Metropolitan Makary II of Moscow: "Do not despair, rise and fight again..."

December 9, 1908

May the mercy of God be with you, sister Matrona.

I received your letter of November 30 on December 8. I had long been waiting for your reply and grieved in my soul, thinking that you had entirely strayed from the path of the Lord, being led astray by the enemy. Do not despair, servant of Christ: the enemy has deeply wounded you, but do not cease seeking the healing of these wounds from the physician of souls and bodies, our Lord, who has purchased us with His Blood and is ready to suffer again for every perishing soul, though the Blood He has already shed on Golgotha for sinners of the whole world and all times is sufficient.

Struggle against the enemy in every way: be strong in the Lord. Flee from temptations. Fight against sinful habits, fight against thoughts, for everything begins with a thought. And the enemy tries to instill evil thoughts. Guard yourself more often with the sign of the cross. When an evil thought appears, try to drive it away by remembering death and the torments of hell. Imagine an angel standing beside you; remember that you belong to Christ, that you partake of His Divine Body and Blood. It is difficult to struggle against sinful passions, but it is absolutely necessary to overcome them: in hell, it will be more painful and more terrible. Avoid people, avoid wicked companions. If you see temptation for yourself somewhere, flee from that place. Do not be ashamed to confess everything: do not spare yourself, the revelation of thoughts is the best way to overcome sinful habits. If you grow weak in the struggle—if you stumble again or fall—do not despair, rise and fight again, for despair is more sinful than all sins. In what the Lord finds a person, in that He will judge them. Do not live in that monastery where the corruption you know of has spread, so that you do not become infected by it. Practice the Jesus Prayer. Walk before the Lord. Struggle against the enemy, may the Lord be your helper. Write; if you find it difficult to confess to an unknown spiritual father, then write to the one to whom you have already confessed everything and ask for absolution. Even an absolution given from afar has power. By no means keep a disturbing sin long on your conscience, confess it frequently, do not be afraid, do not be ashamed; you are confessing to the Lord, we are all sinners before Him and in need of His mercy and forgiveness. May He help you. Do not be afraid!

The Lord be with you!

Give my regards to all the devout worshippers of the Annunciation Metochion. I remember them well. Be saved!

Your well-wisher and intercessor in prayer,
A[rchbishop] Makary [of Tomsk; later Metropolitan of Moscow]

 

Source: Молись, борись, спасайся!: Письма митрополита Макария (Невского) духовной дочери [Pray, struggle, be saved!: Letters of Metropolitan Makary (Nevsky) to his spiritual daughter], Moscow, "Lodja," 1998.