A God-loving mind is the light of the soul. ( St. Anthony the Great )

The eye sees the visible while the mind comprehends the invisible. A God-loving mind is the light of the soul. A person who has a God-loving mind has an enlightened heart and can perceive God with the mind.



St. Anthony the Great

Practice patience without judging ( St. Paisios )

"Live simply and without thinking too much, like a child with his father. Faith without too much thinking works wonders. The logical mind hinders the Grace of God and miracles. Practice patience without judging with the logical mind."

St. Paisios

Η Ψυχική Υγεία των Παιδιών - π. Παύλος (Μητροπολίτης Σισανίου & Σιατίστης)

Rukous avaa tien ( Prayer opens the way )

Rukous on kaikki kaikessa. Joku sanoo, että se on minun puhettani Jumalalle, toinen että rukouksen kautta Jumala puhuu meille. Tärkeintä on, että meillä on säännöllinen rukouselämä.


Rukoukseen on kiteytynyt kirkkomme vuosisatainen tai tuhantinen kilvoitteluperinteemme. Sen kautta me liitämme itsemme kirkkomme opetukseen ja se on verraton tapa oppia tuntemaan Jumalan tahto. Evagrios Pontoslainen totesi, että se joka rukoilee, on teologi ja se joka on teologi, rukoilee.


Eräs huipentuma tästä rikkaasta rukousperinteestämme on meditatiivinen Jeesuksen rukous Herra Jeesus Kristus, Jumalan poika, armahda minua syntistä!


Rukous alkaa huuliltamme ääneen lukien, josta se siirtyy mieleemme sanattomaksi hiljentymiseksi ja nousee tai laskee lopulta sydämeemme, jolloin siitä tulee alati jatkuvaa rukousta. Tämä on rukousta aidoimmillaan, hesykhiaa, mielen hiljaisuutta. Se kirkastaa ja jalostaa ajatuksemme sanamme ja tekomme.


Jeesuksen rukous on vastalause monisanaisiin rukouksiimme ja pyyntöihin, joihin ajatuksemme tuntuvat joskus hukkuvan. Jeesuksen rukous on puhdasta yksinkertaisuutta, jossa keskitymme vain kahteen asiaan, Jeesukseen Kristukseen ja armahtamiseen. Se tyhjentää mielen ja nostaa eteemme kirkkaimmaksi timantiksi Jeesuksen nimen ja siihen turvautumisen.

Pyydä Jumalalta rukouksen armolahjaa, niin huomaat, että jaksat rukoilla yhä useammin, enemmän, keskittyneemmin ja suuremmalla antaumuksella. Siitä kasvaa sisäinen ilo, jota kaipaat yhä enemmän elämässäsi. Pyydä Häneltä vapautusta vihasta ja hädästä, niin pian huomaat, että tyyneys valtaa alaa mielessäsi.


Rukouksen tiessä on jotain erikoista. Me tulemme pyhiksi vasta silloin, kun huomaamme oman syntisyytemme ja nojaamme Jumalan armoon. Vasta kun kykenemme samaistamaan Autuuden lauseet elämäämme, me olemme lähellä. Kun me olemme hengessä köyhiä, nälkäisiä, vainottuja, armahtavia ja sävyisiä. Meitä ei pelasta se, että me olemme valmiita, vaan se vie meidät tuhoon. Meidät pelastaa kaipaus pyhyyteen ja sen ymmärtäminen, ettemme kykene yksin pelastumaan.


Entä jos huomaammekin rukoillessamme, ettei meillä olekaan mitään tunnustettava tai kaduttavaa? Se merkitsee sielumme väsymistä ja kylmenemistä. Moni meistä törmää tähän tilanteeseen aika ajoin, mutta siitä voi päästä eteenpäin kun muistaa muutaman asian. Jokaiseen rukoushetken pitää keskittyä erityisen huolellisesti. Jos luet hajamielisesti iltarukouksia, eivätkä ne saa sijaa sinussa, aamurukoukset tulevat olemaan entistä vaikeampia. Seuraavat rukoushetket voivat olla hyvin vaativia.


Itse luen entistä enemmän rukouksia, jos tunnen sydämeni kylmenevän rukoukselle. Silloin olen usein huomannut, että sydän alkaa pehmetä ja heltyä ja nöyryys palaa mieleen. Toinen vaihtoehto on lukea rukoukset entistä hitaammin ja suuremmalla ajatuksella. Joskus mieltä on rasitettava ihan todella ja todellinen hartaus syntyy vasta selkeän työntekemisen jälkeen.


Itse pyrin ajattelemaan, että kyse on kuuliaisuudessaan ja itsekurista. Laiskuudelle ja velttoudelle on helppo antaa periksi ja meidän pitää nähdä vaivaa rukouksemme eteen. Kun rukous on vaikeaa, uskon, että paremmat ajat on koittamassa, jos vain jatkan. Jos lopetan nyt, niin silloin parempia aikoja ei koskaan voi silloin tulla.

Kun me rukoilemme säännöllisesti, meidän hengellinen herkkyytemme kasvaa. Me huomaamme yhä selvemmin kaikkia synnillisiä asioita, joita sanomme ja mietimme. Me löydämme itsestämme paljon piileviä asenteita ja tuomitsemista. Huomaamme miten kaukana me olemmekaan kaikesta siitä hyvästä, johon meidät luotiin.


Saatamme myös hyvin usein kieltäytyä pitämästä tehtyä syntiä syntinä, ja selvitämme sen tekemisen jopa välttämättömäksi. Selittelemme ja puolustelemme tekojamme. Siirrämme vastuun toiselle, kuten Aadam ja Eeva paratiisissa. Saatammepa myös oikeuttaa syntimme ja tehdä sen tekemisen välttämättömäksi.




Rukouksen lahja


Keskity ja hiljenny, hengitä syvään ja sulje kaikki huolet mielestäsi. Toista mielessäsi rukouslauselmaa, Jumala puhdista minua syntistä ja armahda minua!


Kuvittele itsellesi ne asiat, joissa rukouksessa puhutaan ja erityisesti ne puutteet, joista siellä puhutaan. Kun rukouksessa sanotaan, että puhdista minut synneistäni, ymmärrä, että sinä olet tahrannut itsesi synnillä. Jos pyydät puhdistusta synneillesi, sinun on tunnettava itsesi synnin tahraamaksi, jotta voisit saada puhdistuksen armon sielullesi. Kautta aikojen kirkkomme isät ovat sanoneet, ettei synnin sairautta ei voida sielustamme puhdistaa, ellemme näytä haavoja lääkärillemme. Jos kiellämme koko sairauden olemassaolon, emme voi saavuttaa parannusta.


Tunnetko rukouksessa mainitut puutteet omaksesi? Tunnetko itsessäsi ne samat puutteet, jotka Kristuksellakin oli? Hän oli nälkäinen, koditon, hengessään köyhä, tässä maailmassa sureva ja rauhaa rakentava. Aivan kuten Autuuden lauseissa sanotaan. Oletko poistanut näitä puutteita lähimmäiseltäsi vai lisännyt hänen taakkansa.

Itse koen erityisesti pappina, että esirukoukset toisten puolesta ovat hyvin tärkeitä. Melkein yhtä tärkeää on kuitenkin löytää myös henkilökohtaisten rukousten kautta oma syyllisyys ja vieraantuneisuus Jumalan edessä. Samalla ne herättävät voimakkaan tunteen myös siitä, että taivaalliset esirukoilijat auttavat minua kilvoittelussani. Noiden rukoukseen kautta minä liityn siihen samaan rukoilijoiden joukkoon, jotka vuosisatojen ajan ovat hiljentyneet ikonin edessä.


Joskus me saatamme odottaa jotakin muuta itsellemme palkkioksi uurastuksestamme ja se voi olla kova paikka meille. Olemme tottuneet usein siihen maailmassa, että meidät palkitaan työstämme ja uhrauksemme korvataan. Me rukoilemme ja pyydämme jotain erityistä, riippumatta siitä, onko siitä meille edes hyötyä. Tätä sanotaan palkaksi mutta kristittyinä meidät on kutsuttu uhrautumaan. Meidän pelastuksemme ei ole Jumala antama palkka vaan pelastuksemme perustuu armoon. Siksi meidänkin pitää armahtaa, olettamatta palkkiota siitä. Ja mihin meidän palkkiomme edes riittäisi jos vertaamme sitä synteihin, joihin me olemme langenneet?


Vain rukouksen kautta me voimme nähdä oman keskeneräisyytemme ja tästä syntyy tilaa Luojallemme. Hän toivoo, että me kadumme, jotta hän voisi koota meidät uudelleen. Tästä syntyy todellinen paasto ja se avaa tiemme kohti rakastavaa Isää.

Ζωή του Αγίου Ιωάννη του Ρώσου

Three moving miracles of St. John the Russian

St. John the Russian
An unbelieving physician is miraculously healed

At Limne of Evia lived and worked a physician named Mantzoros. As a physician he was very good, but he did not believe in Christ, and of course did not wish to hear questions about religion and the soul. He was against religion, and his opinions were harsh on the subject of Christianity.

One day, he however became very sick. This illness had struck this unbelieving doctor with terrible pains as soon as it arrived. Amidst unbearable pains, he was taken to the Hospital of Chalkida. There, due to his illness, they were unable to help him, so they sent him to the Athens clinic “Pantocrator”, which is on September 3rd road. There they took x-rays and and ran blood tests, which showed that he had a problem with his large intestine...The physicians of the Hospital, therefore, said that if he agreed, he would be operated on the next day. He agreed, based on the medical knowledge that he had. But the words of his brethren: “Take hope in the Almighty, O brother”, led him to a spontaneous prayer from his soul the night before his surgery. He entreated God, not only to make him well, but to forgive him for the disbelief which he had shown for so many years.

During his prayer, someone knocked on his door and entered. It was a beautiful young man, who opened his door and entered the doctor's room.

“What do you have?” he asked.

“I am very sick” the doctor answered.

“But you don't have anything wrong with you” he replied.
“What are you saying, my Christian? I have colon cancer of the final stage, and tomorrow I am going to surgery. Do you understand what is going on?”

The young man replied “You don't have anything wrong with you anymore. I made you well.”

“Don't you have any shame talking like this to a sick man?” the doctor said, “Are you just trying to calm me down?”


“I am Saint John the Russian. If you insist, have the surgery tomorrow, and you will be convinced that nothing is wrong with you.” The young man disappeared.

The doctor was full of agony, and he rang the bell in his room to ask the nurses who the young man was who came to his room. However, not one of the nurses had seen anything. The next day, the sick physician went to the operating room for the surgery. The doctors were ready for the operation when they heard the doctor tell them that he didn't need the surgery, and that his health was good: “Saint John the Russian healed me”.

“What are you talking about?” they asked him, “We're in the 20th century, what are you talking about brother? Our brother must be out of it.”

Though the sick man had improved, they continued with the surgery. He went under anesthesia, and when they opened him up, they did not find any cancer. The Saint had done his miracle, and the doctors were astonished, and were looking at each other. The doctor was totally well. He relates this himself, wherever he goes. (from the book: “Lives of Orthodox Saints 9: Saint John the Russian”, published by Entheos Vios

"The Saint Was Helping Me To Pray"
Aikaterina M. from Athens related the following miracle of St. John the Russian in 1995, about her first visit to the Church of Saint John the Russian in Evia:
The first time I came here with my friends, I barely knew who St. John was, nor did I know what to expect, as I had never seen incorrupt relics before. At first I was shocked - the saint's body was certainly there, as it should not have been if it had been subject to the normal processes of nature, but his skin looked dark and a little withered, and I was fearful of coming any closer to the glass coffin. I finally gathered my courage and went up to look. His face was covered with a gold cloth, out of reverence, but I could clearly see his hands and wrists. I knelt down beside the coffin to pray, feeling that even if it seemed strange to me, I should still try to be respectful. I asked the saint to help me understand what I was seeing, and to know him. When I finished praying, I went to sit in a chair off to the side while I waited for my friends. I thought that I should pray some more, but I didn't know any prayers to St. John so I took out my Akathist Hymn to the Panagia, which I always carry with me, and told St. John that it was for him also. I begged him to forgive me for not having a special prayer for him alone.

Probably like most people, I often don't pray very deeply unless someone I love is ill or in danger, and this time I began read the Akathist to the Panagia in my usual way, although I tried hard to concentrate on the words. Suddenly, I felt that someone had come up and was standing next to me. I looked around quickly, but the nearest person was kneeling at the relics with his back to me, about a dozen meters away. I went back to my prayers, and although I didn't actually hear anything spoken aloud, I had the distinct impression that someone was praying to the Panagia with me, with great strength and love. I suddenly found myself praying with a depth I have never felt before or since - as if I was somehow in the middle of the prayer, and it was alive. I could feel the prayer moving up to heaven, and I knew in my soul that it was St. John himself, praying with me.

I was filled with such awe and joy at the nearness of the saint who was helping me to pray even though I had been afraid of him. It felt like Pascha, and as if I had just received the Holy Mysteries. I come to him now as often as I can.

The Cane
For many years, pilgrims to the shrine of St. John the Russian saw a simple cane standing before the glass-enclosed sepulchre. It belonged to an old woman, Maria Spaik, who was bent over from osteoporosis and had been unable to stand upright for eighteen years. In August 1978, he relatives brought her to the Church of St. John and lifted her in their arms so that she could venerate the relics. When Maria saw the incorrupt body of the Saint, she began to cry, asking St. John to help her. As she prayed over the relics, she felt an invisible hand touch her back. The old woman drew herself up erect. Tears appeared in the eyes of all the onlookers. The bells were rung, and a Supplication Service was sung in thanksgiving. The cane was left at the shrine as a memorial of the miracle. 

http://agapienxristou.blogspot.ca/2012/11/three-moving-miracles-of-st-john-russian.html

Δεν ξέρω πώς γίνεται η φιλονικία ( ΜΕΓΑΛΟ ΓΕΡΟΝΤΙΚΟ )

Δύο Γέροντες ζούσαν ως μοναχοί πολλά χρόνια

μαζί και ποτέ δεν μάλωσαν. Είπε ο ένας στον άλλον: «Ας φιλονικήσουμε κι εμείς μια φορά όπως όλοι οι άνθρωποι». Ο άλλος αποκρίθηκε:

«Δεν ξέρω πώς γίνεται η φιλονικία». Και του λέει ο αδελφός: «Να, θα βάλω στη μέση ένα τούβλο. Εγώ θα λέω ότι είναι δικό μου κι εσύ να λες, όχι, δικό μου είναι, και από δω γίνεται η αρχή». Έβαλαν πράγματι στη μέση ένα τούβλο. Λέει ο ένας: «Αυτό είναι δικό μου». Ο άλλος είπε: «Όχι, είναι δικό».

Είπε ο πρώτος: «Έ, αν είναι δικό σου, πάρ΄ το και πήγαινε». Και έφυγαν, χωρίς να βρουν αιτία για φιλονικία.


ΚΕΦΑΛΑΙΟ ΙΖ΄ 
ΑΠΟΣΠΑΣΜΑΤΑ ΑΠΟ ΤΟ 
ΜΕΓΑΛΟ ΓΕΡΟΝΤΙΚΟ

Guided By the Wing of an Angel - Elder Iakovos Tsalikis

People are blind and don’t see what takes place in church during the Divine Liturgy. Once I was serving and I couldn’t make the Great Entrance because of what I saw. I suddenly felt someone pushing me by my shoulder and guiding me toward the holy prothesis. I thought it was the chanter, and said to myself: "The blessed one, such irreverence? He entered through the Beautiful Gate and is pushing me?" I turned around and saw a huge wing that the archangel had laid on my shoulder, and that he was guiding me to make the Great Entrance. What amazing things take place in the altar during the Divine Liturgy! Sometimes I can’t handle it, and so I pass out in a chair, and thus some concelebrators conclude that I’ve got something wrong with my health, but they don’t realize what I see and hear. What wings on those angels, my child!
 
 Elder Iakovos (Tsalikis) (1920-1991) 

source

Η προσευχή όπλο ισχυρό ( Αγιος Παϊσιος )

Παλιά, για να κάνει κανείς κάτι, αν ήταν κοσμικός άνθρωπος θα σκεφτόταν. Αν ήταν πνευματικός άνθρωπος, θα σκεφτόταν και θα προσευχόταν. Στην εποχή μας ακόμη και «πνευματικοί» άνθρωποι όχι μόνο δεν προσεύχονται, αλλά ούτε σκέφτονται. Και μάλιστα, συχνά πρόκειται για σοβαρά θέματα, και αυτοί κάνουν πρόβες με τον κόσμο.

Σε όλες τις περιπτώσεις, πριν ενεργήσουμε, να λέμε: «Σκέφτηκα γι’ αυτό; Προσευχήθηκα γι’ αυτό;» Όταν κανείς ενεργεί, χωρίς να σκεφθεί και χωρίς να προσευχηθεί, ενεργεί σατανικά. Και βλέπεις, συχνά πολλοί χριστιανοί με τον τρόπο που ενεργούν, δεν αφήνουν τον Θεό να επέμβει. Νομίζουν ότι αυτοί θα τα καταφέρουν όλα μόνοι τους. Ενώ ακόμα και ο άπιστος λέει «έχει ο Θεός», αυτοί δεν το λένε (...).

Συνέχεια ανθρώπινες προσπάθειες και δεν αφήνουν τον Θεό να ενεργήσει. Δεν καταφεύγουν στην προσευχή, ώστε να απαντήσει ο Θεός δια της προσευχής. Με την ταπείνωση και την προσευχή διορθώνονται όλα τα αδιόρθωτα (...).
 
Αγιος Παϊσιος


Απόσπασμα απο το βιβλίο «Λόγοι Γέροντος Παϊσίου Αγιορείτου τ. Β΄», Ιερό Ησυχαστήριο «Ευαγγελιστής Ιωάννης ο Θεολόγος», Σουρωτή Θεσσαλλονίκης

Evil is always evil ( St. John of Kronstadt )

Fear evil like fire. Don’t let it touch your heart even if it seems just or righteous. No matter what the circumstances, don’t let it come into you. Evil is always evil. Sometimes evil presents itself as an endeavor to God’s glory, or as something with good intentions towards your neighbor. Even in these cases, don’t trust this feeling. It’s a wrong labor and is not filled with wisdom. Instead, work on chasing evil from yourself. Evil, however innocent it looks, offends God’s long-suffering love, which is His foremost glory. Judas betrayed his Lord for 30 silver pieces under the guise of helping the poor. Keep in mind that the enemy continuously seeks your death and attacks more fiercely when you’re not alert. His evil is endless. Don’t let self-esteem and the love of material goods win you over.



When you feel anger against someone, believe with your whole heart that it’s a result of the devil’s work in your heart. Try to hate him and his deeds and it will leave you. Don’t admit it as a part of yourself and don’t justify it. I know this from experience. The devil hides himself behind our souls and we blindly think we’re acting by ourselves. Then we defend the devil’s work as something that is a part of us. Sometimes we think that anger is a fair reaction to something bad. But the idea that a passion could ever be fair is a total and deadly lie. When someone is angry at you, remember that this evil feeling is not him. He’s just fooled by the devil and is a suffering instrument in his hand. Pray that the enemy leaves him and that God opens his spiritual eyes, which have been darkened by the evil spirit. Pray to God for all people enslaved by passions because the enemy is acting in their hearts. Perhaps you hate your neighbor, despise him, don’t want to talk to him peacefully and lovingly because he has been rude, arrogant, or disgusting in his speech or manners. You may despise him for being full of himself or proud or disrespectful. But you are to blame more than he is. “Physician, heal yourself!” (Luke 4:23). So, teacher, teach yourself. This kind of anger is worse than any other evil. How could evil be chased out by another evil? How can you take a needle from the eye of another person while having a log in your own? Evil defects must be fixed with love, kindness, resignation, and patience. Admit yourself as the worst of all sinners, and believe it. Consider yourself the worst one, chase away any boldness, anger, impatience and fury. Then you may start helping others. Be indulgent about defects of others, because if you see their faults all the time, there will be continuous enmity. “The plowers plowed upon my back: they made long their furrows.”(Psalm 129:3). ” For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.”(Matthew 6:14). We can feel from time to time the most perfect love for God without loving each other. This is a strange thing, and only few care about it. But love for our neighbor will never come without our own effort.

A real Christian doesn’t have any reason to be angry about anybody. Anger is the devil’s deed. A Christian should have only love inside and since love doesn’t boast, he shouldn’t boast or have any bad thoughts towards others. For example, I must not think about another person that he is evil, proud etc; and I must not think that if I forgive his offense he would laugh at me or upset me again. We must not let evil hide in us under any pretense. Evil and anger usually have many different veils.

Don’t yield to gloomy feelings in your heart but control and eradicate them with the power of faith and the light of the sane mind. These strengths will make you feel secure. Let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in you. (Psalm 25:20). Gloomy feelings usually develop deep in the heart. Someone who didn’t learn how to control them will be gloomy, pensive most of the time and it will be hard for him to deal with himself and other people. When he comes close to you, sustain yourself with inner strength, happiness and innocent jokes: and they will leave you soon. This is from experience.

Lord, give me strength to love everyone like myself and never to get angry or work the for devil. Give me strength to crucify my self-esteem, my pride, my greed, my skepticism and other passions. Let us have a name: a mutual love. Let us not worry about anything. Be the only God of our hearts, and let us desire nothing except You. Let us live always in unifying love and let us hate anything that separates us from each other and from love. So be it! So be it!

If God showed Himself to us and lives inside us as we in Him (according to His eternal Word), wouldn’t He give us everything? Would He ever , would He ever trick us or leave us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? (Romans 8:32). Now be comforted, my dear, and know nothing but love. This is my command: Love each other (John 15:17).

St. John of Kronstadt 

http://agapienxristou.blogspot.ca/2013/09/evil-is-always-evil.html