From the counsels of Elder Paisios the Athonite:
- Elder, the little cross you gave me to wear continually helps me with difficulties.
- See, such little crosses are
our own crosses, like the ones hanging around our necks and protecting
us in our lives. What, do you think we have large crosses?
Only the Cross of our Christ was
very heavy, because Christ out of His love for us people did not want
to use for Himself His divine power.
Further He lifts the crosses of
the whole world and He reduces the pains of our tests with His divine
help and sweet consolation.
The Good God economizes for each
person a cross analogous with his resistance, not to be tortured, but
to be raised from the cross to Heaven - because in essence the cross is a
ladder to Heaven.
If we understood the treasure we
gather from the pain of testing, we would not murmur, but glorify God
while lifting the little cross given to us, so that in this life we will
rejoice, and in the next life we will receive retirement and a "lump
sum".
God has secured for us estates
there in Heaven. But when we ask that God spare us from testing, He
gives these estates to others and we lose them. However, if we have
patience, He will give with interest.
Blessed is the one who suffers
here, because, the more one struggles in this life, so much more he will
be helped in the next, having repaid for his sins.
The crosses of testing are
higher than "talents", the charisms, which are given from God. Blessed
is the one who has not one cross but five. Some suffering or a martyric
death is clean payment.
So in every test, let us say: "Thank you, my God, because this was needed for my salvation."
