In a Passionate State, Tears should not be Trusted

Venerable Macarius of Optina. "Edifying Teachings" (from letters).

Venerable Macarius of Optina (1788-1860)

You inform me... that you are now deeply distressed about your former life and even weep and sob. We must weep; true repentance requires weeping, and much weeping; but tears, in a passionate state, should not be trusted as correct.

St. John Climacus in the 7th Step says: do not trust the sources of your tears before complete cleansing from the passions. And again, in the same Step: "When we see anger and pride in those who think they weep for God, then such tears must be considered incorrect, for what communion has light with darkness?" This saint says in the same place that novices have tears for many and varied reasons: from nature, from unjust sorrow, from vanity, from the demon of fornication, and from other causes. He advises examining such tears with the fear of God and purifying them with the memory of our departure from this life, in order to acquire pure and undefiled tears, in which there is no loss due to arrogance, but rather a cleansing, washing clean of sin. Moreover, one must always remember the words of this same saint, spoken by him in the same Step: "Great is the malice of our enemies; they make the mother of virtues the stuff of passions, and turn the self-reproach of humility into a pretext for pride" (V, 447, 757-758).

You write about N. N.'s constant prayer and other matters; one must find out if she has a secret high opinion of herself due to this, and that is why her infirmities are increasing. One must pray to the Lord not to allow to fall into delusion (VI, 57, 92).

Source 

On Tears Before Cleansing from Passions

Venerable Ambrose of Optina. From Letter 391. 

St. Ambrose of Optina (1812 - 1891)

You also write that Peter Damascene confused you with what he said in Part 2, Homily 8, about tears, saying that before cleansing from passions, they are nothing other than the delusion of demons. Reread this chapter carefully. It's not stated that way, nor is the meaning correct; you've greatly emphasized it. The main meaning here is impartiality; and he says that the tears of those living among people, preoccupied with sensual, that is, worldly, things, are caused by the mockery and theft of demons. But your efforts related to your treasury duties don't fall under this category; what is done out of holy obedience, according to monastic duties, cannot be called vain care. Of course, even in such cases, one must carefully guard oneself and conduct oneself in the fear of God, guarding one's conscience. It is true that tears, before being cleansed of passions, are not entirely pure, but, according to St. John Climacus, they are purified and made right if, while weeping and crying, a person always thinks of the end of this life and of his presence at the Last Judgment, and of the final utterance therein. And then they also purify the soul of the weeper. During tears, one must guard against vanity and arrogance, which make tears like swamp water, where leeches and other hideous vermin breed. Secondly, during tears, according to St. John Climacus, one must guard against the seduction of unreasonable joy, lest one accepts a wolf instead of a shepherd. This saint expresses amazement at the extent to which the cunning enemy has contrived to transform the source of virtue, that is, weeping, into a source of passions.

If a person can weep, then let him weep wisely, humbly, with heartfelt contrition, and with the remembrance of his sins (but not of carnal details, for that is more harmful), and with the remembrance of death and God's judgment. Saint John Climacus writes that the mental Pharaoh, who is called a roaring lion by the Apostle Peter, is drowned in the water of tears, just as you yourself once imagined. It is rightly said that in the water of tears and tender weeping there is no place for this roaring lion, seeking to devour someone. Mother N. asks whether she may keep the sisters' money for safekeeping. If the ancient, strict order of communal life had been preserved, when the residents were given everything they needed, then this would be inappropriate and could be considered improper; but at the present time, due to the general weakness of both superiors and subordinates, it is absolutely impossible to forbid this. There can be need and a immediate demand for the latter.

Source 

A Monk Had Untrue Tears

Saints Barsanuphius the Great and John the Prophet. "Letters".

 

St Barsanuphius the Great (6th cent.)

Letter 461.

A brother asked the Great Old Man: “Tell me, father, whether the compunction that I think I possess is genuine, and whether I should live here on my own. Also, pray for me because I am troubled by bodily warfare.” Response by Barsanuphius.

Brother, your weeping and compunction are not genuine at this time; rather, they come and go. For genuine weeping, which comes with compunction, becomes like a servant submitted to us without separation; and a person who possesses this does not experience warfare. It even wipes away one’s former faults and washes away all spots. Moreover, in the name of God, it continually protects the person who has acquired it. It also expels laughter and distraction, while at the same time unceasingly maintaining one’s mourning. For weeping is a large shield that deflects all of the fiery arrows of the devil. The person who possesses it experiences absolutely no combat, whether that person is with others or even with prostitutes! [Such a gift] is always with us and fights for us.

So I have demonstrated for you the sign of weakness and of courage. Do not think that God could not relieve you from the battle; for he could indeed have relieved you, especially for the sake of the saints who were praying for you. Nevertheless, because he loves you, God wants you to be trained through many battles and exercises in order to reach the measure of good repute. And you cannot reach this point unless you keep all that I have commanded you through my letters, vainglorious teacher that I am. As for staying by yourself, this is a very special gift. When it comes to you, I shall inform you about this myself. Apply yourself now, child, as I have told you, and I believe that you will find progress in Christ. Do not be afraid. May the Lord be with you. Amen.

Source

The Ladder about False Tears

St. John of Sinai. "The ladder of Divine ascent".

Step 7. On mourning which causes joy.

29. When we see anger and pride in those who seem to be mourning in a way pleasing to God, then their tears are to be regarded as a repugnant to God. For what fellowship has light with darkness? (2 Corinthians vi, 14.)

30. The fruit of morbid compunction is self-esteem, and the fruit of meritorious compunction is consolation.

31. Just as fire is destructive of straw, so are pure tears destructive of all material and spiritual impurity.

32. Many of the Fathers say that the question of tears, especially in the case of beginners, is an obscure matter and hard to ascertain, as tears are born in many different ways. For instance, there are tears from nature, from God, from adverse suffering, from praise worthy suffering, from vainglory, from licentiousness, from love, from the remembrance of death, and from many other causes.

33. Let us, stripped by the fear of God, train ourselves in all these ways, and acquire for ourselves pure and guileless tears over our dissolution. For there is no dissimulation or self-esteem in them, but on the contrary there is purification, progress in love for God, washing away of sin and the sublimation of the passions to dispassion.

34. It is not surprising if mourning begins with good tears and ends with bad. But it is praiseworthy if reprehensible and natural tears are sublimated to spiritual tears. People inclined to vainglory understand this problem clearly.

35. Do not trust your fountains of tears before your soul has been perfectly purified. For wine cannot be trusted when it is drawn straight from the vats.

68. Our enemies are so wicked that they turn even the mothers of virtues into the mothers of vices, and those things which make for humility, they make into a cause for pride. Frequently the very setting and sight of our dwellings are of a nature to rouse our mind to compunction. Let Jesus, Elijah and John who prayed alone convince you of this. I have often seen tears provoked in cities and crowds to make us think that crowds do us no harm and so draw nearer to the world. For this is the aim of the evil spirits.

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