ON THE REMEMBRANCE OF INJURIES
by Saint John Climacos
THE LADDER OF DIVINE ASCENT
The blessed virtues are like Jacob's ladder, and the profane vices are like the manacles that fell off the chief of the apostles, Peter. The virtues lead from one to the next, and carry up the one who chooses them to Heaven. The vices, by contrast, by their very character both bring forth and choke each other. Since we have just spoken about how absurd anger names "remembrance of injuries" its child, it is fitting that we should speak about this topic here.
The remembrance of injuries is the completion of anger, the custodian of sins, enmity of uprightness, destruction of virtues, venom for the soul, worm in the mind, disgrace of prayer, ceasing of entreaty, lack of love, a pin fastened in the soul, joyless feeling beloved in the tenderness of bitterness, unceasing sin, vigilant iniquity, constant ill-will. This gloomy and malevolent passion, I mean remembrance of injuries, is one of those that is begotten, but has no children. For this reason we do not have much to say about it.
The one who has ceased from anger has killed remembrance of injuries, because childbearing only occurs while the father lives. The one who has achieved love has cast out revenge, but the one who nourishes a feeling of ill-will amasses never-ending misery for himself. A feast of love destroys hatred, and true gifts calm the soul. However a feast that is poorly governed is the mother of audacity, and by the window of love gluttony jumps in. I have seen ill-will shatter the chains of persistent sexual immorality, and afterwards remembrance of injuries, in an incredible manner, did not permit the broken union to be restored. What an amazing spectacle, a demon saving a demon! However it is perhaps the work of Divine Providence, and not that of demons.
Remembrance of wrongs is far removed from natural, healthy love, but sexual immorality with ease draws close to it, just as at times lice can be observed on a bird. Be hateful and bitter towards demons, and be always at odds with your body. Your carnal nature is a self-willed and deceitful companion. The more you have concern for it, the more it harms you. Remembrance of injuries an excellent interpreter of Scripture - the sort that adapts the words of the Spirit to its own interpretation. Let it be disgraced by the Jesus Prayer ("Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner") which cannot be recited with it. After much toiling, when you still cannot take out this thorn, you should make amends with your enemy, even if it is only with your speech. Then it may be that you will be embarrassed by your persistent hypocrisy towards him, and with your conscience biting at you like a fire, you will perhaps feel a genuine love for him. You will recognize that you have destroyed this vice, not only when you pray on behalf of your enemy, nor when you exchange presents with him, nor when you summon him to dine with you, but only at the point when you learn that he has suffered a spiritual or bodily mishap and you grieve and shed tears for him as if for yourself. A spiteful hermit is a serpent hidden in a burrow, which contains a deadly venom. The remembrance of Jesus' afflictions will cure the remembrance of injuries which is embarrassed by his long-suffering. Worms fester in a rotting tree, and ill-will finds a home in fake humility and quiet people. The one who has expelled it has discovered forgiveness, but the one who abides with it is deprived of grace. Some, for the hope of obtaining forgiveness, take up various labors and toils. But the one who forgets injuries surpasses them. If you are able to quickly forgive, then you be forgiven lavishly. A sure sign of repentance is the forgetting of injuries. However the one that abides with them and supposes that he is repenting is like a man who, when asleep, considers himself running. I have observed people full of resentment suggest that others forgive. Yes, and being embarrassed by their own words, they expelled this passion. Let no one look upon hateful malice as an innocuous passion, for it is able to reach even spiritual people. Step number nine. Let the one who has obtained it courageously entreat the Savior, Jesus, to deliver him from his future sins.
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