Defending Rights vs. Interior Vigilance

The stories from the Evergetinos draw us into a vision of holiness that reaches far beyond passive endurance. The saints do not simply bear injustice with patience; they transform it by the power of divine love. Their silence is not weakness, nor their gentleness naivety. It is the strength of souls utterly freed from the tyranny of self, who see in those who wrong them not enemies but brothers blinded by ignorance or fear.

Saint Libertinus, robbed and humiliated, offers even the whip that might strike the animal taken from him. His response reveals the freedom of one who has already renounced everything. Possession and loss have become meaningless to him in the light of Christ. His forbearance becomes the instrument through which God corrects the offenders, not by wrath but by wonder. The earth itself bears witness, as the frightened horses refuse to cross the river until restitution is made. The entire creation responds to the humility of a righteous man.

Saint Marcian allows himself to be defrauded repeatedly, not because he is unaware, but because his heart sees deeper than the transaction. The fraud of the banker becomes a moment of salvation. The silent goodness of the saint pierces the conscience of the wrongdoer far more deeply than accusation could have done. His hidden act of mercy becomes a living sermon, spoken not with words but with grace. When the banker’s eyes are opened, the saint’s only concern is to avoid vainglory, not to claim vindication. He would rather lose money than lose humility.

Saint Spyridon, guileless and compassionate, meets deceit and theft not with censure but with patient truth. His words to the dishonest buyer, “Perhaps you forgot to pay for it,” reveal the tenderness of one who seeks not to shame but to heal. Even to thieves caught in the act, he offers kindness, releasing them from invisible bonds and sending them away with a gift. He teaches by generosity, not severity. The thief’s heart is not crushed but awakened.

These lives reveal that true correction flows not from moral superiority but from love purified by humility. The saints’ compassion does not end with forgiveness; it embraces those who harm them, holding them within the prayer of mercy. They see the image of God even in the one who steals or lies. They refuse to reduce a sinner to his sin.

For us, these examples uncover how easily we mistake indignation for righteousness. We defend ourselves with words, cling to our sense of justice, and separate ourselves from those whose actions wound us. The Fathers remind us that this self-defense closes the heart. The saint’s freedom lies in entrusting all judgment to God. To suffer wrong with love is not resignation but participation in the meekness of Christ. It is the hidden victory of grace over pride.

The Evergetinos teaches that one good deed done in silence can awaken repentance more surely than a thousand admonitions. The holy do not impose virtue; they unveil it through gentleness. They correct not by exposing others’ shame but by bearing their wrongs with dignity. Such love, born of prayer, makes the conscience tremble and the heart turn toward the light.

May we learn from them the art of divine tenderness.
May we bear injury without bitterness,
speak truth without anger,
and hold every soul, even the one who wrongs us,
in the compassion of Christ who forgave from the Cross.

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Text of chat during the group:

00:08:19 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Philokaliaministries.blogspot.com

00:09:09 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Page 297

00:13:16 Sheila Applegate: It was the most perfect homily!

00:14:26 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 297, A

00:25:34 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 298, B

00:34:37 Fr Martin, AZ 480-292-3381: These passages seems authentic and fruitful. The common practice I encounter in our culture of defending one's rights seems to disturb people's way of being and thinking, maybe even making their thinking obtuse in regard to their theosis or healing. I have difficulty in knowing how to gently communicate to even fellow Christians, how to be vigilant of their interior or nous, and that this is more valuable to their peace, joy, and spiritual as well as emotional well-being than defending their rights. Forgiveness and humility seem to be divine attributes that can fill our hearts amd mind with a sense of God's love. Like you said, not only for our sake, but it can impact others.

00:43:06 Jerimy Spencer: Aloha from Hawai'i, I have often had to reflect a lot on the reality that arrogance is not the only opposite of humility, but also self-hatred too. Mahalo Father, peace and Aloha of Christ be with you 🤙🏼🙏☦️

00:47:05 Anthony: It's the job of the Holy Spirit to convince one of sin. It's not your job to convince you if your sin

00:48:18 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 299, C

00:50:26 Rick Visser: Saint Spyridon Orthodox Church

00:52:45 Jerimy Spencer: Reacted to "It's the job of the …" with ❤️

01:01:11 Rick Visser: Offer to drive them to their destination

01:02:58 Myles Davidson: Replying to "Offer to drive them ..."

That may expose them in a lie which may be uncharitable?

01:03:04 Jessica McHale: When things like fraud happen to me, which they have a few times, as it happening, I usually hear a line from Scripture in my head ("turn the other cheek" or "walk two mile" etc) and that's when I know to let go of the material loss and let God work on the person.

01:04:38 Anthony: Listen to them, aid them, AND refer them to the unemployment office, with all encouragement, and coach them in thinking of their job skills

01:06:36 Anthony: I work for a state unemployment office. We are there to help

01:07:23 Fr Martin, AZ 480-292-3381: I began a practice more out of my desperation a few years back of asking panhandlers I gave money to, to pray for my son who was in dire straits. I was pleasantly surprise to see their humanity engage, and almost everyone agreed, many praying heartfelt prayers for my son in the moment. So homeless throughout the US have prayed for my son. I look forward to panhandlers now rather than the cringe I used to feel at seeing them. Even when I didn't have money, many panhandlers still graciously prayed.

01:08:01 Jessica McHale: Reacted to "I began a practice..." with ❤️

01:08:01 Myles Davidson: Reacted to "I began a practice m..." with 🙏

01:08:21 shang yang: Reacted to "I began a practice m..." with ❤️

01:10:19 Andrew Adams: Reacted to "I began a practice m..." with ❤️

01:11:51 Nypaver Clan: Reacted to "I began a practice m..." with ❤️

01:12:31 Ambrose Little: St. Maximos the Confessor: “He who gives alms in imitation of God does not discriminate between the wicked and the virtuous, the just and the unjust, when providing for men’s bodily needs.”

01:12:58 Myles Davidson: As someone who spent some time as an addict and homeless when I was younger, I can say that any act of kindness, no matter how small, can make such a persons day

01:13:08 Jacqulyn Dudasko: Reacted to "St. Maximos the Conf..." with ❤️

01:13:10 Rick Visser: Reacted to "As someone who spent..." with ❤️

01:13:22 Jessica McHale: Reacted to "As someone who spe..." with ❤️

01:14:14 Rick Visser: Reacted to "St. Maximos the Conf..." with ❤️

01:14:35 Ambrose Little: Reacted to "As someone who spent…" with ❤️

01:15:31 Jerimy Spencer: Reacted to "St. Maximos the Conf…" with ❤️

01:15:47 Janine: Wow..great class

01:16:14 Maureen Cunningham: Thank You

01:16:26 Jessica McHale: Many prayers for you all!!!

01:16:27 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you☺️