Pray for those who make accusations against you. Say, ‘Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me’, not ‘have mercy on him’, and your accuser will be embraced in this prayer. Does someone say something to you that upsets you? God knows it. What you have to do is open your arms and say, ‘Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me’, and make your accuser one with yourself. And God knows what is torturing your accuser deep inside of him and, seeing your love, he hastens to help. He searches the desires of hearts. What is it that Saint Paul says in his Epistle to the Romans? He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because in accord with God He makes intercession for the saints.
Pray for the purification of each and every person so that you may imitate the prayer of the angels in your life. Yes, the angels don’t pray for themselves. This is how I pray for people, for the Church and for the body of the Church. The moment you pray for the Church, you are released from your passions. The moment you glorify God, your soul is calmed and sanctified by divine grace. This is the art I want you to learn.
The Elder Porphyrios from Wounded by Love.
Glory to God for All Things 
October 18, 2009 at 1:18 pm
[…] Pray for your Accusers « Glory to God for All Things fatherstephen.wordpress.com/2009/10/18/pray-for-your-accusers – view page – cached Pray for those who make accusations against you. Say, ‘Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me’, not ‘have mercy on him’, and your accuser will be embraced in this prayer. Does someone say… (Read more)Pray for those who make accusations against you. Say, ‘Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me’, not ‘have mercy on him’, and your accuser will be embraced in this prayer. Does someone say something to you that upsets you? God knows it. What you have to do is open your arms and say, ‘Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me’, and make your accuser one with yourself. And God knows what is torturing your accuser deep inside of him and, seeing your love, he hastens to help. He searches the desires of hearts. What is it that Saint Paul says in his Epistle to the Romans? He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because in accord with God He makes intercession for the saints. (Read less) — From the page […]
October 18, 2009 at 2:44 pm
Thank you for this post, I need to remember this when I am with some family members that can push my buttons at times. I need to be much more charitable and understand that I don’t know the true nature of their sufferings. Thank you again. I love your blog! 🙂
October 18, 2009 at 2:59 pm
Very timely, Father, thank you.
October 18, 2009 at 4:43 pm
Father,
I always find that, when I am feeling strained in my relationship with another person, I should go to confession and confess my part of the strain. This opens my heart to love that person instead of blaming him or her.
Thanks for the reminder.
October 18, 2009 at 6:10 pm
As usual, right on time.
Thank you, Fr. Stephen.
October 18, 2009 at 7:18 pm
Dear Father, bless! Very timely words, since many of us are likely going to be thrown together with family members over the holidays who push our buttons as Denise has observed. Thank you so much for always staying the course, Father, and refusing to use this blog as a bully pulpit for your own pet peeves or in defense of yourself when unjustly attacked. The Lord will always vindicate those who are faithful to Him. Glory to God for all things, indeed!
October 19, 2009 at 2:36 am
Fr. Stephen
don’t know whether to AMEN this or say OUCH
October 19, 2009 at 3:10 am
“Lord have mercy” covers both. 🙂
October 19, 2009 at 1:42 pm
Thank you, Fr. Stephen, for the post. So simple yet so very difficult.
October 20, 2009 at 1:06 am
wow… i’m gonna have to agree with Deacon Jerome on this on!
October 20, 2009 at 4:13 pm
Great posting as always Father –
I have been a dog obedience trainer for a long time – the person who trained me- used to say, with regard to button pushing – that they are YOUR buttons so take them back! Nobody can push a button that is out of their reach – very wise advice and nobody has pushed my buttons since…
Lord have mercy…