Evagrios of Pontus, a fourth-century writer, wrote about this [forgiving oneself]. He said that there are in us many selves, really, but at base there are two: the real self, which is the Christ-self, and a legion of other selves, which are the Adamic selves. What happens when we hear the word of grace is that we are split down the middle. We don’t want grace because of the pain we have to face, the fears and so on. But one of the things that happens - one of the lies of the Devil, so to speak - is the conviction that we are not worth it. It is not for us. We are to bad, worthless. Then there comes a point, as Evagrios said, when the Christ-self needs to be convicted that “yes, I exist, and I am acceptable,” and so to have pity and mercy on those other selves. - Father Thomas Hopko, “Living in Communion”
TALK ABOUT IT: Forgiving ourself = Our Christ-self having mercy on our other selves
- Go to Facebook Page :: Episcopal Church of Reconciliation Questions of Faith
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- Share :: Share your experience of the practice (or attempts) of receiving mercy from your Christ self
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- Share:: your experience of the practice of extending forgiveness to others from your Christ self
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