1. It is very sad that there is no peace, but rather misunderstandings, discontent, disappointments, reproaches, suspicions, and a general cooling off. Moreover, if we do not come to our senses, we are close to total collapse. For the Lord says: "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself will not stand" (Matthew 12:25). This means that we are still spiritually inexperienced, have not learned the gospel wisdom on how to overcome such temptations, and therefore, having entered the confines of the last times, we are preparing to perish with all those alien to the gospel life. As it is said: "Then many will be offended... and will hate one another... And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will fail" (Matthew 24:10, 12). This is where the danger lies! There can be no quarrel between angels, and if there is a quarrel or something similar, it means both parties are not holy, both parties are guilty. Therefore, make every effort to restore peace. Mutually ask each other for forgiveness.
2. We are Christians, disciples of Christ, and we must act as befits Christians. For the custom of this world is to take revenge, to repay evil with evil. But according to the law of Christ, every evil must be overcome with good. "Repay no one evil for evil," says the blessed apostle, "but seek to do what is good in the sight of all men. If possible, as far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all men" (Rom. 12:17-18).
3. To combat the spread of evil and vindictiveness among people who are ready to repay even the smallest offense with ever-increasing vengeance, the Old Testament gave the law of justice: repay the offender with the same evil for the wrong done to you. And the New Testament teaches a higher law, the law of spiritual love. "You have heard," says the Lord, "that it was said to those of old, ' An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth' (Exodus 21:24). But I say to you, 'Do not resist an evil person.' But whoever strikes you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also" (Matthew 5:38-39). And what wondrous changes took place in the soul of the offender when true servants of God, with discernment, in a spirit of meekness and humility, put these words of Christ into practice! Yes, the law of forgiveness of personal offenses is stronger than any revenge, for revenge does not extinguish, but rather fuels anger. While love is capable of turning even a wolf into a meek lamb.
4. Has your neighbor offended you? He hasn't offended you, but rather himself. For he has become a criminal before God. In response, make every effort to observe the law of Gospel love. "Do not be overcome by evil," says this law, "but overcome evil with good" (Romans 12:21). And then the harm done to you by your neighbor will turn into great good—the crown of a true disciple of Christ.
5. We are all spiritually weak, we are all sinners. We mutually and constantly grieve and offend one another—and it is only natural that we should forgive one another. This is the mark of our Christianity. "Therefore," says our Divine Teacher Christ, "if you are bringing your gift to the altar (i.e., standing in prayer), and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Agree with your adversary quickly, whiles you are in the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, and the judge deliver you to the officer, and both be cast into prison" (Matthew 5:23-25). Besides our neighbors, with whom we are obligated to always make peace, we also have a formidable adversary—this is the word of the Gospel. This is the kind of adversary who will bring us before the Almighty Judge on the Day of Judgment! Therefore, while there is still time, we must make every effort to reconcile with this adversary. And having reconciled ourselves with the word of the Gospel, having humbled our differences with it in our lives, we will live in peace with our brothers in faith.
6. Note that, according to the words of our Savior, we must seek reconciliation with our neighbors not only when we are guilty before them, but also when we feel no guilt, but know that one of our fellow spirits has something against us. But we usually answer, "I am not guilty and will not ask forgiveness." In such cases, we seek revenge, even if only with a cold look or word. We respond to offense with offense, as if taking revenge on our neighbor. Thus, from a small grain of insignificant offense, mountains of enmity and hatred sometimes grow. But even in petty feelings of offense, we remain "under hell," as Abba Dorotheus says. By responding to offense with offense, we inflict great harm on ourselves. The enemy shot an arrow at you, the arrow fell nearby, and you seized it and pierced your heart—that is what it means to be offended.
7. Remembering grievances is vindictiveness, a desire for revenge, a desire to harm one's neighbor. There is not a trace of Christianity in any of this. It is practically paganism, atheism. But such is the custom of this world, such is the spiritual inheritance passed down from parents to children, from grandfathers to grandchildren. That is why a godless world cannot escape the labyrinth of evil and malice, which is why it is said: "The whole world lieth in wickedness" (1 John 5:19). And unless we cease to be ourselves, unless we transcend ourselves by following Christ's teachings, unless we destroy His labyrinth of resentment, vindictiveness, and malice in general, we cannot be saved.
8. He who bears grievances against his neighbors in his heart is in hell while he lives, because there is no peace in his heart. And without peace, there is no prayer of the heart. And without prayer, as without breath, there is no spiritual life. In this state, the soul grows cold, withers, becomes ill, fades, and even dies completely, because where there is no peace, there is no God. Peace is the fruit of Christian love. Peace and love in Christ are inseparably linked. “Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy, love does not parade itself, is not puffed up, does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil. It does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things” (1 Cor. 13:4-7). If we do not have this, then, undoubtedly, there is no love. And without love, there is no Christianity.
9. Dwelling in the love of the Gospel is dwelling in God. God, in His spirituality, cannot be seen with physical eyes, but this Incomprehensible Being is present when love abides within us. "For God is love," says St. John the Theologian, "and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him" (1 John 4:16). The presence of this love can be inferred from the presence of those virtues mentioned above by St. Paul, where the foremost are peacefulness, gentleness, forbearance, compliance, goodwill, kindness, and mercy. "Greater love has no one than this," says the Savior, "this, that a man lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:13). And the Holy Fathers, interpreting these words, say: patience with the shortcomings of our neighbors, condescension to their sins against us, is tantamount to shedding blood for the life of a neighbor. To forgive one’s neighbors and to make peace with them means to realize the highest Christian love for them.
10. "The Lord has called us to peace," writes the apostle (1 Cor. 7:15). We must take every care to ensure this, for we bear the name of Christ. And lest it be blasphemed in us, we must be submissive to the teachings of the Gospel.
11. We must be reconciled with one another and henceforth make peace constantly and quickly. For all our grievances against one another have a positive meaning. They are a school of spiritual life, in which we can and must learn the art of invisible warfare. We must learn how to overcome all manner of temptations in the spirit of the Gospel. The loss of peace is a lesson, and it can be learned in various ways: one can bring considerable spiritual harm to oneself and one's neighbor, or one can bring great benefit. The angelic rule is not to sin, the demonic rule is not to repent. We, the weak, are prone to both. Angels do not quarrel, demons do not make peace. If we are not angels, should we really be like demons?
12. Calmly examine your mutual complaints, and you will understand that none of this happened without the wiles of the enemy. Do you not know that we, living in this world, are like grains in a sieve, shaken by the invisible hand of the prince of this world—the devil?! The grains do not jump about in the sieve, jostling and striking each other on their own. So, too, we do not grieve one another on our own—we are incited and urged on by disembodied spirits of evil; without struggling against them, peace cannot exist among ourselves. "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood (i.e., not against men—O.E.), but against the principalities, against the powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places" (Eph. 6:12).
Based on this truth, we must strive with particular diligence to destroy the demonic work. We must reconcile and wholeheartedly forgive each other for all grievances, voluntary and involuntary. Forgive and forget! Then we will have the boldness to say the "Our Father" every day without condemnation: "And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors." Otherwise, we cannot say this prayer.
“Therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, grace, humility, meekness, and patience; bearing with one another and forgiving one another if anyone has a complaint against another. Just as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. Above all else, clothe yourselves with love, which binds together the perfect bond. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which you were called in one body. And be kind” (Colossians 3:12-15). Amen.