laziness and desire for peace, we hope or
even believe that we are on the right path even when we are irritated by
everything and cannot bear to accept any blame ourselves.
This is the way things are. However
many virtues a man may have – they could be innumerable, they could be infinite
– if he has left the path of self-accusation he will never have peace: he will
be afflicted by others or he will be an affliction to them, and all his efforts
will be wasted.
Photograph by Brother Brian.
