Yuri Markeev. Psychologist and a psychopath (№ 391974)

And the monk Varlaam? This is truly the figure of a curious, deep, Russian. Such a man lived in the era of Ivan the terrible. Gains somewhere in the North. He served as a priest in a small temple. His name was at that time Vasily. Mentioned his hot temper, the purity of the faith, fearlessness in spiritual work. Since the ascetic is strong, it means that the devil does not sleep. Fought a young priest to idolatry by local fishermen. The devil could not stand, and left, promising to avenge the ascetic. Compelled it to Basil that his wife committed the sin of adultery. Like Vasily it with my own eyes saw. Decided to "chastise" mother, to do religious rites. And during the ceremony - whether by accident, not by chance you? - priestly thrust a spear that the Holy communion in the altar is prepared, in the heart of his beloved wife. Whether the devil so cleverly played their parts, whether the jealousy in the young priest leaped, but the mother was not to blame.
Buried the body of his wife in the churchyard. He went to the Confessor to the monastery. The Abbot gave him a new name Barlaam and put a strange penance. Ordered to dig up the body, to sit in a boat and drive it along the coast of the Barents and White seas. And to fast, to pray until, until the body of his wife will not rot. Three years Varlaam obediently executed the orders of the Abbot, suffered hunger and cold, and prayed, lamented. The day came, when the monk was forgiven. Sent in such cases special signs. In a narrow water Strait, which is due to marine worms were dying ships and people, Varlaam was able to hold the boat. "Drill ship" retreated from those places, and that was evidence of forgiveness. The miracle was performed.
I do not consider this story a fairy tale. In allegorical form the history of this repentance, which changes the human soul as a matrix.
From the point of view of psychology, much is clear: the person who commits a sin, feels a strong physical impact. The stronger the sin, the deeper the wound. If the wound is not treated by repentance, and be drawn into the nostrils the powder, or pour a wine pain, sin for a time ceases to be felt. But the wound is not tightened, it bleeds. There are deep feelings of sin, strong remorse that causes a person to change substantially. He can not be the same. This is not for everyone.



Explanation of the quote:

Thinking of the nature of repentance.
from the novel "Psychologist and a psychopath".