The healing mission of the Church

The main mission of the Church is to heal a person. In other words, when a person becomes part of the Church is healed if he follows the therapeutic regime which aims to assist him to return to the natural state which God gave him when He had created him.

After the fall of our forefathers, our nature was corrupted. When man severed his relationship with the Lord after disobeying His command, all his mental and physical capacities were immediately corrupted and perverted; his mind turned away from its unbreakable communication with the Lord, which was his natural state, towards the creation and matter, passions and sin. From that moment sickness and perversion entered man’s nature.

This is the reality of the fall, the sin of the forefathers, namely the hereditary sickness which passes on from one generation to another because we are natural descendents of our forefathers. Thus, each man has inherited this condition of spiritual sickness; the perversion of his nature.

Jesus Christ is called the ‘New Adam’, because He enters history at a certain point in time and accomplishes a mission. Christ’s mission was not so much to hand over the Gospel, namely His teachings, neither to give us a book called ‘Gospel’, but to give us Himself. In other words, just as we have inherited the sickness of our nature through the first Adam, Jesus offers us Himself, so that through the baptism we unite with Him, become one with Him, and then through the Holy Eucharist we acquire the capacity to unite with Him organically and ontologically (actually).  This means that the actual unity with the Body and Blood of Jesus flows into our being, into our soul and our body. This is the reason why we become children of God and why the Church exists. The Church would have no reason to exist if it did not administer the holy mysteries, particularly the mystery of the Holy Eucharist.

The Church is not an institution aiming to increase its followers for various reasons. It is the place where man is healed spiritually and is given the opportunity to unite with Jesus Christ. However, man needs to follow a certain therapeutic treatment called ‘askesis’. It entails obeying all of the Lord’s commands handed over to us by Jesus in the Gospel. Jesus’ commands are the medication which treats our sickness. In fact, the Lord shouldn’t have given us any commands since He had created us in His image; His commands are inherent in our nature and our conscience reminds us about them. Nevertheless, as the holy fathers say, the Lord did give us the appropriate medication to cancel out wickedness.

A sick man goes to the doctor and receives a certain treatment, not because the doctor impinges on his freedom or his dignity, but because his advice if heeded, may cure him. If he doesn’t follow the doctor’s instructions his illness will persist and may even cause his death. In the same way the Lord’s commandments act as a therapeutic treatment.

There are many commands and on the outset it seems difficult for someone to remember and obey all of them. Nevertheless, the most essential command is one and has to do with our entire being. It is: “you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with your entire mind and with all your strength.’ And it goes on ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself’. This part is the result and the evidence of our genuine love towards the Lord. In other words, it is not possible for someone who does not love God, to love himself, his neighbor, nature or the rest of the creation. Therefore, all the commandments have a common mission; they converge on the love towards the Lord. This is the natural state of man; this is how the Lord created him, namely, to move towards the Lord with a loving force. This is easy to understand since as the Scriptures say ‘The Lord is love’. But we must appreciate that we are not moving towards an idea, namely ‘love’, but towards a person.

The Church moves man towards a personal meeting with the specific, personal God. In other words, the Church is the place which develops man as a person and not as an individual (an ‘individual’ means someone who is engrossed in his self). That is, it smashes his individualism, develops him as a person and turns him into someone who for the most part has a personal relationship with the Lord. This is also the main difference between the Orthodox Church and eastern religions which speak about a vague and faceless deity. This is the reason why prayer differs from meditation. Prayer is a personal motion towards a personal God; meditation is an impersonal motion from one man to another through the invocation of a vague deity.

The personal motion towards the Lord presupposes that the Lord also moves towards man. Since God is love, it follows that man, who has been created in the image of God, is also love. This loving motion enables man to come out of his self and offer himself to another person, just as Jesus did when He ‘emptied Himself’.

When man empties himself he meets the Lord in a loving union which is totally personal and totally fulfilling for man as a whole. Man’s union with the Lord does not only take place on a mental, philosophical, metaphysical or psychological level. It is a perfect union at all levels. We ought to understand these things if we are to appreciate our true mission in this world. Therefore, by understanding the numerous commandments, we also understand why we ought to obey them.

In other words, the Church is not the sum of certain commandments and laws but it is the place with a specific mission. The Saints of our Church, all the children of the Church who are indeed living children of God and of the Church, prove that what the Church says and promises is true. These people have followed the treatment offered by the Church and became the temple of the Holy Spirit and the chosen vessel of the Lord. Namely the Holy Spirit is present inside them. Indeed there are several such people who are experiencing the presence of the Holy Spirit inside their souls. They know what ‘grace’ means.

When dealing with the reality of our worship, along with all the preconditions and evidence presented by the lives of our saints, we are faced with the entire range of the spiritual struggle. In other words, we understand why all these things happen, why the commandments are given, why askesis and the spiritual regime are necessary and what happens with the presence of Jesus and with the existence of the Church. Thus we understand what will happen to us. The only matter which still needs to be resolved is how to practically begin the process of our relationship with God, how to find Him and how to taste all the things promised by the Church.

The Lord does not discriminate. He does not offer His mercy to one but not to the other, neither does He give gifts to one but not to the other. There are no ‘chosen ones’ for the Lord. The Lord gives to each one the same grace and the same love. It is man who regulates his relationship with the Lord. Man is free to love the Lord absolutely. One may love Him a lot, another very little and yet some may hate Him.

Nevertheless, one has to be aware of his own intentions; he ought to be able to say that he will remain steadfast in his faith even though the Lord sometimes seems to leave him alone in his struggles. In other words, one must never lose heart. He ought to recognize that this mission is not up to him but it is a task accomplished by the Lord. Jesus said to His disciples: ‘You did not choose me, but I chose you’ (John 15, 16). The disciples may have offered their good intention, but unless the Lord was present with His grace to strengthen them, they could not have accomplished a single thing.

Bearing in mind the Lord’s presence we ought to wage our struggle with immense courage. One of the weapons the enemy uses is trying to prevent us from dealing with our sins and passions with courage and zeal.

The Lord offers us a medicine to help us with this process. It is the medicine of repentance in the face of the Lord. This means that one ought to repent not as someone who feels guilty, but as one who is the son of the Lord. Neither any trespass nor the devil are able to take away from us the privilege of being children of the Lord.  Thus we may stand before the Lord and say: ‘Indeed, I have sinned; I have been misled. Nevertheless, I have not denied You and I am still seeking my deliverance’.

People ought not to be miserable inside the Church, because they have been called by the Lord to become gods through grace. This means that a person who lives the life of the Church becomes lord and not a miserable man. This is how the Lord makes him. The Saints, instead of feeling depressed, placed great emphasis on repentance because it made them feel children of the Lord. Repentance was like a life-giving force which led them straight to the throne of their Father.

In the Church there is no place for disappointment neither for backtracking, no matter what happens. Nevertheless, when someone begins his spiritual life, the enemy may succeed in stealing his soul and his heart, enslaving him into worldly matters and causing him to drop his first love towards the Lord.

Therefore, let us not be enslaved by the affairs of this world despite all our responsibilities and duties. Our heart must only move towards the Lord.

Excerpts from a homily by the Metropolitan of Limassol, Athanasios, published in the ‘Paraklisi’ magazine, March 2012.

Translated from Greek :Olga Konaris Kokkinos

π. Ανδρέας Κονάνος-Για τη ζωή και το θάνατο

π. Ανδρέας Κονάνος Αθέατα Περάσματα 17-3-2009 Για τη ζωή και το θάνατο π. Ανδρέας Κονάνος Αθέατα Περάσματα 3-11-2009 Για τη ζωή και το θάνατο 2

On Patiently Bearing One’s Cross

And He, bearing His cross, went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha: where they crucified Him, and two others with Him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst” (John 19:17-18).

 

The major tenet of Christian moral teaching is the teaching about the narrow path or the bearing of one’s cross. Saint Ignatius Bryanchaninov indicates that the narrow path has been established by God Himself for His true followers.

“Our Lord Jesus Christ spent His earthly life in the greatest humbleness, being subjected to constant sorrows and harassment, being persecuted, slandered, humiliated by His enemies, who finally sent Him to a shameful death with criminals. The path of salvation that leads to eternal life has been established by the Lord as a narrow way full of sorrows – established both by the Lord’s holy example and by His holy teaching. The Lord advised His disciples and His followers that they would be sorrowful in the world, i.e. during their earthly lives, that the world would hate them, would persecute and humiliate them, would put them to death. The Lord likened His disciples’ and followers’ situation among depraved humanity to that of sheep among wolves. From this we can see that a life on earth full of trials and tribulations is the Lord’s own establishment for His true servants. And being the Lord’s own establishment, it cannot be deflected by any human means, any wisdom, any sensibility, any prudence, any vigilance.”

The great Russian pastor Protopriest Valentin Amphiteatrov also paid a great deal of attention to the Holy Fathers’ teaching on the bearing of one’s cross, and provided constant instruction on the proper endurance of sorrows, unquestioning fortitude, and complete submission to the will of God.

“Let us, Christians, follow the example of the Mother of God and immerse our will in the will of the Almighty, awaiting from Him instruction and aid in all good things…” “Why does the Saviour exhibit such wondrous tranquility amid the most terrible suffering? – because of His complete submission to the will of God the Father. He suffered, He pleaded in His humanity to have the chalice of suffering pass Him by. But the moment arrived in which He ended with a prayer: not as I will, but as Thou wilt. After that the Saviour no longer prayed to have His predestined chalice of suffering pass Him by…

The Lord showed such an example so that we, too, would seek tranquility in absolute submission to the will of God. For this reason He demands self-sacrifice from us, saying: whoever wishes to follow Me should deny himself. It is as though He were saying: whoever wishes to attain the perfection prescribed in the Gospel should reject his own will and live according to God’s commandment, because without God’s will even a single hair will not fall from your head. Do not pay any attention to things that are both pleasant and unpleasant for your vanity. Do not depend on mighty protectors and do not be offended by your visible enemies. Pleasant things are given to you for you not to become despondent, while unpleasant ones are given so that you do not overstep yourself. The mighty of this world may offer support to you only if God allows it, while persecutors may torment, humiliate, and harm you only as long as God allows it. Raise you mind and heart to God, and you will easily believe that God decisively rules over everything. One can do evil without the will of God, but even evil itself leads to a point at which good becomes clearer and more precious.”

In showing that life on earth does not represent any real joy or comfort except for the hope of salvation, St. Ignatius explains that the entire Christian life on earth consists solely of repentance. “Having taken upon Himself the human flesh and all human weaknesses except sin, the Lord also took penitence upon Himself… The innocent and most holy Lord, having suffered in His humanity for the guilty and sin-infected mankind, has shown suffering to be the path of salvation for all His followers, for all those of His provenance and ancestry… The innocent and most holy Lord spent His entire earthly life in suffering: even more so should the guilty suffer in full realization that they deserve to suffer; they should rejoice that by means of short-lived suffering they are delivered from eternal torment, they enter the ranks of the Lord’s followers and intimate ones. Whoever rejects suffering does not believe himself worthy of it, – such a one does not acknowledge his fall and damnation! Whoever passes his earthly life in pleasure – such a one renounces his own salvation!”

Acknowledging oneself worthy of all manner of punishment leads to a knowledge of the Saviour, as can be seen in the example of the wise thief. Some may say, perhaps, that the thief was an obvious criminal, and thus such a repentant state was natural for him. However, the other thief who was crucified next to Christ was likewise an obvious criminal, and yet he did not arrive at a realization of his sinfulness because there was no mercy or humility in his heart, but only hardness and pride. God’s saints continuously thought of themselves as sinners despite evident gifts of grace; the greatest villains, on the contrary, justified themselves and, being up to their neck in evil deeds, did not cease to proclaim their own virtue.”

All righteous people spent their earthly lives in sorrow: “For whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth” (Heb. 12:6). When the Lord came across the virtuous youth in the Gospel, He offered him to follow after Him, taking up his cross. Let us not reject the summons! The summons is accepted when, upon the arrival of sorrows, a Christian deems himself worthy of these tribulations; a Christian takes up his cross and follows the Lord when he thanks and glorifies God for all the sorrows that have been sent, when he submits himself entirely to the will of God, when he fulfills the Gospel commandments, especially the commandment on loving one’s enemies.

“The cross of true crossbearers is a good-natured endurance of unmerited suffering. When we see a sick person calling upon the name of God without complaint, when we see before us widows and orphans who, having lost their dear ones, submit themselves to the will of God, – these are Christ’s crossbearers. When we see before us people who are ragged and deceived, when we see people whose honor and innocence is being trampled upon by envy, malice, and slander, – these are Christ’s crossbearers. And we ourselves are Christ’s crossbearers when we allow goodness to take over our hearts.”

The Holy Spirit Himself extends a celestial greeting to those who have been subjected to misfortunes: “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into diverse temptations” (James 1:2). “Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for My sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven” (Matt. 5:11-12).

Nowadays this teaching is especially important, because, according to the prophecies of the Holy Fathers, in the end times the monastics and all Christians will be saved primarily through endurance of sorrows. Other endeavors: fasting, spiritual labors, great physical feats, nightly vigils, etc. will be taken away from us because of a paucity of spiritual and physical strength. “One time the Holy Fathers of an Egyptian skete were prophetically discoursing about the last generation. “What did we do?” – they said. One of them, the great abba Ischerion, replied: “We fulfilled God’s commandments.” They asked him: “What will those who come after us do?” “They, – said the abba, - will fulfill only half of our endeavors.” And again he was asked: “And what will those who come after them do?” Abba Ischerion replied: “They will not engage in any monastic endeavors, but they will be subjected to sorrows, and those of them who endure will have a higher standing than either we or our fathers.”

The same applies to the whole of Christendom!

Reprinted from “Orthodox Russia,” No. 17, 2004.

Ψυχοσάββατο: να μην ξεχάσω...

Ψυχοσάββατο. Μέρα ξεχασμένη για τους πολλούς του κόσμου. Ο θάνατος είναι άλλωστε για τη νοοτροπία της εποχής μας το τέρμα. Οι κεκοιμημένοι μάς πονούν, αλλά πρέπει να ζήσουμε. Να προχωρήσουμε. Και το μνημόσυνο είναι μόνο ατομική υπόθεση. Όταν συμπληρώνονται οι μέρες, οι σαράντα, ο χρόνος, θυμόμαστε. Πάμε στο ναό. Έρχονται και όσοι μας αγαπούν και όσοι αγαπούσαν τον κεκοιμημένο. Και φτάνει. Γιατί άραγε όλοι μαζί, να έχουμε δύο ημέρες το χρόνο στις οποίες να θυμόμαστε πάντας τους κεκοιμημένους. Έτσι δεόμεθα υπέρ μακαρίας μνήμης και αιωνίου αναπαύσεως πάντων των απ' αιώνος κεκοιμημένων ορθοδόξων χριστιανών, βασιλέων, πατριαρχών, αρχιερέων, ιερέων, ιερομονάχων, μοναχών, γονέων, προγονέων, πάππων, προπάππων, διδασκάλων, αναδόχων ημών εν τη πίστει...

Κι όμως. Στο ψυχοχάρτι του Σαββάτου των Απόκρεω, πριν την Κυριακή της ανάμνησης ότι θα έρθει η τελευταία Κρίση, όπως και το Σάββατο πριν την Πεντηκοστή, πριν την Κυριακή του ξεκινήματος της παρουσίας της Εκκλησίας στον κόσμο, αποτυπώνεται όχι μόνο η μνήμη, αλλά και η ελπίδα. Μνήμη ότι οι αγαπημένοι μας ουκ απέθανον αλλά κοιμώνται. Μνήμη ότι η αγάπη δεν νικήθηκε από το θάνατο. Ότι μπορεί ένα κομμάτι μας να έφυγε μαζί του, να τάφηκε στο χώμα, κι όχι μόνο από όσους γνωρίσαμε, αλλά και από όλους όσους έζησαν πολύ πριν από εμάς, απ' αιώνος, όμως τίποτε δεν τελείωσε. Επειδή Χριστός Ανέστη ο θάνατος εσκυλεύθη. Επειδή Χριστός Ανέστη θα βρεθούμε ξανά με όλους όσους προηγήθηκαν. Κοντά στον Θεό των πνευμάτων και πάσης σαρκός. Εν τόπω φωτεινώ και χλοερώ και αναψύξεως. Και δεν θα είναι η συνάντησή μας μόνο εν πνεύματι. Δικό μας και δικό τους. Θα έρθει η ώρα που το σώμα τους και το δικό μας θα βγούνε από τις κρύπτες του θανάτου. Και θα ενωθεί η συμφυΐα, σε έναν τρόπο αιώνιο και χωρίς μετατροπή. Όπου ο έσχατος εχθρός θα καταργηθεί. Και θα είναι η ύπαρξη συνάντηση με το Φως και την γλυκύτητα της ωραιότητος του προσώπου του Χριστού και των Αγίων Του. Η Εκκλησία που δεν θα είναι μόνο μια πρόσκληση ένταξης στο σώμα του Χριστού, αλλά το ίδιο το Σώμα από το οποίο δεν θα χρειαστεί να περιμένουμε.

Προγευόμαστε αυτή την χαρά να είμαστε μέλη του Σώματος κάθε φορά που τελούμε την Θεία Λειτουργία. Αυτήν στην οποία πιστεύουμε και ζούμε το διαρκές παρόν της Βασιλείας του Θεού. Της συνάντησης ζώντων και κεκοιμημένων, αγίων και αμαρτωλών, μελίσματος και μη διαίρεσης, βρώσεως και μη δαπανήσεως εν τω Χριστώ. Μόνο που τα δύο αυτά Σάββατα νιώθουμε τους κεκοιμημένους πιο κοντά μας. Γιατί δεν είμαστε μόνο εμείς που έχουμε να θυμόμαστε. Αλλά όλο το σώμα του Χριστού. Και η μνημόνευση των ονομάτων, μακρόσυρτη υπό τον ήχο του «Κύριε ελέησον», μάς υπενθυμίζει ότι η αγάπη δεν είναι μόνο για τους οικείους και συγγενείς, αλλά για όλους που εν Χριστώ γίνονται οι κατεξοχήν οικείοι μας. Οι αδελφοί μας.

Ας βρεθούμε το απόγευμα της Παρασκευής και το πρωί του Σαββάτου στο ναό της γειτονιάς μας. Μεγαλύτεροι και μικρότεροι. Πρέπει να ζήσουμε, αυτό είναι δεδομένο. Έτσι κι αλλιώς ο θάνατος για μας δεν είναι τέρμα, αλλά μια στάση και ένα πέρασμα, ένα Πάσχα. Τη στάση την περνάμε μόνοι μας, ακόμη κι αν έχουμε την ώρα του θανάτου κοντά μας αυτούς που μας αγαπούνε. Ο θάνατος είναι η προσωπική μας έξοδος, στην οποία κανείς δεν μπορεί να βοηθήσει, να καταλάβει, να συντροφεύσει. Μία ροπή όμως είναι η στάση. Και μπαίνουμε στο πέρασμα της ανάστασης. Συντροφευμένοι από όσους έχουν προηγηθεί και πρωτίστως όσους αγάπησαν το Θεό και τον άνθρωπο. Κι αυτοί θα μας οδηγήσουν στο να αναγνωρίσουμε Εκείνον που θανάτω τον θάνατον επάτησε.
Ας Τον παρακαλέσουμε λοιπόν. Και των κεκοιμημένων μνημόνευσον Σωτήρ μου, εν δόξη όταν έλθης. Των δικών μας και όλων των ανθρώπων. Να συναντιόμαστε στην αγάπη Σου!

Ψυχοσάββατο: να μην ξεχάσω...
...να δώσω τα ονόματα των νεκρών μου στην Εκκλησία,
για να μνημονευτούν
π. Θεμιστοκλής Μουρτζανός

Why pain and suffering?

The world is full of pain, fear and suffering. These feelings, without any exceptions, are experienced by all humans. It’s what causes our heart to ache, our mind to go hay-wire, and our emotions to become distorted. People often wonder: How have we had to handle all these problems?  Why God allows these tragedies to happen? Some times the questions are complicated and the answers very simple.  Elder Paisios of Mount Athos, famous for his spiritual teachings, provides encouragement and support to those who are suffering afflictions.

The struggle to sanctify the soul

..Life of course, is no summer camp; it has joys but also sorrows.  The Resurrection is always proceeded by the Crucifixion. The blows of life’s trials are essential for the salvation of the soul, for the soul is refined through them. Just as with clothes; the more we rub them in the wash, the cleaner they become. Even with the octopus, the more it is beaten, the more it is cleaned and tenderized. And the fish, too, appears so graceful when alive and swimming in the sea, or even when displayed in the market with the scales and entrails intact. But it becomes useful only once it is cleaned and made to look less appetizing on the outside before it is broiled. It is much the same with people; when a person sheds all things secular-his scales, if you will- it may seem that he is losing life, his worldly liveliness, but in fact, he is merely removing all useless matter in order to be “ broiled”. Only then is he made useful…

Elder Paisios, Spiritual awakening, Souroti: Holy Monastery Evangelist John the Theologian, vol. II, p. 105.

What Helps Spiritual Progress

People who have been buffeted by rough winds, either because God allowed it in order to rein them in, or because of the devil’s envy, are in need of much sunshine and spiritual refreshment before they can blossom and bear fruit. They are like trees that have grown bold during winter’s halcyon days, only to face the cold north wind afterwards; they will need constant spring sunshine ad showers for their sap to circulate again and to blossom and bear fruit.

…Trust in God, simplicity, and struggle with philotimo will lead to inner peace and security and then the soul fills with hope and joy…

Christ helps those who are fighting the good fight that all Saints embraced in order to subdue the flesh to the spirit. Even when wounded, we must never lose our composure, but should instead ask for God’s help in continuing with the struggle courageously. The Good Shepherd will hear us and rush to our aid, just as a shepherd responds to the bleating of a lamb that is lost or wounded, or threatened by a wolf.

Elder Paisios, Spiritual awakening, Souroti: Holy Monastery Evangelist John the Theologian, vol. II, pp. 106-107.

Divine Energies are Omnipotent

…God never abandons us; we are the ones who forget and abandon Him. When man does not live spiritually, he is no entitled to divine help. But when he does live spiritually and is near God, he is entitled to it. Then if something happens and he dies, he is read for the other life, in which case he gains both in this life and in the next.

God’s help can’t be obstructed, neither by men nor demons. Nothing is difficult for God or a Saint. The obstacle for us humans is our lack of faith, which prevent the great divine energies from coming to us. And while there is such a great power next to us, we, because there is such a great amount of the human element in us, cannot understand the divine energies which exceed all of the world’s human powers, because they are omnipotent.

We sit for hours on end in vain, trying by ourselves to find solution to a problem, using all of our inexperience. Our head spins, our eyes burn, sleep escapes us, because the little demon has hooked us with obsessive thoughts. We may finally find a solution, but later God will found for us a better solution, which we had not thought of, leaving us with the headaches and the sleepless nights. No matter how right our thought might be, if God is not foremost, the head will tire and ache, while prayer with trust in God brings restfulness. For this reason, we can leave to God those activities which are difficult to achieve by human means and not be dependent upon our human efforts, reassured that God will do what is best.

For  everything you think of doing, remember to say, “God willing”

A good disposition

-Geronda, what will become of the kind people who don’t believe?

-…Benevolent God will find a way for these kind-hearted people, either with trials and tribulations, with illnesses, hardships, with an earthquake, a lightning bolt, a deluge, or even some word, to bring them around and in the end to lead them to Paradise….

Elder Paisios, Spiritual awakening, Souroti: Holy Monastery Evangelist John the Theologian, vol. II, p 326-328.

Divine consolation

…With the people I went through so much pain! I didn’t pass over their problems lightly. I was painted by them, I sighed over them, but with every sigh I turned the matter over to God and in the pain I felt for the other person God provided consolation. That is to say, divine consolation came with the spiritual approach, because the pain which carries with it hope in God also has divine consolation. Otherwise how is one to endure! How could I possibly get through all the things that I hear? Yes, I feel the pain, but I also think of the divine reward in those who are suffering. We are in God’s hands. Since there is divine justice, divine reward, nothing is lost. The more one is tormented, the more he will rewarded. Although God sees so much suffering upon the earth, even things which we cannot imagine, He never falters. “You have suffered more?” He asks, “I will provide you with more in the other life”, and He rejoices. Otherwise, how could He endure so much injustice, so much evil that exists? But He keeps in mind the reward of those who suffer and, in a manner of speaking, endures that great pain. We don’t see the glory to be received by the other person and so we feel compassion for him, and for this God rewards us with divine consolation…

Elder Paisios, Spiritual awakening, Souroti: Holy Monastery Evangelist John the Theologian, vol. II, p. 348.

Elder Paisios notes that God allows a calamity to happen due to our fault.

Sins  Brings Calamities

Locusts, wars, drought and disease, they are all scourges. They’ re not God’s way of educating human beings but the result of our moving away  from God. They happen because we stray from Him. God’s wrath comes to make us remember Him and ask for help. It’s not that He arranges and orders, so to speak, these calamities to happen. Rather, God allows them to happen because He sees how far human evil can go and how unwilling we are to change our ways, and so He tries to bring us to our senses. But they are not of His own making…

…It is good to know that the faithful who obey the commandments of God receives His Grace, and that God is, shall we say, obliged to help them in these difficult times….

Whatever God allows is out of love for Man

-Geronda, why does God allow a calamity to happen?

-There are al kind of reasons. Sometimes God will allow something to happen so that something better may come out of it, and other times He wants to educate us. Some people are rewarded others pay a debt; nothing is wasted. You know, whatever God allows, even when human beings perish, it is done out of love for man, because Goad has a  “heart”.

Elder Paisios, With pain and love for contemporary man, Souroti: Holy Monastery Evangelist John the Theologian, vol. I, p. 118-121.

Injustice draws the Wrath of God

Most bad and harmful things happen when we wrong other people. For example, when a fortune is made unjustly, the owners may live a few years like royalty, but in the end, they will spend all their money on doctors. Remember the saying “ What is gathered by the wind is also scattered by the wind.” Or remember what the Psalm says, Better is a little that the righteous hath than the abundance of many wicked. What they collect is spent, blown away. Rarely will an illness, a bankruptcy and so on be sent as a trial from God…

Elder Paisios, With pain and love for contemporary man, Souroti: Holy Monastery Evangelist John the Theologian, vol. I, p. 87-88.

Elder Paisios spoke of various signs of the Times and noticed that we need to make spiritual preparation for the events prophesied.

The Antichrist

…the anticipated Antichrist will, in some manner, be the incarnate devil, who will  present himself to the Jewish nation as the Messiah and will mislead the world. Difficult years are ahead; we will be tested very severely. The Christians will suffer great persecution. And, you see, people are not at all aware that we are living during the signs of the times, that the sealing is already advancing. It is as if nothing is happening. This is why the Sacred Scripture says that even the elect will be deceived. Those without a good disposition will not be enlightened and will be misled during the years of apostasy. For whoever does not have divine Grace, does not have spiritual clarity, just like the devil.

Elder Paisios, Spiritual awakening, Souroti: Holy Monastery Evangelist John the Theologian, vol. II, pp. 198-199.

Difficult times lie ahead

…with God’s permission, a strong jolt will come our way. Difficult times lie ahead. We will be greatly tasted. We have to take this warning seriously and live spiritually. It is circumstances that are forcing us and will force us in the future, to labour spiritually. But we should try to do so by choice and joyfully rather than by necessity when various sorrows come upon us. Many Saints would plead to live in our times so that they would have the chance to struggle for Christ…

Elder Paisios, With pain and love for contemporary man, Souroti: Holy Monastery Evangelist John the Theologian, vol. I, 39-40.

Λέγε μου, πάτερ… πότε θά ἔλθει τό τέλος τοῦ κόσμου;

Mια φορά συνάντησε ο Γέροντας (Κλεόπας) στο δάσος έναν άγιο Ερημίτη και τον ερώτησε:

-Λέγε μου,π ά τ ε ρ, πότε θα έλθη το τέλος του κόσμου;

Και ο όσιος Ησυχαστής στενάζοντας του είπε:

- Γνωρίζεις πότε θα ελθη το τέλος του κόσμου; Όταν δεν θα ύπάρχη δρόμος από την μια γειτονιά στην άλλη!

Δηλαδή, όταν θα έκλειψη η αγάπη μεταξύ των ανθρώπων. (σελ. 165)

Όταν προ ολίγων ετών οι άνθρωποι ήσαν ταραγμένοι ότι ο Αντίχριστος έρχεται, ότι θα έλθουν πόλεμοι και άλλα παρόμοια ο π. Κλεόπας τους έλεγε με δυνατή φωνή:

«Ο Πατήρ είναι στο τιμόνι!» Πάρτε και διαβάστε τους στίχους 10 -11 του ψαλμού 32:

«Κύριος διασκεδάζει βουλάς εθνών, αθετεί δε λογισμούς λαών και αθετεί βουλάς αρχόντων, η δε βουλή του Κυρίου εις τον αιώνα μένει, λογισμοί της καρδίας αυτού εις γενεάν και γενεάν».

Κατόπιν τους ενεθάρρυνε λέγοντας:

«Μη ταράζεσθε και μη φοβείσθε,διότι δεν θα γίνει, όπως θέλουν αυτοί.

Ότι θέλουν αυτοί ας κάνουν!

Εσείς να μη φοβείσθε. Προσεύχεσθε και κάνετε το σημείο του Σταυρού με πίστη και θα φύγουν οι δαίμονες!» (σελ. 169)

…Μία φορά κάποια γυναίκα ερώτησε τον Γέροντα:

«Πάτερ, πώς ξέρετε κάθε τι πού θα συμβή; Και ο Γέροντας της απήντησε σύντομα:

«Η προσευχή σε ανεβάζει σε βαθμίδες γνώσεως. Όσο περισσότερο προσεύχεσαι, τόσο περισσότερα γνωρίζεις και ακόμη καλλίτερα είναι.

Μη φοβάσαι ποτέ κανέναν και για κανένα πράγμα. Μόνο προσεύχου!

Ο Θεός και η Μητέρα του σε βλέπουν και σε ακούνε!». (σελ. 184)

Άλλοτε έλεγε ό π. Κλεόπας: «Μάθετε να νηστεύετε διότι θα έλθει καιρός, που θα τρώτε μια πατάτα την εβδομάδα!». (σελ. 181)

Ένας πατήρ ερώτησε τον Γέροντα: «Τι θα γίνει Γέροντα, μετά την αναχώρησή σου προς τον Κύριο; Και εκείνος απήντησε:

«Θα έλθουν δυνατότερα κρύα και σκληρές παγωνιές».(σελ . 184)

-Εδώ εννοεί βέβαια το πνευματικό κρύο, από την ενασχόληση όλων με τα γήινα, την έλλειψη ενδιαφέροντος για τα πνευματικά, και την μεγαλύτερη υποδούλωση στα πάθη.-

Λίγο πριν αναχωρήσει από τα επίγεια ο π. Κλεόπας, τον επισκέφθηκαν δύο γυναίκες από την Κοινότητα Ποϊάνα Τεΐου και πήραν την ευλογία του. Κατόπιν του εζήτησαν πνευματικό λόγο και εκείνος τους είπε:

«Εγώ πηγαίνω στον Κύριο τώρα, αλλά εσείς να περιμένετε δύσκολους καιρούς!». (σελ. 184)

«Η ζωή και οι αγώνες του Γέροντος Κλεόπα, Ρουμάνου Ησυχαστού καί Διδασκάλου».Α ρ χ ι μ. Ι ω α ν ν ι κ ί ο υ Μπαλάν, έκδοση«ΟΡΘΟΔΟΞΟΣ ΚΥΨΕΛΗ.

Κυριακή του Ασώτου. Το μαύρο πουλί.

Κυριακή τοῦ Ἀσώτου. Τὸ μαῦρο πουλί. (†) ἐπίσκοπος Γεώργιος Παυλίδης Μητροπολίτης Νικαίας

Κυριακή τοῦ Ἀσώτου
(Λουκ. ιε΄ 11-32)
Τὸ μαῦρο πουλί.
«Καὶ ἐκεῖ διεσκόρπισε τὴν
οὐσίαν αὐτοῦ ζῶν ἀσώτως».
(σελ.224-228)

(†) ἐπισκόπου Γεωργίου Παυλίδου Μητροπολίτου Νικαίας

Μόνον ὁ Κύριος, ὁ θεῖος καὶ ἀνυπέρβλητος διδάσκαλος, ἠμποροῦσεν ἀγαπητὲ ἀναγνῶστα, νὰ ζωγραφίσῃ μὲ τὸσον χτυπητὰ χρώματα, μὲ τέτοιες δραματικὲς φράσεις, μὲ τόσην ἀριστουργηματικὴν ἀληθινὰ πλοκὴν τὰς συνεπείας τῆς ἁμαρτωλῆς ζωῆς, ἐν τῷ προσώπῳ τοῦ νεωτέρου παιδιοῦ τῆς συγκλονιστικῆς Παραβολῆς τοῦ Ἀσώτου.
Καθὼς ἠκούσαμεν σήμερα τὸ Ἱ. Εὑαγγέλιον, ἐνόμιζες, ὅτι ἐζωντάνευαν ἐμπρός σου τὰ πρόσωπα, ὅτι ἦταν ἕτοιμα νὰ σοῦ ὁμιλήσουν. Ὁ δυστυχὴς ἄσωτος!.....
Ἀκουμπισμένος στὸ φτωχικό του ραβδί, στὴ σκιὰ κάποιου δένδρου, μέσα στὴν παγερή του μόνωσι, βλέπει τὴ σημερινὴ εἰκόνα τῆς ζωῆς του. Θλιμμένος, πονεμένος νοσταλγὸς ρίχνει τὴν καυτερή του τὴ ματιὰ στὰ περασμένα.... Τότε ἦταν ἀληθινὸς πρίγκηψ, ἐλεύθερος, χρυσοκέντητος, χορτᾶτος, ἀξιοπρεπὴς κύριος μέσα σὲ ὁλόκληρη στριὰ προθύμων ὑπερητῶν.
Τώρα ὅμως!..... Ἀλλοίμονον! Χοιροβοσκός, ἔρημος, κουρελιασμένος, πεινασμένος μέσα σὲ μιὰ ἀγέλη λασπωμένων καὶ βρωμερῶν χοίρων.

«Εἰς ἑαυτὸν δὲ ἐλθὼν»...

Ἔτσι χαρακτηρίζει ὁ Κύριος τὴν ἀλλαγή του. Τ ώ ρ α ὁ ἄνθρωπος συνῆλθε. Μέχρι σήμερα ἦταν σὲ κατάστασι παραφροσύνης, σὲ πυρετὸ καὶ πνευματικὸ παραλήρημα. Τώρα βλέπει τὴν πραγματικότητα. Τώρα καταλαβαίνει, ὅτι εἶναι ἕνα διαμάντι πεταμένο, χωμένο στὴ λάσπη. Καὶ ξυπνάει. Καὶ συνέρχεται. Βέβαια μετὰ τὴν συμφοράν. Μετὰ τὸ ἐγκληματικὸ σκόρπισμα τῶν ἀγαθῶν.
Διότι πράγματι ἡ ζωὴ τῆς ἁμαρτίας, ἡ ζωὴ χωρὶς Θεόν, εἶναι ἕνα τρομερὸ σκόρπισμα:

1.Ὑ λ ι κ ῶ ν ἀ γ α θ ῶ ν.

Κοίταξε τὸν ἄσωτον. Ἔχει χρήματα πολλά. Εἶναι ἡ πατρικὴ περιουσία, ποὺ ἠμπορεῖ νὰ τὴ διαθέσῃ ὅπως θέλει. Καὶ ἀρχίζει τὸ «ξεφάντωμα». Διασκεδάσεις· σπατάλες· δῶρα σὲ γνωστούς· ταξίδια πολυδάπανα· σκόρπισαμ ἀφειδώλευτο χρημάτων.... «Ζῶν ἀσώτως! Μέσα στὶς δυὸ αὐτὲς λέξεις, ποὺ εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος, πόσα ὄργια δὲν κρύπτονται, πόσα πάθη καὶ λάθη, πόσοι βόθροι ἀνθόσπαρτοι, πόσαι χυδαιότητα, ποία πτῶσις ψυχῆς! Ἀλλὰ ἡ ζωὴ ἀπαιτεῖ χρήματα. Καὶ ὁ ἄσωτος δίδει χωρὶς δυσκολίαν. Ἕως ὅτου μίαν ἡμέραν.... τελειώνουν. Καταλαμβάνεται τότε ἀπὸ ἀγωνίαν καὶ φρίκην· Ἀλλ' εἶναι πλέον, ἀργά, πολὺ ἀργά!
Το ἴδιον ὅμως συμβαίνει καὶ μὲ τοὺς σημερινοὺς ἀσώτους. Πόσαι περουσίαι δὲν ἐσπαταλήσθησαν ἀπὸ ἄσωτα παιδιὰ πλουσίων γονέων! Πόσαι κληρονομίαι δὲν ἐξηνεμίσθησαν σὲ διάστημα ἐλάχιστον! Πόσα παιδιὰ μεγάλων οἰκογενειῶν, μὲ ὄνομα, μὲ ἱστορίαν, δὲν κατέληξαν πάμπτωχοι, θλιβερὰ ἀπομεινάρια μιᾶς παλαιᾶς ζωῆς λαμπρότητος καὶ μεγαλείου!.... Ἔτσι γίνεται, ἀγαπητέ μου, πάντα. Ἡ ζωὴ τῆς ἁμαρτίας εἶναι ρουφήχτρα ἀνικανοποίητη. Καταπίνει τοὺς κόπους ἐτῶν καὶ τὰς αἱματηρὰς προσπαθείας τιμίων γονέων, ὅταν τὰ παιδιὰ των πιασθοῦν στὸ ἀπαίασιο δίχτυ της.
Καί ὅμως, τὶ δὲν θὰ μποροῦσαν νὰ γίνουν μὲ τὰ χρήματα αὐτά! Πόσες πληγὲς νὰ κλείσουν! Πόσα δάκρυα νὰ στεγνώσουν. Πόσες χαρὲς νὰ δημιουργήσουν. Πόσα δράματα νὰ προλάβουν.... Πόσα...!

2. Σ κ ό ρ π ι σ μ α π ν ε υ μ α τ ι κ ω ν ἀ γ α θ ῶ ν.

Ἀλλ' ἡ ζωὴ τῆς ἁμαρτίας σκορπάει καὶ ἄλλα σοβαρώτερα ἀγαθὰ καὶ κεφάλαια.

α) Τὴν ἀτομικὴν ἀξιοπρέπειαν.

Μιὰ ματιὰ πάλις εἰς τὸν «ἄσωτο». Ἀπὸ πρίγκηψ, χοιροβοσκός. Ἀπὂ τὸ παλάτι, στὴ βοσκή. Πῶς κατήντησε! Ἀλλὰ τὸ ἴδιο συμβαίνει καὶ μὲ τοὺς συγχρόνους ἀσώτους. Πόσοι νέοι δὲν κατερράκωσαν τὸ κῦρος των ἐξ ἀφορμῆς τῆς ἁμαρτωλῆς των ζωῆς; Πόσοι δὲν ἔγιναν πλαστογράφοι, κλέπται, καταχρασταί, διὰ νὰ ἡμποροῦν νὰ χαρτοπαίξουν, νὰ διασκεδάζουν εἰς πολυτελῆ κέντρα, νὰ ξοδεύουν χάριν ἐπιδείξεως; Πόσοι δὲν ἐκλείσθησαν εἰς φυλακὰς, πόσοι δὲν ἔγιναν ἐρείπια κοινωνικά, ὅλοι αὐτοὶ θύματα τῆς ἀσώτου ζωῆς;

β) Τὴν οἰκογενειακὴν τιμήν.

Οἰκουγένειαι ἔπειτα μὲ ὑπόληψιν κοινωνικὴν, μὲ «φίρμες», μὲ ὑψηλὲς γνωριμίες, ἐβυθίσθησαν εἰς τὸ πένθος καὶ τὸ ὄνειδος, διότι τὰ παιδιὰ των, ἀγόρια ἤ κοπέλλες, ἐπῆραν τὸν κατήφορον καὶ ἐσπίλωσαν τὴν τιμὴν τῆς οἰκογενείας καὶ ἐκόλλησαν στὸ σπίτι τῶν μελανὴ κηλῖδα, ποὺ δὲν θὰ σβήσῃ ποτέ.... Καὶ κοκκινίζει ὁ πατέρας καὶ ἡ μητέρα ἀπὸ ἐντροπὴν διὰ τὴν ζωὴν τοῦ «ἐξειλιγμένου» νέου τῆς οἰκογενείας ἤ τῆς «ὑπερμοντέρνας» νέας, ποὺ θεώρησαν ἀφόρτηον σκλαβιὰν τὴν ἠθικὴν τοῦ Εὐγγελίου καὶ τὴν ἁγνότητα τῆς χριστιανικῆς ζῶης.

γ) Τὰ διανοητικὰ χαρίσματα.

Πόσοι νέοι μὲ ἱκανόητητες σοβαρές, μὲ ταλέντα θαυμάσια, μὲ δυνατότητες ἐξελίξεως ἐξαίρετες δὲν ἐχάθησαν ἐξ αἰτίας τῆς ἁματωλῆς των ζωῆς; Μέσα εἰς τὸ στριβίλισμα τῆς ἀνηθικότητος, ποῦ νὰ βροῦν τὴν δύναμιν καὶ τὸν καιρὸν νὰ μελετήσουν, νὰ καλλιεργήσουν τὰ προσόντα των, νὰ ἀνεβοῦν ὑψηλότερα; Ἐχάθησαν χιλιάδες νέων μέχρι σήμερα μέσα εἰς τὰ βρωμόνερεα τῆς ἁμαρτίας καὶ ἐμαράθηκαν ἀπὸ ἔλλειψι πνευματικῆς δροσιᾶς μπουμπούκια, ποὺ μποροῦσαν νὰ γίνουν τριαντάφυλλα.
Καὶ περίμεναν οἱ δυστυχεῖς γονεῖς νὰ ἰδοῦν τὰ παιδιὰ των εὐτυχισμένα, γιὰ νὰ χαροῦν κι' αὐτοὶ στὰ γηρατειά των, ἀφοῦ σ' ὅλην τὴν ζωὴ των ἐπόνεσαν καὶ ἔκλαψαν γι' αὐτὰ τὰ παιδιά.... Οἱ δυστυχεῖς γονεῖς! Τί τραγικὴ διάψευσις ἐλπίδων! ....

δ) Τὰ ψυχικὰ προτερήματα.

Μὲ τέτοιες συνθῆκες πῶς κατόπιν νὰ μὴ γίνῃ τὸ σκόρπισμα τῶν ψυχικῶν ἀρετῶν; Νέοι καὶ νέαι, ποὺ παρουσίαζαν ψυχικὲς ἀρετὲς καὶ ἔδιδαν διὰ τὸ μέλλον χρυσὲς ἐλπίδες ἀπὸ τότε ποὺ ἄρχισαν τὸ κατρακύλισμα, σιγανὸ στὴν ἀρχή, γοργότερα ἀργότερα, παρουσίασαν διαστροφήν.
Ἐχάθησαν τὰ ὡραῖα ἐκεῖνα ψυχκά των σκιρτήματα. Ἐπονηρεύθηκαν. Ἔφυγεν ἡ ἀθῳότης τῶν ματιῶν των. Ἐσκλαβώθηκαν πλέον στὸ κακό. Κουρέλια καὶ αἰχμάλωτοι τῆς ἁμαρτίας, φτερὰ στὸν ἄνεμο, τρέχουν πίσω ἀπὸ κάθε ψεύτικη χαρά, γιὰ νὰ γεμίσουν τῆς ψυχῆς των τὸ βαθὺ καὶ τὸ μεγάλο κι ἀποσμέτρητο κενό. Νυχτωμένοι στρατοκόποι, τριγυρνᾶνε στὰ «σοκάκια» ἀχόρταγοι, ἀνικανοποίητοι, μὲ τὴν πικρία στὴν ψυχή, μὲ τὸ μαχαίρι τῆς ἀπελπισίας στὴν καρδιά των.
Κι' ἔτσι ἀνίκανοι πιὰ νὰ ἰδοῦν τὴ ζωὴ μὲ καθαρὸ μάτι, τίς πιὸ πολλὲς φορὲς τερματίζουν βίαια τὴ ζωή τους καὶ χάνονται γιὰ πάντα, ἐνῷ θὰ μποροῦσαν νὰ κερδίσουν τὰ πάντα. Κατὰ μίαν στατιστικὴν 1200 κοπέλλες αὐτοκτονοῦν τὸν χρόνο, μόνον στὴν Ἀθήνα!
Πόσα ἔπειτα ἀγόρια... Πόσοι καὶ πόσες σ' ὅλη τὴν Ἑλλάδα!
Ὅλοι αὐτοὶ εἶναι θύματα τῆς ζωῆς χωρὶς Θεόν.... Τοὺς ἠθέλησεν ὁ Θεὸς ἀγγέλους καὶ αὐτοὶ γίνονται σκουλήκια, ποὺ σέρνονται καὶ γλύφουν τὸ βοῦρκο, τὴ σαπίλα.... Κρῖμα!

3. Φ ύ λ α κ ε ς, γ ρ η γ ο ρ ε ι τ ε!

Αὐτὴ εἶναι ἡ ἁμαρτία, ἀγαπητὲ ἀναγνῶστα. Ὕπουλη, προκλητική, ἀπατηλή, προδοτική. Ἁπλώνει τὰ δίχτυα της μὲ μαεστρίαν. Σ' ὅλους, ἰδίως εἰς τοὺς νέους, ποὺ ἔχουν πολλὴν ὁρμήν, ἀλλὰ ὁλίγην πεῖραν.
Καὶ οἱ ταλαίπωροι παρασύρονται ἀπὸ τὴν λάμψιν της.
Θὰ ἤθελε σήμερα ἡ Ἐκκλησία μας νὰ πῇ κάτι στοὺς νέους, ἀμφοτέρων τῶν φίλων.
Νέοι! Μὴ παρασύρεσθε ἀπὸ τὰ ἐξωτερικά, ἀπὸ τὰ φανταχτερὰ θέλγητρα τῆς ἁμαρτίας. Πίσω ἀπὸ τὰ φῶτα τὰ πολλὰ, τὰ βαρύτιμα παραπετάσματα, τὶς μουσικὲς καὶ τὶς κοσμικὲς ἐμφανίσεις, κρύβονται πολλάκις δράματα μυστικὰ καὶ ἀφανέρωτα. Μὴ γοητεύεσθε σὰν τὴ φτωχὴ πεταλούδα, ποὺ τριγυρνάει διαρκῶς γύρω ἀπὸ τὴ φλόγα τῆς λαμπάδας, καὶ, στὸ τέλος, βρίσκει τὸν θάνατο. Ἡ ζωὴ εἶναι ἀγών. Μιὰ φορὰ ὁ καθένας μας τὸν κάνει.
Ἤ τὸν χάνομεν ἤ τὸν κερδίζομεν. Καὶ τότε χάνομε ἤ κερδίζομεν τὸ πᾶν.... Ἀλήθεια, τὸ πᾶν!

Ἀγαπητοί,
Εἶναι σὲ κάποια χώρα ἕνα μαῦρο πουλί, ποὺ τρώγει μόνον στρείδια. Ψάχνει καὶ τὰ βρίσκει. Πῶς ὅμως νὰ τ' ἀνοίξῃ; Ἄκουσε τί κάνει. Τὰ παίρνει στὰ νύχια του. Ἀνεβαίνει ψηλὰ καὶ κοιτάζει ποῦ ὑπάρχουν βράχοι. Ἀφήνει τότε τὰ στρεῖδια καὶ πέφτουν. Χτυποῦν στὰ βράχια. Καὶ σπάζουν. Καὶ ἀνοίγουν. Καὶ τὸ πουλὶ ἤσυχο τρώγει τὸ περιεχόμενο. Καταλαβαίνεις τό νόημα. Ἡ ἁμαρτία εἶναι τὸ πουλί αὐτό. Μᾶς παίρνει στὰ φτερὰ της καὶ πετᾶμε σὲ κόσμους ἀπατηλῆς εὐτυχίας. Καὶ ἔρχεται ἡ ὥρα ποὺ μᾶς ρίχνει ἀπὸ τὰ ὕψη τῶν φανταστικῶν κόσμων στὶς βραχώδεις ἐκτάσεις τῆς καταστροφῆς.... Καὶ γινόμεθα τότε τραγικὰ συντρίμμια.
Ἀδελφέ μου! Ἀκούω τὸ φρικιαστικὸ πλατάγισμα τοῦ μαύρου αὐτοῦ πουλιοῦ. Πετάει γύρω μας. Πρόσεξε τί παραγγέλλει ὁ Θεός·
-Παιδί μου φυλάξου, πολύ, ἀπὸ τὸ μαῦρο πουλί.