The Recipe for Repentance

From the Pilgrim’s Guide to the Holy Mountain by Ioannis Komnemnos (1701, 1745)

A certain brother came to the doctor and asked him if there was possibly a plant or medicine that could be used to heal his sins.

The doctor replied, yes brother, learn how there is one that is most miraculous, listen:

Go, and take the roots of spiritual poverty and the flowers of humility.

Take the leaves of patience and the branches of prayer.

Bind them together and grind them with the pestle and mortar of obedience.
Sift this through the sieve of good thoughts.
Then place this in the sack of conscientiousness and drench it in the water of teardrops and then set fire to it under the flame of divine love.
When it has boiled for a while, empty it into the dish of discernment and mix it up with thanksgiving.

Then gather this up with the ladle of compunction and wring it out with cloth of confession and in this way you shall empty yourself of a multitude of sins.