Oh, Brethren, what is the result of pride? Oh, see what
humility can do? What was the need for all these sufferings? For, if from the
beginning Man had humbled himself, obeyed God, and kept the commandment he
would not have fallen.
Again,
after his fall, God gave him an occasion to repent and to receive mercy but he
kept his stiff-neck held high. He came to him and said “Adam, Where are you?”
instead of saying “What glory you have left and what dishonor you have arrived
at?” After that, He asked him “Why did you sin? Why did you transgress the
commandment?” By asking these questions, He wanted to give him the opportunity
to say, “Forgive me.” However, he did not ask for forgiveness. There was no
humility, there was no repentance, but indeed the opposite.
He
answered, “The woman whom You gave to be with me” (Gen 3:9-12), he did not say,
“the woman deceived me,” but “The woman whom You gave to me,” as if he wanted
to say: “This catastrophe has come upon me because of You.” So it is, brethren,
since Man is not accustomed to blame himself. He does not hesitate to consider
even God as the cause of evil.
Then God
came to the woman and said to her, “Why did you not keep the commandment?” as
if He wanted to say, “At least you, say forgive me, so as to humble your soul
and to receive mercy.” Again, there was no request for forgiveness. She also
answered, “The serpent deceived me,” (Gen 3:13) as if she wanted to say, “If
the serpent sinned, where is my mistake?”
Why did
you act in this way, you pitiable ones? Make a bow of repentance, recognize
your fault, be sorry for your nakedness. Neither one of them could blame
himself, neither of them had the least bit of humility.
By St. Dorotheos of Gaza
Source: http://www.orthodoxchurchquotes.com/2013/10/30/st-dorotheos-what-is-the-result-of-pride/
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