On the third day after Pascha, 1984 , the Elder saw a terrible vision during his prayer:
In front of him there was a big field, sowed with wheat, which had only begun to come up. He was standing near a wall that surrounded the field. Lighting candles, he stuck them to the wall. He did this in memory of the departed, as in reality he had a custom of lightning candles for the whole suffering world — for the living and the departed.
To the left of the field there was a wild and deserted place, dark, without any traces of greenery, full of rocks and stones. A continuous earthquake shook it, and a loud roar was heard everywhere. The Elder listened more attentively to it and determined that it was made up of the thousands of blood-curdling shrieks. He did not know their origin, but suffered greatly when he heard them.
There, where he was, perplexed with the meaning of that vision, he heard a voice explaining to him, that the field, sowed with wheat which had not yet matured, symbolized the tomb of the souls of the departed that will be resurrected. And the terrible place on the left was where the souls of the children, killed through abortions, were gathered. The Elder suffered so greatly because of what he had seen that, after the vision, in spite of the fact that he was exhausted, he could not lie down to sleep a little.
Elder Paisios
http://agapienxristou.blogspot.ca/2014/03/elder-paisios-sees-vision-of-murdered.html
Sfânta Hilda a fost rudă apropiată a regelui Edwin de Northumbria, rege peste unul din cele șapte regate în care era împărțită Anglia secolului al șaptelea. Sfânta a primit botezul în urma cuvântului Sfântului Paulin, unul dintre misionarii de la Roma, apoi, vreme de treizeci de ani a lucrat virtuțile evanghelice în lume, până în ziua în care, la chemarea Domnului, a luat hotărârea de a părăsi cele lumești, familia și patria. Astfel, a plecat în regatul Angliei răsăritene, al cărei rege se căsătorise cu sora ei, cu intenția de a ajunge în Franța unde dorea să se închinovieze ca viețuitoare la o mănăstire de lângă Paris ce aparținea de Mănăstirea Louxeuil, loc unde se retrăgeau atunci și alte fecioare de neam nobil saxon.
Sfântul Aidan (†651) însă, episcop al insulei monastice Lindisfarne, centrul vieții bisericești din vremea aceea al insulelor britanice, a chemat-o înapoi în Northumbria și i-a încredințat o mică parte dintr-o proprietate, unde și-a exercitat viețuirea monahală ca îndrumătoare spirituală unui grup mic de fecioare. Dacă i-au fost încercați atât de repede talanții în îndrumarea duhovnicească, i s-a dat a fi stareță peste o obște monahală mare, și anume Mănăstirea Hartlepool și, nouă ani mai târziu, în 657, a fondat Mănăstirea Whitby.
De-a lungul celor treizeci de ani de stăreție peste aceste două mănăstiri, Sfânta Hilda a făcut dovada unei capacități duhovnicești vrednice de admirat, nu numai în ceea ce privește povățuirea obștilor – pe care le-a condus către Dumnezeu, instaurând cu înțelepciune ordinea și dragostea într-o asemenea măsură încât se spunea că Mănăstirea Whitby era imaginea perfectă a Bisericii din vremurile apostolice, când bogații și săracii le aveau pe toate în comun și îi unea aceeași dragoste – ci și în ceea ce privește administrarea unei mănăstiri de călugări care era anexată Mănăstirii Whitby, cum se întâmpla în vremurile acelea, mănăstire care a devenit, datorită stareței Hilda, un adevărat centru de formare a multor misionari și sfinți episcopi.
Regi, prinți din regiunile învecinate, episcopul Aidan însuși și întreg poporul, alergau la Sfânta Hilda pentru a primi sfaturile și învățăturile sale duhovnicești, socotind-o drept adevărata maică duhovnicească a întregii țări.
Ruinele Mănăstirii din Whitby, ctitorie a Sfintei Hilda
După ce a condus către Domnul multe suflete vreme de mulți ani, a fost încercată mai apoi, vreme de șase ani, de o boală grea care nu a împiedicat-o, totuși, să își continue lucrarea de povățuire duhovnicească. În cel de-al șaptelea an de suferință, pe data de 17 noiembrie 680, la vârsta de 66 de ani, și-a adunat fiicele duhovnicești, le-a încredințat ultimul îndemn spre lucrarea dragostei, apoi, cu bucurie și-a predat sufletul Domnului. O monahie sfântă a vremii aceleia, Begu, a văzut sufletul Cuvioasei Hilda înălțându-se la ceruri.
Sfânta Hilda a reprezentat, alături de sfânta Aebba de Coldingham († 25 august), una dintre cele mai mari figuri ale noului creștinism anglo-saxon și ne oferă un exemplu rar de maică duhovnicească ce a primit de la Dumnezeu talantul de a îndruma nu doar maici, ci și monahi, încă și episcopi, căci ”nu mai este parte bărbătească și parte femeiască, pentru că voi toți sunteți una în Hristos Iisus” (Galateni 3, 28).
Sursa: Ieromonahul Makários Simonopetritul, Nou sinaxar al Bisericii Ortodoxe, ed. Ίndiktos (vol. 3 – Noiembrie, pag. 197 – 199).
http://www.pemptousia.ro/2013/11/sfanta-hilda-maica-duhovniceasca-a-angliei-ortodoxe-17-noiembrie/
Γεια σου μαμά, Είμαι το μωρό σου.
Δεν με ξέρεις ακόμα, είμαι μόνο μερικών εβδομάδων. Θα με γνωρίσεις σύντομα, το υπόσχομαι. Έχω καστανά μαλλιά και καστανά μάτια...
Ε λοιπόν δεν είμαι έτσι ακόμα, αλλά θα γίνω όταν γεννηθώ.Θα είμαι ο μοναχογιός σου.
Δεν θα έχω μπαμπά αλλά δεν πειράζει, θα έχουμε ο ένας τον άλλον.Όταν μεγαλώσω θέλω να γίνω γ......ιατρός.
Σήμερα, έμαθες ότι ............είσαι έγκυος μαμά. Ήσουν τόσο χαρούμενη. Χαμογελούσες. Έχεις το ποιο ωραίο χαμόγελο μαμά.
Όλη την μέρα μου μιλούσες και ένιωθα τόση ασφάλεια μαμά. Σ'αγαπάω μαμά.
Όταν μεγαλώσω υπόσχομαι να σε κάνω τόσο περήφανη. Θα γίνω γιατρός. Σήμερα είπες στον μπαμπά για μένα ... Δεν ήταν χαρούμενος μαμά. Είπε ότι δεν με θέλει. Γιατί δεν με θέλει μαμά ; Τί του έκανα; Ένιωσα έναν δυνατό κρότο και μετά σε ακούω να κλαίς.
Σε χτύπησε μαμά!
Γιατί το έκανε αυτό μαμά ; Μετά σε αγκάλιασε και σου ζήτησε συγγνώμη κ εσύ τον συγχώρεσες.. Όταν γεννηθώ, δεν θα επιτρέψω σε κανέναν να σε χτυπήσει ξανά. Λες οτι σ'αγαπάει μαμά. Αλλα εγώ δεν τον νομίζω.
Πάνε τρείς μέρες που σταμάτησες να μου μιλάς, ή να αγκαλιαζεις την κοιλίτσα σου.
Γιατί μαμά ; Δεν με αγαπάς ποια ; Εγώ σε αγαπάω μαμά. Σε ακούω να μιλάς με έναν γιατρό. Κάτι πρόκειται να γίνει μαμά.
Φοβάμαι, μαμά. Αρχίζω και πονάω. Σταμάτησε τους, βοήθησε με μαμαααα..
Τώρα είμαι στον παράδεισο μαζί με τα αγγελάκια μαμά. Μην ανησυχείς, είμαι καλά. Γιατί το έκανες αυτό μαμά ; Ήθελα τόσο πολύ να αντικρίσω το χαμογελό σου, να δω τον ήλιο,να γίνω γιατρός.ΝΑ ΖΗΣΩ.
Δέν πειράζει μαμά αν σταμάτησες να με αγαπάς. Μπορώ να σε δω από εδώ που είμαι οπότε δεν θα σε ξεχάσω ποτέ. Συγγνώμη αν έκανα κάτι κακό μαμά. Θέλω να με αγαπάς και πάλι !
Εγώ σε αγαπάω μαμά!!!
http://agapienxristou.blogspot.ca/2012/11/blog-post_2388.html
It has been asked why St. Nektarios, a Saint of recent times, works so many miracles today. The answer is because he suffered much in his life, often times being falsely accused by the ignorant. Slander, mocking and false accusation, when endured with humility, patience and trust in God, are a great blessing for the Christian. The humbled are indeed glorified.
When St. Nektarios established his female Monastery on the island of Aegina, locals went so far as to accuse him of immorality and that he used the Monastery to perform his debauchery. They speculated that the nuns gave birth to illegitimate children, which they would then throw down the well.
One woman from Aegina named Kerou had a grace-filled and God-fearing 16 year old daughter. The mother had a mania to persecute her daughter for this and tried several times to kill her. The young girl took refuge in the Monastery under St. Nektarios.
The tender-hearted Saint took her in and protected her. Kerou in turn began to slander the Saint. A Prosecutor received the complaint and the next day came to Aegina angry with two constables. He breached the door, despite the rules of the Convent, and went straight to the apartment of the Saint. The nuns became upset and began to cry. The Holy Bishop got up and received his visitors with his usual Christian smile.
Furious, the Prosecutor said to the aged Elder: "You dirty old man, where are the children you are giving birth to? Is that what you are doing here?" He then seized him by his cassock and threatened him, saying: "I’ll shave off your beard hair by hair!"
The Saint did not say a word. He only pointed his hand above and said: "God sees! God knows!"
Indeed, the Prosecutor who was quick to accept slander and dared lift his arm against the Saint became seriously ill within a week. He had terrible pain from his illness. The hand with which he grabbed the Saint dried up. Realizing his error, he felt the need to go to St. Nektarios and ask for his forgiveness.
The Saint, out of forbearance and longsuffering, prayed very much for the man. Within two years the Prosecutor’s hand had to be cut off. Meanwhile, the Monastery of St. Nektarios prospered and the Sisterhood grew. It has become a spiritual hospital, which gives rest to the soul and illumination to the people of God.
http://agapienxristou.blogspot.ca/2012/11/the-man-who-falsely-accused-saint.html
This short story is an example how the little things demonstrate our firmness in our faith. Valentine Voino-Yassenesky was a highly respected surgeon at the time of the Communist revolution in Russia. He stands as a example for us because of the faith he demonstrated in a most horrible period of persecution for Christians in Russia. He later became Bishop Luke and then was affirmed as Saint Luke the Surgeon.
Valentine's deep faith was revealed in his life and work. His love for the sick and his great interest in the suffering sprang from his faith in God. He had an icon of the Mother of God hanging in the operating room. Before an operation he would make the sign of the cross, pray, and then make a cross with iodine on the patient's body. Only after this would he get down to work.
In the beginning of 1920, however, an examination committee ordered the icon to be removed from the operating room. Doctor Valentine reacted vigorously without fearing the consequences. He left the hospital, declaring that he would return only when the icon was returned to its place. ONe of the representatives of the committee declared with a certain dose of irony: "The operating room is a place of public service. We have separated the state from the church. IF your surgeon wishes to pray, that's fine and dandy, but he should keep the icon at home!"
Valentine did not yield. One admires his courage. At a time when he was in danger of losing not only his position but even his life, the faithful doctor dared to stand up to the resolute authorities for the sake of his faith. Hie persistence and unshakable faith in God brought quick results.
The wife of one of the Party members was brought to the hospital in need of an immediate operation. She demanded that only Professor Voino-Yassenetsky operate on her. Valentine was called to the visitor's room and asked to do the operation, but he answered firmly: "I am very sorry but in accordance with my beliefs, I cannot enter the operating room until the icon is first hung in its place."
The husband of the sick woman promised that, if the operation was done, the icon would be back the next morning. Valentine agreed. The operation was successful and the husband of the sick woman kept his world.
What is it like when you are in love? Nothing disturbs you. You only think about your lover and all else blurs into the background. This is true also with when we fall in love with Christ.
Saint Porphyrios says,
If you are in love, you can live amid the hustle and bustle of the city center and not be aware you are in the city center... Imagine the person you love is Christ, Christ is in your mind, Christ is in your heart, Christ is in your whole being, Christ is everywhere. This is our challenge. To love Christ is is to lift us above all our earthly concerns, to experience continual joy no matter how difficult a situation we face, no matter what turmoil is taking place around us. This is the way life was meant to be lived.
Saint Porphyrios says,
Whoever loves Christ and other people truly lives life. Life without Christ is death; it is hell, not life. Life is Christ. Love is the life of Christ. Either you will be in life or in death. It's up to you to decide. Isn't this the only answer to all the anxiety of our present world situation? When I live with Christ as my true lover, there is no room for anxiety. But when others take His position then I find myself filled with anxiety. Oh, how I yearn for the wisdom to live in this world with this other worldly love.
Lord have Mercy!
Quotes from Wounded By Love, p 97
" Κάποτε που βάδιζα με τον άγιο στην πλατεία της πόλεως, βλέπω δεξιά μου έναν άνθρωπο κάτι να ψιθυρίζει. Τον ακολουθούσαν πολλοί φτωχοί ζητώντας του βοήθεια. Κι εκείνος κάνοντας τάχα ότι τους διώχνει, τους έβαζε στο χέρι την ελεημοσύνη του. Έτσι κρυβόταν από τους ανθρώπους. Μόλις το πρόσεξα, σκούντησα τον όσιο και του είπα για την αρετή του ανθρώπου αυτού. Κι εκείνος μού λέει:
- Στα μάτια του Θεού είναι μέγας. Τον ξέρω, γιατί αρκετές φορές βρεθήκαμε μαζί.
Ύστερα από μερικές ημέρες τον ρώτησα σχετικά με αυτή την αρετή και μου διηγήθηκε ένα παράδοξο θαύμα.
- Ήμουνα τότε, μού είπε, μικρό παιδί, δώδεκα χρονών περίπου, και είχα πάει στην εκκλησία του αποστόλου Θωμά να προσευχηθώ. Βρήκα εκεί ένα γέροντα να διδάσκει το λαό. Μεταξύ άλλων, μίλησε και για την ελεημοσύνη. Είπε ότι αυτός που δίνει κάτι στους φτωχούς είναι σαν να το καταθέτει στα χέρια του Κυρίου. Όταν το άκουσα αυτό παραξενεύθηκα και κατέκρινα τον άνθρωπο του Θεού ότι ήταν ψεύτης. Γιατί έλεγα μέσα μου: αφού ο Κύριος είναι στους ουρανούς στα δεξιά του Πατέρα του, πώς θα βρεθεί στη γη, για να πάρει αυτά που δίνουμε στους φτωχούς;
Καθώς όμως βάδιζα και συλλογιζόμουν όσα άκουσα, βλέπω κατά σύμπτωση ένα κουρελιάρη φτωχό που πάνω από το κεφάλι του -τι θαύμα!- στεκόταν η μορφή του Κυρίου ημών Ιησού
Χριστού.
Εκεί που προχωρούσε ο φτωχός τον συνάντησε κάποιος ελεήμων και του έδωσε ένα κομμάτι ψωμί. Μόλις λοιπόν άπλωσε το χέρι του ο φιλόπτωχος εκείνος προς το ζητιάνο, άπλωσε και ο Κύριος το χέρι του από την εικόνα, πήρε το ψωμί και τον ευχαρίστησε. Έπειτα το έδωσε στον φτωχό. Ούτε αυτός όμως ούτε κι ο ελεήμων κατάλαβαν τίποτε.
Θαύμασα και πίστεψα. Από τότε ήξερα ότι όποιος δίνει στους αδελφούς ότι έχουν ανάγκη, το βάζει πραγματικά στα χέρια του Χριστού. Αυτή την εικόνα του Χριστού τη βλέπω να στέκεται πάνω από όλους τους φτωχούς και για αυτό με δέος ασκώ όσο μπορώ, την αρετή της ελεημοσύνης που τόσο ευχαριστεί τον Κύριο".
(Άγιος Νήφων Κωνσταντιανής)
Mom I went out with my friends .I went to a party and remembered what you had told me not to do, drink alcohol.You had asked me not to drink because I had to drive home, so I had a soft drink. I was proud of myself, because I had heard your sweet voice that advised me before I left , not to drink if you have to drive , as opposed to what my friends were telling me .I made the right choice !Your advice was correct.When the party was over everyone went to their cars without being able to drive.I got my car . I was sure that I was clean and sober, I could not imagine mom was waiting for me ... Now I'm here lying on the asphalt and I hear a cop say "the child that caused the crash was drunk ."Mom his voice sounded so distant , my blood is everywhere on the road and I am trying with all my strength not to cry .I hear doctors say that this girl will not make it.I'm sure the other child that was driving had not even imagined how fast he was going.In the end, he decided to drink and now I must die.Why do they do this mom ; they know that they will ruin lives ;The pain that I feel is like a thousand knives stabbing through my body.Tell my sister not to be afraid , dad to be strong.Someone had to tell this child that they should drink if you would have to drive. Maybe if someone had told him like you did to me,maybe I would still be alive now.... My breath is getting weaker and I am starting to get scared mom .. These are my last moments and I am so desperate .I would love so much to hug you mom... and to tell you how much I love you.I love you Mom ... Goodbye !These words were written by a journalist who was present in a crash. The girl died while whispering these words and the reporter wrote shocked ...... http://agapienxristou.blogspot.ca/2013/11/i-love-you-mom-goodbye-true-story.html
Έλεγε ο αββάς Ιωάννης:
-Η πόρτα του ουρανού είναι η ταπείνωση.
Και οι Πατέρες μας, περνώντας με χαρά μέσα από πολλές καταφρονήσεις, μπήκαν στην πόλη του Θεού».
Είπε επίσης:
-Η ταπεινοφροσύνη και ο φόβος του Θεού είναι πάνω απ΄ όλες τις αρετές.
Ρώτησε κάποια φορά:
-Ποιος πούλησε τον Ιωσήφ;
-Οι αδελφοί του, αποκρίθηκε ένας αδελφός.
-Όχι του λέει ο Γέροντας, «η ταπείνωσή του τον πούλησε, γιατί μπορούσε να πεί «είμαι αδελφός τους» και να αντιδράσει, αλλά σώπασε και χάρη στην ταπείνωση πούλησε τον εαυτό του.
Και η ταπείνωσή του τον κατέστησε άρχοντα στην Αίγυπτο.
Γεροντικό
- Γέροντα, ποια βιβλία μπορούν να βοηθήσουν τους συζύγους;
- Εκείνο που βοηθάει το ανδρόγυνο είναι να μη δικαιολογή ο καθένας τον εαυτό του. Αν δικαιολογούν τον εαυτό τους, όσα πνευματικά βιβλία κι αν διαβάσουν, δεν ωφελούνται. Αν έχουν καλή διάθεση, έχουν πνευματικό και του κάνουν υπακοή, δεν θα έχουν προβλήματα. Χωρίς πνευματικό διαιτητή δεν γίνεται.
Το καλύτερο είναι να έχουν τα ανδρόγυνα τον ίδιο πνευματικό. Όχι άλλον πνευματικό ο άνδρας και άλλον η γυναίκα. Δύο ξύλα, αν τα πελεκήσουν δύο μαραγκοί, όπως νομίζει ο καθένας, δεν θα μπορέσουν ποτέ να εφαρμόσουν. Ενώ, όταν έχουν τον ίδιο πνευματικό, ο πνευματικός πελεκάει τα εξογκώματα - τα ελαττώματα - του ενός, πελεκάει και τα εξογκώματα του άλλου, και έτσι εξομαλύνονται οι δυσκολίες. Αλλά σήμερα, ακόμη και ανδρόγυνα που ζουν πνευματικά, έχουν διαφορετικό πνευματικό. Σπάνια έχουν και οι δυο τον ίδιο πνευματικό, γι' αυτό και δεν βοηθιούνται. Έχω υπ' όψιν μου ανδρόγυνα που ταίριαζαν, αλλά δεν είχαν τον ίδιο πνευματικό, για να τους βοηθήση, και χώρισαν. Και άλλο που, ενώ δεν ταίριαζαν, επειδή είχαν τον ίδιο πνευματικό, έζησαν αρμονικά.
Βέβαια, όταν έχη όλη η οικογένεια τον ίδιο πνευματικό, αυτό είναι ακόμη καλύτερο. Ο πνευματικός θα τους ακούση όλους και θα χειρισθή ανάλογα το θέμα. Άλλοτε θα ζορίση τον πατέρα ή την μητέρα, άλλοτε θα καλέση τα παιδιά, αν δεν μπορή να βγάλη συμπέρασμα από αυτά που του λένε οι γονείς. Ή, αν το ανδρόγυνο έχη προβλήματα και φταίη λ.χ. η γυναίκα, μπορεί να καλέση τον άνδρα, για να τον συμβουλέψη πως πρέπει να φερθή, ή να ζητήση από κάποιον συγγενή τους ή γνωστό τους να βοηθήση διακριτικά.
Άγιος Παΐσιος
Μοναχός: Να πω ένα άλλο. Ένα προσωπικό που συμβαίνει εδώ. Μετά το Απόδειπνο, όταν το αρχονταρίκι πλύνει τα σεντόνια, τα απλώνουμε και μερικοί τα μαζεύουν.
Είμαι από αυτούς που τα μαζεύουν τα σεντόνια που στέγνωσαν στην απλωταριά.
Και όταν πηγαίνω το βράδυ να μαζέψω τα σεντόνια, δεν μπορώ μετά να κοιμηθώ, όπως κάνω τις άλλες μέρες, γιατί εγείρομαι μέσα μου και δεν μπορώ να κοιμηθώ και χάνω λίγο απ’ την τάξη, το πρόγραμμα. Και το λυπάμαι.
Γέροντας: (Δεν κατάλαβε) Και το;…
Μοναχός: Δηλαδή κάνω την υπακοή πρόθυμα. Πρόθυμα πηγαίνω και μαζεύω τα σεντόνια, αλλά ξέρω όμως ότι δεν θα μπορέσω να κοιμηθώ αμέσως και να σηκωθώ νωρίς, τόσο νωρίς, και να εφαρμόσω όλον τον κανόνα. Και λυπάμαι. Αυτή η λύπη πως θεραπεύεται;
Γέροντας: Θεραπεύεται, διότι δεν έχεις βάλει ως ρίζα την υπακοή. Εγώ δεν κοιτάω να κάνω προσευχή, κοιτάω να κάνω υπακοή.
Σου ‘πανε η αδελφότης εδώ, μάζεψε τα σεντόνια. Να ‘ναι ευλογημένο. Ο Θεός μπορεί· εσύ τώρα ελαττώνεις την προσευχή σου μαζεύοντας τα σεντόνια, έστω, να πούμε, μισή ώρα. Όταν θα πας να προσευχηθείς, θα σου δώσει ο Θεός, γι’ αυτήν την αυταπάρνηση και την υπακοή την οποίαν έκανες, διπλή τη χάρη. Αν προσευχόσουνα, τρόπον τινά, τη νύχτα τρεις ώρες, εύρισκες χάρη, να πούμε, δέκα βαθμών. Τώρα επειδή ελαττώνεις την ώρα της προσευχής και γίνεται δυόμιση ώρες, νομίζεις ότι δεν θ’ απολαύσεις προσευχή;
Περισσότερο θ’ απολαύσεις. Γιατί έβαλες το θεμέλιο της καλογερικής ζωής, του καλογερικού νόμου. Ήρθαμε εδώ να κάνουμε υπακοή, όχι να κάνουμε προσευχή. Υπακοή.
http://agiameteora.net/
