Wednesday. [Phil. 1:12-20; Luke 5:33-39]

   It is indecent for the children of the bridechamber to fast while the bridegroom is with them, said the Lord, and thus pronounced the law that even with virtues and spiritual endeavours everything has its place and time. And this is so pressing that an untimely and inappropriate deed loses its value, either entirely, or in part. The Lord arranged everything in visible nature with measure, weight and number; He also wants everything in the moral realm to be in good form and order. Inner good form amounts to a combination of every virtue with all virtues in totality, or a harmony of virtues, so that none protrude without need, but are all harmonious like voices in a choir. Outer good form gives each deed its place, time and other points of contact. When all of this is properly arranged, it is like a beautiful lady dressed in beautiful clothes. Virtue which is in good form both on the inside and outside is decent; it is Christian good sense that makes it this way, or according to spiritual elders: it is discernment acquired through experience and sensible examination of the lives of saints in the light of the word of God.

Wednesday. [Eph. 3:8-21; Mark 11:23-26]

   If you do not forgive others’ trespasses against you, then your heavenly Father will not forgive you your trespasses, said the Lord. Who does not forgive others? A righteous person, or one who considers himself righteous. To such a person nothing remains other than to judge, pronounce sentences, and demand execution of the guilty. Does a man who feels guilty have any time for others? Would his tongue dare to judge another and demand gratification from him, when his own conscience unceasingly convicts and unceasingly threatens him with God’s righteous judgment? So, is it better to sin than to be self-righteous? No, in every way be zealous for righteousness; but with all of your righteousness, recognize that you are an unworthy slave, and recognize this with undivided thought—that is, not that the thought of your unworthiness is in the foreground, while the feeling of righteousness hides in the background, but preserve a full awareness and feeling of yourself as unworthy. When you attain this, (and you must work for this, for it is not acquired suddenly), then no matter how your brother trespasses against you, you will not call him to account, because your conscience will be repeating: “and you do not deserve this only, it is not enough for you.” Then you will forgive him; and having forgiven, you yourself will be made worthy of forgiveness. So for your whole life let there be forgiveness after forgiveness, and at the judgment all will be forgiven you.