On MercyChristian mercy is the heartfelt feeling of a kind man awakened and strengthened by faith.
“>On Mercy
St. Gabriel, Bishop of ImeretiBishop Gabriel (Kikodze) was born November 15, 1825, in the village of Bachvi, in the western Georgian district of Ozurgeti in Guria. His father was the priest Maxime Kikodze.
“>St. Gabriel of Imereti was a nineteenth-century Holy Hierarch of the Georgian Orthodox Church. He generously distributed alms to widows, orphans, and all in need; he clothed the naked and buried beggars, having mercy upon the least of the brethren. St. Gabriel was born on November 15, 1825, and reposed in the Lord on January 25, 1896.
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The Apostle Paul teaches: Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men [be courageous], be strong (1 Cor. 16:13). Watchful is the man who is always active, who labors much, and exerts his spiritual and physical strength. But a watchful man can also direct his activity towards doing bad things. The Apostle Paul demands that we be vigilant for doing good deeds, serving the Lord, and professing the faith.
Nothing requires vigilance so much as the works of faith, first of all because by them we protect ourselves from evil thoughts and temptations that can shake our faith, and secondly, because in being vigilant, we can acquire everything that will contribute to the strengthening of our faith and our desire to seek the Kingdom of God. At that time, when the Apostle Paul was writing to the Corinthians, Christians were suffering from the persecution and oppression of the Gentiles. True, we’re not in danger now because of our faith, but we still have to be watchful, because the enemies of the faith, of whom there have always been many, have especially multiplied today. Consequently, if a Christian becomes complacent, he can easily fall into temptation and lose the treasure of his soul—his faith.
Fortitude is an even more significant and important quality than vigilance. Fortitude is firmness and strength of spirit. Fortitude is shown by a man who does any deed, especially of a spiritual nature, no matter how difficult it may be, with zeal and hope, striving to bring what he has begun to an end. The fortitude of man and the strength of his spirit are best manifested in the face of obstacles and resistance. Where the weak and fainthearted man throws up his hands and falls into despondency, unsure what to do, the steadfast and vigilant man grows yet stronger, and every new obstacle only gives him extra strength, and no setbacks can stop him. And guided by faith, he’ll bring his good deed to its end and will necessarily emerge victorious from this struggle with difficulties.
Fortitude, just like vigilance, is most necessary for a Christian. Fulfilling Christ’s commandments demands incessant labor and unwavering resilience from us, because we have to withstand not only external obstacles, but also ourselves. It’s not hard to imagine what fortitude, firmness, and determination are needed to suppress our desires and give up our long-established and deep-rooted habits, and to constantly struggle with ourselves as with an enemy and with the vice and passions that creep into our soul. Of course, a weak man devoid of fortitude and firmness of spirit won’t be able to withstand this. Often a man is good but because of his lack of fortitude, his goodness is fruitless, and all because the first obstacle will perplex and stop him and make him give up. A man must wholeheartedly desire to acquire fortitude, and the All-Merciful God will support him in this by the mystical working of His grace.
To be continued…
