Άξιον Εστιν - Μακαριστός Εφραίμ Ξηροποταμηνός

Habits and Inclinations that Imprison a Person in Sin. ( St. Theophan the Recluse )

Let us suppose that a beneficial thought has been accepted by and occupies our attention. Now we must hasten to lead it to a level of awakening at which it will become a strong linchpin, easily and powerfully leading all our inward parts into action. For this we must give it a wide berth to pass inward, and for that we must perform, let us say, an operation on ourselves as the most necessary and most effective preparation for awakening.

Such an operation should be in opposition to those subtle nets, or against the habits and inclinations that imprison a person in sin. Sin entangles a soul by its many nets, or hides itself from the soul by its many coverings; because sin is ugly in and of itself, and one glance finds it repulsive. The covering that is deepest and closest to the heart is comprised of self-deception, insensitivity and carelessness; over them and closer to the surface lie absent-mindedness and much-caring, the chief players, which hide and feed sin and sinful habits and conditions. The uppermost covering is prevalence of the flesh, which is the most visible covering, no less strong and significant.
The first covering (self-deception, insensitivity and carelessness) is the essential one. It prevents the person from seeing the danger of his condition and undercuts his desire to change. The second two are essentially only instruments — they only magnify and support the sinful condition. When divine grace comes unto the separation of soul and spirit, it strikes directly against the first covering and tears it apart. Under its action the sinful person is completely uncovered and stands before his own consciousness in all his ugliness. But when the person is seeking grace-filled awakening himself, he has to begin from the outside and work his way in.
Thus, if you want to properly contemplate the thought that has been presented to you about your sinful life, begin by removing the sinful coverings as one would remove layers of earth in order to expose a treasure buried beneath.

The Body.
First of all, go after the body. Refuse it delights and pleasures, restrict indulgences in even the most natural needs; lengthen the hour of vigil, decrease the usual amount of food, add labor to labor. Mainly, in whatever way you want or are able, lighten the flesh, thin its corpulence. Through this the soul will free itself of the bonds of matter, will become more energetic, lighter, and more receptive to good impressions. The material body prevailing over the soul communicates to the soul the body's lethargy and coldness. Physical ascetic labors weaken these bonds and eliminate their effects. True, not every sinner lives unrestrainedly and indulges the body. But it would be hard to find an individual in normal life who does not have something he would do well to refuse the body once the desire for salvation touches his heart. And the goal is very significant — it completely changes one's activity. What you have done previously according to habit, or in support of your usual occupations, you now begin to do with some changes and additional austerity for the sake of salvation — and there will be tangible results.

Cares and Scattered Thoughts.
The body burdens the soul from the outside; cares and scattered thoughts wear it down from within. Let us suppose that the flesh is already humbled — this, the first step, was taken. But two barriers divide the soul from its own self.
Cares do not leave any time to work on oneself. When they are present, you have one matter on your hands and ten more in your head. That is why they push a person always further onward, not giving him the opportunity to look back and see himself. Therefore, you must put aside cares for a time, all without exception. You will take up your usual affairs later on, but for now let them cease, fling them from your hands and throw them out of your thoughts.
But once the cares have ceased, the whirlwind still remains in the head — one thought after another, one in agreement, another diametrically opposed. The soul is scattered, and the mind swings in different directions and thus does not allow you to retain anything lasting and steadfast. Collect your scattered children into one, like a pastor gathers his flock, or like a glass gathers scattered rays, and turn them back on yourself.
The desire to go deeper within yourself and work on yourself, to cut off your scattered thoughts and cares, of course inevitably requires the following means: solitude on one hand and on the other, cessation of usual occupations both personal and duty-related. First of all, this humbling of the flesh requires a change in the way you satisfy your natural needs. In this light, the most convenient time to change your life should be considered to be during a fast, especially Great Lent. Everything is set up for this during Lent — at home, in church, and even in society. During this time everything is looked upon as preparation for repentance. Just the same, this does not mean that when the beneficial thought has come to change your life, you should put off its fulfillment until the Fast begins. Everything required during this time can be fulfilled at any other time, other than the fasting. But when the holy Fast has arrived it is a sin to miss the chance to take care for the salvation of your soul, as it is often missed at another time. If anyone who has had the salvific thought outside of the Fast to change his life, and whose hinders him from carrying it out, it would be better for him to retreat for a time to a monastery. There it will be easier for him to master himself.

Carelessness, Insensitivity and Blindness.
Now you stand before your heart. Before you is your inner man, sunk in the deep slumber of carelessness, insensitivity and blindness. Begin to awaken it. The beneficial thought that came has already troubled it a little. Step up to it with great good hope and mighty mental exertion, collecting all your attention, and begin to force on yourself various ideas, more or less strong and startling, accepting them all into your inner state.
First of all remove the veils from the eyes of your mind that keep your mind in a state of blindness. If a person does not deny sin and run from it, then that is because he does not know himself and the danger he is in for the sake of his sin. If his eyes were opened he would run from sin as he would run from a house engulfed in flames. Such blindness is the result of inattentiveness to himself — the person does not know himself because he has never entered inside himself, and has never thought about himself or his moral condition. But for the most part his blindness is supported by certain prejudices concerning himself. The person creates a net of thoughts, systematically closing himself off to himself. Perhaps these thoughts are but as spider webs — that is, they are of the slightest probability, but the mind never took them apart carefully, and the heart speaks very loudly of their reality and truthfulness. This is moral delusion or prejudice which comes from the heart's intrusion into things belonging to the reason. That is why it is necessary to unite particular soberness to deep attention at this moment, renouncing every deceit of an evil heart. If the heart needs to feel something at this moment, let it feel it under the influence of the mind's formulations, and not all by itself, sort of running ahead. Otherwise it will again force the reason to imagine things as the heart likes; again it will force the reason to submit to the heart, again bringing disorder to the understanding and, instead of enlightening, it will only sink it into deeper blindness.
An excerpt from "The Path to Salvation"


St.Theophan the Recluse

Υπάρχουν αρρώστιες και ατυχήματα...από κατάρα! ( Άγιος Παΐσιος )

Πολλές αρρώστιες που δεν βρίσκουν οι γιατροί από τι είναι, μπορεί να είναι από κατάρα. Τι να βρουν οι γιατροί, την κατάρα;

Μια φορά μου έφεραν στο Καλύβι έναν παράλυτο. Ολόκληρος άνδρας δεν μπορούσε να καθήση. Το κορμί του ήταν τεντωμένο σαν ξύλο. Τον κουβαλούσε ένας στην πλάτη και ένας άλλος τον κρατούσε από πίσω. Του έβαλα δυό κούτσουρα και ακουμπούσε λίγο ο καημένος. Μου λένε αυτοί που τον συνόδευαν: "Από δεκαπέντε χρονών παιδί είναι σ' αυτήν την κατάσταση και έχουν περάσει δεκαοκτώ χρόνια από τότε". "Μα πως στα καλά καθούμενα να το πάθη αυτό; είπα. Δεν μπορεί, κάτι συμβαίνει".
Έψαξα από δω-από 'κει και βρήκα ότι κάποιος τον είχε καταρασθή. Τι είχε συμβή; Κάποτε πήγαινε με το αστικό στην σχολή του και καθόταν σε μια θέση τεντωμένος. Σε κάποια στάση μπήκε ένας ηλικιωμένος παπάς και ένα γεροντάκι και στάθηκαν όρθιοι δίπλα του. Τότε του είπε ένας: "Σήκω, να καθήσουν οι μεγάλοι". Αυτός τεντώθηκε ακόμη περισσότερο στο κάθισμα, χωρίς να δώση σημασία. Οπότε το γεροντάκι που στεκόταν όρθιο του λέει: "Τεντωμένος να μείνης και ποτέ να μην μπορής να καθήσης". Και η κατάρα έπιασε.
Βλέπεις, είχε αναίδεια ο νέος. Σου λέει: "Γιατί να σηκωθώ, αφού την πλήρωσα την θέση;" Ναι, αλλά και ο άλλος πλήρωσε και είναι ηλικιωμένος, σεβάσμιος, και στέκεται όρθιος και εσύ είσαι μικρό παιδί, δεκαπέντε χρονών, και κάθεσαι. "Από αυτό είναι, του λέω. Κοίταξε να μετανοήσης, για να γίνης καλά, χρειάζεται μετάνοια". Ο καημένος, μόλις το κατάλαβε λίγο και το αναγνώρισε, αμέσως τακτοποιήθηκε.


Πόσα από αυτά που συμβαίνουν σήμερα είναι από κατάρα, από αγανάκτηση. Και όταν εξοντώνωνται ολόκληρες οικογένειες ή πεθαίνουν πολλά άτομα από μια οικογένεια, να ξέρετε, είναι ή από αδικία ή από μάγια ή από κατάρα.
Ένας πατέρας είχε ένα παιδί που όλο γύριζε. Μια φορά του λέει αγανακτισμένος: "Να έλθης μια και καλή". Το παιδί εκείνο το βράδυ, καθώς ερχόταν στο σπίτι, ακριβώς έξω από την πόρτα, το χτύπησε ένα αυτοκίνητο και έμεινε στον τόπο. Τον πήραν οι φίλοι του σκοτωμένο και τον πήγαν μέσα στο σπίτι του. Ήρθε μετά ο πατέρας στο Καλύβι και έκλαιγε. "Το παιδί μου σκοτώθηκε έξω από την πόρτα του σπιτιού μου", έλεγε. Από 'δω-από 'κει, μετά μου λέει: "Του είχα πει μια κουβέντα". "Τι του είπες;" του λέω. "Αγανάκτησα που ξενυχτούσε και του είπα: "Να έρθης μια και καλή!" Μήπως ήταν απ' αυτό"; "Εμ, από τι ήταν; του λέω. Κοίταξε να μετανοήσης, να εξομολογηθής". "Αυτήν την φορά να έρθης μια και καλή", του είπε, και το παιδί το έφεραν νεκρό. Άντε μετά να χτυπιέται ο πατέρας.

Άγιος Παΐσιος

What's Required to Acquire the Holy Spirit? ( Saint Seraphim of Sarov )

Saint Seraphim of Sarov says "the true goal of our Christian life consists in the acquisition of the Holy Spirit." He says,
"What God requires is a true faith in Himself and His Only begotten Son. In return He generously bestows the grace of the Holy Spirit. The Lord seeks hearts filled with love for God and for one's neighbor." Saint John Chrysostom reminds us that this is not a task just for monks, but is one for all Christians.
"Those who live in the world, even though married, should resemble the monks in everything else. You are wholly mistaken if you think that there are some things that are required of seculars, and others for monastics... They will have to render the same account... When Christ orders us to follow the narrow path, he is speaking to all men." The level of perfection that we are all called to, does not come without our effort. This effort involves what is commonly termed ascetic practices which include a daily rule for prayer and fasting as well as the study of Holy Scripture and other spiritual writings.

When St. Seraphim says, "to acquire" the Holy Spirit, he uses this idea of acquiring in a similar way to saying we acquire material benefits. Saint Seraphim says,
Surely you understand what it means to acquire money? The acquisition of the Holy Spirit of God is exactly the same. You understand I am sure, O lover of God, the meaning of acquiring in a worldly sense. The primary aim of ordinary people in a worldly sense is to acquire, or to make, money... the acquisition of the Spirit of God is the same as the acquisition of capital with the difference that it is eternal and dispenses grace. Since it is so similar to everyday ordinary money, it is acquired in much the same way. How do we acquire material wealth? We must train ourselves, develop valued skills, and apply them through hard work. For spiritual benefits we also must work and prepare to receive the heavenly benefits.
Saint Seraphim continues,
Our Lord Jesus Christ himself compares our life in this world with a marketplace. He likens our everyday activities to trading, telling, telling us to 'trade till I come, redeeming the time, because the days are evil' (cf. Lk 19:13; Eph 5:16). In other words make the most of your time by obtaining heavenly blessings in exchange for you earthly good. The goods you should be trading in are those very same good works done for Christ's sake that confer upon us all the grace of the Holy Spirit. It is these good works which include not only charitable acts but also our ascetic efforts that are essential to purify our mind and heart from the bodily passions that too frequently take precedence over the desire of the soul.
Ascetic efforts cannot be considered as merits to earn God's grace, but only as means to an end, They prepare us for the acquisition of the Holy Spirit and union with God. With the Holy Spirit moving though us we must align our free will with God's and live the virtues. This is only possible though the work of the Holy Spirit. But, we must always remember that God will not judge us based on our ascetic efforts, but will judge us based on our humility as expressed in our love for others and love for God.
Saint Seraphim says,
Prayer, fasting, vigils and all other Christian practices, however good they may be in and of themselves, do not constitute the true goal of our Christian way of ice. They only serve as the indispensable means of attaining it. The true goal of our Christain life consists in the acquisition of the Holy Spirit of God. Fasting, keeping vigil, prayers, and charity, as well as every other good deed done for the sake of Christ, are but the means through which we may acquire the Holy Spirit of God. The love of God must be the motivation of all our actions. As we learn to love others we will increase our love of God. As our love of God is increased so will our love for others. The ascetic practices cannot interfere with our love for others. If we must take care of the needs of a child or a parent or any other person, we cannot use our ascetic practices to excuse ourselves from our loving care of others. But we also must recognize that this ability to love is increased as we purify our heart and mind and this comes about as a result our ascetic efforts so we can acquire the Holy Spirit.
 
Reference: The Joy of the Holy by Harry M. Boosalis, pp 35 - 43. 

http://agapienxristou.blogspot.ca/2012/11/whats-required-to-acquire-holy-spirit.html

π.Βαρνάβας Γιάγκου - 8-11-15

H προσευχή μας είναι γέμισμα από την δύναμη του Χριστού,είναι πλησίασμα του Χριστού,είναι ένωση με τον Χριστόν!Και άρα γεμίζουμε από τον Χριστό!Ο αλήθινα πιστός και ….

Κομποσχοίνι θα κρατώ (Γερ. Θεονύμφη)

Κομποσχοίνι θα κρατώ (Γερ. Θεονύμφης Αλεξοπούλου)
Κομποσκοίνι θα κρατώ ν'ανεβώ στον ουρανό (I will keep praying rope,to ascend to heaven)
με μικρούλες προσευχές που'ναι τόσο δυνατές. (with smallish prayers which are so strong)
Όσο πιο πολύ μπορώ να νικάω τον εχθρό. (The more I can to defeat the enemy)

Και η πρώτη μου ευχή είναι αυτή που θ'ακουστεί: (And my first prayer is the one that will be heard:)
Αγία Τριας σώσον πάντας ημάς. (Holy Trinity save us all)
Όσο πιο πολύ μπορώ να νικάω τον εχθρό. (The more I can to defeat the enemy)

Τη δευτέρα μου ευχή θα τη λέω δυνατά: (My second prayer l will tell it loudly:)
Κύριε ημών Ιησού Χριστε σώσον ημάς.(Our Lord Jesus Christ save us)
Όσο πιο πολύ μπορώ να νικάω τον εχθρό.(The more I can to defeat the enemy)

Τρίτη είναι η ευχή που θα πω στην Παναγιά:(Third is the prayer l will tell to Virgin Mary)
Υπεραγία Θεοτόκε σώσον ημάς (Most Holy Theotokos save us)
Όσο πιο πολύ μπορώ να νικάω τον εχθρό.(The more I can to defeat the enemy)

Την τετάρτη την ευχή στον Άγιο Πρόδρομο θα πω: (My fourth prayer l will tell to St.Baptist)
Βαπτιστά του Χριστού πρεσβευέ υπέρ ημών.(Baptism of Christ be ambassador for us)
Όσο πιο πολύ μπορώ να νικάω τον εχθρό.(The more I can to defeat the enemy)

Πέμπτη θα'ναι η ευχή στους Αγίους που θα πω:(Fifth is the prayer l will tell to the Saints)
Άγιοι πάντες του Θεού πρεσβεύσατε υπέρ ημών.(Saints of God be ambassadors for us)
Όσο πιο πολύ μπορώ να νικάω τον εχθρό.(The more I can to defeat the enemy)

Τελευταία μου ευχή στους αγγέλους θα την πω:(My last prayer l will tell to the angels)
Αρχάγγελοι και Άγγελοι του Θεού πρεσβεύσατε υπέρ ημών. (Archangels and Angels of God be ambassadors for us)
Όσο πιο πολύ μπορώ να νικάω τον εχθρό. (The more I can to defeat the enemy)

Explanation of a Christian Family

1. The Church is one, which is why the spouses are called to an indissoluble, lifelong, ontological union. This union is the great Sacrament of Matrimony, of which the Apostle Paul speaks to us. Two people come together undivided, without however being confused. They overcome all separation and division – biological, social, or individual – and compose their own personal community. All the problems and differences that exist in the family are immediately resolved once the spouses consider the consequences that arise from the theological dogma of the unity of the Christian family, which participates in the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist and thereby acquires a unity that is real and sacramental, transcending rational conception and not merely carnal.

2. The Church is holy, which is why the family must be holy, that is, devoted to God. In the betrothal as well as the marriage services, the Church prays for perfect love, peace, blameless manner and way of life. This is done in order for the future couple to understand that the aim of the family, founded at the Sacrament of Marriage, is the sanctification of the spouses and their children. Moreover, the Church prays to God to grant the new couple long‑lived offspring, fruit of the womb, fertility to produce virtuous children, and the opportunity for the enjoyment of fair offspring. The Christian family aims to create Saints, who will in turn work in schools, construction, agriculture, shipping and so forth, transforming all of society as much as they can. That is why, as St. John Chrysostom teaches us, Christian parents should first consider how they will raise their children according to the instruction and counsel of Christ, and only afterward how they will secure for them the necessary material and spiritual resources for their lives.

3. The Church is catholic, which is why it grows not only qualitatively but quantitatively. This means that the Christian family must acquire new members. It should strive to be a microcosm, which would not avoid sacrificial love and absolute self-offering to its members. People today often ignore sacrificial love, and that is why they are also unaware of what fatherhood and motherhood are in their real dimensions: namely, the offering of ourselves for the sake of others. Nobody has the right to refuse the gift of life. The birth of a child is the sacred gift of co-creation between God and humans, a unique transmission of life to others, a “great entrance” into the communion of love with God and our fellow human beings.

4. The Church is apostolic, because its eternal and immutable foundations are the teachings of the Apostles. At the same time, this means that the Church always has the zeal, passion, and the desire of the Apostles to spread the message of the Gospel everywhere. These characteristics of the Church must also characterize the Christian family. We have vivid examples from the New Testament: for example, Aquila and Priscilla, and the family of Stephanas. In his Epistle to the Romans, the Apostle Paul praises this holy couple, presenting them as his fellow-workers-in-Christ in Corinth, in Ephesus and in their own city, Rome, where they made it possible for the Apostle to the Nations to visit the Eternal City. In his first letter to the Corinthians, St. Paul also speaks of the family of Stephanas. This entire family believed in Christ and spread Christianity in Achaea. Afterward, they set their sights on spreading the Gospel even further. Thus, their contribution brought encouragement not only to Paul but also to the Corinthians. The apostolic characterization of the Christian family means that it acts, operates and breathes within the climate and of the missionary mindset.

Bearing in mind today’s family, I feel that what we need is not the creation of a religious family but of a Christian family. Today, we do not just have a crisis of the family, but a crisis of the Christian family. In order to remedy the situation, the family should systematically and urgently study the evangelical and patristic teachings. It should exemplify the biblical model of the family and the richness of our ecclesiastical tradition, while at the same time living the sacramental life of the Church. Only then will we truly see one, holy, catholic and apostolic family.

Striving towards God and cleaving unto the Lord by its humble love... ( St. John Maximovitch )

Now the Church consists of both her earthly and heavenly parts, for the Son of God came to earth and became man that He might lead man into heaven and make him once again a citizen of Paradise, returning to him his original state of sinlessness and wholeness and uniting him unto Himself.

This is accomplished by the action of Divine grace grated through the Church, but man’s effort is also required. God saves His fallen creature by His own love for him, but man’s love for his Creator is also necessary; without it he cannot by saved. Striving towards God and cleaving unto the Lord by its humble love, the human soul obtains power to cleanse itself from sin and to strengthen itself for the struggle to complete victory over sin.

St. John the Wonderworker of Shanghai and San Francisco

Overcoming pride ( Elder Macarius )

       
We continually hear that pride is at the root of our sinfulness. In God's eyes it is the the penitent sinner that is preferred to the proud person. The remedy to pride is humility, but how does one develop humility?


Here is what Elder Macarius has to say,

Well, acquire this art through reading the Fathers; pitiless self-examination and self-accusation help too; also, making clear to ourselves how much worse we are than others; and refraining from all condemnation of them while we accept all their condemnation of us, as sent by God to cure our hideous spiritual sores.This battle for humility is not an easy one or one that is quickly won. It is not easy to refrain from condemning others while accepting the condemnation that is given to us. We are constantly being tripped up by our passions. A high degree of discipline in life is required. We must always be on the alert. As we progress along this narrow and difficult path we will be tempted to have pride in our progress. When this occurs our progress ends. Our success in life, our well-being at work or in the home, can also hinder us by stroking our pride. Our successes make us feel as if we are in control. The more successful we are in a worldly life it is all the harder to develop humility.


The Elder says,

Humility is the only weapon that wards off all attacks, but it is difficult to fashion, and the art of using it is often misunderstood, particularly by those who live an active life.... Remember always that the whole of human misery is the consequence of pride. Humility alone is the path to joy, the gate to the blessed nearness––the intimacy of God.

Elder Macarius

Εγω πατήρ, εγώ αδελφός, εγώ νυμφίος...( Αγιος Ιωάννης ο Χρυσόστομος )

                
Εγώ πατήρ, εγώ αδελφός, εγώ νυμφίος, εγώ οικία, εγώ τροφεύς, εγώ ιμάτιον, εγώ ρίζα, εγώ θεμέλιος, παν όπερ αν θέλεις εγώ. Μηδενός εν χρεία καταστείς. Εγώ δουλεύσω.
Ήλθον γαρ διακονήσαι, ου διακονηθήναι. Εγώ και φίλος και ξένος και κεφαλή και αδελφός και αδελφή και μήτηρ. Πάντα εγώ.
Μόνον οικείως έχε προς εμέ. Εγώ πένης δια σέ και αλήτης δια σέ, επι σταυρού δια σέ, άνω υπέρ σου εντυγχάνω τω Πατρί κάτω υπέρ σου πρεσβευτής παραγέγονα παρά του Πατρός.
Πάντα μοι σύ και αδελφός και συγκληρονόμος και φίλος και μέλος.

Τι πλέον θέλεις;

Αγιος Ιωάννης ο Χρυσόστομος