For upon what ground, I pray, does man upon earth think great things of himself? For certainly his mind is weak, and easily led into base pleasures; his body is tyrannized over by corruption and death; and the duration of his life is short and limited. Nor is this all, for naked were we born, and therefore riches, and wealth, and worldly honor come to us from without, and are not really ours; for they belong not to the properties of our nature... Were anyone but to regard his state with understanding eyes, he would then become like Abraham, who mistook not his nature, and called himself dust and ashes (Gen. 18:27). But he who is... this dust and ashes, this very nothingness becomes great and admirable and honorable before God, by knowing himself; for so he is crowned by God with honor and praise, for the Savior of all and Lord giveth grace to the humble...
(Commentary on the Gospel of St. Luke, p. 412)
For while it is men's duty to examine themselves, and to order their conduct according to God's will, they leave this alone to busy themselves with the affairs of others; and if they see any infirm, forgetting as it seems their own frailties, they make it an excuse for faultfinding... And yet it were rather our duty to have compassion on the infirm, as those who have been overcome by the assaults of the passions, and entangled without hope of escape in the meshes of sin, and to pray in their behalf, ... and to endeavor ourselves not to fall into similar faults. ... for the judge of the sinning soul must be higher than that soul; but since thou art not so, the sinner will object to thee as judge... But if thou venture to condemn him, having no authority thereto, it is thyself rather that will be condemned, inasmuch as the law permit thee not to judge others (Lk. 6:37).
Whoever, therefore, is guided by good sense, does not look at the sins of others, nor busies himself about the faults of his neighbor, but closely scans his own misdoings. Such was the blessed Psalmist, falling down before God, and saying on account of his own offenses, If Thou, O Lord, closely regardest iniquities, who can endure? (Ps. 130:3) And once again, putting forward the infirmity of human nature as an excuse, he supplicates for a not unreasonable pardon, saying, Remember that we are earth (Ps. 103:14).
(Commentary on the Gospel of St. Luke, pp. 137-138)
Let, then, the malady of vaingloriousness be far from those who love Christ; and let us rather consider our companions as better then we are, and be anxious to adorn ourselves with that humility of mind, which is well-pleasing to God. For being thus simpleminded, as becometh saints, we shall be with Christ, Who honoreth simplicity...
(Commentary on the Gospel of St. Luke, p. 239)
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