From “Remember thy First Love” by Archimandrite Zacharias Zacharou
Question: In taking the steps which you have
presented to us, the most difficult thing, I think, is to overcome the fear of shame. This is what I try to do in my parish. People will not
come to confession although their souls are burdened and things are
driving them crazy, because they cannot overcome the shame to admit
their sins. How do you lead people in this direction?
Answer: I think that the strength to bear shame is a gift from God. When I was a young and inexperienced spiritual father, Elder Sophrony
told me to encourage the young people to confess precisely the things
of which they are ashamed, for if they learn to do so, shame is
transformed into strength against the passions, and they will overcome
sin. This is precisely what occurred in the person of Zacchaeus. He bore
shame voluntarily, and the Lord, Who was on His way to Jerusalem in
order to suffer the Cross of shame, saw Zacchaeus bearing shame for His
sake and recognized in him a kindred spirit. Zacchaeus had put himself
prophetically in the way of the Christ, in the way of the Cross, and in a
prophetic way the mystery of the Cross and Resurrection of Christ was
activated in the heart of Zacchaeus. His heart was enlarged and he was
able to enter into the power of faith. Christ has saved us through the
Cross of shame, so when we suffer shame for His sake He considers this
as gratitude, and in return He transmits to us His grace which
regenerates our life.
This is exactly what happens in confession. Those who confess
sincerely and take upon themselves the shame for their sins are
regenerated. But those who shrug their shoulders and say, ‘Nothing
special, the usual things…’ they do not bear any shame, their heart
remains unmoved, and they hardly receive any benefit. But those who,
with shame and a contrite heart, strip their souls naked before God and
before another mortal, ‘of like passions’ (Acts 14:15) with them—that
shame of theirs really finds the heart, humbles it and brings it to the
surface. This then, opens the heart to receive the grace of
regeneration, of consolation. We see this in the life of many that come
to us: the greater the shame they bear with contrition, accusing
themselves before God, the greater the grace they receive to amend their
lives and make a new beginning.
Source: Orthodox Heritage Vol. 10, Issue 11-12
