Elder Ephraim of Vatopaidi-On War With Sinful Thoughts

 Elder Ephraim of Vatopaidi

Q. What are sinful thoughts and what are their spiritual substance?

A. They are thoughts opposed to God's will and operate in the area of the human intellect either by their own will or not. The mind is restless and it either produces thoughts or external factors are continuously displayed on the screen of the mind.

Q. Where do such thoughts come from?

A. Their source is either the passionate heart of man or demons themselves. Christ Himself reveals: "For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, blasphemy" (Matt. 15:19).

The passions of man are produced and fed with sinful thoughts. Demons are certain beings that feed on excessive hatred for humans and impinge in any way the salvation of man. Their main job is to sow evil, wicked, vile, sinful, blasphemous thoughts in the intellect of man.

There are of course divine thoughts as well whose source are in God Himself and the Saints, who encourage the sinner to repentance, and bring consolation in any way to those who are troubled, illuminating the virtuous so that "they can know the deep things of God" (1 Cor. 2:10).

The spiritual advancement of man appears primarily in the quality of one's thoughts. We must cultivate the pure, holy and divine thoughts. We must make our mind into a factory of good thoughts, as the blessed Elder Paisios would say.

Q. How do we identify these thoughts and how do we distinguish them from sinful thoughts?

A. Only with watchfulness (nipsis) can we observe the mind, and be careful to identify our thoughts. Watchfulness is temperance, the attention I impose on my mind.

This is achieved by invoking the all-honorable, majestic and sweet name of our Christ. The prayer, the "Lord Jesus Christ have mercy on me", is the greatest weapon against the demons and passions, and it is able to uphold the mind that is controlled by and observes the thoughts.

Thoughts are like airplanes that fly in the air. It doesn't depend on us if airplanes fly continuously in the air. It does depend on us and we must not allow thoughts to land within us, to accept them, to give them consent.

Q. What is the difference between desire and thought?

A. Desire is the mood we have to do something, to ask for something is a movement of the heart, while thought moves in the area of the intellect.

First we desire and after this desire it is expressed internally through thoughts. Desire is the beginning, the root. By cutting off sinful desires we are essentially freeing ourselves from sinful thoughts.

This is why our Lord emphasized: "But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman with desire has already committed adultery with her in his heart" (Matt. 5:28). He wanted to cut off the root of the passions.

Saint Gregory Palamas says that the intellect of the believer who struggles in prayer is easily purified of thoughts, just like the heart of a person (which is the power that produces thoughts), cannot be purified unless all the other powers of the soul, the appetitive and spirited, are purified.

Q. Must we confess all of our thoughts?

A. The thoughts that come into our minds daily by the thousands are countless. Most of these thoughts are vain, vile and sinful. The demon knows his job well and cultivates these thoughts. We are liable only when we consent to them, when we implement these thoughts into practice.

Depending on what spiritual state a person is in, so they are judged on how they deal with their thoughts. For example, for the perfect, who have perfect spiritual knowledge and supervision of thoughts, consent to a sinful thought is sinful. For someone who has now begun the spiritual life it may not be sinful.

The person who struggles correctly confesses their thoughts that do not cease to press on them, which through prayer and struggle alone cannot be resisted. It is not possible for someone to confess all their thoughts. This is psychological illness. Many come to confession with a notebook in which is written their thoughts, hundreds of thoughts that pass daily through their intellect. This is not right. They not only tire the Confessor/Spiritual Father but they themselves do not benefit. This is not observing one's thoughts, it is not a fruit of watchfulness and spiritual progress, but it is a situation of illness.

Q. Can we come to the Holy Chalice in a situation where right before Divine Communion there comes to us a sinful thought?

A. Of course we come forward. What do we read from Saint John of Damascus right before Divine Communion?: "I stand before the doors of Thy temple and I still do not forsake my wicked thoughts."

The war with thoughts is described by the Fathers as difficult. In this particular case we need to have contempt for this thought because it was brought by the enemy to rob us of the blessing of Divine Communion. Unless it is a thought connected with a deadly sin that has not been confessed, though I think such a thought would not battle us at that moment, since it would already be rebuked by our conscience.

Q. Are there certain pernicious thoughts that lead to spiritual death?

A. Yes, the thoughts of despair and hopelessness. These thoughts, say the Fathers, are like cutting off the head of a struggler. The believer must never forget the love and mercy of God our Father no matter what depth of sin they have fallen into. They must never forget that hope exists and repentance exists.

Christ did not come to judge the world but to save the world. Christ accepted the repentance of the thief, the villain on the cross who was at the throes of death, saved him, and placed him in Paradise.

Q. Should couples confess to one another the thoughts they have towards each other?

A. I think not. It is better to say their thoughts to their common spiritual father. Be aware that the devil, from the moment when certain people are united with the crowns of marriage, has placed upon them a target to separate them at some point. This is why there is a war that unfortunately most couples do not recognize. While the beginning of marriage is all milk and honey, and love united them both, but then disagreements begin, and quarrels, and "I don't like you", and "I don't love you". All this is war.

Why? What happened after ten years of marriage or more and the one doesn't love the other? It is better in the beginning for a couple to address such problems to their common spiritual father, who through the illumination of the Holy Spirit will guide them accordingly and with his prayer will banish the demonic energy that has come between them to separate them. And by God I am not saying that couples should not discuss things between each other, as this is essential for there to be unity and love, but do not tell each other your sinful thoughts which are sowed by the devil.

Q. How can we fight against thoughts?

A. With watchfulness and the prayer "Lord Jesus Christ have mercy on me". Saint John of Sinai in his book The Ladder says: "The name of Jesus plagued our enemies." Our enemies are our passions, our sinful thoughts, the demons. There is no more effective way, than when the prayer is said with self-reproach and pain of heart.

If you see a thought persists despite your effort and prayers and does not leave you alone, then it is good to bring this thought to confession. Confession is practical humility, and "God gives grace to the humble" (Jam. 4:6). The shame we feel before our spiritual father through the confession of this sinful thought, will justify us before God and God will relieve us from the energy of this passion, this sinful thought.

It is also very good to cultivate good thoughts and despise the sinful ones, or bad thoughts, but this requires much diligence.

The contempt we show towards bad thoughts sown by the devil will make the same devil deflate, be trapped, to flee, because the devil is arrogant, and he wants us to care for him and be occupied with him, and he cannot tolerate being despised.

If you can cultivate in this way, it is the most bloodless, as Saint Porphyrios of Kavsokalyva would say. Let us ask for peace, joy and the love of Christ and not care for our evil selves, our passions, our sinful thoughts. Let us turn our face - our whole being - towards Christ and seek His face, His mercy. Thus slowly, without realizing it, we will be sanctified, and the old man with its desires and thoughts will flee, which bothered us, and we will be clothed with the new which is "created by God" (Eph. 4:24).

Translated by John Sanidopoulos.

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"ΜΑΝΑ ΣΥΓΝΩΜΗ ΚΑΙ Σ’ ΕΥΧΑΡΙΣΤΩ ΓΙΑ ΟΛΑ"

Ένας νεαρός άνδρας πήγε να υποβάλλει αίτηση για μια διευθυντική θέση σε μια μεγάλη εταιρεία. Αφού πέρασε την αρχική συνέντευξη , έπρεπε τώρα να συμφωνήσει και ο γενικός διευθυντής για την πρόσληψη.

Ο διευθυντής ανακάλυψε από το βιογραφικό του, ότι ο νεαρός είχε εξαιρετικές ακαδημαϊκές σπουδές. Ρώτησε, «Πως κατάφερες να κάνεις αυτέ τις σπουδές; Μήπως πήρες υποτροφίες;»
«Όχι του απάντησε ο νεαρός».

«Ο πατέρας σου κατέβαλλε όλα αυτά τα δίδακτρα;» ρώτησε ξανά ο διευθυντής.

«Ο πατέρας μου κύριε πέθανε όταν ήμουν ενός έτους, η μητέρα μου ήταν αυτή που πλήρωνε τα δίδακτρά μου» Απάντησε.

« Που εργάζεται η μητέρα σου;»

«Η μητέρα μου εργάζεται ως καθαρίστρια ρούχων. Πλένει ρούχα για άλλους»

Ο διευθυντής ζήτησε τότε από το νεαρό να του δείξει τα χέρια του. Ο νεαρός έδειξε τα χέρια του τα οποία ήταν λεία και πολύ απαλά.

«Έχεις βοηθήσει ποτέ τη μητέρα σου στο πλύσιμο των ρούχων;»

«Ποτέ, η μητέρα μου ήθελε πάντα να μελετώ και να διαβάζω όσο το δυνατόν περισσότερο. Εκτός αυτού, η μητέρα μου πλένει τα ρούχα πιο γρήγορα από μένα.

Ο διευθυντής είπε: «Θέλω να σου ζητήσω κάτι. Όταν πας σπίτι σήμερα, πήγαινε να καθαρίσεις τα χέρια της μητέρας σου και θα τα ξαναπούμε αύριο το πρωί».

Ο νεαρός θεώρησε ότι οι πιθανότητες να πάρει τη θέση, ήταν πολύ μεγάλες. Όταν πήγε πίσω στο σπίτι, ζήτησε από τη μητέρα του να τον αφήσει να καθαρίσει τα χέρια της. Η μητέρα παραξενεύτηκε και με ανάμεικτα συναισθήματα άπλωσε τα χέρια της προς το γιο της.

Ο νεαρός άρχισε να πλένει τα χέρια της μητέρας του σιγά-σιγά, ενώ δάκρυα έσταζαν από τα μάτια του όση ώρα το έκανε αυτό. Ήταν η πρώτη φορά που παρατήρησε ότι τα χέρια της μητέρας του ήταν τόσο ζαρωμένα, και ότι υπήρχαν τόσες πολλές μελανιές πάνω τους. Μερικές μελανιές μάλιστα ήταν τόσο οδυνηρές, που η μητέρα του βογκούσε όταν τις άγγιζε.

Ήταν η πρώτη φορά που ο νεαρός συνειδητοποίησε ότι ήταν αυτά τα χέρια που έπλεναν σε καθημερινή βάση ρούχα για να μπορέσει να πληρώσει τα δίδακτρά του. Οι μελανιές στα χέρια της, ήταν το τίμημα που η μητέρα έπρεπε να πληρώσει για την εκπαίδευσή του και το μέλλον του παιδιού της.

Μετά τον καθαρισμό των χεριών της μητέρας του, ο νεαρός άρχισε να πλένει σιγά – σιγά όλα τα ρούχα που είχαν στοιβαχτεί για πλύσιμο, μονολογώντας «Μάννα συγγνώμη και σ’ ευχαριστώ για όλα» Μάννα συγγνώμη και σ’ ευχαριστώ για όλα»… ενώ δάκρυα συνέχιζαν να τρέχουν από τα μάτια του.

Εκείνο το βράδυ, μητέρα και ο γιος έκατσαν και κουβέντιασαν για αρκετή ώρα.

Την άλλη μέρα το πρωί, όταν ο νεαρός πήγε στο γραφείο του διευθυντή συγκινημένος και βουρκωμένος, βλέποντάς τον έτσι, τον ρώτησε.

«Για πες μου λοιπόν, τι έγινε χθες στο σπίτι σου; Τι έκανες; Έμαθες κάτι καινούργιο»

Ο νεαρός απάντησε: «Καθάρισα τα χέρια της μητέρας μου, αλλά και έπλυνα τελικά όλα τα ρούχα που είχε για πλύσιμο»

«Τώρα κατάλαβα και εκτίμησα την προσπάθεια της μητέρας μου. Χωρίς τη μητέρα μου, δεν θα ήμουν αυτό που είμαι σήμερα. Συνειδητοποίησα με την πράξη αυτή, πόσο σημαντική είναι η βοήθεια που σου προσφέρουν οι άλλοι. Έχω καταλήξει να εκτιμώ την αξία και τη σημασία που έχει το να βοηθά ο ένας τον άλλο στην οικογένεια και στην κοινωνία»

Ο διευθυντής τότε του είπε: «Αυτό είναι που ψάχνω σε ένα συνεργάτη. Θέλω να προσλάβω ένα άτομο που δεν θα σκέφτεται μόνο το εαυτό του, που μπορεί να γνωρίζει και να εκτιμά τη βοήθεια, τις προσπάθειες και τα δεινά των άλλων, για να επιτευχτούν κάποια πράγματα στη ζωή και δεν θα θέτει τα χρήματα ως μοναδικό στόχο του στη ζωή του. Έχεις προσληφθεί»

Αυτό το νεαρό άτομο εργάστηκε πολύ σκληρά, έλαβε αξιώματα στην επιχείρηση και απολάμβανε το σεβασμό των υφισταμένων του. Κάθε εργαζόμενος που είχε, εργάστηκε επιμελώς και ως ομάδα με τους υπόλοιπους. Οι επιδόσεις της εταιρείας βελτιώθηκαν σημαντικά.

Μπροστὰ στὸν θάνατο οἱ ἄνθρωποι εἶναι ἀδύναμοι

Μπροστὰ στὸν θάνατο οἱ ἄνθρωποι εἶναι ἀδύναμοι σὰν τὰ κουνούπια, σὰν τὰ πετραδάκια.
Γιὰ ποιὸ πρᾶγμα καυχᾶσθε ὦ ἄνθρωποι;
Γιὰ τὸν πλοῦτο, τὴν ἐπιστήμη, τὴν φιλοσοφία καὶ τὴν κουλτούρα;
Ὅλα αὐτὰ εἶναι σκύβαλα - σὺ καὶ ἐγὼ δοῦλοι τοῦ θανάτου! Κάθε ἄνθρωπος εἶναι δοῦλος τοῦ φόβου, δοῦλος τοῦ θανάτου.
Μπορεῖ νὰ γίνει ἄνθρωπος σὲ αὐτὸ τὸν κόσμο μὲ χαρά;
Ὄχι δὲν μπορεῖ.
Ὁ ἄνθρωπος ποὺ θὰ ἀντικρίσει σοβαρὰ τὸν ἑαυτό του καὶ μὲ σοβαρότητα θὰ κοιτάξει τὸν θάνατο σὰν τὸν ἔσχατο σταθμὸ αὐτῆς τῆς ζωῆς, αὐτὸς ὁ ἄνθρωπος δὲν ἔχει χαρὰ σὲ αὐτὸ τὸν κόσμο, δὲν ὑπάρχει γι' αὐτὸν καμιὰ ἀπόλαυση ἐδῶ. Ὅλες οἱ ἀπολαύσεις εἶναι ἕνα ψέμα, ἐὰν ὁ θάνατος ἀποτελεῖ γιὰ μένα καὶ γιὰ σένα τὸν τελευταῖο σταθμὸ αὐτοῦ τοῦ κόσμου.
Ποιὸς εἰσήγαγε τὸν θάνατο σὲ αὐτὸ τὸν κόσμο;
Ποιὸς ἄλλος ἀπὸ τὴν ἁμαρτία;
Στὸν ἄνθρωπο ἀνήκει δυστυχῶς, αὐτὸς ὁ γεμάτος ντροπὴ ρόλος αὐτῆς τῆς ζωῆς, τῆς εἰσαγωγῆς δηλ. τῆς ἁμαρτίας καὶ τοῦ θανάτου καὶ τοῦ διαβόλου σὲ αὐτὸ τὸν κόσμο.
Δὲν τὸ ἔπραξαν αὐτὸ μήτε οἱ τίγρεις μήτε οἱ ἀλεποῦδες, τὸ ἔπραξε ὁ ἄνθρωπος.
Γι' αὐτὸ καὶ ὁ ἄνθρωπος εἶναι πλάσμα ντροπιασμένο μπροστὰ σὲ ὅλα τὰ ζώα καὶ ὅλα τὰ φυτά καὶ ὅλα τὰ πετούμενα.
Πρέπει νὰ ντρέπεται ὁ ἄνθρωπος καὶ νὰ ἐκλιπαρεῖ γιὰ συγνώμη ἀπὸ τὸ κάθε πουλὶ γιὰ τὸ ὅτι αὐτὸς εἶναι ποὺ ἔφερε τὸν θάνατο στὸν κόσμο αὐτό, ἔφερε τὸν θάνατο καὶ στὰ πουλιά καὶ στὰ ζῶα καὶ στὰ φυτά.
Τὰ πάντα φθείρονται καὶ ἀποθνήσκουν.
Μέχρι πότε ὅμως;
Μέχρι τὴν ἀνάσταση τῶν νεκρῶν, ὅταν ὁ Κύριος θὰ κρίνει τὸν κόσμο καί, στὴ θέση τῆς παλαιᾶς γῆς, θὰ δώση καινὴ γῆ, ὅταν ὅλα θὰ γίνουν ἀθάνατα ἐπάνω της.
Αὐτὸ εἶναι κάτι ποὺ ἐμεῖς δὲν μποροῦμε μὰ οὔτε καὶ ξέρουμε νὰ τὸ συλλάβουμε, ἀλλὰ αὐτὸ εἶναι ἡ καλὴ εἴδηση τοῦ Κυρίου καὶ Χριστοῦ μας. 

Ιουστίνος Πόποβιτς

On Praying Before Eating

The Holy Gospel tells us the story of the Lord Jesus Christ’s miraculous feeding of a multitude of people in the desert. Five thousand men, not counting women and children! This means that approximately 10,000 people were listening to the Saviour’s words about the Heavenly Kingdom, were listening throughout the entire day, and were so delighted at being nourished with this spiritual food, that they forgot about the physical food required by the body. Perhaps they themselves would have continued forgetting about this need for a long while yet, if it were not for the disciples, who reminded the Saviour about it. “Give ye them to eat,” said the Saviour, as though predicting that all who sincerely believe in Christ – the Son of God – would be able to perform miracles. Among all the people only five loaves of bread and two fish were found; the Saviour ordered the food to be brought to Him and, looking up to heaven and blessing the food, He broke up the loaves and the fish and distributed them to all the people. And – o wonder! – all the people ate, and were full, and there were even leftovers, as though to confirm that all this did not take place in their imagination, but had really happened.

The instructive aspect of Christ’s miracle lies in the way that Jesus Christ went about feeding the multitude. “He looked up to heaven and blessed,” – the Evangelist tells us. Thus, turning to the Heavenly Father, glorifying Him, in sum – praying: that is what preceded the blessed feeding. Following this example we, Christians, also have the pious custom of praying to God before eating. Is it not precious to us that this good custom was sanctified by the example of Jesus Christ Himself? However, many in our modern times have begun to turn away from this custom that had been sanctified by God. “Why should we have to do it?” – they ask.

In truth, why should we pray before eating and drinking?

The food that we eat is a gift from our Heavenly Father, Who gives it to us every day without any merit on our part, but simply out of His mercy. The labors of the farmers who grow products that give us different forms of bread would not have been successful, had not the Lord sometimes sent rain onto their fields, and at other times the warmth of the sun.

Every day we pray at the great litany: “…for seasonable weather, for abundance of the fruits of the earth…”, i.e. for the air to be well-admixed, since, as we know, the air comprises many components or elements which in themselves are unsuitable for breathing, but the mixture of these elements is constantly combined in the right proportion, which occurs without our help and only on the surface of the earth that is inhabited by people. But what would happen if this admixture ceased occurring “by itself,” as many people think it does, and these gaseous elements did not admix, or admixed in space?

And would we ourselves ever amount to anything, if the Lord had not given one of us good qualities of the heart, and another one good physical health, and a third one the means to acquire an education, and the fourth one kind benefactors, etc.? Thus, everything is from God! This means that no matter whether we eat our own bread or someone else’s bread, each one of us should pray before meals.

Whoever does not pray automatically or negligently, but with due attention and piety, by means of his prayer attains God’s blessing upon his food and after-wards partakes of it with benefit for his health. Prayer makes food not only nourishing, but also tasty. With prayer even the simplest meal becomes more delicious than the luxurious dishes of rich and promiscuous people.

Saint Theodosius, abbot of the Kievan Caves monastery, had the habit of inviting all those who came to him after the Divine liturgy and sermon, and offering them monastery food – bread and oil – in the refectory. The saintly Kievan prince Iz’yaslav often partook of such food too. Once in the course of such a meal he asked the righteous abbot: “What do you think this means, holy father? My home is full of all possible earthly bounties, yet never have I eaten food as tasty as the one served here, and although my servants prepare various exquisite dishes, all of them are not even a bit as delicious as yours.” St.Theodosius replied: “If you wish to know, my lord, listen and I will tell you: when our monastics wish to cook or bake something, they follow a certain code: everything is done with prayer and the abbot’s blessing. Before going into the kitchen, the cook asks the abbot for his blessing, and afterwards goes into the church, makes three prostrations before the altar, and then takes fire from the church. Before pouring water for the cooking, the brother asks his elder to bless him and then pours the water with prayer And thus the entire affair is conducted with God’s blessing and prayer, while your servants, I think, argue and quarrel while they work, their supervisors beat them, and in this case the entire affair is conducted sinfully. It is for this reason that the food is not tasty.”

Dear brothers and sisters! Let us not follow the example of those who do not pray when sitting down at the table. Such people are not fit to be our instructors. Whoever remembers and loves God, or at least respects Him, cannot forget Him while using His gifts.

Let us keep in mind the instruction of St. Theodosius, that food given by God and sanctified by prayer is better and healthier than all other food. After praying to God before a meal or at the table, let us remain in a prayerful attitude, thinking of Christ’s unseen presence among us. For this reason it is more decent to avoid loud laughter and idle talk, unsuitable stories and jokes, remembering that in other places food is even taken in silence. Our pious ancestors had the good custom of having religious books read during the meal, which everyone can try to do whenever possible. In this manner we will always and in every place nourish the fear of God within us, and then whatever we do – be it eating, drinking, or anything else – according to the words of the apostle, we will be doing it for the glory of God. Amen.

Protopriest Igor Hrebinka

ΑΥΤΟΣ ΠΟΥ ΞΕΡΕΙ ΔΕΝ ΜΙΛΕΙ…

παπά-Λίβυος

Αυτός που ξέρει δε μιλεί κι όποιος μιλεί δεν ξέρει, αυτός που ξέρει προσπαθεί και θα τα καταφέρει (Κρητική Μαντινάδα)

Μιλάς πολύ για τον Χριστό χωρίς να είσαι ακόμη έτοιμος. Λες πολλά πνευματικά, και έπειτα αισθάνεσαι ένα κενό, μια βαθιά ρωγμή στα στήθη όπου χάνεται στάλα στάλα όλη σου η ενέργεια. Γεμίζεις με θυμό, νεύρα και ένταση. Μια παράξενη θλίψη και ακαταστασία ντύνεται η ύπαρξη σου.
Γιατί άραγε; Είναι δαιμονική ενέργεια και μόνο; Είναι μονάχα κάτι που έρχεται έξω από σένα;

Δεν νομίζω αδελφέ μου. Πριν αποδώσουμε την ευθύνη της ζωής μας και του βιώματος μας, έξω από εμάς, ας κοιτάξουμε με νηπτικές και εν πνεύματι ματιές μέσα μας.

Εκεί θα δούμε, ότι οι αιτίες που κίνησαν όλη αυτή την εσωτερική ακαταστασία είναι;

v  Γιατί δεν μίλησες για τον Χριστό, μα για τον εαυτό σου. Τον εαυτό σου κήρυττες φορώντας την μάσκα του θρησκευόμενου ανθρώπου. Άλλωστε εκείνος αναπαύεται στην σιωπή και όχι στην λεκτική επιβολή και στις έριδες, δρόμο που διάλεξες εσύ.

v  Γιατί πίσω από τα σπουδαία λόγια περί Θεού, θέλησες να προβληθείς εσύ. Το πρόσωπο σου έκρυψε εκείνο του Χριστού. Οι λόγοι σου τα λόγια Του. Θέλησες να τον αντιπροσωπεύσεις, λες και Εκείνος έλειψε ποτέ από τις καρδιές των ανθρώπων.

v  Γιατί όταν μιλάς πολύ για το Φως, αγριεύουν οι σκιές μέσα σου. Το αντίθετο πνεύμα όπως έλεγε και ο Άγιος Πορφύριος, αντιδρά.

v  Γιατί ακόμη μέσα στο βαθύτερο εαυτό σου, δεν έχεις αποδεχθεί αυτά που λες. Εξωτερικά κάνεις ανώδυνες ομολογίες, μεγάλα θεολογικά διαγγέλματα, πολλές φορές μάλιστα με στόμφο και απολυτότητα, οργή και φανατισμό, αλλά όσα η γλωσσα σου κομίζει η καρδιά σου δεν γνωρίζει. Δεν ανήκουν ακόμη σε εσένα, δεν είναι μέρος του εσώτερου βιώματος σου. Βρίσκονται στο μυαλό σου και όχι στην καρδιά σου. Δεν αναβλύζουν από αγιοπνευματικό βίωμα, από την πηγή του βαθύτερο υπαρξιακού μας κέντρου. Απο τον όντως εαυτό μας. 'Ετσι ο κρυφός ευατός σου αντιδρά, σε αυτά που λες και κάνεις, γιατί δεν έχει ακόμη αποδεχθεί εσωτερικά αυτά που εξωτερικά κηρύττεις.

Και ξέρεις κάτι; Όταν δεν είσαι εσύ μέσα σου σίγουρος για κάτι, τότε βλέπεις παντού εχθρούς, όχι γιατί οι άλλοι είναι κακοί, αλλά γιατί σου ξυπνάνε τις δικές σου αμφιβολίες, την δική σου απιστία.

Πρόσεχε γιατί πολλές φορές πίσω από έναν «ομολογητή» και «ζηλωτή» κρύβεται μια ατακτοποίητη, φοβισμένη  και άπιστη καρδιά

Saint Seraphim of Sarov-On inner peace

 (Precepts of Saint Seraphim of Sarov)

Inner peace is attained through affliction. The Scriptures say: We went through fire and through water, but Thou broughtest us out into a tranquil place (Psalm 66:12). Those who wish to please God must follow a path of many sorrows. How do we dare venerate the holy martyrs for the tortures they suffered for God’s sake, when we ourselves cannot endure even a single spark?

Nothing promotes the attainment of inner peace as much as silence and a continuous discourse with oneself, and rarely with others. Nothing is more excellent than peace in Christ, as it entirely destroys the warfare of the evil spirits of the air and the earth. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against the evil spirits in high places (Eph. 6:12).

The mark of spiritual life is one’s immersion into oneself and the hidden struggle within one’s heart. The grace of God envelops such a person, and at first he remains in a state of peace, and then by means of it he transitions to an other-worldly state, i.e. he is at peace by being of good conscience, and he is in an other-worldly state when his mind contemplates the grace of the Holy Spirit within himself.

Do we not rejoice upon seeing the sun with our physical eyes? Even more joyous is the sight of the Sun of truth – Christ the Lord – in the mind’s eye! In such a case we rejoice with the joy of angels. The Holy Fathers, being in a state of peace and enveloped by the grace of God, lived for a long time.

When a man attains a state of peace, he can radiate from himself the light of illumination of the mind unto others. This peace the Lord Jesus Christ left to His disciples before His death as some priceless treasure, saying: Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you (John 14:27). Thus we must focus all our thoughts, wishes and actions upon the attainment of the peace of God, and to always exclaim with the Church: O Lord our God, grant peace unto us (Isaiah 26:12).

On preserving inner peace

One must try hard to preserve this inner peace and not be offended by insults from others; to this end we shall restrain ourselves from anger and by means of attention shall guard our mind and heart from wavering unnecessarily.

Insults from others should be borne with complete indifference, and we should place ourselves in such a mood as though these insults have nothing to do with us whatsoever. Such an exercise can bring tranquility to our heart and make it the residence of God Himself.

We see an example of such meekness in the life of St. Gregory the Wonder-worker, from whom a certain fallen woman publicly demanded payment for the sin he had supposedly committed with her, while he, in no way angered at her, humbly said to a friend of his: quickly give her the price she asks. As soon as the woman took the unlawful payment, she became possessed by a demon; the saint then exorcized the demon from her by prayer.

If it is impossible not to be upset, then we must at least curb our tongue, as King David says: I was agitated and spoke not.

In this case we can use the examples of St. Spyridon of Tremithon and St. Ephraim the Syrian. The first bore an insult in the following manner: as he once entered the palace at the behest of his king, one of the servants, believing St. Gregory to be a beggar, laughed at him, did not allow him to enter the palace, and even slapped his cheek. St. Spyridon, being of a mild nature, turned the other cheek to him in accordance with the words of the Lord.

St. Ephraim, while fasting in the desert, was once deprived of food in the following manner: his disciple, while carrying the food to him, unexpectedly broke the vessel along the way. Seeing his disciple greatly saddened, the saint said to him: “Do not sorrow, brother; if the food did not wish to come to us, we shall go to it.” And then the venerable saint went, sat down near the broken vessel, and picking up the food, proceeded to eat it. In this manner he showed himself to be totally without anger.

As far as anger management is concerned, we can learn from the life of St. Paisius Velichkovsky, who prayed to the Lord Jesus Christ to free him from wrath. The Lord said to him: “If you want to overcome anger and fury, do not wish for anything, do not hate anyone, do not humiliate anyone.”

To preserve inner peace, we must chase away dejection and sustain a joyous spirit. To preserve inner peace, we must completely avoid judging others. Inner peace is preserved through compassion towards others and through silence. A person who remains in such a state receives divine revelations.

To avoid judging others, we must pay attention to ourselves, we must refuse to hear bad things about others, and we must be indifferent to all that surrounds us.

To preserve inner peace, we must draw into ourselves more frequently, and ask ourselves: at what point am I? At the same time we should make sure to have our physical senses, especially sight, serve our inner man and not distract our soul with sensual objects, for gifts of grace are given only to those who labor internally and guard their souls.

On spiritual labors

We should never undertake spiritual labors beyond our means, but should make sure that our friend, i.e. our body, is faithful and capable of doing good. We should follow the middle road, without veering either right or left; we should give spiritual things to our spirit and bodily things to our body, whatever is needed for sustaining our temporal life. We must also not refuse our social life that which it lawfully demands from us, according to the Scriptures: Render therefore unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and unto God the things that are God’s (Matt. 22:21).

We must be lenient towards our soul’s frailties and imperfections, and we must bear our failings just as we bear the failings of others; however, we should never fall into idleness, but should constantly spur ourselves to do better.

Whether you overindulged in food or did something else that stems from human frailty, – do not add harm to injury, but bravely spurring yourself to correction, try to preserve your inner peace.

Our bodies, becoming exhausted from work and illness, should be moderately fortified by sleep, food and drink, irrespective of time. Immediately upon resurrecting the daughter of Jairus, our Lord Jesus Christ commanded that she be given food.

We must credit the Lord with all our successes and say together with the prophet: Not to us, Lord, not to us, but to Thy name give glory (Psalm 113:9).

It is a great feat for man to keep himself chaste until the age of 35, i.e. the middle of his earthly life, and many are unable to remain virtuous during those years, but are deflected from the path of virtue into passion and desire; on the other hand, many others amassed numerous virtues in their youth, but being at mid-life and subjected to temptations from the evil spirits, are unable to withstand the torment and lose all their virtue. In order to avoid such transformations, we must place ourselves as though on a scale and watch ourselves attentively through-out our entire life.

Πώς «μετριέται» ο Θεός!

• ἄλλοι μετρᾶνε ροῦχα, παπούτσια καί κοσμήματα στίς ντουλάπες  καί στά συρτάρια τους,

• ἄλλοι μετρᾶνε πτ
• Ἄλλοι μετρᾶνε χρήματα στά πορτοφόλια καί στούς λογαριασμούς τους,
• υχία,

• ἄλλοι μετρᾶνε τρόπους καί χρόνο διασκέδασης,

• ἄλλοι μετρᾶνε ἀκίνητα, κότερα, ἀμάξια,

• ἄλλοι μετρᾶνε χιλιόμετρα καί τόπους σέ ταξίδια,

• ἄλλοι μετρᾶνε φίλους,

• ἄλλοι μετρᾶνε σχέσεις,

• Μετρᾶνε, μετρᾶνε, μετρᾶνε,…

κάθε λογῆς κοσμικές «ἐπιτυχίες» καί «συμφέροντα», μέ ἡμερομηνία λήξης στήν καλύτερη περίπτωση καί ἐπιζήμιες καί ψυχολέθριες στήν χειρότερη! 

Κι ὅλα αὐτά γιατί; Στήν αἰωνιότητα, τίποτε ἀπό αὐτά δέν θά ὐπάρχει! 

Ἄδικα τόσο μέτρημα! Ματαιότης, ματαιοτήτων…

-Τότε, τί συμφέρει κι ἀξίζει πραγματικά νά μετρήσουμε; ρωτᾶς…  -Μέτρησε τόν Θεό, γιατί μονάχα Αύτός εἶναι αἰώνιος! Ποτέ δέν θά τελειώσει, ὅπως ὅλα τά ὑπόλοιπα

-Καί πῶς νά τόν μετρήσεις; πάλι ρωτᾶς… (εἶναι καί Ἄπειρος θά πεῖς μέ ἀπορία…)!  -Κι ὅμως μετριέται!!!…

Ἄν θέλεις,  Τόν ἔχεις μέσα στά χέρια σου, Τόν ἔχεις μέσα στό νοῦ σου, Τόν ἔχεις μέσα στήν καρδιά σου!

Σέ ἕνα κομποσχοίνι καί σέ κάθε σκέψη,

σέ κάθε χτύπο τῆς καρδιᾶς,

σέ κάθε ἀνάσα, πού κι αὐτά μπορεῖς νά τά κάνεις κόμπους ἑνός νοεροῦ κομποσχοινιοῦ!

Ὁ Θεός μετριέται μέ εὐχές καί προσευχές!
Γιά σένα, γιά τούς ἄλλους καί γιά ὅλον τόν κόσμο…ὅποτε θέλεις, ὄπου θέλεις, ὅσες φορές θέλεις! Τοῦ δίνεις τίς δεήσεις σου

καί σοῦ δίνει αἰωνιότητα!

Βάλε τόν Θεό στήν ζωή σου,

βάλε τόν Θεό καί στό νοῦ σου καί στήν σκέψη σου

καί στήν καρδιά σου…παντοῦ καί πάντοτε!

Καί λᾶβε αἰωνιότητα, μἐ αὐτά μόνο τά λίγα πού θά δώσεις σέ μιά τόση δά μικρή καί πρόσκαιρη ζωή! Δέν ἀξίζει αὐτό πραγματικά;

Μ.Σ. ἐκπ/κός 

http://kaiomenivatos.blogspot.gr