☦ Some words from the ascetics.

[sprinkleeninow]

http://saintandrewgoc.org

"My beloved spiritual children in Christ Our Only True God and Our Only True Savior, CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE. Ο ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ ΕΝ ΤΩ ΜΕΣΩ ΗΜΩΝ! ΚΑΙ ΗΝ ΚΑΙ ΕΣΤΙ ΚΑΙ ΕΣΤΑΙ."

ON DESPAIR
[An Athonite Gerontikon]

A nun overcome by despair would say: "I am afraid that I will not be saved..." And a wise elder replied to her: "Who then will be saved if monastics are not saved?" (meaning that monastics have all the external means in their way of life for salvation). "Why did God create Paradise? We will be saved...We ought to be happy. We should sense that we are sinners, but we should also glorify God. Trusting in God is one continuous prayer. We should stop being evil-minded. Blasphemous thoughts are like aeroplanes. They fly past, disturb our tranquility and then leave. I'll call myself a sinner whenever I wish, not when the Devil wants me to."

He also said: "All kinds of people feel spiritually calm near a person who is freed from stress."

An ascetic said:

"Struggling, philotimo, a feeling of wretchedness, hope (spiritual oxygen), consolation and trust render a safe pathway. Not misery and compelling obedience and constrained prayer. Not tears and despair brought on by the devil. Yes, I will cry for my sins, hoping in God's love. But to cry because the Devil wants, this I will not tolerate. Many times the Devil crushes a person with despair and proves victorious. This is not the way. Live simply, just like a child in his father's care. Trust, in God, is one continuous prayer with positive outcomes. Despair comes from the Devil. Do not say: 'Whatever has befallen me now, has befallen me.' But give yourselves over to God with trust, and hope totally in Him."

An Elder (Geronda) said:

"I have not dealt with many things, I am familiar with few Patristic teachings and I try...anyway. One thing that has become clear to me is that bitterness does not exist. Bitter situations become sweet when you face them spiritually. Many times we see that someone has sinned. They are, however, sad about it and have repented sincerely, go to confession and receive divine consolation. If one does not feed this consolation, then one should understand that something has developed within him and he is bothered by it. He should tell this to his spiritual father, then consolation will follow. A person shares in his fellow man's sorrow, prays for him, and God helps him.

ON SIMPLICITY

An elder (geronda) said:

"Prayer does not tire one but gives rest, the way a child feels in its mother's arms. What does it feel in its mother's arms? We cannot understand this. Only when one feels the presence of God and feels like a small child can one understand. If one were to hear these people praying, he would think they were like small children. Some of them are like the little child who runs to his father, pulling on his coat and saying: 'I don't know how, but you must do this for me...' When God's love falls upon a person in abundance, it dissolves him."

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"Glory Be To GOD For All Things!"--Saint John Chrysostom

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With sincere agape in His Holy Diakonia,
The sinner and unworthy servant of God

+Father George