Fire and new life

From a letter…

…it is no fault, besides, to honor the saints in each other. I still cast my bread, and yours, on the water, or as the fleece left out overnight to catch or evade the dew, merely because that is what we were created to do. It's not so much a matter of our free choice, when we see only one way out, and we take it.

As for admonishment, I have never, I don't think, admonished anyone against their own faults, but to advise escape from others’, whose nets are always set, waiting for us to fall into them. Though I see a fault or sin in a brother, I leave it to the Lord to correct and chastise, while I pray for blindness against his offense, especially if he tossed it in my direction, and for mercy and speedy rebuke for both of us, fire to burn away our fallen leaves, even to braze our trunk and branches, the better to spring forth from us both new life.

I thank you for always drawing out of me my best, and for your words that always make me return my answer in song.