οι Τούρκοι είναι βάρβαρος λαός… Πά, πά. Όταν σφάζαν τους Αρμένιους, για τρεις μέρες, μύριζε ολόκληρη η πόλη σαν σφαγείο… Οι Έλληνες ήταν κλεισμένοι στα σπίτια τους, δεν τολμούσε να βγει κανείς στο δρόμο, φωνάζανε, σκοτώνανε…, τρεις ολόκληρες μέρες.
— Ποιοί γέροντα; Ο Τούρκικος στρατός;
— (με έμφαση) Όχι μόνο ο στρατός αλλά και ο κόσμος, οι Τούρκοι και οι γέροι ακόμα. Βλέπεις ο άλλος πήγαινε και έσφαζε το γείτονα του, που είχαν ζήσει τόσα χρόνια δίπλα-δίπλα… Βάρβαρος λαός… έχουν κάνει πολλά… γι’ αυτό θα πληρώσουν, θα λειτουργήσουν οι πνευματικοί νόμοι, έχουν τα κόλυβά τους στο ζωνάρι.
Γεροντας Παϊσιος
- Γέροντα, αυτό το άρρωστο παιδάκι, που έφεραν σήμερα οι γονείς του, πολύ
ταλαιπωρείται.
- Ε, σιγά-σιγά θα ξεπεράση την αρρώστια του, αλλά θα του μείνη μια ευαισθησία, για να
θυμάται την αρρώστια του, και αυτή η ευαισθησία θα το βοηθάη πνευματικά.
- Και τα παιδάκια, Γέροντα, που έχουν λευχαιμία πολύ υποφέρουν.
-Αυτά πολύ τα βοηθάει η Θεία Κοινωνία. Πολλά παιδάκια ξεπέρασαν την αρρώστια τους
με την Θεία Κοινωνία. Όταν διαβάζουμε τον 145ο Ψαλμό, με τον οποίο παρακαλούμε τον Θεό
να σταματήσουν οι αιμορραγίες, να προσευχώμασε να βοηθήση ο Θεός τα παιδάκια που έχουν
λευχαιμία, αλλά και να υπάρχη αίμα στα νοσοκομεία για τα παιδιά που έχουν μεσογειακή
αναιμία. Τα παιδιά αυτά περνούν μαρτύριο μεγαλύτερο και από το μαρτύριο των παιδιών που
έσφαξε ο Ηρώδης. Τα παιδάκια έχουν καθαρό μισθό από την ταλαιπωρία της αρρώστιας, γιατί
δεν έχουν αμαρτίες. Πόσα μικρούτσικα παιδιά θα δούμε στην άλλη ζωή να είναι με το
μαρτυρικό, το αγγελικό, τάγμα εκείνων των νηπίων! Μωρά δύο μηνών, να τα εγχειρήζουν, να
τους βάζουν ενέσεις, ορούς! Που να βρουν φλέβα στα καημένα! Τα τρυπούν από ‘δώ – από ‘κεί... Να βλέπης παιδάκι να έχη όγκο στο κεφάλι και να του κάνουν ακτίνες, να
βάζουν κάτι καλώδια σε ένα τόσο δα κεφαλάκι. Εδώ ένας μεγάλος δεν μπορεί να αντέξη, που να
αντέξουν τα παιδάκια!
- Αυτά τα παιδάκια, Γέροντα, τελικά θεραπεύονται ή πεθαίνουν;
- Ε, πολλά φυσικά πεθαίνουν, αλλά και οι γονείς πως να τα αφήσουν.
- Γέροντα, αξίζει τον κόπο οι παιδίατροι να προσπαθούν να διατηρήσουν στην ζωή τα
πρόωρα βρέφη;
- Οι γιατροί πρέπει να κάνουν ό,τι μπορούν και παράλληλα να προσεύχωνται γι’ αυτά.
«Θεέ μου, να λένε, αν είναι αυτό το παιδί να ζήση και να υποφέρη σε όλη του την ζωή, τότε, Σε
παρακαλώ, να το πάρης». Να φροντίζουν όμως να βαπτίζωνται τα βρέφη, και τότε θα τους
προϋπαντήσουν στον Παράδεισο με αναμμένη λαμπάδα.
Και όταν είναι μεγαλύτερα τα παιδιά, πρέπει οι γιατροί πολύ να προσέξουν πως θα πουν
την διάγνωση. Οκτώ χρονών παιδάκι του είπε ο γιατρός: «Θα τυφλωθής». Έρχεται και μου λέει
και ο πατέρας μπροστά στο παιδί: «Το πήγαμε στο εξωτερικό για εξετάσεις και μας είπαν ότι θα
τυφλωθή». Και καλά να είναι το παιδί, η στενοχώρια μπορεί να το χτυπήση όπου έχει
ευαισθησία, πόσο μάλλον αν είναι άρρωστο!
Some readers might be surprised by this title, but it expresses the theology of our Church and our view of the poor. I will rely first of all on a simple testimony from the great theological saint Gregory of Nyssa, who spoke the very words of this title, “the poor are our gateway to the Kingdom.” He says, “These poor are the ones who store away the good things that we look upon. They are the gatekeepers of the Kingdom. They open the gates before the merciful and shut them in the face of the cruel ones who do not do good. They are the strongest accusers and the best defenders. They do not accuse and defend with words, but the Lord sees what is done to them. Every action cries out in a loud voice before God, the searcher of hearts.”
When we approach fast, its complete foundation is the dimension that today we call “the social dimension” which in the Gospel is “the dimension of love”. In order to enter into the holy fast, we must be aware that we have to fulfill within it the dimension of love. From the beginning of Christianity, we have abundant testimonies starting from the second century that Christians had in the church a “common box”. When one of the faithful was in need of help, they would fast, cutting themselves off from food and subsisting for that day only on bread and water. They would bring the price of the food to the church and put it in the common box and it would then be distributed to believers in need.
So the dimension of love is the foundation. The first Christians understood this and embodied the words of the Gospel, which often speaks of love and of serving the needy, whatever their need is. Here we need to make a simple review of the concept of poverty in the Bible, both in the Old and New Testaments. Through it, we will touch on some of the testimonies found in the Bible about the importance of giving, serving, and helping.
The Poor in the Old Testament
In the Old Testament, when people did not know the full dimension of faith in Christ and their life was focused on the earth more than on the heavenly kingdom, they looked at wealth as a blessing from God and at poverty as a curse from God. However, in the Old Testament the Bible emphasizes the necessity of helping those in need and of taking care of strangers, especially widows, orphans, and the poor. This emphasis on helping the poor was even though poverty was a curse from God and a sign of God’s displeasure with a person. This was until the prophets in the Old Testament changed this view and condemned the rich who exploited the wealth of the poor and profiting from their account. They rebuked them for their hardness of their hearts since they were not concerned with helping the poor. The Prophet Isaiah said in chapter 58, “Is it a fast that I have chosen, a day for a man to afflict his soul? Is it to bow down his head like a bulrush, and to spread out sackcloth and ashes? Would you call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the Lord? Is this not the fast that I have chosen: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; When you see the naked, that you cover him, and not hide yourself from your own flesh? Then your light shall break forth like the morning, Your healing shall spring forth speedily, and your righteousness shall go before you; The glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; You shall cry, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’”
And so with the prophets began the connection between helping the needy and perfecting worship. That is, helping the needy became a part of worship and worship by its very definition was not accepted by God if it was not connected to serving the needy. The Prophet Isaiah mentions this in another text, in the first chapter of his book, where he mentions that we must care for the poor and have justice for the orphan. “Defend the fatherless, give justice to the oppressed, plead for the widow. ‘Come now, and let us reason together,’ says the Lord, ‘Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.’” The Prophet Isaiah said these words after rebuking the people for their luxurious worship, which God loathed and turned His face from. He said to them, “I turn my nose away from the smell of your incense so that I will not smell it. Your songs are abhorrent to me and your fasts are heavy for me.” That is, all the worship that the people undertook was unacceptable to God because they did not care for the orphans, the widows, the poor, and the needy. So we see a great development with the prophets of the Old Testament when they began to show the believing people that love, living love for the poor and needy, is a part of worship and that worship by its very definition, whether it is prayers or fasting, is unacceptable when it is not actively connected to love.
In the Book of Daniel, the prophet says, “Break off your sins with alms, and your iniquities with mercy to the wretched. Perhaps there may be a lengthening of your prosperity.” This is the very same idea that continues with us to today and doing good is taken into account by God, who when He notices it gives the one who does it good things in return. There are many who love to give and to offer help and donations, but the reason for them doing this is not love for the needy so much as selfishness: if I give, God will bless me and give me more. The Bible is in agreement with this viewpoint and confirms it to the degree that in the New Testament the Fathers of the Church consider almsgiving and assistance to the needy to bring about forgiveness of sins.
The Book of Jesus ben Sirach says, “Just as water puts out fire, so too does almsgiving do away with sins.”
And in the Psalms, “Blessed is the one who looks after the poor. On the day of evil, the Lord will save him.”
In the Book of Tobias, “Prayer is good with fasting and almsgiving because almsgiving saves from death and purifies one from sins.”
The words of Jesus ben Sirach, “prayer with fasting and almsgiving does away with sins and brings blessings” reminds us of the Sermon on the Mount where Christ talked about the three pillars of the Christian faith: prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.
The Poor in the New Testament
In the New Testament, the idea of the prophets, which came about in the seventh century before Christ and continued to develop until the New Testament, was perfected and the viewpoint became different from the Old Testament. In the New Testament, wealth was no longer a sign of God’s blessing and poverty was no longer a sign of God’s curse. Instead, poverty came to be blessed because it helps people to not be attached to the bonds of this world. And so with the New Testament, poverty came to have a spiritual aspect: we are able to use poverty, if we find ourselves in that state, to rise above the things of this world. Poverty is not in itself blessed, but according to the New Testament, if we are poor then we are able to use are poverty in order to ascend spiritually. This viewpoint connects with some of the fathers, such as Saint John Chrysostom who considers poverty to be a very important Christian virtue. Not all are capable of it and it is not given to all. Poverty is no longer a curse from God, but the New Testament stresses that poverty must be combatted and that the poor must be aided. This is what the first Christians understood and continued to understand.
We know that Christianity is the religion that distinguishes itself in love more than any other religion and it has produced many very great people who gave up their entire life for the sake of love and for the sake of the poor. Christians are the ones who established all what we call today humanitarian institutions. All the concern for the human condition, human dignity—and humans need to live in dignity and respect—all these concepts and institutions that were founded on the basis of them came from an evangelical, Christian background.
Thus, in the New Testament, we have the parable of the Judgment that we read in the Church on the Sunday before Lent. In it, Christ goes so far as to say “I am the poor and I am the hungry. I am the thirsty and I am the sick. I am the imprisoned and I am the naked.” He completely identifies himself with the needy. For this reason, he considered every gift and assistance offered to the needy to be offered to his own person. Thus, the Christian understanding is that when one encounters someone in need, he should see it as an encounter with Christ because Christ says, “Everything that you have done for one of these little ones you have done for me.” And he says, “Everything that you have not done for one of these little ones, you have not done for me.” This means that we will be judged, not only on the basis of the work of love that we have done and for which we will receive recompense, but we will also be judged and receive punishment for the love that we could have offered but did not. Thus, with the parable of the Judgment the issue of poverty and the poor in Christianity reaches its apex, to the point that it becomes personal service to Christ.
Chrysostom says, speaking for Christ, “You have heard about me that I am robed in light, but when you clothe one naked I feel warmth and I have been covered. You believe that I sit at the right hand of my Father in heaven, but when you go to the prison and take care of the prisoners you see me sitting there.” Chrysostom also talks about giving, to encourage people to do it: “Because he is poor, feed him so that you will have fed Christ.” There is a complete identification between the poor and Christ. “If you see a wretched person, remember that even if it is evident that he is not Christ, He is the one who asks you and receives from you, in the form of the other.” This is how the poor reached a very high rank among Christians, because they are the means by which we are able to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. We will mention some of the attributes or names that the Fathers of the Church give to the poor. Chrysostom says, “How great is the place of the poor, since they are like God’s inner room. The inner room is the bedchamber, the room of God the Creator, may He be exalted, in which He is hidden. The poor extend their hands begging, but it is God who receives your alms.” In this way Christianity came to look upon the poor as having honor and as being worthy of respect, just like any wealthy person. For this reason Chrysostom also says that if our Lord deemed the poor worthy to share with Him at his table (that is, in the Lord’s table, in the holy chalice, that is the Eucharist), then by what right do you have to prevent the poor from sitting at your table, if you are rich?
When Saint John the Merciful (Patriarch of Alexandria in the seventh century) became patriarch, he wanted the people to hold a celebration for him and he told them, “Invite to the celebration my masters.” They said to him, “Master, you are Patriarch of Alexandria, you have no masters. You are master over all.” He said to them, “No. I have many masters. Invite for me my masters to the banquet of honor that you want to hold for me.” They did not understand him. They thought that he wanted them to invite the authorities of the country, important people and celebrities. The deacon came and told him that they were thinking of inviting so-and-so and such-and-such a person… He said to him, “My son, I said to you to invite for me my masters. My masters are the poor. They are the ones who will grant me entrance into the Kingdom. They are the ones whom Christ made equal to himself. We only have one Lord. Every person in whom is the Lord is a lord for us.” He always said these words until they stuck with him.
On this basis honoring the stranger, the needy, the poor, the visitor, is considered to be the basic virtue for Christians and in monasticism it is considered to be giving honor to Christ directly. For this reason monks in monasteries are very concerned with the virtue of hospitality and so they accept all people. In Orthodox monasteries especially, people visit and sleep there and if they are hungry they eat, not feeling that they are in a formal institution because what is within the monastery is an offering from God to all people. This is how this tradition has come down: In every monastery there is a large hall with all the furnishings called “the guest-house” (or in Greek archondariki) where all the guests of the monastery stay and sleep.
Thus Christianity gives very great honor to the poor. All worldly thinking that we are unfortunately influenced by from time to time talks about giving from above. It says, “we give somewhat what we are able” as though we are doing good for him. We give him alms. There is nothing called ‘alms’ or ‘charity’ in Christianity or in the Gospel because this means that you are giving without feeling. That is, when you give alms or charity it is because you feel an obligation without love springing up from within you. Giving in Christianity is giving in love. Otherwise, it has no value because you are giving to Christ himself. You are unable to give to Christ when you are dry-hearted. It does not mean anything for you to give without looking at the person, without caring. Unfortunately, sometimes in Christianity we have experiences that are not successful in Christian terms. There are groups that have founded organizations and charitable institutions that give with very much sincerity and honesty but they do not love the poor who benefit from their services and instead hate them because they are giving from above. Sometimes you see where someone has posted the saying “beware the evil of one for whom you have done good” on small boards in stores. Why? Because we give to them from above. Meaning: It is true that they take the material gift that they need in order to buy medicine or food or to educate their children, but the gift has no feeling of love. It humiliates them and they feel ashamed, like they have been rejected, and so they have a reaction against the one giving. This is not Christian giving. Christians cannot say “beware the evil of one for whom you have done good” because they love those for whom they do good and that love is also reciprocated.
What are the images of the poor?
The first image that Christ gave us is that of the Good Samaritan: the enemy who becomes, through an act of mercy, a neighbor. The Samaritan was an enemy of the Jews, but because he loved the Jew who was wounded and left for dead and saved him, he became his neighbor more than any Jewish priest and more than any Levite serving in the Temple. That is, he became his neighbor more than any authority of the religion to which he belonged, more than his own people, the people of his own religion. Thus, it is the enemy who becomes the closest neighbor to us.
The second image is very beautiful. It is given to us by Saint John Chrysostom, who says that the poor are the porters who carry us. He says that all of us, when we move to a new house, want to move our possessions and we are in need of porters to move our possessions for us. When we move to our heavenly abode, we have those who move all the valuables that belong to us and that we need in our heavenly abode above, without us paying them and without complaint. They are the poor. He says literally: “How can we not awaken from our sleep and realize that we reside in a strange country and that we will soon return to our homeland. Until now, we were not paying attention to carrying our wealth and transporting our possessions there. Those who undertake moving to their country from a foreign land have to pay for the voyage and for transport and they take great trouble to send their belongings safely. But here we encounter those who transport our belongings without trouble, without complaint, without pay and without provision, and they send them safely to our homes through the dangers of the road. And despite this, we reject them? They are the poor.”
Another very widespread image among Christians is that “the poor are intercessors.” They intercede for those who help them. And so when we do a work of mercy, we gain for ourselves an intercessor. We often notice that the poor pray for those who give to them “God give you success”, “God give you health”, “God save your children”… These prayers are very important because they come from a wounded and sincere heart. When we give, we ourselves profit. This is why the Bible says, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Giving contains joy and those who become accustomed to this joy are never sated by it. They take pleasure in giving, not in receiving. Our culture today is the opposite, being based on possessing and receiving. Thus, “one who loves the poor,” says Chrysostom, “is like one who has an intercessor in the judge’s house. One who opens his door to the destitute holds in his hand the key to God’s door. One who loans money to those who ask him is paid back by the Lord of All.”
The poor are also a living example for us and in this way they preach to us. We often talk in sermons about the transient nature of this world and how it will not remain for anyone and that at any time we are subject to falling ill or become disabled or fall into problems or an accident could happen to us. Why do we preach this? We preach this because we want to free the faithful from their material circumstances in which they live, which draw them only to worldly cares. It is the duty of the Church to preach to people and to open their eyes to another side of life. Life is not only worldly cares. Before us is the Kingdom of Heaven, where we desire to live, eternal life. We must be aware of the transience of this world so that we do not become very attached to it. Some of the Fathers of the Church also say: It is true that preachers speak these words, but the poor truly show you. They show you in reality. For this reason they are the true preachers before you and living examples who show you what the Bible tells you, that you should not be attached to the world and “let us cast aside all earthly cares and receive the King of All.”
Giving in Christianity
The Christian viewpoint is connected to considering the poor to be preferable to the rich because by helping them the rich receive a blessing by which their sins are forgiven, they become more sensitive, they are saved and so enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Who is the one who benefits? The one who pays a little bit of money or the one who receives God’s grace and His blessing? Thus giving, in the Christian understanding, is giving from below not from above. There is no preference in it. When I give, I should be completely convinced that the person to whom I am giving is actually serving me rather than me serving him. The predominant view in society is exactly the opposite. For this reason one of the effects of giving and service to the poor is that it saves us from judgment. The Bible says, “Break off your sins with alms, and your iniquities with mercy to the wretched. Perhaps there may be a lengthening of your prosperity.” It also says, “One who gives to the poor is not in need, to one who covers his eyes from many curses” (Proverbs).
Alms, or giving, also causes us to resemble God because God gave Himself and not only the good things of His creation to mankind. He gave Himself to mankind and He died for their sake on the cross. Thus when we give from what we ourselves need, from what we lack and not from our surpluses, we resemble God. This is why Chrysostom says, “One who has mercy on the poor makes a loan to God” and the Lord will repay us on the last day. And so every act of giving is a debt for God that He will return to you on the last day. This is why he does not say, “One who has mercy on the poor, the Lord will have mercy on him or the Lord will bless him” but rather says that he makes a loan to the Lord because He will return the loan at the appropriate time.
Blessed Augustine says, “How can you ask of your Lord, you who do not respond to your equal?” The poor is your equal. He is a person just like you. He asks from you and you do not respond to him while at the same time you stand there and ask God to bless you and give to you, but you are not like God. Thus, in Christian spirituality the Gospel says, “Do not turn away anyone who asks from you.” That is, do not say “no” to him. Today, many people see this to be difficult and so we say, “He does not deserve it. He is a liar. We know him.”
Giving also grants us spiritual and material blessings because in exchange for this small blessing that we have given, God gives us great blessings. Here we recall the parable of the widow who put her two mites in the poor-box. Christ said to his disciples that she put “more than anyone”. The disciples were naturally surprised by these words because they saw how people gave gold coins and large sums and they said to him, “How can you say this, teacher? She only put two mites in.” He said to them , “She was in need of her two mites to feed her children, but despite this she denied herself and her children and gave them away. For this reason her offering is accepted by God more than those given by others in their surplus. She gave out of her need.”
The subject of giving is very important on a human level. Each one of us needs to pay heed to how we must deny ourselves some things so that we may give to others, even if we have plenty. Do we have much? Then we give much! However, we must train ourselves to deny ourselves something in order to give it to others, because this benefits us. It frees us from within, from every attachment that we have.
Saint Justin (2nd century) mentions in his apology for the Christians, “We Christians, who as humans have loved the ways of acquiring wealth and property over everything else, now offer what we own to the common box and we share it with every person in need. And so there was an official box in the Church from the second century which is what we call in some parishes today the “box of love” or the “poor box.” In another apology, he says, “We have turned our attention to the outcast and the ignored. Our active love has become the bond that distinguishes us before the enemy… Look at what the pagans say about us. They say: How they love each other and how they are ready to sacrifice their life for each other!” This is why wealth is considered by Christians, and especially great Fathers of the Church, to be a grace insofar as it permits the one possessing it to give, to do works of mercy, and to help greatly. The understanding of wealth is changed, from being a blessing from God that we deserve, to being a grace that God gives us so that through it we can receive many blessings. How do we receive the blessings? It is when we give, and not when we store up. This is why the Christian tradition looks at wealth as trusteeship and not as a personal possession. Christ said, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.” His disciples asked him, “Then who is able to be saved?” He responded by saying, “For humans, it is impossible, but for God everything is possible.” The Fathers of the Church explain this by saying that wealth is a way, a means, a possibility, for us to receive God’s mercy, when we distribute it and give it to the needy because in the measure that we give we receive a blessing. If we are rich and we have great ability, then we receive blessings to the degree that we give of this wealth. This is why wealth is considered to be trusteeship that God has entrusted us with to distribute to His needy children. It is not our own property. This is the deep theological viewpoint.
Saint Cyprian says: Possessions are a trusteeship and the rich are their trustees. They must imitate God’s munificence and generosity in sharing material things with their neighbors so that all may have food and so that the earth may be a common possession for all.”
Chrysostom says, “Those whom I attack are not the rich, they are those who use their wealth poorly. Wealth is one thing and desiring others’ wealth is something else. It is possible for you to have wealth and to use it for acts of love and it is possible for you to have wealth that you store up.”
Saint Ambrose says, “Alms from a miser are merely the restitution of stolen goods.” This means that when I give a needy person a loaf of bread, I am only restoring to him the loaf that I stole from him.
However, on a personal level each one of us must think: How many things do I have that I don’t need? And how many times do I go back and accumulate more! In this way I can see many things that I have stolen from those who have nothing!
The saying from Saint Ambrose is very harsh. However, in reality it is good for people to live as they pray, “give us this day our daily bread.” We pray this every day. But do we put it into practice?
After this survey of the Old and New Testaments, we hope that we can apply some of these sayings, each one of us as we are able.
Metropolitan Saba
Genuine Repentance & Confession heals and makes the immortal soul holy. This is the correct way to prepare for Holy Communion.
So that we can better examine the depths of our conscience, it would be ideal to first read several books on the Sacrament of Confession. Also, discuss any uncertainties that you may have with your wise Spiritual Father-Confessor. The greatest science or knowledge is to get to know ourselves. Also we must not deny ourselves the greatest thing that every human soul thirsts for: a peaceful conscience and eternity with God.
This joy is only granted by the God-Man, our Lord Jesus Christ. He himself instituted the single path to salvation for the repentant sinner within his Church, the holy Sacrament of Repentance and Confession. This is why, friend, you must overcome any obstacle whatsoever that blocks the road to Holy Confession. Here awaits you with genuine Christian love the good Confessor, the representative of Christ, who as a fellow human being can understand and have compassion on his brethren who are also sinful.
Cast far away, brethren, any thought of embarrassment or fright. Why be seared or frightened when your soul frets and pains from the deadly consequences of multi-faceted sin. If sickness tortured your body, would you avoid the hospital or doctor because of embarrassment? But at the same time, do not be led astray by certain people who wish to have read on them a “blessing only,” without having previously confessed. Whenever this happens from ignorance or neglect, it is a terrible sin and an insult to God. With faith, then, and honesty, proceed to Holy Confession.
Be certain also that the infinite love of the crucified and resurrected Lord will welcome you and transform you, removing the weight that burdens you! He himself said, “Come to Me all ye that are heavy laden and I will grant you rest.”
You and God
Do you believe in God, the Holy Trinity, and in the divinity of Christ? Do you respect the Holy Virgin Mary, the Saints, and the Angels? Do you believe in the Church and its Mysteries (Sacraments)? Do you believe that Heaven and Hell exist?
Do you trust yourself always, and especially during the difficult times of your life, to the care and Providence of God? Or do you despair and show a lack of faith?
Perhaps in the problems, afflictions, sicknesses, and trials of your life you moan and complain against God and lose your faith and confidence?
Do you believe in mediums, fortune-telling, tarot card reading, or coffee-cup reading? Do you tell other people to believe in such things and go to such people?
Do you believe in superstition?
Do you believe in luck?
Do you pray morning and evening and before and after each meal? Are you embarrassed to make the sign of the cross in the presence of others, for example, in a restaurant or outside a holy church when you are passing by? Do you not make your cross properly?
Do you read the Holy Bible as well as other Orthodox spiritual books daily?
Do you go to church on Sundays and on the major Feast Days?[3]
Do you follow the Divine Liturgy carefully and reverently from the start until the end, or do you go late and leave before the end? Do you let your mind wander in church?
Do you go to church dressed in a proper and dignified way? Are you careful not to laugh, or talk even if it is a Wedding or Baptismal service?
Do you perhaps prevent or restrict your spouse or children from going to church? Or do you tell your acquaintances not to go to church?
Do you commune regularly or only once a year, and then without Holy Confession?
Do you give oaths without need or, if so, lie as well? Did you perhaps not fulfill your oath, vow, or promise? The Bible forbids oaths completely, saying that our “yes” be “yes” and our “no” be “no” (St Matthew 5:7).
Do you blaspheme the Name of God, the Virgin Mary, and our Saints by speaking irreverently of them?
Do you fast (unless you have a serious health problem) on Wednesdays and Fridays and during the appointed periods of the year?[4]
Do you throw religious books or periodicals in unclean places?
You and Others
Do you have hatred and ill-feelings towards someone who did you wrong or insulted you in their anger?
Are you suspicious and do you without reason suspect that everyone supposedly talks about you, that they don't want you, and that they don't love or like you?
Are you jealous and upset over the progress, fortune, possessions and beauty of others?
Are you unmoved by the misfortune and needs of your fellow men?
In your transactions with your business partners, co-workers, and clients, are you honest and forthright?
Have you criticized or slandered your fellow man, wrongly accusing them?
Are you sarcastic and patronizing towards believers, or towards those who fast and endeavor to live a Christian life, or towards those who have physical/mental problems and/or disabilities?
If you heard some information or criticism against someone, did you pass it on to others and harm (even unwillingly) their reputation and respect?
Did you criticize the conduct, actions, faults, and mistakes of another person when they were not present, even if what you said was the truth? Have you ever criticized the clergy? Do you gossip about and criticize the personal lives of others? Did you listen to someone blaspheming God or a holy person, and not protest?
Do you curse those who have harmed you, or curse yourself in difficult moments of your life, or curse the day and hour in which you were born?
Do you send others “to the devil” or give them rude hand gestures?
Do you respect your parents? Do you look after them? Do you put up with their elderly weaknesses? Do you help them with their bodily and spiritual needs? Are you mindful of their spiritual needs by making sure they go to church and partake worthily of Holy Communion? Have you abandoned them?
Have you misguided your parents to leave to you in their will more of their estate than is proper, thus causing injustice to your brothers and sisters?
Perhaps in your anger did you hit anyone with your hands or injure them with your words?
Do you perform your job or occupation properly and with a good conscience? Or are you unfair to others?
Do you steal? Perhaps you have encouraged or helped another person to steal? Have you agreed to cover up a theft? Have you bought or accepted goods known to be stolen?
Are you ungrateful towards God and generally towards your helpers and beneficiaries? Do you grumble and murmur against them?
Do you keep company with bad and sinful people or associates? With your words or example, have you ever pushed anyone to sin?
Have you ever committed forgery? Have you ever embezzled or defrauded the public? Have you borrowed money and/or other possessions and without returning or repaying them?
Have you ever committed murder, in any way?
Do you entangle yourself in the lives of others or in their work or their families and become the cause of strife, quarrels and disturbances?
Do you have mercy and compassion on the poor, on orphans, on the elderly, on families with many children struggling to make ends meet?
Have you lied or added or subtracted from the truth? Do you flatter others in order to get your own way?
Did you craftily ask for a dowry when you declared your intentions to marry?
Have you ever sent an anonymous or cruel letter to anyone?
Yourself
Are you a slave to materialism and worldly goods?
Are you greedy or a lover of money?
Are you stingy?
Are you wasteful? Do you live by the Gospel command that whatever you have leftover and above your needs belongs to the poor? Do you have too much love towards pets and waste money on them while people are dying of starvation?
Are you conceited and arrogant? Do you talk hack to your elders and superiors?
Do you like to show off with your clothing, wealth, fortunes, and the academic achievements of your children or of yourself?
Do you seek attention and glory from people? Do you wear perfume, make-up, and change the appearance that your Creator gave to you?
Do you accept compliments and praise from others gladly and like to be told that no one else exists who is as good as you?
Do you get upset when others reveal your faults and do you get offended when others examine you and when your seniors make comments about you? Do you get angry?
Are you perhaps stubborn, high-minded, egotistical, proud, or cowardly? Be careful with these sins, as the diagnosis and solution to them are difficult.
Do you gamble or play cards, even without money, with relatives and people at home to “kill time” as the saying goes?
Have sexual sins polluted your body, mind, or soul? For example, have you engaged in fornication (sexual intercourse before marriage), or masturbation, prostitution, homosexuality, lesbianism, etc.?
Do you watch dirty shows on television or at the movies?
Do you read pornographic, immoral books and magazines?
Have you ever considered committing suicide?
Are you a slave to your stomach (i.e. gluttony)?
Are you lazy, careless and negligent? Do you not help out when you can?
Do you say improper, dirty, and immoral words or use swear words for the sake of humor or to insult or humiliate others?
Do you have a spirit of self-denial?
Do you expel from your mind bad or sly thoughts that come to pollute your heart?
Are you careful so that your eyes don't gaze or stare at provocative pictures or people? Do you go to the movies and theatres?
Are you careful what you ears hear? Do you like to hear sinful music and conversations?
Do you dress immorally? If you are a woman, do you wear men's clothing, (e.g. pants) or short skirts, open shirts; transparent shirts, and scandalize others with your appearance? In addition, do you dress in this way when appearing at holy places? If you are a man, do you dress provocatively?
Have you appeared naked in public or semi-naked in a swimsuit or bikini publicly?
Do you dance in a provocative and sinful manner? Do you listen to sinful immoral songs? Do you frequent parties, nightclubs, and bars? Do you celebrate sinful, worldly festivals such as mardigras, gay and lesbian festivals, Halloween etc.?
Are you a drunkard? Do you abuse “recreational” or pharmaceutical drugs?
Do you smoke? Smoking destroys your God-given valuable health and is also wasteful of money, and therefore is a sin.
Do you talk excessively about meaningless things?
For Couples
Do you remain faithful to each other? It is tragic when one of you is unfaithful to the other.
Did one of you embarrass or criticize the other publicly or privately?
Do you not endure the apparent weakness of the other? Do you show harshness?
Do you or your partner permit the other to follow the latest fashion and trend and anything which is opposed to the law of God? Do you perhaps drag the other along to parties on the condition that you will in this way provide the other the means to follow fashion and a worldly life?
Do you take into consideration the struggle the other has outside and inside the home, so that you both help each other bodily and spiritually in the struggle?
As a partner, have you had excessive sexual demands and degraded your relationship? Do you abstain from sexual relations on Wednesdays, Fridays, Sundays, Feast Days, (including the night before) and on the days of the Holy Fasts of the Church?
Do you perhaps prevent your partner from going to church, spiritual gatherings and talks?
Do you bring up your children “in the instruction and counsel of Christ”? Do you only concern yourself with their intellectual growth and not with the nature of their character?
Do you direct your children to go to church regularly, to go to confession, to frequently partake of Holy Communion (properly prepared), and to go to Sunday school? Do you teach holy virtues by word and example? Have you taught them to pray in the morning, evening and before and after at each meal? Have you taught them to pray with respect and reverence?
Are you careful of the things they read? Do you buy books and periodical of religious and cultural subjects for them to read and lean?
Do you watch with whom they keep company and who their friends are?
Do you lead them to sinful shows and entertainment or allow them to watch television unsupervised?
Do you teach them humility and meekness and are you careful that they dress in a dignified way?
Do you curse them when they upset you? Do you “send them to hell” or “to the devil”?
Have you had abortions or do you prevent yourself from having children (i.e. contraception)?
Have you been unjust to your children in the division of your estate?
Do you as a parent believe that the responsibility of raising and educating your children rests only with your partner? You have an obligation to educate them and to read to them so that you can relieve you partner.
Do you scorn your children by giving them insulting hand gestures and reprimand them with improper language?
Does each of you love and respect the parents of the other?
Do the grandparents of your children and other relatives get too involved in the family and cause disagreements and disputes?
Do you interfere in your children's families?
Is your partner a blasphemer? Have patience, and try hard to eliminate cursed blasphemy!
Have you ever considered divorcing your partner?
Do you allow your children to become fanatical about sports and even miss church in order to play (e.g. Sunday morning games)?
Are you fair and just with your family, considering and respecting their views and wishes, or do you behave like a dictator?
+ + +
He who is accustomed to give account of his life at confession here will not fear to give an answer at the terrible judgment-seat of Christ. It is for this purpose that the mild tribunal of penitence was here instituted, in order that we, being cleansed and amended through penitence here below, may give an answer without shame at the terrible judgment-seat of Christ. This is the first motive for sincere confession, and, moreover, it must absolutely be made every year. The longer we remain without confessing, the worse it is for us, the more entangled we become in the bonds of sin, and therefore the more difficult it is to give an account. The second motive is tranquillity: the more sincere has been our confession, the more tranquil will the soul be afterwards. Sins are secret serpents, gnawing at the heart of a man and all his being; they do not let him rest, they continually suck his heart; sins are prickly thorns, constantly goring the soul; sins are spiritual darkness. Those who repent must bring forth the fruits of repentance.
Consciousness, memory, imagination, feeling, and will are helps to penitence. As we sin with all the powers of our soul, so penitence must be from our whole soul. Penitence in words only, without the intention of amendment and without the feeling of contrition, may be called hypocritical. Should the consciousness of sins be obscured, it must be cleared up; should the feeling be smothered and dulled, it must be roused; should the will become blunt and too weak for amendment, it must be forced; “the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.” (St. Matt. 11:12) Confession must be sincere, deep, and full.
—St John of Kronstadt (My Life in Christ, p. 280)
To a culture whose core values are self-fulfillment, self-satisfaction, and self-sovereignty, Orthodox monastic life appears as an affront and a scandal. What could be more contrary to our individualistic society which prizes comfort, ease, and “freedom” above all other concerns than a life of utter self-abasement, strict obedience, and striving after Holy suffering for Christ’s sake?
The monastic life is a call to prophetic, apostolic, martyric, Christian witness, but is it a completely distinct call from the general Christian calling? Do the commandments to pray unceasingly (1 Thess. 5:17) or to sell all we have, give to the poor, and follow Christ (Matt. 19:21) only apply to monks? Aren’t all Christians called to strive after simplicity and poverty? To take up our cross and suffer willingly for Christ’s sake (Matt 16:24; Luke 9:23; Mark 8:34)? To a life of humility and repentance? To cut off our own will and submit in obedience to our spiritual fathers in the Church (and therefore, to Christ and his commandments)? To fasting and prayer?
Yes.
While many Christians are called to a life of marriage in the world, the gap between this life and that of the monastic who has fled the world shouldn’t be as large as we tend to think that it is. St. John Chrysostom writes:
You greatly delude yourself and err if you think that one thing is demanded from the layman and another from the monk; since the difference between them is in that whether one is married or not, while in everything else they have the same responsibilities … Because all must rise to the same height; and what has turned the world upside down is that we think only the monk must live rigorously, while the rest are allowed to live a life of indolence
For those of us raised in modern American culture as I have described it above, these words can appear daunting. The pattern of monastic living and its standards seem so far removed from our normal modes of being in the world that we shrink at the thought that we might be called to a similar standard. Or that—heaven forbid!—we might be called to the monastic life itself.
But the gospel of Jesus Christ is and has always been an offense and scandal to the world. If Christians in America have fooled ourselves into believing the Christian calling is neatly compatible with our inherited way of life, we have been greatly deceived. The witness of the lives of monks striving to preserve the genuine apostolic, Christian life should appear to us as an oasis in a harsh and barren desert—if we are striving to see with the eyes of eternity rather than with the eyes of this world that is dying and passing away (1 John 2:17; 1 Cor. 7:31). St. Justin Popvich writes:
The supreme rule of the Orthodox philosophy of society is: we must not adapt Christ the Theanthropos to the spirit of the times, but adapt the spirit of the times to Christ’s eternity, Christ’s theanthropy.
And it is precisely the monastic life that appears as a beacon of light from this eternal perspective.
While married life in the world necessarily differs in certain respects from monastic life, we ought not think that the differences are such that life in the world is one of lenience and laxity, while the monastics are called to strictness. Both callings are a call to strictness of life, but with some necessary differences. For a Christian husband in the world his primary, daily spiritual responsibilities are love and service to his wife and children, while a monks’ commitments are to his elders and brothers (or sisters, in the case of female monastics) at the monastery. The Christian in the world has a home and possessions as are necessary for living in the world, while a monk has neither. And there are perhaps some other essential differences, but the fundamental Christian calling is the same for both.
St. Symeon the New Theologian has words that should encourage those of us in the world striving to live a genuinely Christian life:
[L]iving in the city does not hinder us from practising the commandments of God as long as we are zealous and vigilant, and solitude and retirement from the world are useless if we are slack and careless.
Simply being a monk is no guarantee of success in the Christian life anymore than living a married life in the world is a guarantee of failure. In either case we must zealously cultivate a desire to obey the commandments, for prayer, for humility etc. But we ought not delude ourselves into thinking that we are called to something that is fundamentally different from what monastics are called to. Rather, let us look to that standard with humility, recognize it as the authentic mode of apostolic Christian life, and strive to emulate it.
http://www.pravoslavie.ru/english/
Προσωπική μου εμπειρία με τον γέροντα Παίσιο, αρχές της δεκαετίας του 80...
- Βρε παιδί μου μού λέει, δεν πάμε καλά γιατί κλείνουμε λάθος το ρήμα ΕΓΩ.
- Δηλαδή γέροντα;
- Να, εμείς το κλείνουμε ΕΓΩ, ΕΣΥ, ΑΥΤΟΣ, ενώ το σωστό είναι ΑΥΤΟΣ, ΕΣΥ, ΕΓΩ !
Και θαύμασα τότε ..."φιλολογικώς", την ευφυολογία του - πολλοί από εμάς πού τον βλέπαμε τότε αρκετές φορές τον χρόνο, γιατί πεταγόμαστε ένα 24ωρο στο Άγιο Όρος, -1979 κι αργότερα, δεν είχαμε καταλάβει συνειδητά την Αγιότητα του, και το διηγιόμουν σε όλους τούς φίλους μου, πολλά χρόνια όμως αργότερα, - ευτυχώς ζούσε, αν και άρρωστος ακόμη, κατάλαβα, "παιδαγωγικώ τω τρόπω " γιατί το είπε σε εμένα [ ή και σε μένα] αυτό.. Μεγάλος προορατικός και διακριτικός Γέροντας ! Την ευχή του να έχουμε..
Γεροντας Παϊσιος
Οἱ ἅγιοι Ἀπόστολοι παρεκάλεσαν τὸν Χριστό: «Κύριε, δίδαξον ἡμᾶς προσεύχεσθαι, καθώς Ἰωάννης ἐδίδαξε τοὺς μαθητὰς αὐτοῦ» (Λουκ. ια´, 1). Τότε ὁ Κύριος τοὺς παρέδωσε τὴν Κυριακὴ προσευχή (Ματθ. στ´, 9-13).
Πάτερ ἡμῶν Ἡ πρώτη λέξι, πόσο εἶναι γλυκειά! Μέχρι τώρα δὲν τολμούσαμε νὰ στρέψωμε τὸ βλέμμα πρὸς τὸν οὐρανό. Χαμηλώναμε τὰ μάτια στὴν γῆ καί, ξαφνικά, δεχθήκαμε τὴν χάρι τοῦ Χριστοῦ κι ὅλα τὰ ἁμαρτήματά μας συγχωρέθηκαν. Ἀπὸ πονηροὶ δοῦλοι, ποὺ ἤμασταν, ἐγίναμε καλοὶ «υἱοί». Μήν ὑπερηφανευώμεθα, ὅμως, γιὰ τὴν δική μας προσπάθεια, ἀλλὰ γιὰ τὴν χάρι τοῦ Χριστοῦ. «Χάριτί ἐστε σεσωσμένοι», λέγει ὁ Ἀπόστολος Παῦλος (Ἐφεσ. β´, 5). Τὸ νὰ ὁμολογήσωμε τὴν χάρι δὲν εἶναι οἴησι, δὲν εἶναι ἔπαρσι, ἀλλὰ πίστι. Τὸ νὰ διακηρύξωμε αὐτὸ ποὺ ἐλάβαμε δὲν εἶναι ὑπερηφάνεια, ἀλλὰ ἀφοσίωσι· ἂς ὑψώσωμε τὰ μάτια πρὸς τὸν Πατέρα, ποὺ μᾶς ἀναγέννησε μὲ τὸ λουτρὸ τοῦ Βαπτίσματος, πρὸς τὸν Πατέρα, ποὺ μᾶς «ἐξηγόρασε» μὲ τὸν Υἱό Του κι ἂς ποῦμε: «Πάτερ ἡμῶν». Εἶναι αὐτὴ μιὰ καλή, μιὰ ταπεινὴ καύχησι. Σάν ἕνα παιδί, τὸν ὀνομάζομε πατέρα. Ἀλλά, μὴ διεκδικοῦμε κάποιο προνόμιο. Μὲ τὸν εἰδικὸ κι ἀπόλυτο τρόπο δὲν εἶναι Πατέρας παρὰ τοῦ Χριστοῦ μονάχα· γιὰ μᾶς εἶναι ὁ κοινὸς Πατέρας. Γιατὶ μόνο Ἐκεῖνον τὸν ἐγέννησε, ἐνῶ ἐμᾶς μᾶς ἐδημιούργησε. Ἂς λέμε λοιπὸν καὶ μεῖς, κατὰ χάριν, «Πάτερ ἡμῶν», γιὰ νὰ γίνωμε ἄξιοι νὰ εἴμαστε παιδιά Του. Ἂς κάνωμε δική μας τὴν εὔνοια καὶ τὴν τιμή, ποὺ ἐχάρισε στὴν Ἐκκλησία.
Ὁ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς
Τί σημαίνει «ὁ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς»; ἂς ἀκούσωμε τὴν Γραφή, ποὺ λέγει: «Ὑψηλὸς ἐπὶ πάντα τὰ ἔθνη (ὑψηλότερος ἀπὸ ὅλα τὰ ἔθνη), ὁ Κύριος, ἐπὶ τοὺς οὐρανούς ἡ δόξα αὐτοῦ» (Ψαλμ. ριβ´, 4). Παντοῦ θὰ δοῦμε νὰ γίνεται λόγος ὅτι ὁ Κύριος εἶναι στούς οὐρανούς, γιὰ τοὺς ὁποίους λέγει ὁ ψαλμωδός: «Οἱ οὐρανοὶ διηγοῦνται δόξαν Θεοῦ» (Ψαλμ.ιη´, 2). Ὁ οὐρανὸς εἶναι ἐκεῖ ὁπού ἔχουν σταματήσει οἱ ἁμαρτίες. Ὁ οὐρανὸς εἶναι ἐκεῖ ὁποῦ οἱ παραβάσεις τιμωροῦνται. Ὁ οὐρανὸς εἶναι ἐκεῖ ὁποῦ δὲν ὑπάρχει καμμιὰ πληγὴ θανάτου.
Ἁγιασθήτω τὸ ὄνομά σου
Τί σημαίνει «ἁγιασθήτω;». Σάν νὰ εὐχώμαστε νὰ ἁγιασθῇ Ἐκεῖνος, ποὺ εἶπε: «ἅγιοι ἔσεσθε, ὅτι ἅγιος ἐγὼ Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ὑμῶν» (Λευϊτ. ιθ´, 2). Σάν νὰ ἔχη τὴν δύναμι ὁ δικός μας λόγος, νὰ αὐξήση τὴ δική Του ἁγιότητα… Ὄχι, δὲν εἶναι αὐτό. Ζητᾶμε νὰ ἁγιασθῆ ὁ Θεὸς «ἐν ἡμῖν», ἐντός μας. Τὸ ἁγιαστικό του ἔργο νὰ φθάση σὲ μᾶς.
Ἐλθέτω ἡ βασιλεία σου
Ἆρα γε δὲν εἶναι αἰώνια ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ Θεοῦ; Ὁ Ἰησοῦς λέγει: «Ἐγὼ εἰς τοῦτο γεγέννημαι καὶ εἰς τοῦτο ἐλήλυθα εἰς τὸν κόσμον» (Ἐγὼ γι᾿ αὐτὸ γεννήθηκα καὶ γι᾿ αὐτὸ ἦλθα στὸν κόσμο, Ἰωάν. ιη´, 37), καὶ μεῖς λέμε: «ἐλθέτω ἡ βασιλεία σου», σάν νὰ μήν ἔχῃ ἔλθει· ὅμως, τὸ αἴτημα αὐτὸ ἔχει ἕνα διαφορετικὸ νόημα. Ὁ Θεὸς ἔρχεται, ὅταν δεχώμαστε τὴν χάρι Του. Ὁ ἴδιος τὸ βεβαιώνει: «Ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐντὸς ὑμῶν ἐστι» (Λουκ. ιζ´, 21).
Γενηθήτω τὸ θέλημά σου, ὡς ἐν οὐρανῷ καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς
Μὲ τὸ Αἶμα τοῦ Χριστοῦ ὅλα εἰρήνευσαν καὶ στὸν οὐρανὸ καὶ στὴν γῆ. Ὁ οὐρανὸς ἁγιάσθηκε, ὁ διάβολος ἐκδιώχθηκε. Βρίσκεται πιὰ ἐκεῖ, ὁποῦ βρίσκεται ὁ ἄνθρωπος, τὸν ὁποῖον ἀπάτησε. «Γενηθήτω τὸ θέλημά σου» σημαίνει νὰ ἔλθῃ εἰρήνη στὴν γῆ, ὅπως ὑπάρχει στὸν οὐρανό.
Τὸν ἄρτον ἡμῶν τὸν ἐπιούσιον δὸς ἡμῖν σήμερον
Προτοῦ ἐκφωνήσει ὁ ἱερέας, κατὰ τὴν Θ. Εὐχαριστία, τὰ λόγια τοῦ Χριστοῦ: «Λάβετε φάγετε… πίετε ἐξ αὐτοῦ πάντες…», αὐτὸ ποὺ προσφέρομε ὀνομάζεται ἄρτος. Μετὰ τὴν ἐκφώνησι δὲν τὸ ὀνομάζομε πιὰ ἄρτο, ἀλλὰ Σῶμα. Γιατί, ὅμως, στὴν Κυριακὴ προσευχή, τὴν ὁποίαν ἀπαγγέλλομε μετὰ τὸν καθαγιασμό, λέμε «τὸν ἄρτον ἡμῶν»; … Ἀλλά, προσθέτομε «τὸν ἐπιούσιον», δηλαδὴ τὸν ἀπαραίτητο γιὰ τὴν συντήρησι τῆς οὐσίας· τὴν ὑπόστασι τῆς ψυχῆς μας δὲν τὴν ἐνισχύει ὁ ἄρτος ὁ ὑλικός, ποὺ μπαίνει στὸ σῶμα μας, ἀλλ᾿ ὁ ἄρτος ὁ οὐράνιος· τὸν ὀνομάζομε, ὅμως, κι «ἐπιούσιο», ποὺ σημαίνει ἐπίσης «καθημερινό», γιατὶ οἱ ἀρχαῖοι ὀνόμαζαν τὴν «αὔριον»: «ἐπιοῦσαν ἡμέραν». Ἔτσι ἐκφράζομε δύο ἔννοιες μὲ μιὰ λέξι.
Ἐάν, ὅμως, ὁ ἄρτος αὐτὸς εἶναι καὶ καθημερινὸς καὶ ἀπαραίτητος γιὰ τὴν συντήρησι τῆς οὐσίας, γιατὶ περιμένομε νὰ περάση ἕνας ὁλόκληρος χρόνος, γιὰ νὰ μεταλάβωμε; ἂς λάβωμε κάθε ἡμέρα αὐτὸ ποὺ μᾶς χρειάζεται κάθε ἡμέρα. Ἂς ζοῦμε κατὰ τέτοιο τρόπο, ὥστε νὰ εἴμεθα ἄξιοι νὰ μεταλαμβάνωμε κάθε ἡμέρα. Γιατί, ἐκεῖνος ποὺ δὲν εἶναι ἄξιος νὰ τὸν λαμβάνῃ κάθε ἡμέρα, δὲν θὰ εἶναι ἄξιος νὰ τὸν δεχθῇ οὔτε μιὰ φορὰ τὸν χρόνο. Ὁ Ἰὼβ προσέφερε κάθε ἡμέρα θυσία γιὰ τοὺς γιούς του, ἀπὸ φόβο μήπως διέπραξαν κανένα ἁμάρτημα μὲ τὰ λόγια ἢ μὲ τὶς ἐνθυμήσεις τῆς καρδιᾶς τους (Ἰώβ α´, 5). Καὶ μεῖς ἀκοῦμε πώς, κάθε φορὰ ποὺ προσφέρεται ἡ ἀναίμακτος θυσία, ἀναπαριστάνεται ὁ θάνατος καὶ ἡ Ἀνάστασι καὶ ἡ Ἀνάληψι τοῦ Κυρίου, καὶ ξαναδίδεται ἡ συγχώρησι τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν, καὶ δὲν δεχώμεθα τὸν ἄρτο τῆς ζωῆς; Ὅποιος ἔχει μιὰ πληγὴ ζητάει κάποιο φάρμακο. Τὸ νὰ εἴμαστε ὑποταγμένοι στὴν ἁμαρτία εἶναι μιὰ πληγή. Τὸ οὐράνιο φάρμακο εἶναι τὰ ἄχραντα Μυστήρια.
Ἄν μεταλαμβάνωμε κάθε ἡμέρα, τότε ἡ κάθε ἡμέρα εἶναι γιὰ μᾶς μία «σήμερον». Ἐὰν σήμερα ὁ Χριστὸς εἶναι μέσα μας, ἀναγεννάει κι ἀνασταίνει τὴν σημερινή μας ἡμέρα. Μὲ ποιὸν τρόπο; Ὁ Πατήρ ὁ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς λέγει στὸν Ἰησοῦ: «Υἱός μου εἶ σύ, ἐγὼ σήμερον γεγέννηκά σε» (Ψαλμ. β´, 7). Τὸ «σήμερον» εἶναι ἡ ἡμέρα κατὰ τὴν ὁποίαν ὁ Χριστὸς ἀνασταίνεται. Ὑπάρχει τὸ χθές καὶ τὸ σήμερα· ὅμως, ὁ Ἀπόστολος λέγει: «Ἡ νύξ προέκοψεν, ἡ δὲ ἡμέρα ἤγγικεν» (Ρωμ. ιγ´, 12). Ἡ νύχτα τῆς «χθές» πέρασε. Ἡ σημερινὴ ἡμέρα ἔφθασε.
Ἄφες ἡμῖν τὰ ὀφειλήματα ἡμῶν, ὡς καὶ ἡμεῖς ἀφίεμεν τοῖς ὀφειλέταις ἡμῶν
Ποιὸ ἄλλο εἶναι τὸ «ὀφείλημα», τὸ χρέος, ἐκτὸς ἀπὸ τὴν ἁμαρτία; ἄν δὲν δεχώμασταν χρήματα ἀπὸ ἕναν ξένο δανειστή, δὲν θὰ χρωστούσαμε. Ἀκριβῶς γι᾿ αὐτὸν τὸν λόγο μᾶς καταλογίζεται ἁμαρτία.
Εἴχαμε στὴν διάθεσί μας τὸ «χρῆμα» καὶ ὠφείλαμε μ᾿ αὐτὸ νὰ γεννηθοῦμε πλούσιοι. Ἤμασταν πλούσιοι, πλασμένοι «κατ᾿ εἰκόνα καὶ καθ᾿ ὁμοίωσιν Θεοῦ» (Γεν. α´, 26-27). Ἐχάσαμε αὐτὸ ποὺ κατείχαμε, δηλαδὴ τὴν ταπείνωσι, ὅταν ἀπὸ ὑπερηφάνεια προεβάλαμε διεκδικήσεις. Ἐχάσαμε τὸ χρῆμα μας. Ἐμείναμε γυμνοὶ σὰν τὸν Ἀδάμ. Πήραμε ἀπὸ τὸν διάβολο ἕνα δάνειο, ποὺ δὲν μᾶς ἦταν ἀπαραίτητο. Κι ἔτσι ἐμεῖς, ποὺ ἤμασταν ἐλεύθεροι «ἐν Χριστῷ», ἐγίναμε αἰχμάλωτοι τοῦ διαβόλου. Ὁ ἐχθρὸς κρατοῦσε τὸ γραμμάτιο. Ἀλλ᾿ ὁ Κύριος τὸ κάρφωσε πάνω στὸν Σταυρὸ καὶ τὸ ἔσβησε μὲ τὸ Αἶμα Του (Κολ. β´, 14-15). Ἐξάλειψε τὸ χρέος καὶ μᾶς ἐλευθέρωσε. Ἑπομένως ἔχει ἰδιαίτερη σημασία αὐτὸ ποὺ λέμε: «Ἄφες ἡμῖν τὰ ὀφειλήματα ἡμῶν, ὡς καὶ ἡμεῖς ἀφίεμεν τοῖς ὀφειλέταις ἡμῶν». Ἂς τὸ προσέξωμε: «ἄφες ἡμῖν…, ὡς καὶ ἡμεῖς ἀφίεμεν…», (Συγχώρησέ μας…, ὅπως κι ἐμεῖς συγχωροῦμε). Ἄν συγχωροῦμε, τότε κάνομε κάτι ποὺ εἶναι ἀπαραίτητη προϋπόθεσι γιὰ νὰ συγχωρηθοῦμε. Ἄν δὲν συγχωροῦμε, πῶς ζητοῦμε, πῶς ἀπαιτοῦμε ἀπὸ τὸν Θεὸ νὰ μᾶς συγχωρήση;
Καὶ μὴ εἰσενέγκης ἡμᾶς εἰς πειρασμόν, ἀλλὰ ῥῦσαι ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ τοῦ πονηροῦ
Ἂς τὸ προσέξωμε αὐτό: «Μὴ εἰσενέγκης», μὴ μᾶς ἀφήνεις νὰ πέσωμε σὲ πειρασμό, στὸν ὁποῖο δὲν μποροῦμε νὰ ἀντισταθοῦμε. Δέν λέγει: «Μὴ μᾶς ὁδηγεῖς στὸν πειρασμό». Ἀλλὰ σάν ἀθλητές, ποὺ θέλουμε νὰ ἀγωνιστοῦμε, ζητᾶμε νὰ ἔχωμε τὴν δύναμι ν᾿ ἀντισταθοῦμε στὸν ἐχθρό, δηλαδὴ στὴν ἁμαρτία. Ὁ Κύριος, ποὺ σήκωσε στούς ὤμους Του τίς ἁμαρτίες μας καὶ συγχώρησε τὰ λάθη μας, εἶναι ἱκανὸς νὰ μᾶς προστατεύσῃ καὶ νὰ μᾶς φυλάξῃ ἀπὸ τὰ τεχνάσματα τοῦ διαβόλου, ποὺ μᾶς πολεμάει, ὥστε ὁ ἐχθρός, ποὺ γεννάει συνεχῶς τὸ κακό, νὰ μὴ μᾶς κατακτήσῃ· ὅποιος ἐμπιστεύεται στὸν Θεό, δὲν φοβᾶται τὸν διάβολο. Γιατὶ «εἰ ὁ Θεὸς ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν, τίς καθ᾿ ἡμῶν;» (Ρωμ. η´, 31). Σ᾿ Αὐτόν, λοιπόν, ἀνήκει ἡ τιμὴ καὶ ἡ δόξα, νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.
The Great Schema in the Orthodox Church requires the traditional monastic vows, plus special spiritual feats. According to Archpriest G. S. Debolsky: "In the understanding of the Church, the Great Schema is nothing less than the supreme vow of the Cross and death; it is the image of complete isolation from the earth, the image of transformation and transfiguration of life, the image of death and the beginning of another, higher, existence."
As a monastic dignity, the Great Schema has been known since the 4th century. According to an ancient legend, this dignity was inaugurated by St. Pachomios the Great. However, as a form of monastic life, the Great Schema goes back to the origin of Christianity. Those who followed Christ's teachings on supreme spiritual perfection by voluntarily taking the vows of chastity, obedience and poverty were called ascetics to distinguish them from other Christians. They led a harsh and secluded hermit's life like St. John the Baptist, or like our Lord Jesus Christ Himself during his forty days in the desert.
According to the Rule of St. Pachomios, the act of acceptance into a monastery had three steps and consisted of (a) "temptation" (trial), (b) clothing, and (c) presentation to the starets for spiritual guidance. Each of the three steps undoubtedly had its own significance. They marked the beginning of the three stages in monasticism which have become deeply embedded in the life of the Eastern Church: first, the novice (or rasoforos); the second, the monk (known as a monk of the Lesser Schema); and the third, the monk of the Great Schema.
The Church historians Sozomen, Bishop Palladios of Helenopolis and Hieromonk Nicephoros maintain that St. Pachomios was the first to invest monks with the full monastic dignity of the schema.
It should be noted that not all the fathers and ascetics of the Church divided monasticism into the greater and lesser angelic schema. For instance, St. Theodore of Studios did not agree with this division, considering that there should be only one form of monasticism, just as there was one Mystery of Baptism.
However, the custom of dividing monasticism into two became widespread in the practice of the Church. The Lesser Schema thus became a kind of preparatory step to the Great Schema. Cenobitism came to be known as a "betrothal", and seclusion within a monastery as actual "matrimony". In accordance with the Rule the difference between the Lesser and Greater Schema began to be reflected in the habit. Those of the latter had embroidered crosses on their habit, while the former did not(7).
Those who take the Great Schema vows must be like an angel in the flesh; they must attain that degree of spiritual perfection which is possible for man. Constant contemplation of God, life in Him, and silence is their vocation.
The analavos of the Great Schema monks are the signs of perfect monasticism, symbols not only of humble wisdom and gentleness, but also of the Cross, of suffering, of Christ's wounds, of constant dying with Christ.
The άνάλαβος (analavos) is the distinctive garment of a monk or a nun tonsured into the highest grade of Orthodox monasticism, the Great Schema, and is adorned with the instruments of the Passion of Christ. It takes its name from the Greek αναλαμβάνω (“to take up”), serving as a constant reminder to the one who wears it that he or she must “take up his cross daily” (Luke 9:23). The ornately-plaited Crosses that cover the analavos, the polystavrion (πολυσταύριον, from πολύς, “many,” and σταυρός, “Cross”) — a name often, though less accurately, also applied to the analavos — reminds the monastic that he or she is “crucified with Christ” (Galatians 2:20).
With regard to each image on the analavos, the rooster represents “the cock [that] crowed” (Matthew 26:74; Mark 14:68 Luke 22:60; John 18:27) after Saint Peter had “denied thrice” His Master and Lord (John 13:38).
The pillar represents the column to which Pilate bound Christ “when he scourged Him” (Mark 15:15) “by Whose stripes we were healed” (Isaiah 53:5; I Peter 2:24).
The wreath garlanding the Cross represents the “crown of thorns” (Matthew 27:29; Mark 15:17; John 19:2) that “the soldiers platted” (John 19:2) and “put upon the head” (Matthew 27:29) of “God our King of old” (Psalm 73:13), Who freed man from having to contend against “thorns and thistles in the sweat of his brow” (Genesis 3:18-19).
The upright post and the traverse beam represent the stipes and the patibulum that formed “the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Galatians 6:14), upon which “all day long He stretched forth His hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people” (Isaiah 65:2; Romans 10:21).
The four spikes at the center of the Cross and the hammer beneath its base represent the “nails” (John 20:25) and hammer with which “they pierced” (Psalm 21:16; John 19:37) “His hands and His feet” (Luke 24:40). when they “lifted up from the earth” (John 12:32) Him Who “blotted out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us by nailing it to His Cross” (Colossians 2:14).
The base upon which the Cross stands represents “the place, which is called 'Calvary' (Luke 23:33), or 'Golgotha', that is to say, the Place of the Skull” (Matthew 27:33), “where they crucified Him” (John 19:18) Who “wrought salvation in the midst of the earth” (Psalm 73:13).
The skull and crossbones represent “the first man Adam” (I Corinthians 15:45), who by tradition “returned unto the ground” (Genesis 3:19) at this very spot, the reason that this place of execution, “full of dead men’s bones” (Matthew 23:27) became the place where “the last Adam was made a quickening spirit” (I Corinthians 15:45).
The plaque on top of the Cross represents the titulus, the “title” (John 19:19-20), with “the superscription of His accusation” (Mark 15:26), which “Pilate wrote” (John 19:19) “and set up over His head” (Matthew 27:37); however, instead of “Jesus of Nazareth the king of the Jews” (John 19:19), which “was written over Him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew” (Luke 23:38), the three languages being an allusion to the Three Hypostases “of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19), this titulus reads, “The King of Glory” (Psalm 23:7-10), “for had they known it they would not have crucified the Lord of glory” (I Corinthians 2:8).
The reed represents the “hyssop” (John 19:29) upon which was put “a sponge full of vinegar” (Mark 15:36), which was then “put to His mouth” (John 19:29) when in His “thirst they gave Him vinegar to drink” (Psalm 68:21), Him of Whom it was said that “all wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth” (Luke 4:22).
The lance represents the “spear [that] pierced His side”; “and forthwith came there out blood and water” (John 19:34) from Him Who “took one of Adam's ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof" (Genesis 2:21) and Who “washed us from our sins in His own blood” (Revelation 1:5).
The plaque at the bottom of the Cross represents the suppedaneum of Christ, “His footstool” (Psalm 98:5), “the place where His feet have stood” (Psalm 131:7). It is slanted because, according to one tradition, at the moment when “Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the spirit” (Mark 15:37), He allowed a violent death spasm to convulse His legs, dislodging His footrest in such a manner that one end pointed upwards, indicating that the soul of the penitent thief, Saint Dismas, “the one on His right hand” (Mark 15:27) would be “carried up into Heaven” (Luke 24:51), while the other end, pointed downwards, indicated that the soul of the impenitent thief, Gestas, “the other on His left” (Mark 15:27), would “be thrust down to Hell” (Luke 10:15), showing that all of us, “the evil and the good, the just and the unjust” (Matthew 5:45), “are weighed in the balance” (Ecclesiasticus 21:25) of the Cross of Christ.
The ladder and the pincers beneath the base of the Cross represent the means of deposition by which Saint Joseph of Arimathea, “a rich man” (Matthew 27:57) who “begged for the body of Jesus” (Matthew 27:58; Luke 23:52), “took it down” (Luke 23:53), so that as in body He descended from the Cross, so in soul “He also descended first into the lower parts of the earth” (Ephesians 4:9), “by which also He went and preached unto the spirits in prison” (I Peter 3:19).
Through these instruments, “the Cross of Christ” (I Corinthians 1:17: Galatians 6:12; Philippians 3:18) became the “Tree of Life” (Genesis 2:9; 3:22, 24; Proverbs 3:18, 11:30; 13:12; 15:4; Revelation 2:7; 22:2,14), by which the Lord Jesus reified His words that, “I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live, and whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die” (John 11:25-26).
The Greek letters that appear on the analavos are abbreviations of phrases that extol the Cross as “the power of God” (I Corinthians 1:18). From top to bottom:
• ΟΒΤΔ - Ό Βασιλεύς της Δόξης - “The King of Glory”
• ΙC XC NIKΑ - Ιησούς Χριστός νικά - ”Jesus Christ conquers”
• ΤΤΔΦ - Τετιμημένον τρόπαιον δαιμόνων φρίκη - "Honored trophy, the dread of demons”
• ΡΡΔΡ - Ρητορικοτέρα ρητόρων δακρύων ροή - "A flow of tears more eloquent than orators” (or, more likely: Ρητορικοτέρα ρημάτων δακρύων ροή)
• ΧΧΧΧ - Χριστός Χριστιανοίς Χαρίζει Χάριν - "Christ bestoweth Grace upon Christians”
• ΞΓΘΗ - Ξύλου γεύσις θάνατον ηγαγεν - "The tasting of the tree brought about death”
• CΞΖΕ - Σταυρού Ξύλω ζωήν εύρομεν - "Through the Tree of the Cross have we found life"
• ΕΕΕΕ - Ελένης εύρημα εύρηκεν Εδέμ - "The discovery of Helen hath uncovered Eden”
• ΦΧΦΠ - Φως Χριστού φαίνοι πάσι - “The light of Christ shines upon all”
• ΘΘΘΘ - Θεού Θέα Θείον Θαύμα - "The vision of God, a Divine wonder”
• ΤCΔΦ - Τύπον Σταυρού δαίμονες φρίττουσιν - "Demons dread the sign of the Cross”
• ΑΔΑΜ - Αδάμ - "Adam"
• ΤΚΠΓ - Τόπος Κρανίου Παράδεισος γέγονε - "The Place of the Skull hath become Paradise”
• ΞΖ - Ξύλον Ζωής - “Tree of life”
There are other items and abbreviations that may appear on the analavos, but these are sufficient to demonstrate that this holy garment silently proclaims “the preaching of the Cross” (I Corinthians 1:18) through its mystical symbolism, declaring for its wearer, “God forbid that I should glory, save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by Whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world” (Galatians 6:14).
Εργόχειρο για κάποιους, φυλαχτό για άλλους. Από μέσο αρίθμησης προσευχών έγινε αντικαταστάτης τους. Για εξυπηρέτηση το πλέκουν λίγοι, λόγω μόδας το έχουν πολλοί. Αντιφάσεις που ακουμπούν την πλάνη και απέχουν από τον σκοπό ύπαρξής του.
Αυτό σημειώνεται σε άρθρο που φιλοξενείται στο πρακτορείο εκκλησιαστικών ειδήσεων, dogma.gr αναφορικά με την ιστορία και τη χρήση του κομποσχοινιού.
Ο συγγραφέας του κειμένου διερωτάται αν πρόκειται πράγματι για εργαλείο προσευχής ή φετίχ μόδας.
Διαβάστε το σχετικό κείμενο που υπογράφει ο Αρχιμανδρίτης Χρυσόστομος Χρυσόπουλος:
«Η κατασκευή του,το ‘πλέξιμο’ δηλαδή, ήταν και είναι διακόνημα για τους μοναχούς. Άρα ώρα και καρπός προσευχής. Στις ημέρες μας βιομηχανοποιήθηκε, έγινε προϊόν ακόμα και εισαγωγής. Η ζήτηση έφερε τις λύσεις ανάγκης, όχι πάντως πατροπαράδοτες και ορθόδοξες.
Φαινόμενο των καιρών μας είναι ότι, το βλέπουμε ως στοιχείο διακοσμητικό σε αρχιερατικές ράβδους, χρωματιστό και ανάλογο των αμφίων,στολισμένο με χάντρες πολύχρωμες. Αντί για ευκολία σε ώρα προσευχής,έγινε ευκαιρία επίδειξης δήθεν πνευματικότητας.
Οι (τυχαίες;) φωτογραφίες προσευχομένων επιφανών κληρικών με μεγάλο κομποσχοίνι φιλοξενούνται συχνά στις σελίδες εκκλησιαστικών εντύπων. Το έχουν μερικοί φαίνεται ανάγκη για να δείξουν το αυτονόητο,ότι προσεύχονται. Αφορμή για να διαφημίσουν τον γεροντισμό τους και να γεμίσουν τον κούφιο εσωτερικό τους κόσμο με στοιχεία στην ουσία απλά.
Για τους σωστά προσευχόμενους είναι ένα τυπικό μέσο προσευχής. Έγινε όμως θέατρο για να βοηθήσει την αποδοχή τους απο τον περίγυρό ως πνευματικών προσώπων.Τα πάντα αλλάζουν εμπρός στον φακό φωτογραφικής μηχανής ή κάμερας.
Ηδονίζονται όλοι στην θέα αυτή και ας είναι προσποιητή και ψεύτικη.Αποδείξεις όλα, αφ΄ενος μεν της εκμετάλλευσης της πίστης και αφ΄ ετέρου της φαιδρότητάς τους.
Παρανοήθηκε εκούσια ή ακούσια ο σκοπος του κομποσχοινιού. Πρώτη φορά γίνεται άλλωστε στα εκκλησιαστικά πράγματα τέτοια παρεξήγηση; Είναι υπερβολή όπου και όποτε βλέπουμε να ζητούν οι χριστιανοί ένα κομποσχοίνι,να είναι “διαβασμένο” σαν ευλογία.
Είναι ευχάριστο και εύοιωνο που υπάρχουν πνευματικές αναζητήσεις από τους ανθρώπους ,ιδίως στους καιρούς μας τους τόσο υλιστικούς και ξερούς. Δεν πρέπει όμως να χαϊδεύουμε αυτιά και συνειδήσεις. Μόνο και μόνο επειδή το αγόρασαν και το ακούμπησαν σε εικόνα ή λείψανο αγίου,δεν σημαίνει ότι έχει και χάρη διαφορετικη. Μόνο φετιχιστική είναι η σχέση αυτή που έχουν με τα θέματα της πίστης μας.
Ρασοφόροι υποκινούν τέτοιες πρακτικές και αποπροσανατολίζουν,χωρίς να διδάσκουν την χρησιμότητά του. Θέλουν μόνο να το επιδεικνύουν.
Έγκαιρα και έγκυρα πρέπει διευκρινίζουμε ,όχι το πού και πώς αποκτήσαμε το κομποσχοίνι,αλλά το γιατί. Να εξηγήσουμε σ΄όλους ότι το χρειαζόμαστε στην νοερές προσευχές μας, μ΄εκείνο τις μετράμε βάσει των οδηγιών που έχουμε από τον πνευματικό μας.
Δεν είναι ποτέ διακοσμητικό,ούτε φέρει μαγικές δυνάμεις,η ευλογία Θεού ξεχωριστή. Είναι ένα αριθμητήρι στο χέρι του προσευχόμενου. Δεν έχει λόγο ύπαρξης μάλιστα σε ώρα κοινής Λατρείας,όπως στην Θ.Λειτουργία ή τις ακολουθίες,εκεί μιλά το αναλόγιο και ο λειτουργός Ιερέας. Είναι σκληρή η πραγματικότητα για όσους έχουν επενδύσει σ’ αντίθετες ερμηνείες, για εξωραϊσμό της εξωτερικής εικόνας τους ως χριστιανοί -κληρικοί και λαϊκοί- και για άγρα οπαδών.
Πρέπει να επαναπροσδιορίσουμε (και μέσα από τα κηρύγματά μας) τον λόγο ύπαρξης και τον τρόπο χρήσης του κομποσχοινιού.Οι παρανοήσεις είναι επιζήμιες παντού και πάντα. Θα είμαστε αναπολόγητοι αν δεν το κάνουμε. Μην αφήνουμε τον λαό έρμαιο προσωπολατρικών επιλογών, εξαιτίας αντικειμένων,που οδηγούν ακόμα και σε δυσειδαιμονικές αντιλήψεις».
Πρέπει να μιμηθούμε όλους αυτούς που έχουν και ξέρουν για το κομποσχοίνι και που σωστά το χρησιμοποιούν, υπάρχουν ως μεγάλη εξαίρεση στα προαναφερθέντα.Να το έχουμε λοιπόν ως εργαλείο στην προσευχή μας και όχι ως φετίχ.
Έχει την αξία του στην ώρα του και μόνο.Να είναι μαύρου χρώματος και απλό στην εμφάνιση. Δεν είναι στολίδι χεριών ή συνεισφορά στον εγωισμό μας. Εκτός αν αυτό επιδιώκουμε».
http://www.diakonima.gr
.
Πόσοι έρχονται και ζητούν να τους βοηθήσω σε κάποιο πρόβλημα τους, και ούτε εξομολογούνται ούτε εκκλησιάζονται!
«Εκκλησιάζεσαι καθόλου;», τους ρωτάω.
«Όχι», μου λένε.
«Εξομολογήθηκες καμμιά φορά;».
«Όχι. Ήρθα να με κάνης καλά».
«Μα πως; Πρέπει να μετανοήσης για τα σφάλματά σου, να εξομολογήσαι, να εκκλησιάζεσαι, να κοινωνάς, όταν έχης ευλογία από τον πνευματικό σου, και εγώ θα κάνω προσευχή να γίνης καλά».
Γέροντος Παϊσίου Αγιορείτου-Λόγοι ε', «Πάθη και Αρετές»
http://www.agioritikovima.gr
This is the story of how St. Symeon the New Theologian met his spiritual father, St Symeon Eulabes (The Pious). "This story illustrates the close bond uniting the master and the disciple, and how such love overcomes all fear. It also shows that before choosing and following a spiritual father one must first believe in him;
It was he (St Symeon the Pious), who invited Symeon to follow him. 'Come, my child I will lead you to God'. When Symeon hesitated, his spiritual father told him: 'Light a great fire, that I may pass into the center: do not follow me if I do not remain untouched! 'These words confused me', Simeon wrote, 'and I did what he had commanded. And the flame burned and he stood in its center, intact, unconsumed, and he called me to him. I said I'm afraid master, I am a sinner! He advanced, came to me and embraced me saying , Why were you afraid? Why this fear and trembling? This is a great and frightening wonder: you will see even greater things!'
Finally to subdue Symeon's fear, his spiritual master made him approach: 'He enfolded me with his arms, and he kissed me again with a holy kiss, and he yielded a fragrance of immortality. I believed, I chose to follow him, and I desired to become his slave, his alone." Archbishop Basil Krivocheine, In The Light of Christ, p.98-99, SVS Press 1986.
Fr Sophrony Sakharov quoting from St. John Climacus establishes the connection between spiritual fatherhood and Christ Himself in his book 'On Prayer', p.89 as quoted by Fr Zacharias;
"..spiritual fatherhood is linked with the mystery of the word of God, which is begotten in the heart of man through prayer" Fr. Zacharias Zacharou, 'The Enlargement of the Heart' p.164, Mount Thabor Publishing, 2006. Spiritual fathers are those who, in the fear of God, remain unwavering in the pre-eternal current of the will of God, and who are vouchsafed to hear the still small voice of Christ(I Kings 19:12), and to obey it with humility and discernment, overcoming their own psychological inclination,.". ibid p.164
"A spiritual father bears in himself the blessedness flowing from the knowledge of Christ way, and he thus becomes the means of leading the life of men out of the hell they have created, by the negative effect of their passions, and into pure Christian life and spiritual freedom.He is constrained by only one thought; how the person can be healed. ( Father Sophrony used to say that when the spiritual father prays for his children, as soon as he pronounces their names, he feels in his heart their state, weather they are in a good state or in a bad state, in comfort or in despair). The father confessor offers this sacred service on behalf of the little ones, the unfortunate ones who are themselves completely indifferent. He does not plot against their freedom, but instead considers exclusively his future reward. (That is to say, he must remain selfless, only consider God's reward, and not expect to be rewarded by anyone or anything in this world).The spiritual father is the image of the 'Good Shepherd' who has greater love, and lays down his life for his sheep. John 10:11" ibid p.174-175. "He offers repentance for himself and for all the sins of those whom God has entrusted to him". ibid p.177.
"But if Christ is to send such a father, he is to be sought in fervent prayer and in a spirit of repentance. Symeon (The New Theologian) told a Christian; 'humble yourself and say, O Lord, You do not desire the death of the sinner but that he be converted and live. You descended to earth precisely to resurrect the ones who have fallen and are dead in consequence of their sin. You enable them to see You, the true light, as far as this is possible to man. Send me a man who knows You, that by entirely submitting myself to his service as to Yours and by fulfilling Your will by doing his, I may please You, the only God, and be awarded Your kingdom, even, I a sinner'. A certain identification is made here between Christ and the spiritual father, but it is always Christ, the one true God, who remains the real father". Archbishop Basil Krivocheine, 'In The Light of Christ' p. 92-93, SVS Press,1986
Metropolitan Hierotheos Vlachos points out that "Only those who have been cured and have attained communion with God are theologians, and they alone can show Christians, the true way to reach the 'place' of cure." Metropolitan Hierotheos Vlachos in 'Orthodox Psychotherapy'
p. 30-31. "Therefore the theologian and the spiritual father are the same thing" ibid p.35
St. Nicetas Stethatos ( disciple of St. Symeon) states that, "anyone who is uninitiated in the spiritual life is falsely named even if by ordination he is set over all the others in rank and mocks them and behaves arrogantly" ibid p.91
Fr. Simeon P. Koutsas explains the role of the spiritual father in Orthodox tradition, in an article published by the Orthodox Outlet for Dogmatic Inquiries. It is published in this blog with written permission from O.O.D.E.
The Spiritual Father: Spiritual paternity in the light of Orthodox Tradition
by the Reverend Simeon P. Koutsas, Metropolis of Nea Smyrni, Athens. A Publication by the Sacred Metropolis of Kalavryta and Aegialia, Aegion 1995. Re-published, from Myriobiblos
A. THE FORMING OF THE INSTITUTION
1. The Significance of the Institution
Each and every person has a biological father - the one to whom he owes his entry into this life. Apart from his biological father however,a Christian also has a spiritual father. He is the one to whom he owes his spiritual rebirth - the one who introduces him into the life in Christ and guides him towards the path of Salvation. Our biological birth brings us into this life; it introduces us into the community of human beings. Our rebirth in Christ - a different kind of birth - introduces us into the community of the Church and provides us with the potential to actually live that life in Christ.
In the ancient Church, where the faithful (almost the majority) received Baptism at a mature age, the spiritual father for a Christian was the ecclesiastic pastor that would catechize him, provide him with the baptismal sacrament and then proceed to lead him into the in-Christ way of life. Nowadays, when almost everyone is baptized as an infant, the spiritual father of a Christian is oftentimes not the same priest that baptized him, but the one who at some point in time led him into believing consciously and then directed him towards a consistent Christian way of life. The example of the Apostle Paul allows us to perceive the mystery of spiritual paternity in all its spiritual splendour. Paul is the spiritual father of the Christians of Corinth, as well as many other cities of his time. When addressing the Christians of Corinth, he writes (in 1 Cor.4:14) : "I do not write these things to reprimand you, but advise you as beloved children of mine. For even if you have ten thousand teachers in Christ, you do not have many fathers; for I have begotten you in Jesus Christ, through the Gospel."
Paul, therefore, to the Christians of Corinth was not simply their instructor and teacher in Christ; he was their father. He was the one who had given spiritual rebirth to them. He was the one who introduced them into the family of the Redeemed. His apostolic heart was ablaze with his love for his spiritual children. That in-Christ paternal love was the motive power behind his apostolic concern. He longed to transfuse not only the Gospel to them, but also his soul (1 Thess. 2:8). He struggled painstakingly to form Christ within them (Gal. 4:19). He never ceased to advise "each one individually" and "with tears", in his desire for their spiritual edification and their stabilization in the in-Christ way of life. (Acts 20:31, Ephes.4:12-16).
This Pauline perception of the content and the significance of spiritual paternity permeates the whole of Orthodox spiritual tradition. Saint Simeon the New Theologian, one of its most genuine bearers (whom we will be frequently referring to), wrote the following to one of his spiritual children: "We conceived you through teaching, we underwent labor pains through repentance, we delivered you with much patience and birth pangs and severe pain and daily tears" [Epistle 3, 1-3). As we can see, spiritual birth is compared to natural childbirth and, just like the latter, the former likewise entails three stages: conception, gestation and labour.
For a better understanding of the role of our spiritual father, we are also enlightened by two other images that we frequently encounter in the texts of our holy Fathers. The first one is the climb up a steep and rough mountainside. He who attempts such a climb for the first time, must necessarily follow a specified path; he must have a climbing companion and guide who has been up that mountainside before and knows the way up. That is precisely the role of a spiritual father: an experienced climbing companion and guide on our spiritual path, our in-Christ way of life. The second image is from the realm of physical training, the realm of athletics. All those who train in any athletic sport whatsoever are in need of an experienced guide, their trainer, who will introduce them to the secrets of that sport and will guide them meticulously during their period of training. Analogous is the mission of the spiritual father: having acquired experience himself on in-Christ living, he then undertakes to initiate his spiritual children.
2. How it Evolved Within the Historical Course of the Church
As time passed and the institutions of the Church developed, likewise the institution of spiritual paternity took root and developed. The place where it was especially cultivated was, naturally, the desert. The place of monasticism. And as in the case of other elements, so did this institution spread and permeate the spiritual life of the entire Church. We are all familiar with the terms that we encounter in ascetic literature: "Abba" and "Elder" or "Geron" in the Greek equivalent and "Starets" in the language of our co-believing Russian brethren.
«What is that which prompts someone to become an Elder? How is he instated and by whom?» This question was posed by one of the most noteworthy theologians of the Orthodox Diaspora - Bishop Kallistos Ware - in order to highlight the character of spiritual paternity in the answer that he gives ("The Kingdom Within", Akritas publications, Athens 1004, p.117). From this answer of his, I shall convey his more basic positions:
« The spiritual father or Elder is essentially a "charismatic" and prophetic personality, who has undertaken that ministry with the direct intervention of the Holy Spirit. No human hand ordinates him, only the hand of God. It is the Church's expression of an "event" and not the Church's expression of an institution. Nevertheless, there exists no dividing line between the prophetic and the institutional elements in the life of the Church; each develops within the other and is entwined with it. Thus, the ministry that the Elders provide - which is charismatic per se - is linked to a clearly defined function within the institutional framework of the Church, which is that of a Priest-Confessor... Although the mystery of Confession is definitely a suitable opportunity for spiritual guidance, the function of an Elder does not relate to that of a confessor. An Elder provides guidance, not only during a person's confession, but also in many other cases. It is a fact, that while a confessor must always be a Priest, an Elder can be an ordinary Monk...
But, if an Elder is not ordained, nor instated by an act of the official hierarchy, how does he reach the stage of undertaking such a ministry?... Within the continuing life of the Christian community, it becomes apparent to the faithful people of God - the true guardians of Sacred Tradition - that this or that person has the gift of spiritual paternity or maternity. Then, with a free and unofficial manner, people begin to approach those persons for counsel or guidance.» ("The Kingdom Within", Akritas publications, Athens 1004, p.117-119)
3. The Spiritual Father's Mission
What, exactly, is the work of a spiritual father? «To attend to the souls that are redeemed by the blood of Christ» we are told by Basil the Great (Epitome of Terms ΒΕΠΕΣ 53, 305). The spiritual father is a guide to in-Christ living. He is the physician of the soul,who, «with much compassion, according to the science of the Lord's teaching» (Basil the Great, "Ethika" ΒΕΠΕΣ 53, 129), heals the passions and helps his spiritual child to acquire an in-Christ health; that is, a live faith and a stable spiritual life. If the condition and the purpose of Christianity - we are taught by Basil the Great - is the emulation of Christ, then «those who are entrusted with the guidance of the many ought to project the emulation of Christ to the weaker ones, with their (personal) intermediation». ("Oroi Kata Platos" ΒΕΠΕΣ 53, 204). On the path that leads to communion with Christ and theosis (deification), our spiritual fathers are the experienced guides and untiring supporters. But for a pastor to serve such a lofty and responsible opus, he must necessarily be truly spiritual himself - an instrument «attuned and played by the Spirit», as Saint Gregory the Theologian writes. Only one who has learnt something out of personal experience is capable of imparting it; thus, for a spiritual father to guide others into the Christian way of life, he must first be living it himself. He must be a «norm for the faithful» (1 Tim. 4:12) and a «living Gospel». According to Basil the Great, he must provide «his own life as a distinct exemplar of every commandment of the Lord» (as above, ΒΕΠΕΣ 53, 204). His example should speak more than his words; He should inspire, with his virtuous living, edify, with his love and paternal affection, since - according to Saint John of the Ladder - «a true shepherd is proven by his love. It was for the sake of love that the Great Shepherd was crucified.» (To Poemen 24, PG 88, 1177Β).
4. Two Fundamental Characteristics: Perspicacity and Love
We would need many hours if we were to describe the person of the spiritual father, the way that it surfaced from within our age-old ecclesiastic tradition, and to enumerate the individual charismas that characterize a genuine Elder. We shall therefore very briefly touch on two of his most essential charismas.
The first is perspicacity and discernment, «in other words, the ability to intuitively penetrate the secrets of another's heart; to comprehend the secret depths that the other is not aware of. The spiritual father sees beyond the conventional gestures and habits with which we hide our true personality from the others - and even from our very self. And beyond all these trite details, he conceives the unique persona - the one that was created in the image and the likeness of God. This power is a spiritual one and not a physical one; it is not a hyper-sensitive perception, nor is it a sanctified divination, but a fruit of Grace, which has the prerequisite of continuous prayer and uninterrupted ascetic labour.» (Ware, as above, pp. 126-127).
The spiritual father's charisma of insight reveals itself par excellence as a discernment of thoughts. Discernment according to saint Simeon is the spiritual «lamp» and «eye», with which the spiritual father can see, both within his own heart as well as the hearts of his spiritual children. That way, he is able to make the correct diagnosis every time and impose the most suitable therapy (Catechesis 18, SC 104, 292). The discernment that has a cleanliness of the heart as a prerequisite is a charisma - a gift of the Holy Spirit. A spiritual father therefore, «who does not have the light of the Holy Spirit inside himself, can neither see his own actions clearly, nor will he be fully informed if they are pleasing to God. But neither will he be able to guide others or teach the will of God, or be worthy of perceiving foreign thoughts...» (Catechesis 33, SC 113, 250).
The second charisma of a spiritual father is love, the ability to love others and to undertake the sufferings and the trials of others.Without love, there can be no spiritual paternity. Love, according to our spiritual teachers, is not just the most basic of qualifications of a spiritual father, but the foundation and the essence of spiritual paternity. A love for the others presupposes a «co-suffering», a sharing of their passions with them - which is the literal meaning of the (Greek) word "sympathize": «lift each others' burdens, and thus fulfil the law of Christ» (Galatians 6:2). The spiritual father is the one who par excellence carries the burdens of others. of his spiritual children. He takes upon himself their sorrows, their guilt, their trials, their sins. And he agonizes and tirelessly attends to their improvement in Christ. «Brother Andreas, beloved of my soul», writes Abba Barsanuphius to one of his spiritual children, «... not even a blink of the eye, is the time that I do not have you in mind and in my prayer; and if I love you thus, then God, Who has fashioned you, loves you even more, and Him I beseech to guide you and govern you according to His will» (Nicodemus of the Holy Mountain, "Book of Barsanuph and John", Sot. Schinas Publications, Volos 1962, Response108, p.132).
In the same book of responses by Barsanuph and John we encounter a soul-stirring prayer that makes the immense love of a spiritual father for his spiritual children apparent: «Behold, here am I and the children that You gave to me; protect them in Your Name, shelter them with Your right hand. Lead us to the harbor of Your Will and inscribe their names in Your book... Lord, either include my children along with me in Your Kingdom, or erase me also from Your Book... » (as above, Response 99, p. 82-83).
5. The Necessity of Seeking an Experienced Spiritual Father
The significance that a spiritual father has on the path to our in-Christ perfecting simultaneously proves the necessity for all of us to have - to discover - an experienced and foolproof spiritual guide. This is both a duty and a right. The responsibility of choice belongs to us also; it is a choice that we must make with the utmost care, since, as saint Simeon observes: «Truly rare, and in fact even until this day, are those who as caretakers of logical souls shepherd and heal well.» (Catechesis 20, SC 104, 346). Caution, therefore, is required. We must neither remain on our own (because we risk either becoming prey to the soul-devouring wolf - the devil - or, on falling, we will not have someone who will help us get up again - according to the words of the Ecclesiast: «Woe to the one, when he falls and there is no second one to raise him» (Ecclesiastes 4:10), but neither should we follow thoughtlessly behind a wolf or an «inexperienced physician» in which case it is certain that we shall undergo spiritual damage or remain incurable [cmp. Catechesis 20, SC 104, 348 and Epistle 1, (Words on confession) , Published by Κ. Ηοll (Enthusiasmus und Bussgewalt bein griechischen Moenchtum, Leipzig 1898) p. 117].
Albeit the choice of spiritual father is - as already mentioned - our right and rests on our judgment, nevertheless, the discovery of an experienced spiritual guide is, finally, a grand gift of God.
That is why Saint Simeon counsels us as follows:
«Brother, beseech the Lord extensively that He might show you a man, who is able to shepherd you well, to whom you will owe obedience as if to God Himself, and the things that he says to you, you should unhesitatingly heed, even if those instructions appear to be against you and harmful.» (Catechesis 20, SC 104, 334).
That same teacher in his 7th moral homily provides us with an example of a prayer with which we can beseech God to send us an experienced spiritual father: «Lord, You who do not want the death of the sinner as much as You do his return so that he may live; Who descended for this reason to earth, so that those who are under sin and are dead because of it may be resurrected and look upon You, the true Light, as much as a person is able to see, make me worthy, send me a man who knows You, so that by serving him as though serving You and submitting myself with all my might and doing Your will within his will, be enabled to please You, the only God, and myself the sinner become worthy of the Kingdom» (Ethika 7, SC 129, pp.186-188).
6. The Reciprocation of the Spiritual Child to His Spiritual Father
The in-Christ edification of the faithful through their bond with a spiritual father is not self-evident. It presupposes their reciprocation to the love that they will be receiving and the concern that their spiritual father will be showing them.
A first and fundamental prerequisite is love. The bond that is forged between the spiritual father and his spiritual child is one of mutual love. The faithful responds to the spiritual father's love with his own reciprocal love. «There is nothing that can lead to learning thus wise; only by loving and by being loved» observes saint John the Chrysostom (Homily 6, 1 on A' Timothy, PG 62, 529). Spiritual bonds are far stronger than the natural ones, and the love that springs from Christ is far stronger than the one that is inspired by blood kinship. «For what can be more desirable than a true father?» Saint Theodore the Studite asks himself (To Plato 2, PG 99, 909Β), thus expressing his personal experience on his own spiritual father.
The love towards our spiritual father is genuine, when expressed as "faith" - that is, as trust - in his person. We assign our entire self to our spiritual father. We acknowledge him as our guide on the path to salvation, therefore we must have faith in him, and follow without any hesitations and inner doubts whatever he advises. Our Holy Fathers persist on this point very emphatically: «One must believe without a care in those who have undertaken to tend to us» advises Saint John of the Ladder (Ladder 4, PG 88, 717Β). Without a wholehearted trust in our spiritual father we cannot progress in Christian living.
In his "Chapters", Saint Simeon writes the following:
"He who has attained clear-cut faith - that is to say, trust - towards his father in God, when seeing him, he considers that he is seeing Christ, and, by staying with him or following him, he believes with certainty that he is with Christ and is following Him. One who is thus, will not desire to speak to anyone else, nor will he prefer anything of the things of this world above the remembrance of him, along with love." (Chapters, 1, 28, SC 51, 47).
If the duty of a spiritual father is to remain alert for the soul of his spiritual child, it is likewise the child's duty to obey and faithfully observe his guidance (Hebr.13:17). God Himself speaks to us, through our spiritual father. With the obedience therefore that we show him, we are essentially obeying the will of God. We are safeguarded from the errors that we would most certainly fall into, if we were to follow our own will. Finally, we attain inner freedom and thus attract the grace of God. Confession is one more important duty of the faithful. We trustingly confess everything to our spiritual father; not only the things we have done, but also our innermost thoughts. Saint Basil the Great urges us to "not keep any movement of the soul secret, but to bare whatever is hidden in the heart" ("Oroi Kata Platos" - Conditions breadthwise, 26, ΒΕΠΕΣ 53, 184). Nothing is concealed from our spiritual father. With humility and filial trust, we should place everything at his feet. That is the only way our sins are forgiven by God. We are freed of the burden of guilt. We uproot our passions. And the spiritual father thereafter guides us safely through our spiritual life.
B. THE PATHOLOGY OF SPIRITUAL PATERNITY IN OUR DAY
Everything that we outlined very briefly so far has to do with the faith and the experience of the Church on the institution of spiritual paternity, the way it evolved and developed in the past, and in fact more so in the sphere of monastic spirituality. The question therefore that very naturally arises here is: Does spiritual paternity - can it - function in the same way today, in our era? This question is opportunely significant, and can quite easily be the subject of another, separate homily. That is why tonight you must allow me to present only certain issues that are related to our theme, which seriously preoccupy many Christians and can be categorized in what could be referred to as the pathology of spiritual paternity.
1. "Elderism" in Many Contemporary Clergymen
Unfortunately, this is not a rare phenomenon. Many of our clergymen - several of whom may even be endowed with charismas and abilities - become zealous for the "glory" of an Elder far too soon. Extremely young in years, still immature as personalities, inexperienced as pastors, without ever having studied near - or submitted themselves under - another, more experienced spiritual father, they advertise themselves, or they artfully strive to project themselves through their environment as new Barsanuphius or as charismatic child-Elders... They roam - according to the words of our Lord - "both sea and land, in order to make one proselyte" (Matth.23:15); in other words, they go hunting for followers. They exercise a crushing oppression on the conscience of people, supposedly in the name of an obligatory "blind" obedience to one's Elder. They cultivate an unhealthy dedication to their person.
Unfortunately - and may His Eminence permit us to point this out - our bishops are equally responsible for this phenomenon; those bishops who perform ordinations too quickly and who assign spiritual paternity thoughtlessly to those still immature clergymen.
Truly wise are the observations that the recently reposed and veritably spirit-guided Elder Paisios had made, in one of his letters that recently saw the light of publicity, after his repose. It referred to the person of the elder that a candidate monk was called upon to select. Nevertheless, his words are also helpful to us in the world, with regard to choosing a spiritual father: "Strive as much as you can, (a) for your Elder to be a spiritual man, with virtues, and more practical rather that just a teacher. It is good, if he has become a captain after being a deck-hand, so that he won't enforce on others all the monastic information that he learnt by merely studying it, or, to have by nature immense love and discernment, so that he will ache for his children and not want to send them off to Paradise immediately, in the manner of Diocletian... It is also immensely helpful for the subordinate, if his Elder is at least eighteen or twenty years older than himself, because that will also generate a natural respect in the subordinate. (b) to find an Elder who lives a simple life, without cares and secular, redundant concerns, and who does not aspire to personal benefits, but aspires to the benefit of his subordinate's soul, and in general to the benefit of our Mother the Church." (Elder Paisios of the Holy Mountain, Epistles, Publications of the Sacred Retreat «Evangelist John the Theologian», Souroti, Thessaloniki 1994, p. 43).
2. The Danger of Person-Worship
The duty of a genuine and experienced spiritual father is to orientate the gaze and the heart of his spiritual children towards the Person of the Lord, and not to his own person. Person-worship - whether pursued by the priest, or displayed by his spiritual child (and not rejected by the former) - is a sickness and constitutes a serious spiritual risk to both of them. Proper spiritual fathers do not project their own person, but the hyper-substantial Person of our Lord. They should not project themselves to such a degree that their "stature" looms between Christ and their spiritual child - thus obstructing it from gazing towards the Person of Christ; instead, they should stand aside, discreetly, and direct the spiritual child towards the Person of the One Who is our Redeemer. According to Bishop Kallistos Ware: «In reality, the relationship is not bilateral, but triangular, because beyond the Elder and his spiritual child there is a third party: God. Our Lord tells us that we should not call anyone "father", because we have only one father - the one in heaven (Matth.23:9). The Elder is not some kind of infallible judge or appellate, but a co-servant of the living God; he is not a dictator, but a guide and companion on the journey. The only true "spiritual guide" - in every sense of the word - is the Holy Spirit» (The Kingdom Within, p. 139).
3. The Degree of Obligatory Obedience to Our Spiritual Father
The purpose of spiritual paternity is not to secure a continuous dependence of the spiritual children on their father, but a source of assistance for them to gradually reach the state of spiritual freedom. A genuine spiritual father does not condemn his children to a lifelong spiritual infancy, but struggles constantly for them to mature spiritually and to become - according to the teaching of Saint Paul - "unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the full stature of Christ" (Eph. 4,13). (Ven.Christoforidou, Spiritual paternity according to Simeon the New Theologian, Thessaloniki 1977, p.31). Constraint and spiritual violence have no place in the relationship between a spiritual father and his spiritual children. Due obedience to our spiritual father is not a "blind" one, but a conscious one. It does not abolish our personal responsibility either, as that springs from our freedom 'in-Christ'. «The duty of a spiritual father is not to destroy a person's freedom, but to help him see the truth for himself. He does not strive to oppress a person's personality; only to give him the potential to discover himself, to develop, to mature, and to become what he is in reality... A spiritual father does not impose his own personal ideas and virtues, but helps his student to find his own exclusive calling... In short, he is only an usher of God, and he is duty-bound to lead souls onto God's path, and not his own.» (The Kingdom Within, p. 141).
Saint Barsanuphius says the following:
«You know that we have never placed shackles on anyone, not even on ourselves».
«Do not exercise pressure on (another's) intentions, instead, sow with hope; for even our Lord did not force anyone - He preached, and whoever wanted to, would listen» (Response 51 and 35, as above, p. 56 and 49).Furthermore, we must not confuse the degree of monastic obedience with the Christians' obedience to their spiritual fathers. Monastic obedience, with regard to its magnitude and duration, differs from that of Christians living in the world. For this reason, a spiritual father is not "legally" justified in demanding - and the spiritual child is equally not obliged to provide - the kind of obedience that an Elder is entitled to demand from a monk, who is indeed obliged to obey him "to his dying day" : an obligation that springs from the monastic vows that were given during his tonsure as a monk.
4. The Risk of Excessive Sentimentalism
The bond that exists between a spiritual father and his spiritual children resembles the relationship that exists within a normal family. Thus, just as the father and children in a normal family must be united in a mutual love, the same must also apply in a "charismatic family": that of a spiritual father, of an Elder. Nevertheless, it must not escape our attention that this bond is a par excellence Holy-Spiritual relationship, which needs to be purified of all sentimental relations and safeguarded from anything that might possibly hide an impassioned or a dangerous, sickly-sweet sentimentality.
Most certainly, love is often expressed with external signs. This of course also applies to spiritual bonds. Nevertheless, it requires a great deal of caution and discernment. In-Christ bonds must be distinguished by their modesty and their Doric austerity. And in order for these bonds to preserve these characteristics, a spiritual distancing is necessary.
5. Boasting About Our Spiritual Father
This is another frequent phenomenon. Many boast about their Elder. And they mention him thoughtlessly, with every opportunity, but in such a way that exposes their own spiritual nudity and their dangerous, sickly-sweet sentimentality. This phenomenon is not a healthy one. Saint Simeon the New Theologian brings the following to our attention: «Do not boast about your teacher for his being honoured by many, nor about having many obeying you because of his name; rather, rejoice if your name is to be written in the heaven of humility» (Catech.20, SC 104, 338). And Saint John of the Ladder speaks more austerely:
«I saw an unproven student boasting to certain people about his teacher's achievements, and although believing he would attain glory for himself by tending someone else's wheat, he instead caused himself ignominy, when everyone asked him "How is it, that such a good tree brought forth such a fruitless branch?"» (Ladder, 4, PG 88, 713Α).
Attention should also be paid to another similar phenomenon. It concerns the outspokenness of our spiritual father in the presence of God. Our Fathers therefore recommend that we should not be content with it. Nor should we confine ourselves to asking them to pray for us. We have a duty to struggle with zeal ourselves, for the sake of our salvation.
Once, as mentioned in the Gerontikon (Book of Elders), a brother visited Saint Anthony the Great and beseeched him: «Pray for me».
To which the elder replied: «Neither shall I be charitable, nor will God, if you yourself do not strive and beseech God» (Gerontikon, i.e. The Sayings of holy elders, P.B.Paschos publications, Athens 1961, p. 2b).
6. And One Final Point: Changing to Another Spiritual Father
As already mentioned, the choice of spiritual father rests on our own free judgment and preference. Nevertheless, the God-bearing Fathers point out that a change in an existing spiritual father could entail risks to our spiritual progress, and even to our very salvation.
Saint Simeon writes as follows:
«Do not wander here and there looking for renowned monks, and do not scrutinize their life. If, by the grace of God, you have found a spiritual father, tell your issues to him and him alone»(Ethika 7, SC 129, 184).It is therefore unacceptable and spiritually risky to wander here and there, changing spiritual fathers every now and then, without reason.
«Let us not look for those with foreknowledge, nor foreseers, but above all, those who are in every way humble and are suitable for our ailments» (Ladder 4, PG 88, 725D).
This advice by Saint John of the Ladder reflects exactly the mentality of many Christians of our time and their futile quests, which inevitably lead them to frequent changes in spiritual father. (Cmp. Saint Simeon the New Theologian, Catech. 20, SC 104, 334).
I again invoke the testimony of Bishop Kallistos: «There are many who think that they cannot find any spiritual father, because they imagine him as a particular type of person: they want a Saint Seraphim of Sarov, so they close their eyes to those that God sends them in reality. Quite often, their supposed problems are not that complicated, and they already know in their hearts what the answer is. However, they do not like the answer, because it demands a constant and persistent effort on their part; so, they search for a "Deus ex machina" who with one only miraculous word will suddenly make everything easy. People like these should be helped to understand the true character of spiritual paternity» (The Kingdom Within, p.145).
Reverend father, dear brethren,
The Orthodox ecclesiastic tradition is not something that leads back to the Past only; it is simultaneously Present and Future. It is the perennial faith and the incessant experience of the Church, in Grace. This also applies to spiritual paternity, an ecclesiastic institution that we endeavoured to shed light on tonight - even if only a very faint one - with the light of our Orthodox tradition. And the conclusion that is reached from this brief walk through the field of ecclesiastic tradition is: It is our duty to have a permanent and steady spiritual father. At the same time, it is our right to choose the one whom we will judge as being the most suitable. Not the most "accommodating" one, but the most experienced one - a man who is truly of God - and one who we can feel spiritually "comfortable" with and with whom we feel safe.
Saint Simeon observes something that still applies in our day: Those who know how to "shepherd well and to heal logical souls" are rare, in every era (Catechesis 20, SC 104, 346).
That is why we need to exercise care when choosing. And we should pray fervently, so that God will make us worthy of such a superb gift. «With prayers and tears», writes the same teacher, «beseech the Lord to send you a guide who is un-impassioned and holy»(Chapt.1, 49, SC 51, 53) - a guide on our course for the heavenly Kingdom.
Translation: K.N.
Article published in English on: 17-9-2009.
From the Orthodox Outlet for Dogmatic Inquiries
