From the Gerontikon
A Christian went to seek the
counsel of Abba Silouan.
— I have a mortal enemy,
Father, he confessed to him. The evils this man has caused me are
countless. Some time ago, by fraud, he gained a large portion of my field. He
slanders me wherever he goes and speaks ill both of me and of my family. He has
made my life unbearable. Lately, he has even been plotting against my life. A
few days ago, I learned that he attempted to poison me. This cannot go on any
longer. I am determined to hand him over to justice.
— Do as you wish, Abba
Silouan said to him indifferently.
— Do you not think, Father,
that when he is punished—and severely, as he deserves—his soul will be saved?
asked the man, who now began to concern himself with the spiritual benefit of
his enemy as well.
— Do whatever gives you peace,
the Saint continued to say in the same manner.
— Then I am going straight to
the judge, said the Christian, and rose to leave.
— Do not be in such a hurry,
the Saint said to him calmly. Let us first pray that God may prosper your
undertaking.
He began the “Our Father.”
— “And forgive us not our
debts, as neither do we forgive our debtors,” the Saint was heard to say
aloud when he came to that verse.
— That is wrong, Abba; the
Lord’s Prayer does not say that, the Christian hastened to correct him.
— But that is how it is,
replied the Elder with complete dispassion. Since you have decided to hand
your brother over to the judge, Silouan offers no other prayer for you.
Greek
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