“Find a way to save the world”.Saint Sophrony The Athonite.

         

Saint Sophrony with the Lord Jesus Christ.
Orthodox monastery of all Celtics Saints. England.

What I want to write of now happened over half a century ago. It was a period of strain. Much - practically everything - was a puzzle to me. And life is so short! And God so immeasurably great and far off! Who will show me the straight way to Him, prevent me from wasting time on alien paths? Of course I sought such a guide, or guides - preceptors who might help me. But the fact that I was caught up by a hitherto-unknown force in the form of prayer which stayed with me day and night naturally made prayer my constant prop. And there were times when prayer, so I believe, brought enlightenment from God.

Unable to glimpse the divine truth in the destinies of mankind, of people in general, and tormented by my own dark ignorance, I was like a small, utterly helpless child. Feeling that there was something that I had to understand, I writhed impatiently and looked to God for help. And the Lord took pity on my ignorance and was not angry at my temerity but like a mother had compassion on me and was quick to respond. And this not once but over and over again. In like manner He had handled Job who suffered so much and protested so stormily.

I remember one such happening, which occurred in France, in the early twenties - before my departure to Mt. Athos in 1925. I wept and prayed to God: “Find a way to save the world - to save all of us, we are all defiled and cruel.” I would pray with particular fervor for the “little ones”, the poor and oppressed. Towards morning, with my strength waning, my prayer would be disturbed by the thought that if I grieve for mankind with all my heart, how is it that God can look on indifferently at the pain and torment of millions of beings whom He Himself had created? Why does He allow the innumerable instances of brute force in the world? And I would turn to Him with the insane challenge, “Where art Thou?” And in my heart I heard: “Was it you who was crucified for them?”… The gentle words uttered by the Spirit shook me to the core - He Who was crucified had answered me as God.

"I am Yours, save me".(Ps: 118: 94)Saint Sophrony the Athonite.

Saint Sophrony with his spiritual father
Saint Silouan the Athonite.

Blessed be this hour which our good Lord grants us. In peace and calm we can speak about various aspects of our long journey.

          How wondrous is this way! It is beyond our mind. Our spirit is unable to follow the "example" of Christ[1], our God, Who brought down to earth the fire of the Father's love[2].

          Today I will refer to the subject of repentance and filial adoption. Despite the fact that these states in their perfect form are beyond every human description, we, in our foolishness, will speak in the measure of our capacities about these things, which are infinitely and inexplicably great and sublime.

          How many times have we repeated that we begin our journey from the small step of repentance... The end however of this way, according to our understanding, is the deification of man. When we dare speak about these matters, many faint-hearted persons become troubled and annoyed. O, if only they knew with what fear is filled our soul, lest we be mistaken in any of our words, when we refer to the most Holy of all and everything, Father's love!

          How can we however approach this subject? Leaving behind for the time-being some details, we will speak about the most essential.

God’s Distancing From Our Times.Saint Sophrony The Athonite.

         

Saint Sophrony the Athonite.

It is impossible for us to explain every time to new faces that these gatherings are for us a feast.

          Our wish is to live with the Holy Spirit: to live where His Name is called upon. When we come into contact with the Word of God, we cannot of course avoid the fear but neither the joy. How many times have we said, and we will repeat it, that every day and every season and every hour we try to live on holy ground, and this ground is the Church.

        Through what is the Church sanctified.?!.

       Through our effort, struggling not to grieve the Holy Spirit, in trying to grasp every one of His words. These words are written in our hearts: "Christians should speak always from what is given to them by the Spirit and not to philosophize".  If you examine how the Church and the crowds of people reacted to the preaching of the holy Apostles, you would undoubtedly wish to keep that joy and compassionate love for the world.

          Why do I speak with fear about the Word of God.?!.

          Because the Gospel begins with the words: "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God"[1]. Those who have the ability of discerning the spiritual state of a person, will confirm, according with the prologue of the Gospel of St. John, that man does not speak thus. It is therefore useless to seek in philosophical works - as some have tried- the origin of this statement of St. John the Theologian.

          Even the most brilliant of men would not be able to speak thus. The meaning of these words is not revealed through human interpretations, but with the perception of the life enclosed in them.

Persecution and monasticism preparation for sanctity.Saint Sophrony(Sakharov)

Archimandrite Thomas, Saint Sophrony, Mother Mariam,
contemplating the icon of the Mother of God.

  

Fr. Sophrony:

          As always, I come to our synaxes without preparation. My preparation rests on the prayer which you have just chanted: that the Spirit may come and vivify our heart and mind. And once again I rejoice that I am living this moment of our meeting together...

          We are living in an exceptionally important time. Two or three years ago a team of theologians from Serbia visited us. These young Serbian theologians asked me what I thought about the future. Here in our country (England), no one knew at that time the word "perestroika", which all the world today knows. I answered them that I am not a prophet, but my prayer tells me that humanity is living in a tragic tension, which surpasses the capacities of whichever State leader. Thus, if destruction through a nuclear war does not come in the near future, there will occur an inevitable revival of Christianity. And behold, a little while later, we began to hear talk on "perestroika" (= reconstruction- reformation), so that the Orthodox Church in Russia is now undergoing a period of revival.

          As Christ said that through the Providence of our Creator and Father even the hairs of our head are numbered[1], it is obvious that through the same Providence also Russia was preserved throughout this entire period of seventy years. The Word of God entered total kenosis, when He said to the Father, on the Cross : "Why have You forsaken me?"[2]The Apostle Paul tells us that God did not answer His Son who was dying saying, "Father, into Your hands I commit  my spirit"[3]. And precisely from that moment of His death, Christ began to be known not as a Prophet, no matter how great He was, but as God Himself.

          What the Church of Russia lived throughout the period of the seventy years, was allowed by Divine Providence, even though from a human point of view these years were an exceptionally tragic period. The slaughter of Christians was allowed by the Providence of God, at a time when the voices and innumerable prayers of the faithful remained unanswered from the part of the Heavenly Father. Knowing very many texts of prisoners, exiles etc., we can see there the repetition of all that occurred during the first centuries of Christianity. Thus, was granted in our times an exceptionally grand privilege: the privilege not only to believe in God, but also to suffer with Him[4]. In other words, these events, which seem to us terrible and which urged in us tearful prayer for them and for the whole of mankind, permitted a harvest of thousands and thousands of great saints.

Saints Sergius and Bacchus.

          

Saints Sergius and Bacchos.
Byzantine icon,  Monastery of Saint Catherine, Sinai.

          Saints Sergius and Bacchus, were officers of high rank in the "Schola Gentilium" which was an equestrian body of men from all races. Sergius was one of the commanding officers of that equestrian body, and Bacchus was his second in command. According to their official functions and to their direct relation with the Emperor whose trust they had gained, these two young officers of high rank enjoyed great influence at the palace, and their prestige was felt in all the Orient, so much so that Antiochus, the commanding officer had been appointed to his post thanks to the influence of Saint Sergius.

          We do not know whether Saints Sergius and Bacchus were born Christians; but it is certain that they were so when they commanded that equestrian body. They had news about the martyrs, and listened to their stories with emotion. They may have seen martyrs being tormented, condemned and put to death; and it is possible that some of these military martyrs were their comrades.

          It is certain that there were many jealous fanatic pagans, or weak people paid by the authorities, who were ready to denounce the Christians to their persecutors. The Emperor learned that his devoted friends, these faithful military chiefs, these noble figures so familiar to him, whom he fully trusted, were Christians.

What is the purpose of life.?!.Father Andrew Philip.

Saint John the Baptist.
Constantinople, Turkey,
 circa 1300.

Throughout the ages at various times in their lives people in every generation have asked the questions: "What is the purpose of life? What is the point of life?".

Ancient, primitive people, obeying animal instincts, decided that the purpose of life is to multiply, to reproduce, to have as many offspring as possible, simply in order to ensure the survival of the race.

We can see this near the beginning of the Old Testament when Abraham was told “to go forth and multiply”. Gradually, however, as revelation came upon revelation to the chosen people of God in the Old Testament, this command was refined. It was revealed that people were to multiply for a reason other than survival. Barrenness was a stigma, not only because through it men and women failed to ensure survival, but also because it was revealed that somewhere one woman was called to give birth to the Messiah. The Messiah meant the Savior. Thus children were born to various devout and often aged couples, to Adam and Eve, to Abraham and Sarah, to Jacob and Rachel. Thus sons like Abel and Joseph or Joshua and Samuel and many others all in some sense prefigured the Messiah.

Who is Jesus?!.Father Anthony Coniaris.

"Jesus Pantocrator".

 Church of Saint John the Baptist.

 Douma, Lebanon. XVII century.

Who is this Jesus who says, "I and the Father are one" (John 10:30) and "He who has seen me has seen the Father" (John 14:19)?!.

Who is this who says that before Abraham was born, He was living: "Before Abraham was I am" (John 8:58)?!.

Who is this Who claims that all the Old Testament prophe­cies concerning the Messiah were fulfilled in Him?!.

Who is this of Whom His enemies said, "No man ever spoke as this man"?

Who is this Who assumes the awful authority of pronounc­ing final judgment on men (Matt. 7:21-23)?!.

Who is this who equates His voice with the voice of God that spoke in the Old Testament: "You have heard that it was said to the men of old: “You shall not kill”... But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother is liable to judgment" (Matt. 5:21-23)?!.

Who is this who said not "I'll show you or teach you or lead you to the way, the truth and the life", but "I am the way, the truth and the life"?!.

The hidden spiritual joy.Abbot Nikon.

Abbot Nikon was born in Russia in 1894. He began to pursue his higher education in the field of medicine-psychiatry, but he became convinced that: true knowledge of man was possible only through knowledge of God. Discontinuing his studies, he began to lead a secluded life, devoting himself to the study of the Gos­pels and the Holy Fathers. Here at last he discovered the "one thing needful."

In 1931 he gave monastic vows, and within a year he was ordained hieromonk. A year later he was sentenced to four years in the Siberian camps. Towards the end of the war, with the re­opening of many churches, Fr. Nikon was assigned first to one parish then to another. Finally he was sent, as though exiled, to the small town of Gzhatsk, where he remained until his death in 1963.

Abbot Nikon.

How are you feeling?! Are you depressed?! We should not fall victim to despondency, grumbling about our illnesses and sor­rows, for God has established a law firmer than heaven and earth, that only through many trials is it possible to enter the Kingdom of God.

We have now come to such a period in the history of humanity when one is saved exclusively through enduring sor­rows without a murmur, with faith in God and hope in His mercy. Today there are no other paths by which to attain salvation. For our times one path alone is left to us: the patient endurance of sorrows. “Saint Isaac the Syrian” writes: "More precious to God than any prayer and sacrifice are sorrows endured because of Him and for His sake.

The “Master of Eloquence and silence” between the Silence of Man and the silence of God.

Pastoral Letter of Metropolitan Silouan of Byblos, Botrys and dependencies on the 6th Anniversary of the Kidnapping of His Eminence Metropolitan Paul of Aleppo April 22, 2013-2019

 “God finished on the seventh day His work, which He had done:

and He rested on the seventh day of all His work, which He had made”
(Genesis 2:2)

       

Metropolitan Silouan (Musi).

“Metropolitan Paul of Aleppo is on an ecclesiastical mission.” This is an expression that occurred to me in the first days after Monday, April 22, 2013 (the day he was kidnapped), an expression that opened a window through which I have tried to explore the mystery of that great day, a day of God's work in the history of humanity.

Arriving at the threshold of the seventh year of this invisible “ecclesiastical mission,” we notice that infertility and drying up are encircling us; the infertility of hope and the drying up of inspiration. Consequently, you believe that time is uprooting hope from you, while you have no inspiration regarding how to defend the work of God within us and in us. In that case, how can you possibly defend your hope and your faith, and what may you say regarding this matter? An answer comes to you: “Keep silence!” But how could you manage, with silence, to defend your hope and your faith in this “ecclesiastical mission?”

Why the wise thief was pardoned?.Saint John Maximovitch.

“And one of the malefactors which were hanging railed on Him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. But the other rebuked him, saying, Dost thou not fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when Thou contest into Thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with Me in paradise”. (Luke 23:39-13)

"The Crucifixion". Theophanes the Cretan. 16th century.

This Is How the holy Evangelist Luke relates the edifying and moving incident concerning the conversion and the Lord's pardoning of the thief who hung on the cross next to Him on Golgotha.

How did the thief deserve such mercy? What prompted such a quick and definitive response from the Lord? All the righteous figures of the Old Testament, including Saint John the Baptist, were still shut up in Hades. The Lord Himself was preparing to descend into Hades, not, of course, to suffer there, but to bring out the prisoners.

The Lord had not yet promised anyone to lead them into the Kingdom of Heaven; even the Apostles were promised to be taken into His mansions only after He had prepared them.

How is it that a thief was granted such mercy before anyone else? Why were the gates of Heaven opened so quickly for him? Let us examine the soul of the thief and the attendant circumstances.

The noetic prayer is for all Christians .Abbot Haralambos Dionysiatis.

I place below a collection of questions to my ever-memor­able Elder, Father Haralambos, from his spiritual children and pious pilgrims, and the Elder's answers to these.

Question: Elder, what is your opinion, since you teach "noetic prayer", is it only for monastics or does it concern all Christians?

Elder: From all that the Holy Fathers write, but also from my experience, I can see that noetic prayer is for all Christians. However, it's not for the heretics, and it's even more difficult for the heterodox.

"Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God 

have mercy on me, a sinner"

- You give us a lot of encouragement by saying that noetic prayer is also for those of us who live in the world. However, we need help. We have tried to apply what is written in the books but it seems hard.

- Of course, it's hard. This work not only requires struggle, it also requires an experienced guide. Do you have a spiritual father?.

- We have, Elder. He is good, but he says that he doesn't know how to teach us about "noetic prayer".

- Let it be. There is even worse. If you don't know, say that you don't know. But don't impede the other from learning.

Well, since you have a confessor, I don't need to confess you.

We have received grace for grace.Elder Ephraim of Arizona.

Archimandrite Ephraim of Philotheou.

Archimandrite Ephraim of Philotheou is an archimandrite and former abbot of Philotheou Monastery on Mount Athos, spiritual guide of several monasteries on Mount Athos and Greece, and the founder of several monasteries in the United States. He resides in Arizona at St. Anthony's Greek Orthodox Monastery. Elder Ephraim has been a priest-monk for almost 60 years and has served as an elder for more than 50 years. He was a disciple of Elder Joseph the Hesychast of Mount Athos and lived in monastic obedience to him for 12 years until his Elder's repose in 1959.        

        "Today the Virgin gives birth to the Transcendent One." What can I, the unworthy and filthy one, say about the grandeur of the innumerable dispensations of the Most High God!. I am astonished and unable to look directly at it as I contemplate this mystery.

How did God condescend to be an infant in a cave of irra­tional beasts?. How was He wrapped in swaddling clothes and carried in the holy arms of the holy Virgin, He Who was born by the Father without a mother!. "Great art Thou, O Lord, and wondrous are Thy deeds, and no word sufficeth to hymn Thy wonders!" "Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!"

My soul shall rejoice in the Lord; I shall noetically smother with kisses that most sweet and blessed Infant, so that He may deliver me from my irrational passions.

Geronda Gregory abbot of Dochiariou Monastery.

The brethren of the Dochiariou monastery, who recently bade farewell to their Geronda Gregory (Zumis), offer this text in his memory.

Geronda Gregory (Zumis)

In October 9/21, 2018, around 10:30 pm, Gerondas Gregory , the hegumen of the Dochiariou monastery for 38 years, reposed in the Lord . The monk-ascetic, the charismatic leader, distinguished by an enlightened mind and a critical spirit, a skilled orator, loving spiritual father, renovator and new builder of the ancient monastery Dochiariou.

Geronda Gregory spiritually “grew at the feet” of Saint Amphilochius of Patmos and Saint Philotheos (Zervakos), abbot of the monastery of Longovard on Paros.

At the age of 29, he became the abbot of the “Mirtie” monastery in “Etoloakarnanii” and then the monastery of “Prusso” in “Evritania”. And, finally, since 1980, he became the hegumen of Dochiariou monastery in Mont Athos.

On The Holy Angels.Mother Gavrilia Papayanni.

Mother Gavrilia.

Mother Gavrilia: The Angels are always ready to help us. I have seen it happen with my eyes, with the eyes of my mind - even at the most difficult moments ... When I was in India, jackals, a whole pack of jackals, with their eyes glowing in the dark, rushed in my direction in the jungle forest and God made me invisible to them, as if I didn't exist. Wasn't that protection by the Angels?. What do you think?. After such adven­tures nothing frightens me ... And something else too. When we have love in our heart, the Angels become our best «colleagues». They are the ones to come when, at times we ask ourselves: "Where am I to go now?. What shall I find there"?.

“Suffer little children to come unto me” (Mt19: 14).Father Thomas Hopko.

           

 

Father Thomas Hopko.

Father Thomas John Hopko (March 28, 1939 – March 18, 2015) was an Eastern Orthodox Christian priest and theologian. He was the Dean of Saint Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary from September 1992 until July 1, 2002 and taught dogmatic theology there from 1968 until 2002. In retirement, he carried the honorary title of Dean Emeritus.

In addition to the intellectual and informational aspects of preparing children for liturgical and Eucharistic worship, there are spiritual and moral aspects as well. This part of the preparation, at least in the beginning with small children, has to do with external behavior. To participate fruitfully in Eucharistic worship a certain external and formal discipline must be observed so that the deeper, internal spiritual experi­ences may take place. This means that children must learn how to stand in church, how to pay attention, how not to bother others, etc. It also means that they must be trained in certain ascetical exercises in preparation for Holy Communion, as they are able, according to their age and maturity. These "ascetical exercises" include such things as praying personally and fasting as one can; dressing in a manner proper to litur­gical celebration with others, particularly adults; confessing one's sins in a formal sacramental manner when the time comes when this is possible and necessary; asking forgiveness for one's sins and faults; making acts of reparation and recon­ciliation, etc. The spiritual life the practitioner first learns the letter of the law before he or she can enter into the glorious liberty of gracious communion with the Lord. This biblical principle certainly applies to the preparation of chil­dren (and adults) for Eucharistic worship.

Body and Soul..Saint Amvrosy of Optino.

Saint Amvrosy.

It is said in the Gospel: "For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?!." See how precious the soul of man is!. It is more precious than the whole world with all its treasures and blessings. But it is frightening to think how little we under­stand the worth of our immortal soul. It is to the body, that dwelling place of worms, that bemourned coffin, that we direct all our thoughts from morning to night; but to our immortal soul, that most precious and beloved of God's creations, to that image of His glory and greatness…

Hardly one thought is directed in an entire week. To the service of the body are consecrated the most blossom­ing years of our life and to the eternal salvation of the soul,

Spiritual weapons..Saint Nil Sorsky.

Saint Nil Sorsky.

For those who sincerely seek to repent, and who seek God in love and fear, and have Him alone before their eyes and walk according to His commandments, God will accept all of them, granting his mercy and giving them His grace and glorifying them. Thus all of Holy Scripture assures us of this.

In ancient times many Fathers themselves walked in this exem­plary way of life and, directed others accordingly. But now it is not the same, due to a great lack of such spiritual directors. But whoever dedicates himself completely to the work of God, God's very own grace will wisely guide him, being his strength now and for all ages, in the life to come.

The Power of the Holy Cross.Metropolitan Gerasimos of Belmont,California.

           

Mosaic of the Holy Cross, Ravenna, Italy.

I would like to reflect briefly on a few themes found in the Veneration of the Holy Cross. 

          The Cross is truly like the tree spoken of in the first psalm: planted besides running waters, it produces fruit in due season. How does it produce its fruit?. Where Adam snatched at equality with God and seized the forbidden fruit in Eden, the New Adam, the Son of God, willingly laid aside his glory and became obedient even unto death, to death on the Cross. In the same hour of the Office of Readings for Holy Saturday, we listen to these words addressed to us by Christ taken from an ancient homily:

           « See my hands, nailed firmly to a tree, for you who once wickedly stretched out your hand to a tree. I slept on the cross and a sword pierced my side for you who slept in paradise and brought forth Eve from your side. My side has healed the pain in yours. My sleep will rouse you from your sleep in hell. The sword that pierced me has sheathed the sword that was turned against you”.

Antiochian testimonies. Father “Amphilochios Makris”.

Saint Amphilochios Makris.

 From the prologue of the Arabic version of the book “Our Geronda: The Life and Miracles of the Late Elder of Patmos, Amphilochios Makris”, (2001)

*Metropolitan Georges Khodr.

I would like to quote father “Amphilokhios” in the following 4 phrases: “Every Holy Liturgy is new”, "I am the son of the Church and I cannot give myself a break”, “whenever you see a spiritually exhausted person, don’t overburden him”, “Ask God’s forgiveness for I have given you nothing”.

Metropolitan Georges Khodr.

I had the chance to know the man. I met him in Patmos where Saint John saw his “revelation”. The light in his face was exactly the one described in this book, and this light was much more expressive than the words we exchanged. After all, words were not my aim. I wanted to go on pilgrimage to the place where the “Revelation” was given to Saint John. That great monk came across as one of those who lived for “the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus”. One of those who didn’t leave their first love, or one of the 24 elders who where kneeling “before the One seated on the throne”. A meek and humble monk, whose raso’s tail touched the floor’s dust and was made for him in the shape of a Cross. He considered himself as nothing, but considered greatly  contemplating in the face of  “the lamb slain from the foundation of the world”.

The world is a teacher to lead us to Christ.Fr.Dumitru Stăniloae.

Fr. Dumitru Staniloae is a Romanian theologian. His many works include commentaries on the Church Fathers, a Romanian translation of the Philokalia, and his masterpiece, in 1978, "The Orthodox Dogmatic Theology". Fr. Dumitru endured several years of imprisonment for his faith at the hands of Communists, after which he began to work for the Romanian Holy Synod and often traveled to international conferences to share his theological vision. He reposed in 1993 at the age of ninety.

On the road of our approach to God stands the world - we must pass through the understanding of it. Every man has a mission connected with the world. Everyone must know it according to the power given to him, in as much as knowledge can't come until the gaining of the virtues; everyone must develop beforehand a moral activity in relationship to the world. A mainly negative attitude toward the world frustrates salvation itself. The world is imposed on everyone as a stone for sharpening his spiritual faculties.