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Letters

St Isidore of Pelusium, tr. Roberts, 1843; selections

Chapter 1

A young man came to me the other day, in my retreat, and having found the keeper of the door, requested to be admitted to have access to me. As it is my custom to receive all who come to me, and to suffer them to rest and converse with me, he was invited in. The moment he entered he threw himself on the ground, and spoke not a word, till after he had relieved himself by a flood of tears. When having taken him by the hand, and promised to succour him to the best of my ability, I asked who he was, and what he stood in need of? He said he was your servant, and that through ignorance he had committed so grievous a fault, that, as he feared, it exceeded all hope of pardon. My first impression was that of wonder; for I can hardly believe that Iro, a lover of Christ, who has known, and experienced that grace, which claims liberty for all men, can allow himself to possess a slave. My next feeling was that of sadness; for we are commanded by Christ to forgive one another every trespass, however often repeated. He taught this, and he practised it. In these words he taught it: “If ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” And he practised it when he delivered the Adulteress, the Publican, the Samaritan, the paralytic, and Peter, the head of the company of Apostles, from their sins and infirmities of the body and the spirit. Wherefore, if you desire to imitate Christ, pardon those who offend thee, where their offences are great. Faults of small magnitude most men will overlook, when their forgiveness is entreated: but the greater offences those only remit, who have a conscientious fear of God, and expect from him to be greatly rewarded for their virtuous actions.