“If I give all I possess to the poor and exult in the surrender of my body, but have not love, I gain nothing.” (1 Corinthians 13:3)

ACHIEVING TRUE LOVE -  Forgetting of Wrongs

(From “The Ladder of Divine Ascent” by Saint John Climacus)

- The holy virtues are like Jacob’s ladder, and the unholy vices are like the chains that fell from the chief Apostle Peter. For the virtues, leading from one to another, bear him who chooses them up to Heaven; but the vices by their nature beget and stifle one another.

 - He who has obtained love has banished revenge; but he who nurses enmities stores up for himself endless sufferings

- When, after much struggling, you are still unable to extract this thorn, you should apologize to your enemy, even if only in word. Then perhaps you may be ashamed of your long-standing insincerity towards him, and, as your conscience stings you like fire, you may feel perfect love towards him.

- You will know that you have completely got rid of this rot, not when you pray for the person who has offended you, nor when you exchange presents with him, nor when you invite him to your table, but only when, on hearing that he has fallen into spiritual or bodily misfortune, you suffer and weep for him as for yourself

- The remembrance of Jesus’ sufferings cures remembrance of wrongs which is mightily shamed by His forbearance.

- Worms grow in a rotten tree, and malice finds a place in falsely meek and silent people. He who has cast it out has found forgiveness, but he who sticks to it is deprived of mercy.

- Some, for the sake of forgiveness, give themselves up to labours and struggles, but a man who is forgetful of wrongs excels them. If you forgive quickly, then you will be generously forgiven.

- The forgetting of wrongs is a sign of true repentance. But he who dwells on them and thinks that he is repenting is like a man who thinks he is running while he is really asleep.

- I have seen resentful people recommend forgiveness to others. Yes, and being put to shame by their own words, they rid themselves of the passion.

- Let no one regard dark spite as a harmless passion, for it often manages to reach out even to spiritual men.

- Fire and water are incompatible; and so is judging others in one who wants to repent. If you see someone falling into sin at the very moment of his death, even then do not judge him, because the Divine judgment is hidden from men. Some have fallen openly into great sins, but they have done greater good deeds in secret; so their critics were tricked, getting smoke instead of the sun.

From “The Ladder of Divine Ascent” by Saint John Climacus, Steps 9 and 10