For
what purpose does the Lord add day after day, year after year, to our
existence? In order that we may gradually put away, cast aside, evil
from our souls, each one his own, and acquire blessed simplicity; in
order that we may become, for instance, gentle as lambs, simple as
infants; in order that we may learn not to have the least attachment to
earthly things, but like loving, simple children, may cling with all our
hearts to God alone, and love Him with all our hearts, all our souls,
all our strength, and all our thoughts, and our neighbor as ourselves.
Let us hasten, therefore, to pray to the Lord, fervently and tearfully,
to grant us simplicity of heart, and let us strive by every means to
cast out the evil from our souls - for instance, evil suspiciousness,
malevolence, malignity, malice, pride, arrogance, boastfulness,
scornfulness, impatience, despondency, despair, irascibility and
irritability, fearfulness and faint-heartedness, envy, avarice,
gluttony, and satiety; fornication, mental and of the heart, and actual
fornication; the love of money, and in general the passion for
acquisition; slothfulness, disobedience, and all the dark horde of sins.
Lord, without Thee we can do nothing! Bless us Thyself in this work,
and give us the victory over our enemies and our passions. So be it!
