Elder Ephraim with Elder Paisios
My children, fight the good fight (1
Tim. 6:12 ); let brotherly love continue (Heb. 13:1 ); may love be the
center of all actions within the synodia — may egotism be far
from your thoughts and words. “Whoever wants to be first must be the
slave of all” (Mk. 10:44 ), says the Lord. And if we do not become like
little children in terms of innocence and simplicity, we shall by no
means enter the kingdom of heaven (cf. Mt. 18:3 ). When love governs a synodia,
Christ invisibly blesses everything; joy, peace, and self-sacrifice for
the brethren are afire in the hearts of every brother—but also prayer
intensifies then. The more love abounds, the more love in Christ and
self-sacrifice enriches their souls, and then Christ is glorified and
worshipped, and we become humble instruments for the glorification of
the holy name of God. Genuine love does not envy the good gifts of one’s
brother; it does not rejoice when it hears humiliating words or
criticism of a brother; it does not restrain itself from constantly
commending a brother’s progress. Love does not envy; love does not
parade itself, does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, but its
brother’s interests; it is not provoked; it thinks no evil; it bears all
things, endures all things (cf. 1 Cor. 13:4-7 ).
Whoever
has genuine love never falls by sinning against his brother. So my
children, pray that Love itself — our God — will grant you the gift of
love in Christ. When this love comes to reign in our hearts, words, and
deeds, then we should hope for prospects of forming a synodia in Christ with a Christian spirit, with spiritual radiance and an unshakeable foundation — a synodia closely united with one mind and one soul in many bodies.
My beloved children, I pray that the God of love will strengthen you in
mutual love and give you the love that does not act wickedly, that does
not create scandals, but rather averts them with the wisdom it
engenders. I pray that the Lord will give you pure love—love which
guards the mouth of him who possesses it and does not let him fall into
the pit of criticism, malicious gossip, lying, hypocrisy, and the
countless other evils which the lack of this true, godly love begets
through the tongue. “He who has love abides in God, and God in him” (cf.
1 Jn. 4:16 ), The evidence that we are of God and that we love Him is
when we have true and unadulterated love for one another. “Whoever hates
his brother is a murderer” (1 Jn. 3:15 ) and is in spiritual darkness
and does not know where he is going (cf. Jn. 12:35 ). We have received a
very important commandment from our Lord Jesus: to love one another.
Likewise, the devil has given a commandment to those who obey him, that
they hate one another. Therefore, we are disciples and subjects of him
whose commandment we keep. My children, let us fear coldness and enmity
towards our brethren, as well as the various thoughts that accompany
these attitudes, which little by little lead the soul to demonic hatred.
For in this manner we subject ourselves to the devil—the enemy of our
salvation—as to a master, and then innumerable evils will accumulate in
our poor souls!
Love is the base, the foundation, and
the roof of the soul that possesses it . When such a soul has the God of
love dwelling within it, it rejoices splendidly at every moment. In a
monastery, mutual love among its members is extremely necessary for its
establishment and preservation, because love is the golden link that
unites the brethren in every way in a closely knit body, which will
withstand the temptations that the lord of enmity and hatred—the
devil—will always create. Love is that invincible power that holds the
members together in one body, with the abbot as the head. And every time
it is necessary, this power will fight against the other completely
opposite power of evil, which will endeavor to break off members from
their unity. When we are lax and slack in love, the opposing power of
the devil will have victories for its side corresponding to the laxity
that our previously fervent and powerful love has suffered. What are the
victories of the opposing power? Troubles within the brotherhood, such
as back talk, disobedience, quarrels, pride, bragging, envy, hatred, and
finally, deserting the monastery! Let us reflect, my children: do the
angels in heaven perhaps talk back, disobey, do their own will, bear
malice, hate, or desert the place where they serve before the throne of
God? Of course not. This is what Lucifer did, who was once a rising
star, and was cast down and became Satan!
Therefore, since we have worn the
angelic schema, aren’t we also obliged to live in an angelic manner? How
can you be considered to be living an angelic life when I see amongst
you back talk, complaining, self-will, enmity, and worst of all,
disobedience? By doing so, wouldn’t you be doing the opposite of what
you have been counseled to do by my lowliness? Won’t you receive a
greater condemnation by doing the opposite, according to the scriptural
saying that “he who knows and does not do shall be beaten with many
blows” (cf. Lk. 12:47 ). That is, he will be strictly chastised with
many terrible blows and punishments. Let us fear disobedience to
counsels, my children, because every transgression and disobedience
inevitably receives a punishment (cf. Heb. 2:2 ). On the contrary, let
us struggle to apply them. Be obedient to what you have been advised to
do, so that you may receive the unfading crown of love and obedience
when the trophies and crowns are given by the Judge of the contest,
Jesus Christ. I pray that the Christians’ Champion Lady of the world
will count you worthy, through her prayers and those of all the saints,
to receive this unfading crown of eternal glory!
My child, see to it that you drive away
the evil thoughts which the devil urges you to consent* to—especially
thoughts of hatred towards the brethren you should pay no attention to,
because he aims to steal from you the greatest virtue: love. And if he
achieves this, he has completely won your soul. Once we have lost
love—God, that is, for God is love and he who abides in love abides in
God and God in him (1 Jn. 4:16 )—then what is there left to save us? My
child, do not listen at all to these thoughts of hatred towards the
brethren, but drive them away immediately, and start saying the prayer,
or tell Satan, “The more you bring me thoughts of hatred, devil, the
more I will love my brethren. For I have an order from my Christ not
only to love them, but even to sacrifice myself for them, just as Christ
sacrificed Himself for me, the wretch”. And at once embrace the things
about them that annoy you, and say, “Just look how much I love them, O
envious Satan! I will die for them!” By doing this, God sees your good
intentions and the method you are using to conquer the devil, and He
will come at once to your aid to deliver you.
Source-Pemptousia.com
