“For example, when you want to buy a car, you’re whole world is ready to flip to find a suitable alternative. That is for the car you’re instantly ready to Wake up and mobilize, and for the soul to do nothing?” – what does our little exploits and what to do to the Lord heard, thinks the Archimandrite Andrei (Konnos).
Photo: VK / Simbirsk Archdiocese
- Hurry, how in the hospital to his wife
- The reason you get up and go to Church though so I want to sleep longer
- Even if all the priests will tell you: “It is not a sin” your heart will tell you the truth
- I share what I can, and you share. And it turns out unity
Archimandrite Andrew (Konnos)
Elder paisios told me that before the occupation (during the Second world war – approx. translation.) in Greece, almost no one fasted. That is, despite the testimony of the Lord in the gospel about fasting, eat all all. And this despite the fact that the Lord does not require from us constant refusal of food. Should just not eat certain foods on certain days. But we oppose it: so what, the gospel? We have what you want. And elder paisios recalled that in those days, when people had everything, they did not fast. But come the fascist troops, the country was in occupation and had to keep post – we wanted the people or not. And some people recalled the old man, eating is not just a scant bit of food, and ate garbage. He saw those who were going through garbage cans in search of food residue.
When the Lord gave all the people despised the feat post. But the time came when I had to take this feat, regardless of desire. And then the Greek people understood that we are not gods and can’t always do what you want. We do not have neither the strength nor the power. And had to accept.
As usual the food in hospitals? Absolutely tasteless food – no salt, no sugar. But in the hospital you eat all that is given and not resent, do not protest! There is a choice of just five dishes that you can eat, and you accept that. However, it is the Church to tell you anything about abstinence, you immediately say: “do Not want!” And the Church is not some random organization, it is Christ, and because her instructions are very useful and a great blessing to us all.
Our souls martout
In childhood elder paisios at night would get up, read a Psalm and prayed. And his brothers forbade him to do it, insisted he went to bed.
I tell you this in order to give you an idea, that sometimes you have to go Holy people. Sometimes we hear about a great warrior and think, “Yeah, it is!”, and it seems to us that this Saint did not have to reach such heights. Yes, but before that the Holy shed blood, he performed many deeds, endured suffering for Christ. And giving their blood, he accepted the grace of the Holy spirit in your heart. But not enough to purchase the gift of God was important to hold him. That is, the Lord gave this Holy grace and Holy was able to keep it to yourself.
When elder paisios was a kid, I listened to the gospel while standing up. “How am I going to sit when Christ says!” – he explained. And who taught him that? Who taught him to listen to the gospel standing or kneeling? Mother asked: “Why do you read the gospel while standing?” A small Arseny (secular name of the elder Paisii – approx. translation.) answered, that sees badly because he is easy to read standing up, bringing the book to the burner. That is, the boy even told a little lie, just not to sit down and at least a little to tire yourself out.
We are all hard, and the boy did not feel any fatigue.
We would ideally do was pray the Liturgy of lying!
Somehow came to the old man a young man. The young man has started something to speak, as a previous visitor, leaving, forgot my umbrella. “Run, please, for him, the young man asked the old man, – give him the umbrella!” – “Father, – perplexed, replied the young man, isn’t he going back for it himself?” That is, this young man was unable to catch the man and give the umbrella. He was too lazy to move! Definitely, something is happening to our souls, they mertsayut…
God heard your prayer, will have to suffer
In Cappadocia, the home of the elder Paisii, lived many great saints, ascetics, strictly comply with Church canons. And boy Arseny, when the mother gave him a lean food with no oil, always asked what dishes she prepared the meal.
You’re in that pot yesterday, cooked with vegetable oil?
– Yes, but after that, I cleaned her up…
– No, if the pot is the same, I will not eat. Nothing to worry about.
Now you listen and probably think to yourself: “Well, it is extreme!” Yes, but later this man performed extremely extraordinary miracles! And when it came to patient has already refused the doctor and that nothing helped, he prayed with the “extremes,” and a miracle occurred. Or when a woman came in who couldn’t have children, and the abnormal, which you are now accused of extremes, and prayed, after which the woman returned home pregnant. Indeed, this man was abnormal, supernatural. Prayed, and a supernatural way the woman was pregnant and terminally ill recovered. It is a gift of the Lord, Who hears the prayers of His servants, such as Elijah the prophet, the prophet Moses, as all the saints.
So now that God heard you, He needs to make sure that you really believe in It.
God heard your prayer, will have to suffer. If the Lord sees that you are relaxed lying on the couch, He will say, “Wait till you stand up and seriously take over what you want to. Then I’ll treat you seriously, because superficial relationships do not suit Me. I am serious about you and I want to create for you miracle. You say, “Well, that’s what I want!” Want lying on the sofa? I don’t think your desire seriously. If you were real, you would have stood”.
Photo: spbda.ru
For example, when you want to buy a car, you’re whole world is ready to flip to find a suitable alternative. Sitting for hours on the Internet, collect information, compare the options, go to salons – in General, spend a lot of time to find a suitable car that satisfies you on all parameters. That is for the car you’re instantly ready to Wake up and mobilize, and for the soul to do nothing? Tell me what you’re willing to do in order to miracle, you’re waiting for, happened? Wait until it happens by itself, without your participation? Or do you think that one Euro is omitted in the Church circle, it is enough? No need to get involved and your soul. Need to work on yourself is to dig into yourself, dig. This is done through austerity – when in peace armor breaks way for God to come in and dwell in you.
My heart stops when I hear about this
About the elder Paisii tell you that he spent the whole night standing in prayer and when I was a child, and Sinai, and on mount Athos, and in Konitsa, everywhere. What was he doing to stay awake? Absolutely the opposite of what I did a few days ago when I feel tired. I then took a basin of water, heated it, added salt from the Dead sea and put there feet for half an hour to give them a rest. And elder paisios did exactly the opposite: poured in a basin of cold water, so your legs are relaxed and not sleepy. And stood all night, praying to the Lord Whom he loved.
The elder didn’t do any yoga exercises not come into contact with some unknown forces of the Universe, did not seek to achieve something – it has done so in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy spirit. We turn to God-Personality Which has a name. This God and loved elder paisios. And since his God was alive and Christ filled his life, changing him completely, he was ready to give myself to Him entirely, sacrificing their flesh in the flame of love to Him. And when he took up his rosary through his prayers miracles happened. And when he raised his hands, saying, “Lord, hurry up, help so-and-so,” and God heard him, because he listened to God. The elder paisija with the Lord was in a serious relationship, and God answered him with a gift of wonderworking.
When the old man lived in Estigmene, then only slept for half an hour on the floor. My God, is this all a dream? And why are you sleeping on the floor when there is a good bed, soft bed? And the old man wanted a way to reach upward from the floor he reached for The Lord. Who knows all the secrets?
I tell you about the elder Paisii not for the fact that you began to imitate him, and to understand what kind of people live in this world, how seriously they treated to God as he loved Him.
The Lord has given them this incentive that they were ready for the most incredible spiritual feats! My heart stops when you listen to about this. But to them it was all a joy, they enjoyed the feat, as acrobats under the big top.
You look and think, “wow, how he succeeds!” A man enjoys. And Holy through austerities closer to God.
And elder Paisius was a period when prior to communion, he did not eat or drink for thirty-three hours. It’s like the young man looks at his girlfriend, ready to fulfill her every wish. Or as a festive table, when you notice that your neighbor can’t take his eyes from the last piece of cake, and you go and give him this piece, and he thanks her and wonders how did you know about his desire. And you answered: “Yes, just I’ve been watching you.”
The essence of the sacrifices to God – not lying on the floor
When you love, you can come up with the most incredible for a loved one. Love of Christ, and He will give you a great enlightenment. You do not need to fast for thirty-three hours, enough for a couple of hours to refrain from Smoking. Or a couple of days not to sin like you used to sin. Of course, all this should be done only with the blessing of the priest, in a spirit of obedience to the Church. The Confessor should know what you do and not as I had with one man, when he suddenly said that sleeping on the bare floor. Of course, I immediately asked who blessed him in such a “feat”… So sometimes we start to struggle out of selfishness, acting in its discretion as we want and like. And here the only reliable way for the Confessor to know that we do. Then the feat will be for God, “the sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a heart broken and humbled God will not despise”.
The essence of the sacrifices to God – not lying on the floor and not in a basin of cold water, and in brokenness of heart. But the heart can not be broken by itself. Need an external stimulus in the form of a feat.
Why the publican beat his breast? When we cause ourselves pain, laments and our heart. Bodily sensations influence the spiritual condition of man. Body and soul always together. And our struggle to victory over the passions, exercised through the body, that is, through austerity.
I remember one guy, a sophomore, came in the evening to confession, told me that the day before, Friday, it with someone had a fight, somewhere relaxed, something was carried away, and from that time decided not to eat anything or drink before the host. I asked him seriously if he says. “Yes,’ replied the young man. – Can I take communion?” – “Of course!” I said. The young man decided to fast, not because I told him to do so, but because his soul really felt the connection with God – not in words. When you love, you show love. Lord, what can I get You, except my free will? For everything else – “your on Your You bringing”. What can I give You? After all, and so is Yours. Money? They Are Yours. Flower? And it’s Yours. Everything belongs to You but my will. And since she is fully mine, this I’ll give! This will be my offering, my sacrifice for You. I give You my gratitude by giving You all the pleasure of a hearty lunch, that’s what I bring You. The Holy spirit inspires this child, and the devotee is the elder – sacrifice, fasting, and labor.
When a man was seriously ill or suffered serious temptation, elder paisios performed such a feat: three days did not eat anything and just prayed. Three days his mouth was not a crumb, and he did so not for General admiration, but for another person who needs help. And the old man could say to God: “Lord, I do it for him! He’s so sick!” Or he’s in ICU or something else…
In order to perform the feat, you must have firmness and yet humility and humanity. As a carrot: solid, but sweet and delicious. Relaxed, powerless cannot be here to deal with the necessary firmness. But the hardness of it in relation to themselves, not to others. Only love, mercy, kindness and goodness. And the Lord blesses you, you start to feel the inner Christ.
When elder paisios was praying in the temple, he never sat on stasidia, and always stood on his feet. It was also his sacrifice to God.
Photo: tatmitropolia.ru
Drop your “I”! So it falls into the trash can, a God in arms
Whatever you do, you need to be with Christ. It is a question of love. And if you understand this, the Lord Himself tells you how to Express love to Him. The feat is not a record of the divers when a person can survive under water for three, four minutes, and then tells everyone about this. Our feat is not for praise but for Christ. We build relationships with Personality. When your child will understand what all your exploits – namely for the meeting with Christ, then the feat takes on a different character. Because elder paisios was filled with such love that she literally “gave” him. Another ascetic, the elder Tikhon, and called him “sweet paisios” – he was so benevolent, so felt it a grace of the Holy spirit.
Through penance we go on struggling to subdue his ego to God, to crush selfishness. You need to pin down your selfishness, your passion for our Lord. Then we will love, and are we the same as with the saints, to which people were drawn to themselves, wanting to touch, to hug, to kiss, to be close – though the saints themselves did not aspire to it. The stricter they were, the more loved their people, the more drawn to them, wanting to become closer. That’s the secret. Need to work on your own soul – to make it a great temple of God that the Lord came and stood there. And then you begin to emanate this fragrance that everyone around will look at you and think: “What a lovely man! He draws!” And all because we put here some work: fasting, prayer, patience, forgiveness, sacrifice. It’s all wonderful virtues – the fruit of spiritual struggle in the name of Christ.
Joseph told me that he had prayed for eight hours every day, and the elder Ephraim Katunskogo even went throat the blood – so much of the time he spent in prayer. And when he came to the elder Joseph, he told him to relax, but rather commanded to continue to pray despite blood in his throat.
Drop your “I”! So it falls into the trash can, but to God’s arms. Yes, when one forgets about the self, God takes and puts it in Your heart, and improving lighting, keeping, and loving, and gives him his original beauty. The Lord gives us beauty, which we had before the fall.
So strive, because the world is going into perdition.
Let us fight and pray to the Lord for the revival that He sprayed us in the face with water. To begin to see the miracles.
The miracle did not see lying on the couch with a hamburger in one hand and coke in the other, and with remote control – in the third.
No, that miracle will not happen. You must make a choice. The saints chose Christ. Let us and we’ll do something – even just a little. No one asks us to stand all night on his knees in the morning to go to work, we have other conditions. But despite this, we are able to do something. And the Lord will take from us, even small, will appreciate. I say to you, you can become a great ascetic, a Martyr – even in our time. Me and you – all of us. After all the available patience, prayer and love.