One day the monks were talking about humility. One of the noble citizens of the city of Gaza, hearing the words that the more one approaches God, the more he sees himself as a sinner, was surprised and said:
- How can this be?
And, not understanding, I wanted to find out what these words meant.
One monk told him:
“Eminent gentleman, tell me, who do you consider yourself to be in your city?”
He answered:
“I consider myself great and the first in the city.”
- If you go to Caesarea, then who will you consider yourself there?
- The last of the nobles there.
- If you go to Antioch, who will you consider yourself to be there?
“There I will consider myself one of the common people.”
- If you go to Constantinople and get closer to the king, then who will you consider yourself to be?
- Almost beggarly.
“That’s how saints are,” said the monk, “the more they approach God, the more they see themselves as sinners.” For Abraham, when he saw the Lord, called himself earth and ashes.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru