The man who practices human righteousness is full of self-opinion, arrogance, self-deception. He preaches and blows his own trumpet about his good deeds without paying the least attention to what our Lord forbids. He repays with hatred and revenge those who dare to open their mouths for the most reasonable and well-meaning contradiction of his righteousness….
On the other hand, one who practices the commandments of the Gospel is always immersed in humility. Comparing the loftiness and purity of the holy commandments with his own fulfillment of them, he constantly admits that his efforts are extremely unsatisfactory and unworthy of God….
Whenever trouble or suffering comes his way by the ordering of divine providence, he submissively bows his head, knowing that by means of suffering God trains and educates His servants during their earthly pilgrimage. He is kind and merciful to his enemies and prays for them as brothers who have been lured away by demons, as members of one body who are spiritually sick, as his benefactors, and as instruments of the providence of God.
~Ignatius Brianchaninov
“He is kind and merciful to his enemies and prays for them as brothers who have been lured away by demons, as members of one body who are spiritually sick, as his benefactors, and as instruments of the providence of God.” …so profound to pray for your enemy as your brother, as someone who is fighting the same battles we are.
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I agree and it defies and repudiates the devil and his trickery as he tries to confuse us into thinking we are at odds with each other when he is our only true enemy.
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