«Μόνο έτσι γεμίζει η ψυχή»
«Σήμερα οι άνθρωποι ζητούν να τους αγαπήσουν και γι’ αυτό αποτυγχάνουν.
Το σωστό είναι να μην ενδιαφέρεσαι αν σε αγαπούν, αλλά αν εσύ αγαπάς τον Χριστό και τους ανθρώπους.
Μόνο έτσι γεμίζει η ψυχή».
«Αγάπα όλους»
«Δεν πρέπει να κάνεις τον χριστιανικό σου αγώνα με κηρύγματα και αντιδικίες, αλλά με πραγματική μυστική αγάπη. Όταν αντιδικούμε, οι άλλοι αντιδρούν. Όταν τους αγαπάμε, συγκινούνται και τους κερδίζουμε.
Όταν αγαπάμε, νομίζουμε ότι προσφέρουμε στους άλλους, ενώ στην πραγματικότητα προσφέρουμε πρώτα στον εαυτό μας. Η αγάπη χρειάζεται θυσίες. Να θυσιάζουμε ταπεινά κάτι δικό μας, που στην πραγματικότητα είναι του Θεού»
«Όταν αγαπάς τον Χριστό, αγαπάς όλους»
«Ο Χριστός είναι η Εκκλησία και η Εκκλησία είναι ο Χριστός, που μας έχει προσλάβει όλους στον Εαυτό Του. Όταν αγαπάς τον Χριστό, αγαπάς συγχρόνως όλους τους ανθρώπους, χωρίς να ρωτάς αν οι άνθρωποι είναι άξιοι της αγάπης ή ακόμη αν την αποδεχθούν ή την απορρίψουν. Όταν θέλεις να συναντήσεις τον Χριστό, θα Τον βρεις στο χώρο της Εκκλησίας, γιατί εδώ είναι ενωμένη ολόκληρη η ανθρωπότητα με τον Θεό στο Πρόσωπο του Χριστού. Δεν μπορεί να επικοινωνείς με τον Χριστό και να μην τα έχεις καλά με τους άλλους ανθρώπους».
«Ο Θεός δεν τιμωρεί»
«Όχι, ο Θεός δεν τιμωρεί, ο άνθρωπος αυτοτιμωρείται, απομακρυνόμενος από τον Θεό.
Είναι, ας πούμε: Εδώ νερό, εκεί φωτιά.
Είμαι ελεύθερος να διαλέξω. Βάζω το χέρι μου στο νερό, δροσίζομαι, το βάζω στη φωτιά, καίγομαι».
«Η αγάπη προς το Θεό»
Μια άλλη μέρα ερωτώ το Γέροντα πώς πρέπει να είναι η αγάπη μας προς το Θεό και μου λέει:
«Η αγάπη μας προς το Θεό, παιδί μου, πρέπει να είναι πάρα πολύ μεγάλη και χωρίς να υπάρχει καμιά διάσπαση σε άλλα πράγματα. Σου φέρνω σαν παράδειγμα το εξής: Ο άνθρωπος μοιάζει να έχει εντός του μια μπαταρία με ορισμένη ενέργεια. Όταν αυτή την ενέργεια την ξοδεύει σε άλλα διάφορα πράγματα εκτός της αγάπης προς τον Θεό, η ενέργεια που απομένει μέσα του γι ́ Αυτόν είναι ελάχιστη και ίσως πολλές φορές μηδαμινή. Όταν όμως διαθέτουμε όλη μας την ενέργεια προς τον Θεό, τότε η αγάπη μας είναι μεγάλη προς Αυτόν».
«Σου λέω και τούτο το άλλο».
«Ήταν μια φορά μια κοπέλα που είχε ερωτευθεί πάρα πολύ ένα νέο, που τον έλεγαν Νίκο. Αυτή που λες, σηκωνόταν κάθε νύκτα και κρυφά από τους δικούς της, πηδούσε το παράθυρό της και πήγαινε ξυπόλητη μέσα απ ́ τα χωράφια που υπήρχαν αγκάθια για να συναντήσει τον αγαπημένο της ματώνοντας τα πόδια της. Όταν επίσης γύριζε στο σπίτι της και καθόταν μέσα, πάντοτε ο Νίκος της ήταν εδώ, και μου έδειχνε το μέτωπό του. Ό,τι δουλειές και να έκανε, ο Νίκος της εδώ, και μου ξανάδειχνε το μέτωπό του. Έτσι πρέπει και συ, παιδί μου, να δίνεις όλη σου τη δύναμη στο Θεό και ο νους σου να είναι πάντα σ ́ Αυτόν, γιατί έτσι του αρέσει».
«Αγάπη με απλότητα χωρίς φόβο»
Μου έλεγε ο παππούλης πολλές φορές:
«Αγάπη σου συνιστώ να έχεις πάντοτε. Πρώτα αγάπη και μετά όλα τα άλλα».
«Πρέπει ν ́ αγαπάμε εν απλότητι καρδίας, όπως το ίδιο πρέπει και να προσευχόμαστε».
«Δεν θέλω με το φόβο του θανάτου να πλησιάσεις το Θεό. Θέλω με την πολλή αγάπη προς Αυτόν να το κάνεις. Αυτό είναι το ανώτερο, παιδί μου».
«Ο Χριστός είναι το παν»
Ο γέροντας Πορφύριος είπε:
«Λοιπόν, ζωή χωρίς Χριστό δεν είναι ζωή. Πάει, τελείωσε.
Αν δε βλέπεις το Χριστό σε όλα σου τα έργα και τις σκέψεις, είσαι χωρίς Χριστό.
Πώς το κατάλαβες; Θυμάμαι κι ένα τραγούδι. «Σύν Χριστώ πανταχού, φόβος ουδαμού».
Το ’χετε ακούσει; Έ; Το λένε τα παιδιά, δε το θυμάμαι.
Λοιπόν, έτσι πράγματι πρέπει να βλέπομε το Χριστό. Είναι φίλος μας, είναι αδελφός μας, είναι ό,τι καλό και ωραίο.
Είναι το Παν. Αλλά είναι φίλος και το φωνάζει: «Σας έχω φίλους, βρέ, δεν το καταλαβαίνετε; Είμαστε αδέλφια.
Βρε εγώ δεν είμαι... δεν βαστάω την κόλαση στο χέρι, δεν σας φοβερίζω, σας αγαπάω.
Σας θέλω να χαίρεσθε μαζί μου τη ζωή». Κατάλαβες;
Έτσι είναι ο Χριστός. Δεν έχει κατήφεια, ούτε μελαγχολία, ούτε ενδοστρέφεια, που ο άνθρωπος σκέπτεται ή βασανίζεται από διάφορους λογισμούς και διάφορες πιέσεις, που κατά καιρούς στη ζωή του τον τραυμάτισαν.
Ο Χριστός είναι νέα ζωή. Πώς το λέω; Ο Χριστός είναι το Παν. Είναι η χαρά, είναι η ζωή, είναι το φως, το φως το αληθινόν, που κάνει τον άνθρωπο να χαίρεται, να πετάει, να βλέπει όλα, να βλέπει όλους, να πονάει για όλους, να θέλει όλους μαζί του, όλους κοντά στο Χριστό.
Όταν εμείς βρίσκουμε κάποιονε θησαυρό ή ό,τι άλλο, δεν θέλομε να το λέμε πουθενά.
Ο Χριστιανός όμως, όταν βρει το Χριστό, όταν γνωρίσει τον Χριστό, όταν ο Χριστός εγκύψει μέσα στην ψυχούλα του και τον αισθανθεί, θέλει να φωνάζει και να το λέει παντού, θέλει να λέει για το Χριστό, τι είναι ο Χριστός.
Αγαπήσατε το Χριστόν και μηδέν προτιμήστε της αγάπης Αυτού.
Ο Χριστός είναι το πάν, είναι η πηγή της ζωής, είναι το άκρον των εφετών, είναι το Πάν. Όλα στο Χριστό υπάρχουν τα ωραία. Και μακράν του Χριστού η θλίψις, η μελαγχολία, τα νεύρα, η στεναχώρια, οι αναμνήσεις των τραυμάτων της ζωής, των πιέσεων, των αγωνιωδών, έτσι, ωρών. Όλα, ζούμε εκείνα εκεί της ζωής μας. Και πάμε εδώ και πάμε εκεί, και τίποτα, και πουθενά δεν στεκόμαστε. Όπου βρούμε το Χριστό, ας είναι μια σπηλιά, καθόμαστε εκεί και φοβούμαστε να φύγουμε, να μη χάσουμε το Χριστό. Διαβάστε να ιδείτε. Ασκηταί, που εγνώρισαν το Χριστό, δεν ήθελαν να φύγουν από τη σπηλιά, ούτε βγαίναν έξω να κάνουνε πιο πέρα« θέλαν να είναι εκεί που αισθανόντουσαν το Χριστό μαζί τους. Ο Χριστός είναι το Πάν.
Ο Χριστός είναι η πηγή της ζωής, της χαράς. Το Πάν».
Ἀποσπάσματα ἀπό τούς λόγους τοῦ μακαριστοῦ Γέροντα Πορφυρίου Καυσοκαλυβίτη
Κοζάνη Μάρτιος 2006
Ιn examining the value which sorrow has for human life in our previous text, we had mentioned the temptations which cause it, and the tears which often accompany it. We therefore had an opportunity to see quite briefly the positive -or rather the beneficial- aspects of certain things in this world which, according to current logic, are initially considered as being negative and undesirable.
While we had said whatever was necessary concerning sorrow and temptation, we had intended to speak extensively about tears in a separate article. Not only because there is a great variety of tears, as we shall see below, but especially because the desert Fathers place tears at the peak of all "good things" in the present world. It is not by chance that during the most contrite time of prayer, they did not ask God for wisdom or endurance or courage, not even for holiness. Their chief request was always, invariably, "grant me tears, O God, tears of repentance". This alone would be enough to make us think more deeply about tears and lead us to examine two related questions. First of all, the nature and source of tears and, second, their value in spiritual life.
It is clear that both these questions are closely tied together, but not only because they both refer to tears. Their relationship is much more substantial. The latter is completely dependent on the former. This means that the vaIue of tears depends upon what kind of tears they are. We must therefore arrange tears in some order. To categorise them and rank them accordingly. We can speak about an "order of tears" just as we would say a system of tears. Is this not how we speak of systems and orders of angels, people, waters etc?
Of course, the most important feature of tears is not the liquid which comes from the eyes. This naturally has the same chemical synthesis in every case. Yet, according to the cause of them each time, we have a corresponding quality and category of tears. The main ones are perhaps the following:
Tears of repentance / Tears of fear of God / Tears of contrition
***
Tears of emotion / Tears of joy / Tears of pain and horror / Tears of indignation
***
Tears of hypocrisy
When the Fathers and the great ascetics speak about tears, they always mean those three of the first category. Repentance is the most astounding miracle and experience in the life of a person. It is his or her most integral and forceful act. It is the radical ripping out of all features of one's previous life. Ιn such a way that nothing stands up in worldly terms. Literally everything is made "upside down". You feel as if everything is being turned backwards. Being doubted. Being overturned. Being frustrated. Being annihilated forever. This is what repentance is (meta-noia, a change of mind). Is it possible for such an impalement of soul and spirit not to bring tears, not to cause pain?
The root of tears, their very first and inexhaustible source, is repentance. The first and major fruit of this is the "fear of God". A fear which is characterised by Scripture as the "beginning of wisdom" (Psalm ΙΙΙ:10). The more one is made wise in the fear of God, the more one sees and senses miracles within and all around. A miracle is not a miracle unless someone has wondered at it in all its magnitude. Miracle (thavma) is then a wonder (thavmasma).
Only for this reason did God create humankind. To marvel and discover continuously, for a whole lifetime, deeper aspects of the truth, in other words of God's love. Here then is yet another meaning of the Biblical saying: "Those who increase knowledge increase sorrow" (Ecclesiastes 1:18), which is the most mystical equalisation in human life.
It is only natural, following such a deep dive into the mystery of life and death, that the person of faith should feel more and more privileged compared to the rest of creation. It is an incomparable privilege to be a partaker in the deeper rhythm of the world, thereby discovering by first hand the boundless love of God. The only human answer to this "initiation", which reaches a climax in "participation" and eventually leads to "deifιcation", if God is pleased to allow this, are tears. Tears of compunction, contrition and appreciation, which as a result become "supplicatory tears", as they redeem us from all worldly uncertainties and doubts.
St. Isaac the Syrian wrote the following on such a correlation between the fear of God and tears of repentance: "Ι do not have a sorrowful heart to search for you, Ι do not have repentance, Ι do not have compunction, nor tears which return children to their homeland. Ι do not have, Lord, a supplicatory tear; my mind is darkened by the νanity of the world, and it is not able to gaze upon you with pain; my heart has grown cold from the multitude of temptations, and it cannot become warm through tears of love towards you. But you, Lord Jesus Christ my God, the treasury of good things, grant me perfect repentance and a toilsome heart, so that I may come to search for you with all my heart; for without you Ι wish to be estranged from every good thing" (2nd Discourse, Concerning renunciation of the world etc).
Even if we only isolated and underlined one phrase out of this stirring passage, we would see the value which the Saint recognises in tears, when he observes that they alone "return children to their homeland".
Clearly, all of the above comments refer to godly tears. They are what the Fathers called the greatest "gift" of the present world. For it is natural that, since tears arise from the fear of God and repentance, they should lead directly towards God Himself, according to His grace. Thus the character and the value of tears co-incide absolutely.
The second group of tears is also second in terms of importance. This is because it is confined, first of all, to the values of this world for which it either laments or rejoices. This is the group of four which follows the previous group of three. They are tears of pain and horror or joy on the one hand, or indίgnation and emotion on the other. These tears do not cease to have some value, since they spring from sincerity, spontaneously. Indeed they may, by cultivating and refining people, lead them at some stage to repentance, namely to God. Therefore, we enter the mystical process of godly tears which has already been described "through the back door". That is why someone like Victor Hugo could state that "no one can see God unless they have teary eyes".
Ιn concluding this brief reference to the order of tears, we must state that, if there are any kind of tears which are totally futile and which have nothing to do with the cultivation and fate of the soul, they are the tears of hypocrisy. They, as tears which stem from ulterior motives, might be useful only to actors, on a professional level. And even more so to the crocodiles which use them as a means to secure their food. By Archbishop Stylianos of Australia
Ὁ Χριστιανός εἶναι ἕνας μικρός Χριστός ἐπάνω στήν γῆ. Ναί! Ὁ Χριστιανός πρέπει νά εἶναι μιά σμικρογραφία τοῦ Χριστοῦ. Ὅπως, ὅταν ἀποσπάσουμε μιά σταγόνα νεροῦ ἀπό τήν θάλασσα, ἔχουμε στά χέρια μας μία σμικρογραφία τῆς θαλάσσης, ἔτσι καί ὅταν ἀποσπάσουμε ἕναν Χριστιανό ἀπό τό μυστικό σῶμα τοῦ Χριστοῦ, ἔχουμε μία σμικρογραφία Χριστοῦ.
Γιά νά εἶναι κάθε Χριστιανός ἕνας μικρός Χριστός, ὀφείλει νά ἀποκτήση νοῦ Χριστοῦ, μάτια Χριστοῦ, γλῶσσα Χριστοῦ, χέρια Χριστοῦ, καρδιά Χριστοῦ. Νοῦ Χριστοῦ, πού νά εἶναι πάντα φωτεινός, πού νά μήν φιλοξενῆ σκέψι κακή, νά μήν σκέπτεται καί νά μήν σχεδιάζη τό κακό.
Μάτια Χριστοῦ, πού νά μήν βλέπουν τήν ματαιότητα τοῦ κόσμου, ἀλλά τήν αἰωνιότητα τοῦ οὐρανοῦ. Μάτια καθαρά, βλέμμα ἁγνό, γεμᾶτο συμπόνια καί καλωσύνη.
Γλῶσσα Χριστοῦ, πού νά ὑπηρετῆ τήν ἀλήθεια, νά ὑπερασπίζεται τήν δικαιοσύνη καί νά εἶναι ἄγρυπνος φρουρός τῶν δικαιωμάτων τοῦ Θεοῦ.
Χέρια Χριστοῦ, πού νά μήν διαπράττουν κλοπή, πού νά μήν παλαμίζουν τό Εὐαγγέλιο, νά μή χειροδικοῦν καί καθίστανται δολοφονικά.
Καρδιά Χριστοῦ, πού νά ἀγαπᾶ χωρίς ὑπολογισμούς. Μιά καρδιά πού νά χωροῦν ἀκόμη καί οἱ πλέον ἄσπονδοι ἐχθροί. Μιά καρδιά, πού νά μή σείεται ἀπ’ τό κακό, πού νά μήν πληγώνεται ἀπό τόν πονηρό· μιά καρδιά γεμάτη ἀπό θεϊκή ἀγάπη. Αὐτός εἶναι ὁ Χριστιανός. Ναί, αὐτό θά πῆ Χριστιανός.
Πηγή: Ἀπό τό βιβλίο «Γρηγορεῖτε» τοῦ Ἀρχιμ. Θεοφίλου Ζησοπούλου.
(Ἕνας μανιώδης καπνιστὴς ἀπὸ τὴν Ἁγία Πετρούπολη, ὁ Ἀλέξιος Στεπάνοβιτς Μαγιόρωφ, ἄρχισε κάποτε νὰ αἰσθάνεται τὶς ἐπιζήμιες συνέπειες τοῦ καπνίσματος στὴν ὑγεία του. Οἱ πολλὲς συμβουλὲς καὶ παραινέσεις τῶν φίλων του ἀποδείχθηκαν μάταιες.Τελικὰ τὸ ἔτος 1888 ὁ Ἀλέξιος Στεπάνοβιτς κατέφυγε στὴν βοήθεια τοῦ στάρετς Ἀμβρόσιου καὶ μὲ ἐπιστολὴ τοῦ ζήτησε νὰ τοῦ ὑποδείξει τὸν τρόπο ποὺ θὰ καταπολεμήσει τὸ πάθος του. Σὲ γράμμα του μὲ ἡμερομηνία 12 Ὀκτωβρίου 1888 ὁ ὅσιος Ἀμβρόσιος ἀπάντησε στὸν Ἀλέξιο Μαγιόρωφ τὰ ἑξῆς:)
«Γράφεις ὅτι δὲν μπορεῖς νὰ κόψης τὸ κάπνισμα! Αὐτὸ ποὺ εἶναι ἀδύνατο γιὰ τὸν ἄνθρωπο, εἶναι δυνατὸ μὲ τὴ βοήθεια τοῦ Θεοῦ. Τὸ μόνο ποὺ χρειάζεται εἶναι νὰ ἀποφασίσεις μὲ σταθερότητα νὰ ἀπαλλαγῆς ἀπ' αὐτό, ἀφοῦ ἀναγνωρίζεις τὴν ζημία ποὺ προξενεῖ στὴν ψυχὴ καὶ στὸ σῶμα σου.
Διότι ὁ καπνὸς ἐξασθενίζει τὴν ψυχή, αὐξάνει καὶ δυναμώνει τὰ πάθη, σκοτίζει τὸ νοῦ καὶ καταστρέφει σιγὰ-σιγὰ τὴ σωματικὴ ὑγεία μὲ ἕναν ἀργὸ θάνατο. Ταυτόχρονα οἱ πνευματικὲς ἀσθένειες τῆς ὀξυθυμίας καὶ μελαγχολίας ἐμφανίζονται στὴν ψυχὴ σὰν συνέπεια τοῦ καπνίσματος. Σὲ συμβουλεύω νὰ χρησιμοποίησης πνευματικὴ θεραπεία γιὰ τὴν καταπολεμήσει τοῦ πάθους σου.
Νὰ κάνης λεπτομερῆ ἐξομολόγηση ὅλων τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν ποὺ διέπραξες ἀπὸ τὴν ἡλικία τῶν ἑπτὰ χρόνων ἕως σήμερα καὶ νὰ μεταλάβεις τὰ Ἄχραντα Μυστήρια. Κάθε μέρα νὰ διαβάζεις ὄρθιος ἕνα ἤ περισσότερα κεφάλαια τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου. Μόλις ἀρχίζει νὰ ἐμφανίζεται ἡ ἀποθάρρυνση καὶ ἡ ἀπελπισία, νὰ διαβάζεις καὶ πάλι μέχρι νὰ περάσει. Ἂν ξαναεμφανισθεῖ, ἄρχισε πάλι τὴν μελέτη τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου. Ἤ, ἂν θέλεις, πήγαινε σὲ κάποιον ἀπομονωμένο χῶρο καὶ κάνε τριάντα τρεῖς ἐδαφιαῖες μετάνοιες σὲ ἀνάμνηση τῆς ἐπίγειας ζωῆς τοῦ Κύριου καὶ πρὸς τιμὴ τῆς Ἁγίας Τριάδος».
Μόλις ἔλαβε τὸ γράμμα ὁ Ἀλέξιος Στεπάνοβιτς τὸ διάβασε καὶ « ἄναψε ἕνα τσιγάρο», ὅπως ἐξηγεῖ ὁ ἴδιος σὲ ἰδιόγραφο σημείωμά του.
" Ἄρχισα νὰ τὸ καπνίζω, ἀλλὰ ἔνιωσα ξαφνικὰ ἕνα φοβερὸ πονοκέφαλο καὶ μιά ἀπέχθεια πρὸς τὸ καπνὸ τοῦ τσιγάρου. Ἐκεῖνο τὸ βράδυ δὲν κάπνισα. Τὴν ἑπόμενη ἡμέρα τέσσερις φορὲς ἄρχισα νὰ καπνίζω μηχανικὰ καὶ ἀπὸ συνήθεια. Δὲν μποροῦσα ὅμως νὰ καταπιῶ τὸν καπνό, γιατί μὲ ἔπιανε δυνατὸς πονοκέφαλος. Ἔτσι ἔκοψα τὸ κάπνισμα μὲ εὐκολία.
Τὰ δύο προηγούμενα χρόνια δὲν εἶχα μπορέσει νὰ ἀπαλλαγῶ ἀπὸ τὸ κάπνισμα, ὅσο κι ἂν εἶχα πιέσει τὸν ἑαυτό μου. Παρ` ὅλο ποὺ ἡ ὑγεία μου ἐπιδεινώθηκε σοβαρά, συνέχισα νὰ καπνίζω γύρω στὰ 75 τσιγάρα τὴν ἡμέρα. Ὅταν λοιπὸν ἄρχισα νὰ αἰσθάνομαι ἄρρωστος καὶ ἀνίκανος νὰ ξεριζώσω τὸ πάθος μου, ἀκολούθησα τὶς συμβουλὲς τῶν φίλων μου καὶ κατέφυγα στὸ στάρετς Ἀμβρόσιο. Μὲ εἰλικρινῆ μετάνοια τοῦ ζήτησα νὰ προσευχηθεῖ γιὰ μένα.
Ἀργότερα, ὅταν πῆγα νὰ τὸν εὐχαριστήσω, ὁ πατὴρ Ἀμβρόσιος ἄγγιξε μὲ τὸ ραβδὶ του τὸ κεφάλι μου ποὺ πονοῦσε καὶ ἀπὸ ἐκείνη τὴ στιγμὴ δὲν αἰσθάνομαι πιὰ κανενὸς εἴδους πονοκέφαλο."
Ἀμβρόσιος Ὅσιος τῆς Ὄπτινα
"Not everyone who says, `Lord, Lord' will enter the Kingdom of Heaven" (Matthew 7:21).
Brethren, one does not gain the Kingdom of God with the tongue, but with the heart. The heart is the treasury of those riches by which the kingdom is purchased; the heart and not the tongue! If the treasury is full with the riches of God, i.e., a strong faith, good hope, vivid love and good deeds, then the messenger of those riches, the tongue, is faithful and pleasant. If the treasury is void of all those riches, then its messenger [the tongue] is false and impudent. The kind of heart, the kind of words. The kind of heart, the kind of deeds. All, all depends on the heart.
Hypocrisy is helpless before men, and is even more helpless before God. "If then I am a father," says the Lord through the Prophet Malachi, "If then I am a father where is the honor due to me?" And If I am a master, where is the reverence due to me?" (Malachi 1:6). That is, I hear you call me father, but I do not see you honoring me with your heart. I hear you call me master, but I do not see fear of me in your hearts.
Our prayer: "Lord! Lord!" is beautiful and beneficial only when it emerges from a prayerful heart. The Lord Himself commanded that we pray unceasingly, but not only with the tongue to be heard by men, but rather enclosed in the cell of the heart so that the Lord could hear and see us.
Lord, majestic and wonderful, deliver us from hypocrisy and pour Your fear into our hearts so that our hearts could stand continually upright in prayer before You.
St. Nikolai Velimirovich
Can a sinner repent of his sins in ten days? According to the immeasurable compassion of God he can. During the reign of Emperor Maurice, there was a well-known bandit in the vicinity of Constantinople. He inspired fear and trembling both within the capital and without. One day, the Emperor Maurice himself sent the robber a cross as a sign of faith that he would do him no harm if he surrendered. The robber took the cross and surrendered. Arriving in Constantinople, he fell before the feet of the emperor and begged for forgiveness. The emperor kept his word, had mercy on him and released him. Immediately after that, the robber became gravely ill and sensed that death was drawing near. He bitterly repented of all his sins and tearfully prayed to God that He forgive him, as the emperor had forgiven him. He shed so many tears at prayer that his handkerchief was completely soaked. After ten days of weeping and praying, the repentant man reposed. The same night he passed away, his physician saw a wondrous vision in a dream: when the robber had given up his soul, there gathered around him black, manlike demons with pieces of paper on which were written all his sins. Two radiant angels also appeared. The angels set a scale between them, and the joyful demons placed all those papers on it, weighing down their side of the scale; but the other side was empty. The angels held counsel: ``What shall we place on it? Let us seek something good in his life!'' And then that handkerchief soaked with tears of repentance appeared in the hands of one angel. The angels quickly placed it on their side of the scale and it outweighed all the demons' papers. Then the black demons fled, howling sorrowfully, and the angels took the soul of the repentant thief and carried it to Paradise, glorifying the man-loving God.
Saint Nikolai Velimirovich.
-Elder,I'm tormented by some unpleasant dreams...
-When you have a bad dream,never examine what you saw,how you saw it, or whether you're guilty or how much you may be at fault.The evil one,having failed to tempt you during the daytime,comes to you at night.Sometimes God permits the devil to tempt us in our sleep,so that we may see that the old self has not entirely died.Other times,the enemy approaches a person in his sleep and presents various dreams in order to upset him when he awakes.This is why you shouldn't pay any attention to them.Cross yourself and the pillow,place a cross and an icon on your pillow,and say the Jesus Prayer until you fall asleep.The more importance you attach to such dreams,the more the enemy will come to disturb you.This is something that happens to children,too, even though they are little angels.The enemy comes and scares them in their sleep,and they wake up frightened,running into their mother's arms.Often times,they are approached by Angels who make them smile in their sleep out of joy,or they may wake up from their great joy.As such,dreams brought about by temptations are an external influence of the enemy upon man while he's asleep.
-Elder,what about feeling a certain burden while you're sleeping?
-Sometimes this comes from a stressful situation that one has experienced during the day,or from various fears,various suspicions and so forth.Naturally,the little devil can take advantage of this,forming confusing combinations in order to make the person feel dizzy.Often we sleep so lightly that we may think that we are awake and praying for this unbearably heavy burden to go away.
Once in a while the devil may take the form of a human or of a saint and appear to someone in his sleep.Once he appeared in the form of Saint Arsenios to a sick man who was sleeping and told him,"I am Saint Arsenios;I have come to tell you that you will die.Do you hear me?You will die!"The man was frightened and horrified.A Saint never speaks to a sick person like that.And even if a sick person is about to die and a Saint appears to inform him about his death,he will do so gently and kindly:"God sees how much you are suffering here and this is why he has decided to take you out of this world.See that you prepare yourself."He will never say,"Do you hear me?You will die!"
-Elder,what happens when someone cries out in his sleep?
-It's good,he wakes up...Many dreams are due to worry.When someone is worrying over things or when he is very tired, these things are struggling inside him and he sees them in his dreams.It happens often to me,too;when I deal with various people and their problems during the day,such as unfairness and so on.I later find myself scolding the unjust ones in my sleep:"You godless man,have you no feelings?" and I wake up because of my yelling.
-Elder,can someone foresee something that will happen to him from the dreams he has?
-No,don't pay any attention to dreams.Whether they are pleasant or unpleasant,you are not to pay any attention to them,because there is the danger of being deluded.Ninety five percent of dreams are deceptive.This is why the Holy Fathers say that we should not pay any attention to them.Very few dreams are from God,but in order for someone to interpret even these,he must have purity and other prerequisites,much like Righteous Joseph and the Prophet Daniel in the bible,who both had the gift from God.Daniel said to Nabuchadnezzar,I will tell you what dream you had and what it means.But consider the spiritual maturity he had attained!He was in the den of lions.and they,even though they were hungry,did not hurt him.Habbakuk brought him food and Daniel said,"Has God remembered me?"If God didn't remember the Prophet Daniel in the lions den,whom would He remember?
-Elder,some people don't have any dreams.
-It is better that they don't!But by dreaming,of course,people spend no money for tickets or fuel!In our dreams we can see in an instant something that in reality would take hours,even days,because the concept of time is abolished.This is where one can understand the verse from he psalm:For a thousand years in Thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past.
Beware of Visions
-Elder,What should we say when people come and tell us of visions or of saints they have seen?
-It is better to tell them to be cautious.This is safer,because not everyone can discern if a vision is from God or from the devil.Even if a vision is from God,one should not really accept it.After all,God is moved,in a sense,when He sees His creature not accepting the vision immediately,because this indicates humility.If indeed a Saint appeared in a vision,God would surely find another way to inform the soul and guide it to the desirable purpose.We must be careful and aware that it is possible for the devil to come,press the button and turn on the "television"...
There was a soul who had not received help from people,and for this reason she was entitled to divine help.God revealed something to her in order to help her.But then the devil put some thoughts in her head:"It seems that God has something more sublime in store for you,who knows?Otherwise,why would He have endowed you with that vision?"From the moment she believed this,the devil started his work and controlled her!But in the end,God had pity on her and helped her again.She had a vision and heard a voice telling her,"Write to Father Paisios and tell him all the visions you have seen."So she wrote me a letter relating all the visions she had had.The tempter,the devil,had really confused her.They were real visions;but they were all from the tempter.Of all the visions she had related,only the first and the last were from God.The last one was permitted by God to help her come to her senses and to be rid of the deception.In the end,the poor woman took heart what I told her,and she was freed.
Taken from ELDER PAISIOS OF MOUNT ATHOS,Spiritual Counsels Vol3 "Spiritual Struggle"
Be zealous after love: all things shall pass away, but love shall eternally remain, as God Himself, who is Love.
Excerpts from the diary of St. John of Kronstadt on Love
Love calms and agreeably expands the heart and vivifies it, whilst hatred painfully contracts and disturbs it. Those who hate others torture and tyrannise themselves
What is sweeter than love? And yet there is not much love in us! Wherefore? We love our flesh exceedingly, and with it everything carnal, material and earthly! Let us, therefore, despise the flesh and walk by the spirit, mortifying the works of the flesh by the spirit.
Lord! Thou, Whose love to us infinitely surpasses the love of every father, of every mother, of the tenderest wife, have mercy upon us!
Looking upon the Saviour's cross, contemplate Love, crucified upon it for our salvation; and think, for what blessedness He has saved us, and from what torments He has redeemed us! He has snatched us from the jaws of the beast and has brought us to the Father! O love! O redemption! O terrors of everlasting torments! O indescribable, endless blessedness!
The most abominable enemy [the devil] endeavours to destroy love by love itself: love for God and our neighbour — by love for the world, for its fleeting blessings and its corrupt, impious habits, by carnal love, by the love of riches, of honours, of pleasure, of various amusements. Therefore let us extinguish every love for this world in ourselves, and let us kindle in ourselves, by self-denial, love for God and our neighbour. Every beauty in this world (personal beauty) is only a faint, insignificant shadow of the uncreated beauty, of the unspeakable goodness of God's face; every earthly enjoyment is nothing in comparison to future delights. I pray, Lord, that the faith of Christ may penetrate into the depths of my heart, that Christ's Gospel may penetrate all my thoughts, feelings, words, and deeds, into all my bones and my brains, and not me only, but all men, as the universal truth, the highest wisdom, and the life eternal. " And this is life eternal, that they might know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, Whom Thou hast sent."[806]
The heart that loves carnal delights is unfaithful to the Lord. "Ye cannot serve God and Mammon."[509]
What is mercy? Mercy is to love our enemies, to bless those who curse us, to do good to those who hate us, who do us harm, who drive us away, to defend those who are persecuted, and so on.
What is the name of our God? Love, Mercy, Compassion, Bountifulness. When you pray, contemplate with the eyes of your heart Love and Mercy standing before you — the Lover of men listening to you.
God is love, and I am an image of God; therefore I ought to be all love. God is the most perfect good, free from the least shadow of evil; I am an image of God; therefore I ought also to be perfectly good, without even a shadow of evil.
Love does not suffer self-justification, does not exalt itself, is not puffed up.
In order to test yourself, whether you love your neighbour in accordance with the Gospel, pay attention to yourself at the time when others offend you, abuse you, mock at you, or do not render you the respect due to you, and which is customary in social intercourse, or when your subordinates err against the rules of the service, and are negligent. If you remain calm on such occasions, are not filled with the spirit of enmity, hatred, impatience — if you continue to love these persons as much as previously, before their offences or negligence, then you do love your neighbour in accordance with the Gospel; but if you become irritable, angry, agitated, then you do not do so. "If ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others?"[792]
The purer the heart is, the larger it is, and the more able it is to find room within it for a greater number of beloved ones; whilst the more sinful it is, the more contracted it becomes, and the less number of beloved can it find room for, because it is limited by self-love, and that love is a false one; we love ourselves in objects unworthy of the immortal soul — in silver and gold, in adultery, in drunkenness, and such like.
We stand before the altar of love in the presence of Incarnate Love Itself, but we have no love to each other. How strange it is! And we do not even care about this. But love will not come of itself without our zeal, efforts and activity.
Up till now you have not learned to love your neighbour. You answer men's dislike towards you by dislike on your part. But do the contrary; answer others' dislike by heartfelt goodwill and love; the more dislike you see towards you, the more you should love. Dislike is a malady, and a sick person should be more pitied, should be shown greater care and greater love, exactly because he is ill. Do you not know that the bodiless enemy uses his craftiness against all, infects all with the poison of his hatred? And you, too, are not exempt from his craftiness. Do not serve him, then, the spirit of enmity, but serve the God of love with the utmost zeal. Remember that God the Word died for your brethren.
The Lord is my life, my breath, my strength, my light, peace and joy, my food and drink; what shall I bring to such a Benefactor, or what shall I render unto Him? I will render unto Him, with His help, obedience to His Will, the fulfilment of His commandments. "If ye love Me," says He Himself, "keep My commandments."[1227] I will endeavour to please Him by seeking the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and by counting earthly blessings as naught in comparison to heavenly ones; I will not let my heart cleave to anything earthly. O, Lord! grant me strength to accomplish this. Strengthen me Thyself by Thy right hand. My Strength, do not forsake me! Grant that I may put my trust in Thee alone, my Nourisher — in Thee, Who hast never forsaken me!
St. John of Kronstadt
Την οικογένεια αποτελούν οι γονείς και τα παιδιά. Περί αυτών απλά και πρακτικά θα μιλήσουμε με πόνο και αγάπη, όχι ως δάσκαλοι αλλά ως συμπαθούντες αδελφοί.
Το πνεύμα του κόσμου έφερε μέσα στην οικογένεια ταραχή, αποσύνδεση, εν ονόματι της ελευθερίας και των δικαιωμάτων, ρήξη και διαμάχη.
Η αντιλογία, η γκρίνεια, ο καυγάς, η απειλή, η ψυχρότητα σκιάζουν πολλά σπίτια. Απουσιάζει η αλληλοπεριχώρηση, η αλληλοκατανόηση και ο αλληλοσεβασμός. Η εκκλησιαστική ζωή μόνο θα μας επαναφέρει στην ευθεία. Τότε είναι περιττές όποιες άλλες γνώμες, νουθεσίες και συμβουλές. Η απεκκλησιοποίησή μας θέριεψε το εγώ μας και μας θέλει κυρίαρχους και εξουσιαστές των πάντων, ακόμη και των πολύ δικών μας ανθρώπων, των συζύγων, των παιδιών. Όταν λέμε εκκλησιαστική ζωή δεν θεωρούμε μια γενικά καλή αντίληψη για την εκκλησία, μια πίστη σε ένα ανώτατο ον, μια ευχάριστη ιδεολογία. Η ζωή της Εκκλησίας είναι συγκεκριμένη, με ορθή πίστη στο ζώντα Τριαδικό Θεό, λατρευτική ζωή, αγωνιστική πορεία καθάρσεως και αγιασμού.
Οι γονείς αξίζει από μικρά να οδηγούν τα παιδιά τους τακτικά στην Εκκλησία. Να συνηθίζουν, να λειτουργούνται, να ασπάζονται τις εικόνες, να κάνουν σωστά το σταυρό τους, να κοινωνούν των αχράντων μυστηρίων. Ας είναι ζωηρά και άτακτα, ας κλαίνε, δεν πειράζει, μαθαίνουν, μυρίζουν τα ρούχα τους λιβάνι, ευλογούνται, αγιάζονται. Με μεγάλη μου λύπη είδα σε ορθόδοξους ναούς στην Αμερική, την ώρα της θείας Λειτουργίας να είναι στο υπόγειο τα παιδάκια με την νηπιαγωγό, για να μην ενοχλούν στο ναό τους προσευχόμενους ...Είναι απαραίτητο από μικρά τα παιδιά να μάθουν τον τακτικό εκκλησιασμό. Ας μη καταλαβαίνουν, η χάρη ενεργεί πλούσια εντός τους.
Με το «δι' ευχών» δεν τελειώνει η θεία Λειτουργία και τα «θρησκευτικά μας καθήκοντα». Χριστιανοί δεν είμαστε μόνο στην εκκλησία. Η εκκλησία θα πρέπει να επεκταθεί στο σπίτι μας. Να υπάρχει εκεί το προσευχητάρι, όχι μόνο για τις δύσκολες ώρες, αλλά καθημερινά. Εκεί ν' αρχίζει και να τελειώνει η ημέρα. Μακάρι να είναι όλη μαζί η οικογένεια. Αν είναι δύσκολο κι ένας ένας. Τι ωραίο να συνδεθεί κανείς από μικρός με την προσευχή. Δεν θάχει ποτέ μοναξιά. Θάχει ανοικτό μόνιμο δίαυλο με τον Θεό. Αν κανείς παραπονείται από έλλειψη χρόνου, μπορεί να προσεύχεται και στον δρόμο, και στο αυτοκίνητο και στο γραφείο. Δεν χρειάζονται βιβλία και γνώσεις" κι ένα «Κύριε ελέησον» εγκάρδιο, είναι ωραία προσευχή. Αρκεί να λέγεται με συναίσθηση, με ταπείνωση. Οι μητέρες, οι νοικοκυρές, οι δασκάλες, οι νοσοκόμες, όλες οι γυναίκες, οι άνδρες, στα κτήματα, στις οικοδομές, στις τράπεζες, στα ταξίδια" τα παιδιά και στο παιχνίδι και στο σχολείο και στο δωμάτιό τους μπορούν να λένε μία μικρή προσευχή μόνο πέντε μικρών λέξεων: «Κύριε Ιησού Χριστέ ελέησόν με!»
Να μάθει κανείς από νωρίς να κάνει τον σταυρό του, που ξυπνά, που κοιμάται, που ξεκινά κι επιστρέφει στο σπίτι, που αρχίζει και τελειώνει το φαγητό του ή την εργασία του, που πιάνει το τιμόνι ή το μολύβι. Τι ωραίο να ζητάμε πάντα τη βοήθεια του Θεού για όλα. Και θα την έχουμε. Γι' αυτό υπάρχει, για να δίνει σε αυτούς που του ζητούν, για ν' ανοίγει σε αυτούς που του κρούουν, για ν' ακούει αυτούς που τον επικαλούνται.
Εμπνευστής, χειραγωγός, συνδετικός κρίκος της οικογένειας είναι ένας καλός κι έμπειρος πνευματικός πατέρας. Καλό είναι να είναι ένας για όλα τα μέλη της οικογένειας. Όταν όμως για διάφορους λόγους δεν γίνεται, δεν πειράζει πολύ. Σημασία έχει να υπάρχει πνευματικός κι ας μην είναι κοινός, ώστε να δίνει κοινή γραμμή πλεύσεως. Καλό επίσης είναι από μικρά και τα παιδιά -από τότε που καταλαβαίνουν- να μάθουν την εξομολόγηση. Ούτε να τα ξεθαρρεύουμε ούτε και να τα φοβίζουμε γι' αυτό. Φυσιολογικά, απλά, ειρηνικά, με φόβο Θεού, με σεβασμό, ειλικρίνεια και τιμιότητα. Σε αυτό θα βοηθήσουν και οι γονείς και οι πνευματικοί, δίχως βία, πίεση και καταπίεση, που φέρνουν αντίδραση κι άσχημα αποτελέσματα.
Μοναχός Μωυσής Αγιορείτης
Ο ΟΣΙΟΣ Εφραίμ, που η Εκκλησία μας εορτάζει στις 28 Ιανουαρίου, είναι ο μεγαλύτερος Σύρος ασκητικός πατέρας, θεολόγος και ποιητής.
Γεννήθηκε το 306 και ανατράφηκε μέσα σε χριστιανικό περιβάλλον. Πολύ νέος, φλεγόμενος από την αγάπη προς το Θεό, έγινε μοναχός. Γρήγορα αναδείχθηκε σε μεγάλο διδάσκαλο μοναχών και λαικών.
Συνέθεσε πολυάριθμους και συγκλονιστικούς ύμνους και λόγους. Η διδαχή του όλους τους συνάρπαζε και πολλούς έσωζε. Οι κατανυκτικές του ομιλίες, ιδίως για τη μέλλουσα κρίση και τον παράδεισο, συνοδεύονταν από ακατάπαυστα δάκρυα.
Πορεύθηκε στους ουρανούς το 373. Η ηχώ όμως των λόγων του φτάνει με την ίδια ζωντάνια μέχρι την εποχή μας.
Ο άγιος Γρηγόριος Νύσσης, σ ένα εγκώμιό του σ αυτόν, με μεγάλο θαυμασμό αναφέρει: «Ποιός απ' όσους αναζητούν τη χαρά στις υλικές απολαύσεις και αποστρέφονται τα δάκρυα, όταν ακούσει λίγα από τα λόγια του άγιου Εφραίμ, δεν θα θρηνήσει, δεν θα κλάψει και δεν θα θυμηθεί τη μέλλουσα ανταπόδοση; Ποιός θα μελετήσει τους λόγους του για τη μέλλουσα κρίση, δηλαδή τη δευτέρα παρουσία του Χριστού, και δεν θα νομίσει ότι βρίσκεται από τώρα μπροστά στο δικαστήριο εκείνο, περιμένοντας έντρομος την τελική απόφαση της καταδίκης του; Έτσι ζωγράφισε το μελλοντικό δικαστήριο του Θεού ο φημισμένος και προφητικότατος άγιος, ώστε τίποτα πλέον να μην παραμένει άγνωστο γι' αυτό».
Η δεύτερη έλευση του Κυρίου είναι μία αναμφισβήτητη αλήθεια. Πολλοί από μας, ίσως ασυναίσθητα, προσπαθούμε να την απωθήσουμε, ως ενοχλητική, σε κάποια σκοτεινή γωνιά της ψυχής μας. Άλλοι, ίσως παγιδευμένοι από την οίηση, την αντιμετωπίζουμε με φαρισαική αυτοπεποίθηση.
Σκοπός του παρόντος φυλλαδίου είναι να γίνει γνωστό στο ευρύτερο κοινό το κατανυκτικό και αφυπνιστικό κήρυγμα του όσιου Εφραίμ. Ίσως έτσι μερικές καλοπροαίρετες ψυχές να βγούν από το λήθαργο των ψευδαισθήσεων, καθώς θα δούν παραστατικά από τώρα τη μεγαλειώδη και συγκλονιστική δευτέρα παρουσία του Κυρίου μας.
ΟΣΙΟΥ ΕΦΡΑΙΜ ΤΟΥ ΣΥΡΟΥ
All the saints of our Church "ended their lives after a good struggle and keeping the faith".
The saints are good-conquering strugglers and undaunted confessors. They were visited by the Holy Spirit and graced. They were not just good, kind, noble, smiling, and ethical, but they were icons of Christ. They are the ones that remain always indissolubly united with Christ, who reveal to the world and lead people to Christ. The saints assure us that the gospel is feasible and practicable throughout the centuries and we can if we want strive to unite with Christ. The saints by accepting Christ in their lives unreservedly are made christ-like, and become christ-bearers and christ-seers. In this way they testify, confess, preach, and present everywhere and always Him. They cannot live without Christ. For them He is everything.
Quite often we are given various opportunities to confess Christ. Sometimes we do it promptly and pleasantly, sometimes with difficulty and sometimes out of fear or shame not at all. The true believer confesses Christ always fearlessly, because they keep living in repentance and humility. He feels weak, but trusts fully in Christ and is richly strengthened. He confesses Christ Who is in him. Sometimes it is hard to confess Christ even to those very near and dear to us. Then, according to the Gospel, they become "household enemies of this man". It happens that our own people do not understand us, but shouldn't we make an attempt to discreetly talk about Christ. Or sometimes we go to the opposite end. We talk to them so much about Christ, where in the end we fatigue them, sicken them, and repress them, so they do not even want to hear about Christ. We can never push or dominate or threaten anyone, and even more our own people, to follow Christ.
Christ is freedom and love. He invites, and requires no blackmail. We are called to inspire people to love Christ. When man is self-imprisoned by the mighty "ego", suffering from selfishness, individualism, egopathy and pride, it is difficult to love others, more so God. And thus he is unable to confess in front of people. Whoever does not confess, this means that they don't have love. Whoever does not love is self-sentenced to an icy loneliness, which will begin in this life and continue to eternity. The selfish egoist feels the love of God as fire, and cannot resist it, does not want it, is bothered by it, and it burns him.
...
Today there are Christians who love the saints, study the lives of the saints, running to their feasts, lighting oil lamps to them, venerating their icons, building temples in their honor, as well as shrines, icons, lamps, bread, prosfora, boiled wheat and so on. There also exist those who do not love the saints, and I am not speaking about atheists, the impious and the irreligious, but those influenced by rationalism, from an intellectual modern theology, which considers all these things as sicknesses of non-theological popular piety. Unfortunately much of the Christian world has not fully realized the great value and importance of saints in our lives.
The reverence, piety and fervor of the faithful lovers of saints have not disappeared in our days. One can see and rejoice over houses full of icons, with an unwaning vigil lamp, unquenchable candle and censer; simple grandmothers speaking with tears about the wonderful presence of the saints in their lives, hoping in the intercessions of the saints and the Theotokos to save them and help them to enter into Paradise. The lovers of saints are those who seek also today real saints to be upheld and benefited. They do not create and imagine saints, nor follow those who play a god or false saints, but bow to true and genuine holiness. The lovers of saints are the finest of the congregation in the parishes. They continue the tradition, honor reverently the memories of our saints, are not easily scandalized by false saints and are not affected and ridden by ecclesiastical scandals, real or not. When found in difficult conditions, such as being under a totalitarian regime, they endure bravely, hopeful and victorious.
The saints always remain humble, because they have the certain conviction that what is good has been given from above, and are not their own spoils. So the saints can't boast about their gifts, being given by the Father of Lights. Our saints, in full consciousness of their gifts, give all glory, honor and worship to God the Gift-giver. When they are praised by people they praise the Source of all good, the All-Good God. The more God sees man humble himself, the more He blesses him and graces him, since always "to the humble He gives grace". A charismatic who uses his gifts to his own glory and gain, surely will soon lose it, and be exhibited miserably in the eyes of people he exploited. From this life he will be confused, bewildered and wretched and he will expect eternal hell.
There exists, my beloved, plenty of hidden holiness in our troubled times. Not only in life nameless, unknown, obscure monks in the deserts and monasteries, but also in the world. Spouses who endure the resignation and capricious prodigality of spouses - drunkards, night owls, worthless and indifferent. Who are not led to divorce, but endure and hope and pray and leave a good example for their children. The attitude of the mother teaches the children, she is an excellent example, an incitement to virtue. This course they will not ever forget in their lives. This heroic attitude can convert a violent husband and definitely give you the crown of patience for the long, and sometimes a life of, suffering. We have known such rare heroines of faith, who for many years lived a horrible secret and torment in silence, patience, prayer, tears, humility, trust and hope in God. How can God not grace such beautiful souls?
You see, holiness has many aspects. Those in the world will not be judged because they do not do a lot of prayer, though there are some who do more than monks. St. John Chrysostom said: the laity will be saved by almsgiving. Almsgiving shows a humble soul who knows how to love. In this wicked and challenging era, whoever is humbled, chaste, pure, honorable, honest, fair, righteous and prudent will have much in heaven.
Monk Moses the Athonite
This is a story of a child called Charlie who was diagnosed with cancer when he was only five years old. In fact, on the fifth day of the fifth month of 2005.
My name is Charlie Williams. I could have died by now. I recently found out I was not going to die. At Addenbrooke‘s Hospital I had to endure medical treatments that included radiotherapy, which involved me going into a cylindrical tunnel for about half an hour, which is quite scary for a 6 year old, as I was at the time.
I also had several MRI scans, also in a cylindrical tunnel, with all kinds of noises while you are inside. The chemotherapy was through a drip which was inserted into my body, in my upper chest, like a transfusion, and went on for a few hours at a time every month. I also had to have lots of blood transfusions. Needles aren’t the nicest thing in the world, and I used to be petrified of them, so you can imagine what it felt like for me to have them inserted into me so often as a child. But I’m used to them now.
Do you think you could cope with all that medical treatment? How do you think it would change you as a person? Being ill, and knowing that there may be a chance that you will lose the things that make up your life, makes you value those things. For instance, material things like computers and calculators, even pens and pencils, become special things in a way, because you realise that without them you would not have the tools for your education. A simple pencil may mean nothing to a child in my school, but to a child in, say, a poor village in Uganda, it may just be the start of a lifetime of education. I think about these kinds of things now after being ill for so long. In most classes in this school, there will always be one child (sometimes more, sometimes even three) who will distract the rest of the children by doing something daft or ~. It happens so often, maybe every five minutes, sometimes every minute. The person doing it seems to want to be the centre of attention he uses the whole class as his stage, to do his performance. He doesn’t really care that there are other people there who really want to learn the subject the teacher is teaching. He just wants to distract anyone else who, like him, doesn’t care about learning. He is basically being selfish. I just look at people like him and think, ‘why’? Once in a blue moon, I will also misbehave, don’t we all, whether we are children or adults, it’s part of growing up, and part of life. But like I said, it’s once in a blue moon, not every minute of the day.
Being seriously ill makes you think about these sorts of things, because you think about what is important and what’s not. I wonder if those children, who don’t care and don’t behave, all had cancer one day, like me. Would it change them? For all you children, food is not just vital, you love good food, think about all those things you love to eat: chocolate, cheeseburgers, fries, sweets, cakes, sausages, roast dinner, and loads of other things. But imagine several days of not being able to put anything, even a drop of water, in your mouth. When you have to have so many operations and medicines, you just can’t keep anything down. While in hospital, I would go to the canteen and watch people eating, but not be able to eat anything myself. Just think if you were that person dying for something to eat and all you can think about is food, but you have to fast for so many hours. Since I couldn’t eat much, I was fitted with a tube up my nose (sounds horrible but you have to have what you need or die). It was a little machine fitted with a glass bottle which gave me everything I needed for nourishment. All that time I couldn’t eat like a normal child, made me fussy about my food; now I know what I am safe with and what I like. I have sausages every night! Parents may seem unfair or not let you do things you want, but they will always help you. They feed you, they clothe you and they give you a home, but most of all they help you when you are hurt. My mum and dad sat with me day after day in the hospital, and watched me being pulled about, having all kinds of medical treatment I couldn’t stand. I know first hand what parents go through when they see their child in pain. I’m sure that when I was diagnosed with the brain tumour, they thought I would not get through it. Can you imagine if your parents thought you were going to die?
Now you have heard from a real life cancer survivor, I hope my story has shocked you in some way into thinking about your own lives. Here I am a normal child but one who has had an awful journey in the start of his childhood. But I have also had something positive from it all in that I am more serious and thoughtful about life. It makes me behave better at school and work harder. Cancer has made me take a step back and look through the window of life at what is ahead of me.
One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord.Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky.In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand.
Sometimes there were two sets of footprints,other times there were one set of footprints.
This bothered me because I noticedthat during the low periods of my life,when I was suffering from
anguish, sorrow or defeat,I could see only one set of footprints.
So I said to the Lord,”You promised me Lord,that if I followed you,you would walk with me always.
But I have noticed that duringthe most trying periods of my life there have only been one set of footprints in the sand.
Why, when I needed you most, you have not been there for me?”
The Lord replied, ”The times when you have
seen only one set of footprints,
is when I carried you.”
The Orthodox Church believes that man's fall was preceded by the fall of the spiritual world. The angels, being God's creatures, were good. They were not "immutable" towards evil however; i.e. their virtue was not the result of necessity but of free choice. After their free choice of the good, being sanctified by the Spirit, they would remain immovable towards evil, becoming divinized through their ascent towards the first Good. This is stressed by one of the hymns of our Church:
"Being sanctified by the Spirit, The multitude of the Angels Remain immovable towards evil, Being divinized through their Ascent to the prime Good."
This however was not the case with Lucifer and his angels, who moved towards evil, towards apostasy. According to the Christian faith, Lucifer is not a condition or a negative element in God's creation, but a distinct person. That is to say, we believe in the existence of Lucifer, who after his fall was transformed into the Devil or Satan.
According to the Orthodox faith which is supported by divine Revelation, two eternal principles do not exist. Everything, all that came into existence, was created by God "very good" (Gen. 1,31). Lucifer's fall and that of his angels therefore was not due to their nature. The source of their fall is to be found in their evil disposition. Lucifer's choice aimed at his personal exaltation autonomously, i.e. cut off from God's love. The result was the exact opposite of the aim: " I shall ascend to heaven; above the stars of heaven shall I set my throne...I shall become similar to the Most High; Now, behold, you shall descend to Hades and to the foundations of the earth" (Is. 14,13-15).
The Devil, out of enmity for man, lured him to apostasy. He put into his mind the evil thought that he could achieve the purpose of his life, the likeness of God, autonomy. The Devil's aim was to detach man from his communion with God and in this way to set at nought God's plan for man. He certainly knew that man had been created according to God's image, i.e. free, and that God, out of love, would not violate man's freedom.
In order to help man make his conscientious choice, God instituted a prohibition: that of eating from the "tree of knowledge of good and evil", and forewarned man that if he transgressed this commandment, he would cut himself off from union with Him, i.e., he would die (Gen. 2,17).
The Devil appeared to man in disguise, and reversed God's word, maintaining that the transgressing of God's commandment would lead to theosis (Gen.3,5). Yet still man's fall would not have come about if he with his free will had not responded to the Devil's call. Man's act of eating of the forbidden fruit was an act of communion with the Devil, and not with God, Hence, it was an act that was aimed against man's very nature, since man was by nature a communion of love with God and with His works.
The consequences of the fall were fearful. The centre of man's life was moved from God to himself. He did not take into consideration the difference between created and uncreated, between creation and the Creator. He thought that he could, by himself, overcome the ontological chasm. The result was that he distanced himself from the only road that led to the fulfilment of his life's purpose, as it had been determined by the Creator Himself. This independence of man signified his being stripped of God's grace and being led to spiritual death. These fearful ramifications of the fall are outlined in the verses of the "Great Canon":
"I have lost the beauty with which I was created, and my propriety, And now I am naked and ashamed".
God, however, did not cease to love His creature. He allowed natural death as a consequence of the fall: not as a punishment but as a protection, so that man might not sin eternally and evil become immortal. Death then is a pedagogical measure from God with a purpose to restore the apostate to the communion of love and life with the eternal and immortal God.
This truth is especially underlined in the prayer of the Burial Service:
"O Lord our God, who in thine ineffable wisdom hast created man, fashioning him out of the dust, and adorning him with comeliness and goodness, as an honourable and heavenly acquisition, to the exaltation and magnificence of thy glory and kingdom, that thou mightest bring him into this image and likeness; but forasmuch as he sinned against the command of thy statute, having accepted the image but preserved it not, and because, also, evil, should not be eternal: Thou hast ordained remission unto the same, through thy love toward mankind; and that this destructible bond, which as the God of our fathers thou hadst sanctified by thy divine will, should be dissolved, and that his body should be dissolved from the elements of which it was fashioned, but that his soul should be translated to that place where it shall take up its abode until the final Resurrection....."
Death, however, remains for the mind of the faithful a fearful and unapproachable mystery. This is expressed in a unique way in the sacred texts of the Burial Service:
"I weep and I wail when I think upon death, and behold our beauty, fashioned after the image of God, lying in the tomb
disfigured, dishonoured, bereft of form. Ο marvel!
What is this mystery which doth befall us?.." "Indeed most fearful is the mystery of death: how the soul is violently separated from its harmony with the body, and how the most natural bond by which they grew together is severed by the divine will.."
For the believer, however, this is not a dead-end: "Brethren, we would not have you ignorant concerning those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep...Therefore comfort one another with these words." (I Thessalonians 4, 13-18).
Another consequence of the breaking off of the love between God and man was the weakening of human nature itself. When Adam first saw his fellow—man, Eve, he said that she was not anything different from himself but bone from his bones and flesh from his flesh (Gen. 2,23). This attitude changed completely after the fall: Adam was not willing to share the blame for Eve's disobedience (Gen. 3,12). After the fall, man no longer saw himself in the face of his brother; he no longer understood the unity of human nature.
In the condition that came about after the fall, men lost the feeling that they constitute a communion of persons and acquired the self-awareness of particular individuals, which led to the severing of the one mankind that God had created. Even language, that instrument of communication between men, when apostasy reached its height on the tower of Babel, was transformed into an instrument hindering communication.
Man's autonomy had fearful consequences upon God's creation. Enmity and disharmony were also transferred to man's relations with the rest of creation. Man is no longer able to hold his sovereign position within creation, and be the centre of unity and harmony of all that God created. He began making egoistical use of the world and to drag with him everything into servitude to corruption. All of creation was thus subdued unto "futility", we are told by St. Paul, not willingly but because of "him who subjected it", because of man.(Rom. 8, 20-21).
Holy Scripture says: "And to Adam he [God] said, "Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree...cursed is the ground because of you; in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life...in the sweat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground, out of which you were taken..." (Gen. 3, 17-19).
This was a means of teaching man and aimed at his return, from within the state of corruption, to incorruption and to immortality for which God had predestined him: a new challenge for man's will.
Man, however, was not moved to repentance or nostalgia for God's paradise where he had freely submitted his personal will to God's will. Hence, the march along the path of separation and fall continued. But God never ceased loving man; He never ceased challenging afresh his predisposition or preparing his final restoration.
Πρίν πολλά χρόνια καί μετά τήν λήξη τοῦ ἐμφυλίου σπαραγμοῦ καί τοῦ ἀδελφοκτόνου πολέμου, σέ κάποιο χωριό, ἔγινε ἕνας φόνος, γιά πολιτικούς μᾶλλον λόγους καί ἐξαιτίας τοῦ μεγάλου φανατισμοῦ, πού ἐπικρατοῦσε ἐκείνη τήν ἐποχή. Κατηγορήθηκε, λοιπόν, κάποιος χωριανός, ὁ Πέτρος Γ. καί μέ τίς μαρτυρίες πέντε συγχωριανῶν του δικάστηκε καί καταδικάστηκε σέ 30 χρόνια φυλάκιση. Ὁ κατηγορούμενος ὅμως ἰσχυρίζετο συνεχῶς ὅτι ἦτο ἀθῶος. Κλείσθηκε σέ ἀγροτικές φυλακές, ἀλλά μέρα-νύχτα διαλαλοῦσε καί μονολογοῦσε ὅτι ἦτο ἀθῶος. Σ' αὐτές τίς φυλακές πήγαινε μιὰ φορά τόν μήνα ἕνας εὐλαβέστατος ἱερεύς καί λειτουργοῦσε στό ἐκκλησάκι πού ὑπῆρχε καί κατόπιν ἐδέχετο γιά ἐξομολόγηση ὅσους ἐκ τῶν φυλακισμένων τό ἐπιθυμοῦσαν. Ὕστερα ἀπό 5-6 μῆνες, πῆγε καί ὁ ἐν λόγω χωριανός στόν εὐλαβῆ ἐκεῖνον ἱερέα καί ἐξομολόγο, καί ἐνώπιον τοῦ Ἁγίου Θεοῦ καί μπροστά στό πετραχήλι τοῦ Πνευματικοῦ, βεβαίωνε μέ ὅρκους ὅτι ἦταν ἀθῶος.
Ἀπό τότε πού ἐξομολογήθηκε μέσα στίς φυλακές ὁ Πέτρος Γ., ἄλλαξε τελείως διαγωγή καί ἔγινε ὁ ἄνθρωπος τῆς προσευχῆς καί τῆς μελέτης τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου, πού τοῦ δώρησε ἐκεῖνος ὁ καλός ἱερεύς. Μέσα σ' ἕναν χρόνο ἀλλοιώθηκε τόσο πολύ, πού ὅλοι οἱ συγκρατούμενοί του καί βαρυποινίτες ἄρχισαν νά τόν σέβωνται καί νά τοῦ φέρωνται φιλικά. Καί μέ τήν Χάρι καί τόν φωτισμό τοῦ Θεοῦ γρήγορα πείσθηκε ὁ εὐλαβής ἱερεύς γιά τήν ἀθωώτητά του, ὥστε τοῦ ἐπέτρεπε νά κοινωνῆ κάθε φορὰ πού λειτουργοῦσε στίς φυλακές.
Ὁ ἱερεύς προσπάθησε κάτι νά κάμη μέσω κάποιων δικηγόρων, ἀλλά οἱ μάρτυρες ἦσαν ἀπολύτως κατηγορηματικοί, γιατί ἦσαν δῆθεν παρόντες στόν φόνο. Παρά ταῦτα ὁ Ἐξομολόγος πίστευε ὅτι ὄντως ἦτο ἀθῶος καί θύμα σκευωρίας. Ὁ Πέτρος Γ. ὄχι μόνο προσηύχετο μέ τό Ὄνομα τοῦ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, πού τό ἔμαθε ἀπό τό βιβλίο «Οἱ περιπέτειες ἑνός προσκυνητοῦ», ἀλλά μελετοῦσε τό Εὐαγγέλιο καί κοινωνοῦσε τῶν ἀχράντων Μυστηρίων, σκορπώντας σέ ὅλους τοὺς συγκρατουμένους του πολλή καλωσύνη. Συγχωροῦσε δέ μέ ὅλη του τήν καρδιά καί τούς κατηγόρους του καί αὐτόν ἀκόμα τόν ἄγνωστο φονιά. Δέν φταῖνε, οἱ καημένοι, ἔλεγε. Φταίει τό πολιτικό καί ἰδεολογικό πάθος, φταίει καί ὁ διάβολος πού τούς σκοτεινίασε τό μυαλό κι ἔτσι κρύψανε τήν ἀλήθεια. Θεέ μου, συγχώρεσέ τους· καί ἀπό μένα νά 'ναι συγχωρεμένοι. καί χάρισέ τους πλούτη καί ἀγαθά πολλά, ἀλλά χάρισέ τους προπαντός καί ἰδιαιτέρως φωτισμό καί ὑγεία.
Ἔτσι πέρασαν 19 χρόνια. Κατόπιν, λόγω τῆς καλῆς καί ἀρίστης διαγωγῆς καί ἐπειδή ἔκανε καί στίς τότε ἀγροτικές φυλακές, ὅπου ἐμειώνετο ἡ ποινή, ἀποφυλακίσθηκε. Ἦτο πλέον 50 ἐτῶν. Στό χωριό ὅμως δέν ἔγινε δεκτός, ἐπειδή τόν πίστευαν ὅλοι γιά φονιά καί κυρίως οἱ συγγενεῖς τοῦ φονευμένου. Ἔτσι, μετακόμισε σέ μία γειτονική πόλι καί ἔκαμε τόν ἐργάτη, τόν οἰκοδόμο καί κυρίως τόν μαραγκό, δουλειά πού τήν ἔμαθε στήν φυλακή. Ἡ ζωή του ὅμως ἐξακολουθοῦσε νά εἶναι ζωή ἑνός ἀληθινοῦ χριστιανοῦ, μέ τήν ἀκριβῆ συμμετοχή στά Μυστήρια, μέ τήν σωστή τήρηση τῶν εὐαγγελικῶν ἐντολῶν καί ἰδιαιτέρως μέ τήν προσευχή. Ἡ προσευχή ἦταν τό ὀξυγόνο τῆς ζωῆς του. Ἡ Εὐχή καί τό Εὐαγγέλιο ἦσαν γι' αὐτόν «ἄρτος ζωῆς» καί «ὕδωρ ζῶν».
Μία κοπέλα 42 ἐτῶν, θεολόγος σέ κάποιο Γυμνάσιο τῆς περιοχῆς, πληροφορήθηκε ἀπό τόν Πνευματικό τῶν φυλακῶν, πού ἦτο καί δικός της Πνευματικός, τά πάντα γιά τόν Πέτρο Γ. καί ἰδιαιτέρως γιά τό πόσο ἦτο ἀφοσιωμένος στόν Χριστό καί στήν Ἐκκλησία Του. Πῆγε, τόν βρῆκε καί κατόπιν τόν ζήτησε ἡ ἴδια σέ γάμο!. Ἀπό τόν εὐλογημένο αὐτό γάμο προῆλθαν δυό παιδιά, ὑγιέστατα.
Ὕστερα ἀπό μερικά χρόνια, στό χωριό πού ἔγινε ὁ φόνος, κάποιος ἀρρώστησε βαρειά μέ ἀνεξήγητους φοβερούς πόνους σέ ὅλο του τό σῶμα. Ἡ ἐπιστήμη μέ τούς γιατρούς καί τίς κλινικές ἐξετάσεις, πού ἦσαν προηγμένες, στάθηκαν ἀδύνατον νά τόν βοηθήσουν!!! Οὔτε κἄν τήν αἰτία δέν μπόρεσαν νά ἐντοπίσουν!
Ἔτσι, μιὰ βραδυά στό σπίτι του, ἀφοῦ ἐπέστρεψε ἀπό τό νοσοκομεῖο, σ' αὐτήν τήν φοβερή κατάστασι, ἄρχισε νά κραυγάζη μέσα στούς φοβερούς του πόνους ὅτι αὐτός ἦτο ὁ φονιάς καί μέ τούς 4 ψευδομάρτυρες, τούς ὁποίους ἐξηγόρασε μέ μεγάλα χρηματικά ποσά, κατηγόρησαν τόν Πέτρο Γ., ποὺ συμπτωματικά περνοῦσε ἀπό ἐκεῖνο τό σταυροδρόμι, τήν ὥρα πού ἔγινε ὁ φόνος.
Φώναξαν τόν ἀστυνόμο τοῦ τμήματος τοῦ χωριοῦ, ὑπέγραψε τήν ὁμολογία του κατονομάζοντας καί τούς 4 ψευδομάρτυρες καί συνεργούς του. Ποιά νομική διαδικασία ἀκολουθήθηκε μετά, δέν γνωρίζω. Ἡ ὁμολογία του ὅμως ἔκανε κρότο στό χωριό, προκαλώντας σύγχυσι, ταραχές καί πολλές κατάρες, οἱ ὁποῖες βάραιναν τόν φονιά.
Παρά ταῦτα, ἡ ψυχή τοῦ φονιᾶ δέν ἔφευγε. Κι αὐτός ἐξακολουθοῦσε νά τσιρίζη καί νά κραυγάζη. Ὁ Πέτρος Γ., ὅπως ἦτο ἑπόμενον, τό ἔμαθε. Δέν κίνησε ὅμως καμιά διαδικασία γιά τήν ἀποκατάστασι τῆς τιμῆς του μέ ἀναθεώρησι τῆς δίκης, μέ μηνύσεις κατά τῶν ἐνόχων καί ἄλλων ἐνδίκων νομίμων μέσων. Ἀλλά τί ἔκανε; Πῆγε στό σπίτι τοῦ φονιά!...Οἱ πάντες πάγωσαν. Οἱ περισσότεροι χωρικοί, ὅταν τόν εἶδαν νά περνάη μέσα ἀπό τό χωριό, ἀπό τήν ντροπή τους κρύφθηκαν. Πάγωσε καί ὁ φονιάς ὅταν τόν ἀντικρυσε, καί μέ γουρλωμένα τά μάτια ἀπό τήν ἔκπληξι καί τήν φρίκη, τόν ἄκουσε νά τοῦ λέη: Γιῶργο, σέ συγχωρῶ μέ ὅλη μου τήν καρδιά. Καί σ' εὐχαριστῶ, γιατί ἤσουν ἡ αἰτία νά γνωρίσω τόν Χριστό μέ τήν Ἐκκλησία Του καί τά ἅγια Μυστήριά της. Εὔχομαι νά Τόν γνωρίσεις κι ἐσύ, μέ μετάνοια καί προσευχή! Τόν ἀγκαλίασε, τόν φίλησε καί ἔφυγε, ἐνῶ κάποια δάκρυα κρυφά ἔτρεχαν ἀπό τά μάτια του.
Ὁ θρίαμβος τῆς δικαιοσύνης τοῦ Θεοῦ ἦλθε, ὕστερα ἀπό 35 χρόνια! Ἀλλά ὑπῆρξε καί θρίαμβος τῆς ἐμπιστοσύνης, τῆς πίστεως καί τῆς ἀδιαλείπτου προσευχῆς τοῦ ἀδικημένου Πέτρου Γ. στήν Πρόνοια τοῦ Θεοῦ. Καί ταυτόχρονα στέφανος δόξης στήν ὑπομονή καί μακροθυμία, πού ἔδειξε τόσα χρόνια. Εὐλογήθηκε ἡ μετέπειτα ζωή του, ὅπως προείπαμε, μ' ἕναν χριστιανικό γάμο καί μέ οἰκογένεια πού ἦτο «κατ' οἶκον ἐκκλησία» καί μέ δύο τρισευλογημένα παιδιά. Καί μάλιστα, μετά τήν ὁλοκάρδια συγχώρησι πού ἔδωσε καί τήν ἀγάπη πού ἔδειξε πρός ὅλους, πολλαπλασιάσθηκε ἡ εὐλογία τοῦ Θεοῦ στό σπιτικό του. Εἶχε τήν Χάρι τοῦ Θεοῦ πάνω του, τήν εὐλογία τῆς Παναγίας, τήν προστασία τῶν Ἁγίων καί τήν συμπαράστασι τῶν Ἀγγέλων.
Ἐκοιμήθη ὁσιακῶς σέ ἡλικία 80 ἐτῶν, τό 1999. Παρών στήν κοίμησί του ἦτο καί ὁ ἐννενηντάχρονος ἱερεύς τῶν φυλακῶν, πού μοῦ διηγήθηκε αὐτό τό γεγονός, γιά νά μέ διαβεβαιώση ὅτι λίγο πρίν τό τέλος τοῦ Πέτρου Γ., Ἄγγελοι καί Ἀρχάγγελοι πλημμύρισαν τό δωμάτιό του, τούς ὁποίους ἔβλεπε ὄχι μόνο ὁ ψυχορραγῶν μέ τά μάτια του, ἀλλά καί ὁ ἐν λόγω ἱερεύς. Αὐτοί καί παρέλαβαν τήν ψυχή του, μετά τό τελευταῖο σημεῖον τοῦ σταυροῦ πού ἔκανε ὁ Πέτρος Γ., λέγοντας:
- Ἄγγελέ μου! Ἄγγελέ μου!, δέν τήν ἀξίζω αὐτή τήν τιμή. Καί τοῦτο εἰπών, ἐκοιμήθη!.
Ὁ ἄνθρωπος αὐτός, παρ' ὅλο πού ἦταν ἔγγαμος καί ζοῦσε μέσα στόν σημερινό κόσμο, μετά ἀπό τήν τεράστια καί ἄδικη δοκιμασία καί ταλαιπωρία του στήν φυλακή, μαζί μέ βαρυποινίτες, εἶχε καρπούς τῆς Εὐχῆς, τῆς θείας Κοινωνίας καί τῆς εὐαγγελικῆς ζωῆς. Ἡ ἔγγαμη ζωή του δέν τόν ἐμπόδισε νά λέγη μέρα-νύχτα τήν Εὐχή, ὅπως τήν ἔμαθε ἀπό τό βιβλίο «Οἱ περιπέτειες ἑνός προσκυνητοῦ».
Ἀπὸ τὸ βιβλίο, Ἡ Εὐχή μέσα στόν Κόσμο, Πρωτοπρεσβυτέρου Στεφάνου Ἀναγνωστόπουλου
Γιὰ νὰ διορθώσει σ’ ἕναν ἀδελφὸ τὰ πολλὰ ἐλαττώματά του, ὅπως καὶ σὲ ὅλους μας, ἔπαιρνε ὁ Γέροντας παραδείγματα ἀπὸ τὴ φύση καὶ τὴ ζωή του καὶ τοῦ ἔλεγε:
- Νὰ ξέρεις, παιδί μου, τίποτε δὲν ἔγινε εἰκῆ καὶ ὡς ἔτυχε. Ὅλα ἔχουν τὸν σκοπό τους. Καὶ τίποτε δὲν γίνεται χωρὶς νὰ ὑπάρχει αἰτία. Οὔτε μιὰ πευκοβελόνα δὲν πέφτει ἀπὸ τὸ πεῦκο ἂν δὲν θέλει ὁ Θεός. Γι’ αὐτὸ θὰ πρέπει νὰ μὴ στενοχωριέσαι γιὰ ὅ,τι σοῦ συμβαίνει. Ἔτσι ἁγιαζόμαστε.
Νά! Ἐσὺ στενοχωριέσαι μὲ τὰ πρόσωπα τοῦ σπιτιοῦ σου καὶ βασανίζεσαι πότε μὲ τὴ γυναῖκα σου καὶ πότε μὲ τὰ παιδιά σου. Αὐτὰ εἶναι ὅμως ποὺ σὲ κάνουν καὶ ἀνεβαίνεις πνευματικὰ ψηλά. Ἂν δὲν ἦσαν αὐτοί, ἐσὺ δὲν θὰ προχωροῦσες καθόλου. Σοῦ τοὺς ἔχει δώσει ὁ Θεὸς γιὰ σένα. Μὰ θὰ μοῦ πεῖς, εἶναι καλὸ νὰ ὑποφέρουμε ἀπὸ τοὺς ἀγαπημένους μας; Ἔ! Ἔτσι τὸ θέλει ὁ Θεός. Καὶ ἐσὺ εἶσαι εὐαίσθητος πολὺ καὶ ἀπὸ τὴ στενοχώρια σου σοῦ πονάει τὸ στομάχι σου καὶ ἡ κοιλιά σου ἐκεῖ χαμηλά. Ἔτσι δὲν εἶναι;
- Ναί, μὰ εἶναι κακό, Παππούλη, νὰ εἶναι κανεὶς εὐαίσθητος; τὸν ρωτάει ὁ ἀδελφός.
- Ναί, τοῦ ἀπαντάει ὁ Γέροντας, εἶναι κακὸ νὰ εἶναι κανεὶς πολὺ εὐαίσθητος σὰν ἐσένα, γιατὶ μὲ τὴ στενοχώρια δημιουργεῖς διάφορες σωματικὲς ἀρρώστιες. Δὲν ξέρεις ἀκόμα ὅτι καὶ ὅλες οἱ ψυχικὲς ἀρρώστιες εἶναι δαιμόνια;
- Ὄχι, τοῦ λέει ὁ ἀδελφός.
- Ἔ! μάθε το τώρα ἀπὸ μένα, κατέληξε ὁ Γέροντας.
(Ἀνθολόγιο Συμβουλῶν Γέροντος Πορφυρίου, σελ. 76)
Ο γέροντας Πορφύριος ένα βράδυ, στις 3 το πρωί, στο Ησυχαστήριο της Μεταμορφώσεως του Σωτήρος μιλάει σε λίγα πνευματικά του παιδιά για την αγάπη του Χριστού:
“Λοιπόν, ζωή χωρίς Χριστό δεν είναι ζωή. Πάει, τελείωσε. Αν δε βλέπεις το Χριστό σε όλα σου τα έργα και τις σκέψεις, είσαι χωρίς Χριστό. Πώς το κατάλαβες; Θυμάμαι κι ένα τραγούδι. «Σύν Χριστώ πανταχού, φόβος ουδαμού». Το ‘χετε ακούσει; Έ; Το λένε τα παιδιά, δε το θυμάμαι.
Λοιπόν, έτσι πράγματι πρέπει να βλέπομαι το Χριστό. Είναι φίλος μας, είναι αδελφός μας, είναι ό,τι καλό και ωραίο. Είναι το Παν. Αλλά είναι φίλος και το φωνάζει:
«Σας έχω φίλους, βρε, δεν το καταλαβαίνετε; Είμαστε αδέλφια. Βρε εγώ δεν είμαι … δεν βαστάω την κόλαση στο χέρι, δεν σας φοβερίζω, σας αγαπάω. Σας θέλω να χαίρεστε μαζί μου τη ζωή». Κατάλαβες;
Έτσι είναι ο Χριστός. Δεν έχει κατήφεια, ούτε μελαγχολία, ούτε ενδοστρέφεια, που ο άνθρωπος σκέπτεται ή βασανίζεται από διάφορους λογισμούς και διάφορες πιέσεις, που κατά καιρούς στη ζωή του τον τραυμάτισαν.
Ο Χριστός είναι νέα ζωή. Πώς το λέω; Ο Χριστός είναι το Παν. Είναι η χαρά, είναι η ζωή, είναι το φως, το φως το αληθινό, που κάνει τον άνθρωπο να χαίρεται, να πετάει, να βλέπει όλα, να βλέπει όλους, να πονάει για όλους, να θέλει όλους μαζί του, όλους κοντά στο Χριστό.
Όταν εμείς βρίσκουμε κάποιον θησαυρό ή ό,τι άλλο, δεν θέλομε να το λέμε πουθενά. Ο Χριστιανός όμως, όταν βρει το Χριστό, όταν γνωρίσει τον Χριστό, όταν ο Χριστός εγκύψει μέσα στην ψυχούλα του και τον αισθανθεί, θέλει να φωνάζει και να το λέει παντού, θέλει να λέει για το Χριστό, τι είναι ο Χριστός. Αγαπήσατε το Χριστόν και μηδέν προτιμήστε της αγάπης Αυτού. Ο Χριστός είναι το πάν, είναι η πηγή της ζωής, είναι το άκρον των εφετών, είναι το Πάν. Όλα στο Χριστό υπάρχουν τα ωραία.
Και μακράν του Χριστού η θλίψις, η μελαγχολία, τα νεύρα, η στεναχώρια, οι αναμνήσεις των τραυμάτων της ζωής, των πιέσεων, των αγωνιωδών, έτσι, ωρών. Όλα, ζούμε εκείνα εκεί της ζωής μας. Και πάμε εδώ και πάμε εκεί, και τίποτα, και πουθενά δεν στεκόμαστε. Όπου βρούμε το Χριστό, ας είναι μια σπηλιά, καθόμαστε εκεί και φοβούμαστε να φύγουμε, να μη χάσουμε το Χριστό. Διαβάστε να ιδείτε. Ασκηταί, που γνώρισαν το Χριστό, δεν ήθελαν να φύγουν από τη σπηλιά, ούτε έβγαιναν έξω να κάνουνε πιο πέρα θελαν να είναι εκεί που αισθανόντουσαν το Χριστό μαζί τους. Ο Χριστός είναι το Πάν.
Ο Χριστός είναι η πηγή της ζωής, της χαράς. Το Πάν”.
Γεροντας Πορφύριος
From “Remember thy First Love” by Archimandrite Zacharias Zacharou
Question: In taking the steps which you have presented W to us, the most difficult thing, I think, is to overcome the rear 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 was 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.
In Scripture Jesus tells us "The Kingdom of God is within you." (Lk17:21) How do we know this? We know it when we experience joy, not just happiness, but a feeling that transcends happiness. It is a feeling that comes from the heart when we know God is with us. But what is the opposite of this? Elder Paisios tells us that it is "when we have anxiety, feelings of guilt, then there is a portion of hell within us." When we are sadled with anxiety we have left Paradise and find ourselves mired in hell. This is common condition for most people today. Many drugs that we regularly take are for relieving us from this anxiety we experience in our daily life. But we are capable without any medications to experience joy from all our activities in life.
Elder Paisios says, "It isn't difficult to achieve this; but unfortunately, egoism prevents us from this spiritual magnificence."
What is required to change this anxiety into joy? The key according the Elder Paisios is to allow God to govern our lives. The involves a surrender of our ego to the Church, to Christ whose Church is His Body. In the Church we are guided through the services, sacraments, teachings about prayer and ascetic practices like fasting to overcome our ego-centeredness and become Christ-centered. But first we have to choose to surrender to the teachings of the Church. We must pray often and for sure every morning and evening. We need to follow the liturgical calendar, and participate regularly in the sacraments, especially Holy Communion and Confession. We must follow the fasting guidelines fasting on Wednesdays and Fridays as well as during the fasting periods like Great Lent. We must read Scripture and the writings of the Holy Fathers. We must make Christ and participation in His Church a top priority in our lives as well as the life of our entire family. Scripture says, "Seek you first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you" (Matt 6:33)
Elder Paisios says,
People today have made their lives difficult, because they are not satisfied with a few things, but are constantly chasing after more and more material goods. But those who would like to live a genuine spiritual life must first of all be satisfied with a few things. When their life is simplified, without too many concerns and nuisances, not only will they be liberated from the worldly spirit, they will also have plenty of time available for spiritual things. Otherwise they will tire themselves out by trying to follow the fashion of the times; they will lose their serenity and will gain only great anxiety." Examine your life and search for all those things which are not necessary, that only complicate what otherwise could be quite simple.
The elder gives a very simple example of a man who asked him to come to his home. When he arrived he notices that the man took of his shoes and walked carefully on his toes. He asked him, "Why are you walking like that?" He replied, "Its nothing Geronda; I am walking careful so that I don't ruin the parquet."
See how easy it is to complicate our lives? We decorate, we clean, we strive to make money so we can redecorate only to worry about maintaining an appearance. The same goes with our clothing. Also our hobbies, our vacations and so forth. How about all the activities we have our children enrolled in. They keep us busy as well as themselves. Where is time for the creative time at home doing art things with Mom or Dad as I remember from my youth; for apple picking, for building a model railroad, for reading, for climbing trees and and laying on top the vines that have grown over them gazing into the heavens wondering how far the sky goes? We organize everything these days and it only complicates our lives, shuts us off from joy making it more burdensome financially and more stressful to keep up with it all. Joy is replaced with achievement which is always only temporary happiness.
Seek simplicity in your life and you can discover the Kingdom of God within.
Reference: Elder Paisios of Mount Athos Spiritual Counsels IV: Family Life, p160
What are we to do when faced by an angry family member? Elder Paisios advises us to keep quiet and say the Jesus prayer.
He says,
Look, when someone is steaming with anger, no matter what you say, it will come to nothing. It is better to keep quiet and say the Jesus prayer. With prayer, he'll calm down, and you can then communicate with him. You see, even fishermen don't go fishing unless the sea is calm; they wait patiently for the storm to pass. So, why are we so impatient with others? Where does patience come from? The Elder tells it it come from love.
He says,
Patience stems from love. In order to endure the other person, you must feel deep compassion and pain for him... I have seen beasts turn into lambs. With trust in God, everything evolves normally and spiritually. Most of the difficulties we face in family life stem from insignificant things. When we look back on them, even those that lead to a divorce, we often see the causes are do to little things. What is required of us to not let these little things overwhelm us.
The Elder says,
The greatest scandals, not only in families but also in the state authority, stem from the most insignificant things. In the family one person must be humble before the other; one must imitate the other's virtues and also be patient and endure the other's peculiar idiosyncrasies. How can this be possible? He continues:
To make this possible, it helps to think of how Christ sacrificed Himself for our sins and that he bears with us all – billions of people – even though He is without sin. However, when we suffer from the idiosyncrasies of the others, we are paying off the debt of our own sins. God in His goodness has arranged things perfectly, so that with our gifts, we can help each other, and with our faults, we can be humbled by each other. For every person has some gifts; but everyone also has some faults which one must struggle to over come. For harmony in a family or in a community, we need to constantly be aware that we are all sinners including ourselves. We have to develop patience and not let the failings of others overcome us. We must remember the sacrifice that Christ made for us and how he endured immense pain for our salvation. This is our path as well. Through our patience that comes our of true love, others will also feel this love and become encourage to also learn to love. We need to help each other overcome our limitations. When we are aroused to anger by someone's behavior we are only adding to the difficulty. When we are humble and recognize our own errors and develop patience we will find a way to endure and overcome all obstacles to harmony in life. In the end for those with patience, this harmony is found in heaven with Christ. Follow His example and we will always be right.
Keep these words of Elder Paisios in mind:
A spiritual person must face all things with divine justice by looking to see what will benefit the other person. For when one is weak and makes a mistake, then he is somewhat entitled to a little leniency, because there are extenuating circumstances. But when one who is in a better spiritual condition doesn't display any understanding, then he will be at greater fault.
Reference: Elder Paisios of Mount Athos Spiritual Counsels IV: Family Life, pp 51-54; 61-62
Ένας μοναχός σαν τους άλλους μοναχούς που ζουν στο Άγιο Όρος απλός στους τρόπους, στη συμπεριφορά σε προσέγγιζε με την αμεσότητα του.
- Ε συ, βρε παλικάρι ...συχνά προσφωνούσε τον επισκέπτη.
Στην έξω πλευρά, από τον πάνω δρόμο που τερμάτιζε στο κελί του κοντά στις Καρυές του Όρους, σ΄ένα θάμνο δεξιά ήταν το κουτί με τα λουκούμια, ξερά - μαλακά ήταν ευλογία του γέροντα.
Στην πόρτα - πόρτα κι' αυτή - ένα συρματόπλεγμα με λίγο ξύλο ολόγυρα και ένα σήμαντρο για 'κουδούνι' οδηγούσε σ΄ένα μικρό ετοιμόρροπο σπιτάκι σ΄ένα ξέφωτο με ξύλινους κορμούς ολόγυρα. Ηταν το μεγάλο σαλόνι των επισκέψεων, των πολλών επισκέψεων του γέροντα.
-Καλώς το παλικάρι, από πού είσαι λεβέντη; οι συνήθεις προσφωνήσεις του γέροντα.
Η ματιά του διαπεραστική, έφτανε μέχρι το 'μεδούλι της ψυχής' τι να κρύψεις, αφού όλα τα γνώριζε Θεία Χάριτι.
Τα πράγματα οριακά, έλεγες αυτό που σε προβλημάτιζε στα...ίσια, άλλωστε ευθύς ήταν και ο λόγος του γέροντα.
- Γέροντα η γυναίκα μου έχει προβλήματα με το στομάχι της και την κοιλιά της ...
Η διάγνωση κατευθείαν, χωρίς εξετάσεις
Θα της πεις να πάει σ΄ένα super market και να ψωνίσει λίγη καλή αδιαφορία.
Μια άλλη φορά ...
-Ποιόν πνευματικό έχεις βρε παλικάρι;
-Τον ...τάδε!
-Α! ωραία, η γυναίκα σου ποιον έχει πνευματικό; ρώτησε ο γέροντας.
-Τον ίδιο, του απάντησα.
Άστραψαν τα μάτια του από ικανοποίηση και με χαρά είπε:
- Θα πάρει ένα κούτσουρο ο Θεός από τη μια και ένα κούτσουρο από την άλλη και γκούτσου-γκούτσου θα το ταιριάξει. Πολύ χάρηκα βρε παλικάρι ...
Κι΄εγώ χάρηκα που σε γνώρισα γέροντα, χάρηκα που μου έδωσε ο Θεός τη χαρά και ευλογία να δω από κοντά, κατά κοινή ομολογία,ένα σύγχρονο Άγιο, ν' ακούσουμε λόγια παρηγοριάς από τον ίδιο, αλλά και να διαβάζουμε λόγους ελπίδας από τα πολλά βιβλία που έχουν δημοσιεύσει γεγονότα από τη ζωή του.
Στο τέλος πριν φύγεις σε κοίταζε στα μάτια, κρατούσε απαλά με τα χέρια του το κεφάλι σου και έδινε ένα πατρικό ασπασμό στο μέτωπο.
Το συνήθιζε!
Την ευχή σου να έχουμε παππούλη και εκεί που θα είσαι μη μας ξεχνάς.
Ένας από τους επισκέπτες σου
Γιατί έρχονται πολλοί στην εκκλησία, επαναλαμβάνουν μηχανικά ψαλμούς και ευχές, και φεύγουν, δίχως να ξέρουν τι είπαν. Τα χείλη κινούνται, αλλά τ' αυτιά δεν ακούνε. Εσύ δεν ακούς την προσευχή σου, και θέλεις να σε εισακούσει ο Θεός; Γονάτισα, λες· αλλά ο νους σου πετούσε μακριά. Το σώμα σου ήταν μέσα στην εκκλησία και η ψυχή σου έξω. Το στόμα έλεγε την προσευχή και ο νους μετρούσε τόκους, συμβόλαια, συναλλαγές, χωράφια, κτήματα, συναναστροφές με φίλους. Κι όλα αυτά συμβαίνουν, γιατί ο διάβολος είναι πονηρός· ξέρει πως την ώρα της προσευχής κερδίζουμε πολλά, γι' αυτό τότε επιτίθεται με μεγαλύτερη σφοδρότητα. Άλλες φορές είμαστε ξαπλωμένοι στο κρεβάτι, και τίποτα δεν σκεφτόμαστε· ήρθαμε όμως στην εκκλησία να προσευχηθούμε, και ο διάβολος μας έβαλε ένα σωρό λογισμούς, ώστε καθόλου να μην ωφεληθούμε.
Αν, αλήθεια, ο Θεός σου ζητήσει λόγο για την αδιαφορία ή και την ασέβεια που δείχνεις στις λατρευτικές συνάξεις, τι θα κάνεις; Να, την ώρα που Αυτός σου μιλάει, εσύ, αντί να προσεύχεσαι, έχεις πιάσει κουβέντα με τον διπλανό σου για πράγματα ανώφελα. Και όλα τ' άλλα αμαρτήματά μας αν παραβλέψει ο Θεός, τούτο φτάνει για να στερηθούμε τη σωτηρία. Μην το θεωρείς μικρό παράπτωμα. Για να καταλάβεις, τη βαρύτητά του, σκέψου τι γίνεται στην ανάλογη περίπτωση των ανθρώπων. Ας υποθέσουμε ότι συζητάς μ' ένα επίσημο πρόσωπο ή μ' έναν εγκάρδιο φίλο σου. Και ενώ εκείνος σου μιλάει, εσύ γυρίζεις αδιάφορα το κεφάλι σου και αρχίζεις να κουβεντιάζεις με κάποιον άλλο. Δεν θα προσβληθεί ο συνομιλητής σου απ' αυτή την απρέπειά σου; Δεν θα θυμώσει; Δεν θα σου ζητήσει το λόγο;
Αλίμονο! Βρίσκεσαι στη θεία Λειτουργία, κι ενώ το βασιλικό τραπέζι είναι ετοιμασμένο, ενώ ο Αμνός του Θεού θυσιάζεται για χάρη σου, ενώ ο ιερέας αγωνίζεται για τη σωτηρία σου, εσύ αδιαφορείς. Την ώρα που τα εξαπτέρυγα Σεραφείμ σκεπάζουν τα πρόσωπά τους από δέος και όλες οι ουράνιες δυνάμεις μαζί με τον ιερέα παρακαλούν το Θεό για σένα, τη στιγμή που κατεβαίνει από τον ουρανό η φωτιά του Αγίου Πνεύματος και το αίμα του Χριστού χύνεται από την άχραντη πλευρά Του μέσα στο άγιο Ποτήριο, τη στιγμή αυτή η συνείδησή σου, άραγε, δεν σε ελέγχει για την απροσεξία σου; Σκέψου, άνθρωπε μου, μπροστά σε Ποιον στέκεσαι την ώρα της φρικτής μυσταγωγίας και μαζί με ποιους - με τα Χερουβείμ, με τα Σεραφείμ, με όλες τις ουράνιες δυνάμεις. Αναλογίσου μαζί με ποιους ψάλλεις και προσεύχεσαι. Είναι αρκετό για να συνέλθεις, όταν θυμηθείς ότι, ενώ έχεις υλικό σώμα, αξιώνεσαι να υμνείς τον Κύριο της κτίσεως μαζί με τους ασώματους αγγέλους.
Μη συμμετέχεις, λοιπόν, στην ιερή εκείνη υμνωδία με αδιαφορία. Μην έχεις στο νου σου βιοτικές σκέψεις. Διώξε κάθε γήινο λογισμό και ανέβα νοερά στον ουρανό, κοντά στο θρόνο του Θεού. Πέταξε εκεί μαζί με τα Σεραφείμ, φτερούγισε μαζί τους, ψάλε τον τρισάγιο ύμνο στην Παναγία Τριάδα.
Αγιος Ιωάννης ο Χρυσόστομος
