He who Truly Believes Will Certainly Have Works

Venerable Seraphim of Sarov. "Spiritual Instructions to Monks and Laity".

St Seraphim of Sarov (1754 - 1833)

First of all, one must believe in God, “that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him” (Heb. 11:6).

Faith, according to the teachings of St. Antiochus, is the beginning of our union with God: a true believer is a stone of the temple of God, prepared for the building of God the Father, raised to a height by the power of Jesus Christ, that is, by the Cross, [with] the help of a rope, that is, by the grace of the Holy Spirit.

“Faith without works is dead” (James 2:26); while the works of faith are: love, peace, long-suffering, mercy, humility [2] repose from all works [3], just as God rested from His works, bearing the cross and living in the spirit. Only such faith is imputed for righteousness. True faith cannot be without works; whoever truly believes will certainly have works.

[2] Cf. Gal.5:22

[3] This means, of course, not literally rest from all works, but the absence of excessive concern for them, troubles. “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof” (Matt. 6:33-34).

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Confusion is the Sign of Devil’s Presence

Extracts from the Life of St Ignatius the Blind, the Athonite (1827-7.11.1927).

Devil also tempted spiritual children of Elder Ignatius. One of them heard very late in the night somebody knocking at the door and a gentle voice saying: ‘My child, do get up! Go down and enter the church. My everburning lamp has blown out.’ The disciple got up, went to the church and saw that it was true that the lamp at the icon of the Mother of God blew out. He lighted it, prayed and got back to the cell. He decided not to say anything to the Elder about this, as he believed it was not a sin. But the Elder saw all this through. He forced the disciple to own up and asked him afterwards, ‘What feeling did you have when lighting the lamp?’ ‘Joy and gratitude’, said he. ‘What else?’ the Elder persevered. ‘There was a kind of worry and confusion’, the disciple specified. ‘That’s the main feature of devil’s presence,’ the Elder said.

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The Woman did not Want to Admit and Repent that She Used to Steal While Working in Trade

"I love everybody". Memories of Archimandrite Pavel (Gruzdev).

Archimandrite Pavel (Gruzdev) (1910 - 13.1.1996)

In 1985, I took courses in Yaroslavl. At the beginning of winter, I took a commuter train. A woman sits down next to me and wonders how far it is to the Shestikhino station. I answer her that I go there, and I will tell when to go out. She asks: “They say you have an elder living there?” “We have Father Pavel. I'll explain how to get to him".

The woman was traveling from the Chita region. She said that she was full of all sorts of diseases. She was in hospitals, nothing helped, she decided to go to holy places. She got to Yaroslavl. In Yaroslavl, she was told that such a miracle-worker lives not far from Nekouz. I explained how to get to Nikulskoye, and we said goodbye.

A couple of days later I hear a knock at the door. I open it, that lady is standing. I wonder: "How did you find me?" “I asked where such and such a teacher lives, and they told me.”

Well, you can’t kick her out since she came. I began to find out how she went to the Father in Verkhne-Nikulskoe. “Oh, oh,” she says, “I don’t even know what to say. He scolded me all over, just about beat me.”

She arrived in the evening. Father Pavel let her spend the night in the lodge. In the morning the woman met him and began to talk about her misfortunes, passions and illnesses. He cut her off and asked: “Listen, my dear, and where do you work?” “I don’t work now, I’m retired. And I worked all my life in trade. I worked as a store manager, head of a depot, director of a restaurant. “How he, — she says, — shouted with bad language at me: “You bastard, you stole so much in your life! And now you want the Lord not to punish you yet? You deserve yours, so gulp down now. Take your baggage and get out of here.” She was upset, kept repeating: “What should I do? What to do?"

This woman did not go home immediately. Through acquaintances, I learned that she lived for a month at the Cathedral of the Feodorovskaya Icon in Yaroslavl, cleaned the church and tried to find a person who would solve her problems with one movement of his hand.

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The Young Priest Began to Cast out Demons

From an interview with Metropolitan Nifont of Volyn and Lutsk.

Metropolitan Nifont (1948 - 22.03.2017)

There was a young priest who, in his simplicity, began to pray for the possessed. The sick and suffering began to come to him, and he, thinking that he had the power to cast out unclean spirits, continued to admire "his" successes. In the Pochaev Lavra, experienced elders advised him to give up this activity: “This is beyond your power, you have a wife, children, give up exorcisms and pray with a contrite heart.” His fellow priests said the same thing, but he didn't listen to anyone. After he developed a head disease, then Archbishop Damian banned him from the priesthood. When he recovered, he was again allowed to serve, but the priest already thought too highly of himself. The disease progressed, and as a result, an unexpected death (after a cold, the kidneys failed) put an end to everything that this young priest had. To avoid this, one must humbly obey the Gospel commandments, church rules, and one's ruling bishop. But most importantly, in my opinion, you need to do your service humbly and zealously, giving all of yourself with love to God and people.

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How to Tell if a Monk or a Priest Has the Gift of Healing

Hegumen Daniel (Gridchenko)

Questions to a priest.

Question: Anastasia

Hello. Bless me, Father. They say that epilepsy is treated only spiritually, not with medicines. Does this apply to all diseases or only to epilepsy? And how to tell if a monk or a priest has the gift of healing? Thank you.

Answer: Hegumen Daniel (Gridchenko)

Hello Anastasia, Some things we are told are not true. And it is advisable to be treated not by some mythical healers and miracle workers, but by ordinary good, and honest doctors. Generally speaking, if a priest or monk advertises his extraordinary healing or other abilities, he is a classic scoundrel, either pursuing his own self-interests or being inflated by an exorbitant sense of his own importance, and that might be even worse. God's true servants are humble people who carefully conceal their gifts of grace, who only manifest them through love, prayer, and in such a way that those who receive help from them do not always immediately realize it.

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The Remedy for Vanity is not to Be the First to Speak

Apophthegmata Patrum, as translated by St. Theophan the Recluse.

298. A brother came to an elder and said to him: Abba! Tell me, how to be saved? The elder said to him: if you come to someone, do not start talking before he asks you. The brother, having come to contrition from these words, made a bow to the elder and said: indeed, I read many books, but nowhere did I find such an instruction. And, having received a great benefit, he left.

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Where any Pride is, no Divine Visions Can Appear

Archimandrite Seraphim (Aleksiev). "Homily about self-esteem and about false visions".

Archimandrite Seraphim (Aleksiev) (1912-1993)

There are many dark tricks of Satan that bring him closer to the soul, but the path that Satan prefers to follow and tries to lead the humans is pride. For he knows well that even if God’s commandments are fulfilled, pride alone is enough to make an ascetic perish. He himself, having no other sins, has fallen from God through his pride only.

Sinful people are usually proud. They sin only because of their pride, which prevents them from accepting God’s will and obeying God’s commandments. Devil, a cunning tempter, knows how to make a man have a sense of grandeur about oneself. Those who are not of high intelligence, he tries make proud by telling them that they are smart or that they have some other exceptional qualities. He puts an idea to the mind of clever people that they have unique properties of their minds. To the wicked, he gives a proud persistence against the will of God. The pious, following his hints, begin to put on airs because of their execution of God’s commandments. Thus, all get by pride under the power of Satan – all those who have not stood up against his tricks, believers and unbelievers; clever and stupid; and sinful and righteous.

Where there is pride and there are visions - they cannot be from God, but surely from the evil one. Some say: ‘We know that those who have divine visions are virtuous people as they fast, pray, act honestly, visit the sick, give alms, show great love for their neighbours... Can these people indeed have visions from the Satan?’

Headaches because of Unconfessed Sin

Elder Paisios the Athonite. "Words". Vol. 3.

Elder Paisios of the Holy Mountain (1924 – 12.7.1994)

One time, a middle-aged man came to my Hut with a suspicious air about him...  From a distance, when I first spotted him, I could tell he was under a demonic influence. 

"I came here so you can help me", he said. "Pray for me, because I've been having terrible headaches for a whole year, and doctors can't find what's wrong."  

"You've got a demon", I said to him, "because you've given rights to the devil". 

"But I didn't do anything!"

"You didn't do anything?" I replied. "Didn't you cheat on a young woman? Well, she went and had a spell put on you.  Go and ask her to forgive you, then go to confession, ask to have Exorcisms read over you, and you will regain your health.  If you can't perceive your error and don't repent, even if all the spiritual fathers in the world get together and pray for you, the demon won't leave you."

When people like him come to me, with such an air, I speak to them openly. They need to be shaken up in order to come to realization.

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Love Manifested itself in the Desire to Take on the Illness of Another Person

Hegumen Daniel (Gridchenko)

Question to the priest.

March 23, 2016.

Question: Tatiana, from Naberezhnye Chelny town

Good afternoon, father! We have a completely unimaginable, terrible situation. I suffered from a chronic illness for many years, my daughter was very worried and prayed fervently for me. One day, in desperation, she asked the Lord for my healing at the cost of her own health. And, oh, miracle! I recovered, and my girl began to get sick all the time. What should we do, father? Help. We are suffering a lot. Help me please.

Answer: Hegumen Daniel (Gridchenko)

Tatiana! Thank God for having such a daughter. And have faith like her... That she may be healed miraculously too. Let's pray.

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An Elderly Woman is Ashamed to Confess to a Young Priest

Archpriest Dimitry Smirnov (1951-21.10.2020)

Questions to Archpriest Dimitry Smirnov on the air of the Radonezh radio.

Question: I'm an elderly woman, in my sixties. I can’t walk for many years and a priest comes to me, whom I have known since the age of nine, very young. And in old age, I am suddenly visited by such thoughts and sinful feelings, which I am ashamed, as an old woman, to tell him, the child, because I know him from infancy. What do I do?

- Shame is like a mustard plaster. It burns, but heals. Therefore, there is nothing special about this. As before a doctor, one has to undress and talk about his sores, the same is here. For many people, this is a rather serious barrier. But we must overcome it. Age has nothing to do with it. After all, the main thing is still healing. You see, if you are tormented, it is better to apply a plaster to this. Therefore, I would advise you to pray stronger, and, as they say, go into battle. May God help you.

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The Hermit could not Distinguish his Own Thoughts from those of the Enemy

St. Leo of Optina (1768 - 1841)

Elder Fr. Leonid answering questions from Alexey Polikarpovich Bochkov, later Antony, Hegumen of the Cheremenetsky monastery.

6. How do we know which thoughts are actually ours and which are from the devil?

I was told by a hermit of Konevets that while he practiced the noetic prayer for a long time, he could not distinguish his own thoughts from ones of the enemy. The enemy when drawing your thought to something, does not say to you, ‘Go, do this and that,’ but as if thinks for you, and tells you with your thought, ‘I want to do this and that; I believe that this is useful, and this is harmful; I have decided to do this and that.’ And all these things are often not yours, but the thoughts of the enemy, covered by your or his self. You think they are your thoughts. No, you are only listening to the enemy's suggestions [Those who heed their salvation should remember this carefully].

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Those who Work for any Sin Cannot Have True Faith

St. Tikhon of Zadonsk (1724-1783)

Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk. "On True Christianity". Volume 2.

I am not here talking to you, a Christian, about that faith which consists of the knowledge and keeping of right dogmas: Christians who live lawlessly also have this faith. But I am talking about the faith of the heart, living and saving (about which it was said above), this faith is not in the one who is faulty and does not live according to Christianity, even though he professes and preaches faith. Consider that Christ says: "Ye cannot serve God and mammon" (Mt. 6:24). Just as those who serve God no longer work for mammon, so slaves to mammon no longer serve God. It is impossible to work for God and mammon at the same time, according to the word of Christ. And from this we can conclude that even those who are slaves to any sin no longer serve God. And not serving God, they do not have faith, for without faith it is impossible to serve God. “Without faith it is impossible to please God,” the apostle teaches (Heb. 11:6). To serve and please God is one and the same.

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The Man did not Hope for God, but then He Came to His Senses

St. Ignatius (Brianchaninov) (1807-1867)

Saint Ignatius (Brianchaninov). "Patericon".

The elders told the following about a certain gardener, who, while cultivating his garden, gave as alms everything he worked out, and kept only what was necessary for subsistence. Subsequently, Satan put a thought into his heart: save up some money for yourself, so that you have for your needs when you grow old or suffer illness. He began to save money and accumulated a pot with coins. After that, he happened to fall ill: his leg began to rot. He spent the accumulated money on doctors, but the doctors could not give him any help. The most experienced doctor visited him and said to him: if you do not dare to cut off your leg, then it will all rot. As a result, a day was appointed for the amputation of the leg. On the night preceding this day, he came to his senses, began to repent of his deed, sigh and cry, saying: “Remember, Lord, the alms that I used to give when I worked in my garden and used the money I earned to serve the sick.” As he was saying this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him and said, “Where is the money you have accumulated? where is your chosen object of hope?” The gardener, realizing then what his sin was, said: “Lord, I have sinned. Forgive me, from now on I will not do it again. Then the angel touched his leg, and it was immediately healed.

The doctor, as it was agreed, came with iron tools to cut off the leg and did not find the gardener at home. To his question: where is the gardener? They told him: from early morning he went to work in the garden. The doctor went into the garden and saw the gardener digging the ground, glorified God, who instantly granted healing from a disease incurable by human means.

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A Monk Had Untrue Tears

Saints Barsanuphius the Great and John the Prophet. "Letters".

 

St Barsanuphius the Great (6th cent.)

Letter 461.

A brother asked the Great Old Man: “Tell me, father, whether the compunction that I think I possess is genuine, and whether I should live here on my own. Also, pray for me because I am troubled by bodily warfare.” Response by Barsanuphius.

Brother, your weeping and compunction are not genuine at this time; rather, they come and go. For genuine weeping, which comes with compunction, becomes like a servant submitted to us without separation; and a person who possesses this does not experience warfare. It even wipes away one’s former faults and washes away all spots. Moreover, in the name of God, it continually protects the person who has acquired it. It also expels laughter and distraction, while at the same time unceasingly maintaining one’s mourning. For weeping is a large shield that deflects all of the fiery arrows of the devil. The person who possesses it experiences absolutely no combat, whether that person is with others or even with prostitutes! [Such a gift] is always with us and fights for us.

So I have demonstrated for you the sign of weakness and of courage. Do not think that God could not relieve you from the battle; for he could indeed have relieved you, especially for the sake of the saints who were praying for you. Nevertheless, because he loves you, God wants you to be trained through many battles and exercises in order to reach the measure of good repute. And you cannot reach this point unless you keep all that I have commanded you through my letters, vainglorious teacher that I am. As for staying by yourself, this is a very special gift. When it comes to you, I shall inform you about this myself. Apply yourself now, child, as I have told you, and I believe that you will find progress in Christ. Do not be afraid. May the Lord be with you. Amen.

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When Vainglory is Increased, it Leads to Pride

 

St Barsanuphius the Great (6th cent.)

Saints Barsanuphius the Great and John the Prophet. "Letters".

Letter 460.

Question: “What is a person with vainglory, and what is a person with pride? And how does one come from vainglory to pride?” Response.

One comes to vainglory by seeking to please people; and when this is increased, it leads to pride. Forgive me, brother, and pray for me.

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Abomination for God is the Sacrifice Brought by a Man with Self-assurance and Proud Arrogance

St Ignatius (Brianchaninov). "On Prelest". On Loving God.

St. Ignatius (Brianchaninov) (1807-1867)

Love God in the way that He commanded us to love Him, not in the way that the deluded dreamers think to love Him.

Do not invent ecstasies for yourself, do not agitate your nerves, do not inflame yourself with a sensual fire, a fire of your blood. The sacrifice that pleases God is humility of heart, compunction of soul. God angrily turns away from a sacrifice brought with self-assurance and proud arrogance, even if it were a whole-burnt offering.

Pride agitates the nerves, inflames the blood, awakens the imagination, and stimulates a fallen life. Humility calms the nerves, cools the blood, destroys imagination, eradicates the fallen life, and awakens life in Jesus Christ.

"To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rums," said the prophet to the king of Israel, who dared to offer God an unlawful sacrifice (1 Sam 15:22). If you desire to bring God a sacrifice of love, do not bring it willingly, without preparing it thoughtfully. Bring it with humility, in the time and place that God Himself commanded.

The spiritual place where God commanded us to bring spiritual sacrifices is humility (Alphabetical Patericon. About Abba Poemen the Great).

Falling into Fornication Happens to a Monk for Disobedience and Unconfessed Sins

Archimandrite Raphael (Karelin)

Archimandrite Raphael. "From time to eternity. Sayings of the Fathers".

Hieromonk Vasily (Pirtskhalava) said: “The worst sin for a monk is fornication. Other sins, compared to it, are dust that can be easily blown away.”

He said: “I heard from an elder who lived for many years on Mount Athos that a priest who commits fornication and at the same time serves Liturgies is in hell even before death. When he proclaims: "Peace to all" and "The blessing of the Lord is upon you," the Angel of the altar says: "Blessing from God to the people, and to you - a curse." When he takes communion, his soul turns black, like burnt coal. When he finishes serving the Liturgy, the devil comes up to him and kisses him on the lips as his friend.”

He said: “Two monk brothers lived not far from each other. One went to the city on some business and fell there. And the other saw in a dream: a seething sea, his brother-monk was walking on a slippery rock and suddenly fell into the abyss. He began to scream in his sleep: “Help!”, but the sea drowned out his voice.”

I asked Hieromonk Vasily: “Is there a sin worse than this sin?”—“Despair and suicide,” he answered.—But most often it is fornication that leads a monk to despair.” “And why is a monk allowed to fall into fornication, because he prays to God and wants to be saved?” — “For disobedience and unconfessed sins.” I asked again: “Can this sin be forgiven for the priest?” “Let the bishop decide this,” he replied.

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Father John did not Advise Family People to Introduce Elements of Monasticism into their Lives

Elder John (Krestiankin) (1910 - 5.2.2006)

From the memoirs about Archimandrite John (Krestiankin).

Alevtina recalls.

And another letter in which we kept our dream to visit Solovetsky Monastery, and another letter from the father in return.

"You have just begun to embark on the path of Christian understanding of life, so do not deviate into selfishness and egoism from the very beginning. And yet, do not forget that we ourselves, pursuing the best goals, cannot do anything good. And it is impossible now to hide from the human race anywhere, except in your heart, having erected a throne to the living God. Here is the goal. Dismiss the thoughts about Solovetsky Monastery completely. You are family people, and live in a new way, a life blessed by the Lord. Don’t proudly think of bringing elements of monasticism into your life."

I would like to emphasize this phrase once again – “do not proudly think of introducing elements of monasticism into your life”, because this, it seems to me, is the trend of the present time. When many people who come to church, Christians, laymen, begin to bring into their lives these very elements of monasticism. And at that time, I can honestly admit, I did not immediately obey the elder. Only over the years, only after “getting hit hard on the head”, having gone through some trials, did I understand what I was told a long time ago, that the main thing is that these are two completely different paths, and there is no need to mix anything here. Not even to play - it was not a game, it was a sincere desire, but coming from inability and inexperience.

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If we do not See Pride in Ourselves, this is a Sign that we Have it

Saint Macarius of Optina (1788-1860)

Venerable Macarius of Optina. "Edifying Teachings" (from letters).

You also write that you do not see vanity and pride in yourself and would like to know the signs of these. The very fact that you do not notice these passions in yourself is a sign that they wrap your soul, covering it with darkness and gloom, which, both in visible objects and in mental ones, equally prevent you from seeing what is present. There is clear evidence of this in the 23rd Step of the Ladder, how the wise elder taught spiritually his brother not to be proud, and he, blinded in his mind, answered: forgive me, father, I have no pride. The elder continued: yes, child, how can you prove your pride more than with these words that “I have no pride.” Darkness, according to Basil the Great, is the absence of light. And in spiritual things, in the absence of the light of humility, the darkness of pride covers the soul (I, 446, 755).

When one does not notice anything bad in oneself, isn’t he led by the spirit of pride? But the humble see their sins like the sand of the sea (V, 145, 240).

I heartily rejoice at the change in your disposition, that is, keeping away from laughter, idle talk and blasphemy; but you should control that with it, arrogance, vanity, conceit and the most fierce pride do not creep into the heart, which blind the person and do not allow “to see one’s sins” and “to have a contrite and humble heart” (III, 280, 498).

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Woman Thinking that Healing and Biolocation Come from God

Question to a priest.

Hegumen Daniel (Gridchenko)

Question: Anastasia

Hello dear Father,

I have a question that has been bothering me for a very long time: my mother believes that a person can be healed by biolocation, that besides the physical body, a person has other bodies (like the halo of saints, where one can see them), and that if there is a hole in the body, it can be "patched up" and thus heal the person. A book she reads (or rather, has read before) was written by a certain woman who was a mathematician and designed spaceships, she was a Christian, and somehow calculated it all with mathematics, as I have understood it. A pendulum is also used in this system, I don't know if I should call it a science. She used to practice it for a while, then she gave it up (thank God!). The woman who wrote the book left behind her disciples; I think there is even an institute for self-knowledge in Russia that deals with these matters. My mother believes that all this knowledge is given to us by God, and that she thanks Him for His help. I don't know what stimulated her interest, but one day her child (that is me) stopped talking as a result of a strong fright (it happened, as I now reflect at my current age, out of sheer foolishness, to be honest). When she tried everything, and nothing worked, with the help of her friends she found a man who could help her. After a while it helped and the child started talking, but she got hooked on it and became interested. She is a very religious person and believes that all this knowledge only comes from God (we go to church, but not that often, we don't go to confession, but we always ask God's forgiveness and pray and try not to do anything wrong). However, the fact that, for example, when she has inflammation of a gland of her eyelid and immediately takes out a book and reads a "prayer" to "an old man the witch doctor," should be added to this, and also her belief that old women who heal all kinds of diseases are also Christians.

Which Thoughts Should Be Confessed

Saints Barsanuphius the Great and John the Prophet. "Letters".

 

St Barsanuphius the Great (6th cent.)

LETTER 165

Question from the same brother to the same Old Man: “Should one ask the elders about all the thoughts that arise in the heart? Moreover, when one prays or chants the Psalms, should one do this with one’s voice? In addition, about memories of what one has done, heard, or spoken. Finally, should one enter into discussions with the fathers?”

Response by John.

Brother, it is not necessary to ask about all of the thoughts that may arise; for [many of] these are fleeting. One should ask about those which abide and tempt us. For a person who is insulted many times will take no notice of these insults and become carefree in regard to them; however, if someone should attack or assault that person, then the latter will accuse the culprit before the magistrate. That is how we, too, should act.

As for prayer and chanting the Psalms, it should be done not only with the intellect but also with one’s lips. For the prophet David says: “Lord, you shall open my lips, and my mouth shall declare your praise.” (Ps 50.17) Furthermore, the Apostle reveals that the lips are required, when he speaks of “the fruit of the lips,” (Heb 13.15) and so on.

As for those things which you have seen or heard or practiced or thought, nothing else can put an end to these except humble prayer, namely, a prayer that has no will of its own at all and is accompanied by tears. Those fathers who achieved this did not do so without toil, tears, and the excision of the will. Now, entering into discussions [with the fathers] means counting yourself as being something and regarding yourself as their equal. Asking questions and trusting their answers, however, is humility and progress in the Lord. Pray for me, brother.

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How Love to Neighbor is Manifested

Saints Barsanuphius the Great and John the Prophet. "Letters".

 

St Barsanuphius the Great (6th cent.)

LETTER 339

Another brother asked the same Old Man: “It is a commandment of the Lord that we love our neighbor as ourselves (Cf. Lv 19.18; Lk 10.27) and that we be joyful and sorrowful with him as if he were one of our own members.(Cf. 1Cor 12.26) Therefore, to regard our neighbor being in poverty and yet ignore him is a transgression of love, even if we only have what we need and are unable to cover his needs. Tell me, then, father, how love is manifested in this case.”

Response by John.

Love toward one’s neighbor is manifested in many ways and not only by means of actually giving him something. Listen to some other ways. If you are traveling somewhere with your neighbor and find that your thought wants to be honored more than he, rather than rejoicing in the fact that he is honored in the same way as you, then in this respect you are not regarding him as yourself. For the Apostle said: “Outdo one another in showing honor.” (Rom 12.10) If you have something to eat and notice your thought wanting to eat alone on account of desire and not out of need, again in this respect you are not regarding him as yourself. Even when you only have enough for whatever you need, if you do not give him some of this, then in this respect you are not regarding him as yourself.

Indeed, if we wish to apply the scriptural word in this manner alone, then it will not be able to stand among us. In fact, this was not written for one person alone, but every person is called our neighbor.(Cf. Lk 10.36–37)

Therefore, how can you fulfill this commandment with respect to all people when you do not have enough to give everyone? Again, loving one’s neighbor as oneself also resembles this. If some loss occurs and you notice your thought taking pleasure at the fact that he is being harmed more than you, then again in this respect as well you are not regarding him as yourself. Or if you see him praised and do not rejoice with him, believing that you, too, have been praised with him; if you did not actually admit that your brother’s praise also extends to you — for he is your member — then you have not tried to regard him as yourself. The same applies to so many other cases. Furthermore, regarding one’s neighbor as oneself means that if you have heard something from the fathers about the way of God and your brother happens to ask you about it, then you should not retain [any attachment to] this care and benefit for the sake of envy. Rather, knowing that he is your brother, you should tell him whatever you heard according to your fear of God, without regarding yourself as a teacher; for this does not benefit you. 

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Elder Silouan about Discretion (Discernment)

Archimandrite Sophrony (Sakharov). "Saint Silouan, the Athonite". Part II. Works of Elder Silouan

Saint Silouan the Athonite (1866-1938)

If you see a light either within or outside yourself, do not trust it, if you have not got together with this light in your heart adoration to God and love for your neighbour; but have no fear either, just humble yourself, and this light will disappear.

If you see some vision, image, or a dream, give no trust to it, for if it is from Our Lord, then the Lord will give you understanding. The soul that does not know the savour of the Holy Spirit is unable to understand the origin of a vision. The Enemy gives some kind of sweetness mixed with vain self-satisfaction to the soul, and that is how you can understand it is a delusion.

The Fathers say that if a vision is provoked by the Enemy, the soul experiences a certain confusion. But only a humble man, who does not judge himself to be worthy of visions, experiences turmoil or fear under the action of the Enemy; but a vain man may experience neither fear nor even the least distress, for he desires to have visions and judges himself to be worthy of them, and for this reason the Enemy deceives him easily.

What is in heaven is known by the Holy Spirit, what is on earth, by intelligence; whoever tries to know God by the ways of intelligence is in delusion, for God cannot be truly known except by the Holy Spirit.

If you see demons by your spirit, humble yourself and try not to see them, but go without delay to the confessor or to the elder to which you entrusted yourself. Tell everything to your confessor and then the Lord will have compassion on you and you will escape delusion. But if you think that in the domain of the spiritual life you see further than your confessor, if in confession you stop telling him what happens to you, then by that pride you will certainly experience some delusion, by God’s will, in order to give you instruction.

Source

A Woman Turned to a Clairvoyant for Advice

Hegumen Nektariy (Morozov)

Question to the priest.

This spring, on the advice of a friend, I turned to a clairvoyant woman. My mental balance was disturbed by the situation at work and life's troubles. This woman is a deeply religious person, but she is a Muslim. She helped me a lot. She began all her sessions with a prayer and asked me to read the Lord's Prayer. She didn’t take any money for the treatment, and answered my requests for help in my affairs: “Ask God.” Is that a sin that I turned to her?

Hegumen Nektariy (Morozov), rector of the Bishops' Church of the icon of the Mother of God "Satisfy my Sorrows" answers.

Don’t you yourself feel the “spiritual illogicality” of what you write about? Aren’t you surprised by the recommendation given by a "deeply believing Muslim woman" to read the Lord's Prayer? Such internal inconsistency is typical for people involved in extrasensory activities, magic, divination and trying to “reconcile” all this with religion. And it serves as an evidence of the delusion in which these people are. The woman whom you visited is also among such misguided ones. It is possible that she really does not have material self-interest, however, without a doubt, there is self-interest of a different order - spiritual. The basis for such a practice is the opinion of oneself as a person of a special kind, pride, leading to that state, which in Orthodox asceticism is called delusion (that is, self-deception that has reached a certain highest degree). A believing person is called a believer because he trusts God, His Providence, and does not boldly seek to penetrate the mystery of the Divine plan for the world and people, does not tempt his Creator in this way. The Lord has revealed and is revealing His will to the righteous, whose life is devoted to serving Him, whose heart has been cleansed of passions through a cruel long-term struggle with them. But He reveals it when He wants. The search for such revelations with force, especially inviting other people to oneself with the promise to "achieve" such a revelation has always been considered sinful, based on pride and "deception" about oneself.

Is it also sinful that you turned to a person engaged in this practice for advice? Certainly yes. You were looking for the truth outside the Church, you were looking for it from a person with a very complex confessional “synthesis”, from a person who, consciously or unconsciously, is in communication with a dark force that is contrary to God. And please try to hear: you must definitely come to an Orthodox church, tell about this situation in confession, repent, so that the terrible power that you yourself let into your life with this recourse does not show very soon the power it has received over you. Tell the priest about the troubles that led you to the "clairvoyant" woman, ask him to explain how to deal with them and your whole life in a Christian way, which, most likely, will save you from many troubles forever.

Source

Elder Joseph the Hesychast about Concealment

Elder Joseph the Hesychast. "Monastic wisdom". From letter 3.

Elder Joseph the Hesychast (1897 - 1959)

And so, my child, force yourself from the beginning to enter the narrow gate, because only it leads to the spaciousness of paradise. Cut off your own will every day and hour, and seek no other path besides this one. This is the path that the feet of the Holy Fathers trod. Reveal your path unto the Lord and He will guide you, too. Reveal your thoughts to your elder, and he will heal you. Never hide a thought, because the devil conceals his cunning within it: as soon as you confess it he disappears. Do not reveal another person’s fault to justify yourself, because at once grace, which had covered you until that point, will reveal your own faults. The more you cover your brother with love, the more grace warms you and guards you from the false accusation of men.

As for the other brother you mentioned, it seems that he has some unconfessed sins, because he is ashamed to tell them to the elder. And this is why that temptation takes place. But he must correct this improper behavior, for without frank confession, one cannot be purified. It is a shame to be ridiculed by the demons. Deep down his ego is hiding. May the Lord enlighten him to come to his senses. And you should pray and love him as well as everyone; yet guard yourself from all.

Source

One Should not Listen to the Demons Even if They Say Something that Resembles the Truth

Apophthegmata Patrum. Chapter 10. About discretion.

One brother lived in silence, and the demons in the form of angels sought to seduce him on a pretext of a brethren’s meeting for prayer. They arouse him, ask him and show him some sign of light. He then went to one elder and told him: Abba, angels come to me with light and wake me up to join the brethren for our common prayer. And the elder says to him: ‘Don’t listen to them, my child! They are demons; but when they come to wake you, tell him I will stand up only when I want and I won’t listen to you.’ The brother, having accepted the elder’s instruction, went to his cell. The next night again demons came and woke him up again. He answered them, as the elder commanded him to answer, saying: I would stand up when I wanted, and I would not listen to you. The demons told him: ‘This evil elder was a liar, he deceived you. For his brother came to him, wanting to borrow money, and he, having the money, told him a lie, saying: “I have no money” - and did not give him. From this, understand that he is a liar.’ Brother got up, went to the elder and told him about it. The elder told him: ‘You are right, I had money, and when my brother came and asked me, I did not give it, because I knew that if I gave it to him, it would be bad for his soul. So I decided to break one commandment instead of ten so we wouldn’t grieve. Do not listen to the demons who seek to deceive you.’ And this brother, much confirmed by the elder, went to his cell.

Source

The Gospel Rejects Love Dependent on Hot-bloodedness, on the Feelings of the Carnal Heart

St Ignatius (Brianchaninov). "On Prelest". On Loving One's Neighbour.

St. Ignatius (Brianchaninov) (1807-1867)

What can be lovelier, more wonderful that love for one's neighbour? To love is blessedness. To hate is torture. All of the Law and prophets are concentrated in love for God and one's neighbour  (Matt. XXII, 40).

Love for one's neighbour is the road by which we are led to love for God, since Christ deigned to mysteriously put on every one of our brothers, and through Christ, God Himself (1 John)

Do not think, beloved brother, that the commandment to love your neighbour is already near to our fallen hearts. No, this commandment is spiritual, but our hearts are lorded over by flesh and blood. This commandment is new, but our heart is old.

Our natural love is corrupted by the fall; it must first be put to rest (this is commanded by Christ) and only then can holy love, love in Christ, be acquired from the Gospels.

Love, inspired by the movement of blood and the feelings of the body, has no value in light of the gospel. And what value can it have, when one swears to give his life for the Lord, when his blood is hot, swears that he does not know Him only a few hours later, when his blood is cooled (Matt. 27:33-35,74)?

The Ascetic Wanted a Demon to Enter into him from a Possessed

Apophthegmata patrum.

16. The ascetic, seeing a certain demon possessed who could not fast, being moved by love for God and seeking not his own, but his neighbor’s benefit, prayed that a demon would transfer into him, and the possessed would be freed from it; and God heard his prayer; instead, the ascetic was burdened with a demon; he continued fasting, practicing the prayer and ascetic deeds, and mainly for his love, after a few days, God expelled a demon from him.

Source

Unconfessed Sins Can Cause Suffering and Demonic Attacks

Elder Joseph the Hesychast (1897 - 1959)

Elder Joseph the Hesychast. "Monastic wisdom". From letter 16.

As for the brother you wrote about who is suffering, we shall say prayers on his behalf. He must be committing some hidden sin now or in the past, and for this reason God allows him to suffer in this way. Many times a person commits a sin without realizing that he is sinning by doing it. He walks like a blind man in the darkness, without the courage to see himself in the light and to say, “I have sinned, my God!”

Source

The Elder Helped a Man to Make His Confession

From a conversation with Elder Mikhail (Pitkevitch).

Elder Mikhail (Pitkevitch) (1877-1962)

The elder said, ‘An elderly lady came to visit me once with her daughter. She told me that her son, a good and religious man by nature, an often churchgoer, nevertheless attends services without taking Holy Communion for years. This way her son used to attend the church caused his mother to worry. She asked me to lead her son on the right path. I agreed to make an attempt to do so. Soon this man visited me. I found him a pleasant and sincere person. I asked him about his education, work, way of his life, etc. He described everything in detail and was frank with me. ‘Why don’t you go to the Holy Communion?’  I asked my visitor, ‘you are already of middle age, you live in unsettling times, and suddenly death may well come to you.’ ‘You are absolutely right, Father’, my guest replied, ‘but I fear to confess because I am not used to do this.’ ‘My friend, you don’t have to make your confession now,’ I told him. ‘I just heard one of the fullest confessions of my life. Get on your knees, and I will pray above you for absolution.’ He did so, and I absolved his sins. Now he is a well-known religious man.

Source

A Pentecostal Had a False Gift of Interpreting Tongues

Archpriest Oleg Stenyaev. "A Non-Boring Life of an Orthodox Missionary".

Archpriest Oleg Stenyaev

Exposure

Once, when I still studied at the seminary, I was invited to a joint meeting of Pentecostals from different communities, despite the fact that the person who invited me and many others of them knew that I was Orthodox.

“A person has arrived who has all the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and he will help you break these Orthodox complexes of yours and see the truth as it is!” – I was told.

I was glad that such a “vessel of grace” appeared, and immediately agreed to go to this meeting. I have always had some kind of burning interest in such people, just a hunting passion. I left my seminary jacket at home, put on an ordinary jacket, shirt and immediately set off.

The meeting, however, was already coming to an end, but I got to the most interesting part: this man worked miracles. A whole queue lined up for him, people came up one after another and confided their secrets and aspirations to him.

“I have very poor eyesight,” someone said.

The "Man of Grace" took cotton wool, dipped it in a glass of water, smeared his eyes and said:

- This is how Jesus Christ healed!

Hieromonk Read the Bible too Much and Fell into Delusion

St. Ambrose of Optina (1812-1891)

From the letter of St. Ambrose of Optina (letter 178)

In our monastery, the eighty-year-old hieromonk read the Bible too much and stopped partaking of the Holy Mysteries, and stayed in this position for more than five years. No one's persuasion could dissuade him from a false opinion. One brother had a good idea to take away the Bible from him, and this taking away greatly helped the cause, of course, with the help of God. With a weakened memory, he could no longer object and agreed to partake, and a few months later he died peacefully. His name is Vitaly. Pray for him.

Source

Appearance of Light, Voice or Some Fiery Form Should Be Accepted in No Way

St Diadochos of Photiki (~400 - ~486)

St Diadochos of Photiki. "On Spiritual Knowledge and Discrimination. One Hundred Texts". From Philokalia, Vol. 1.

36. Let no one who hears us speak of the perceptive faculty of the intellect imagine that by this we mean that the glory of God appears to man visibly. We do indeed affirm that the soul, when pure, perceives God's grace, tasting it in some ineffable manner; but no invisible reality appears to it  in a visible form, since now 'we walk by faith, not by sight', as St Paul says (2 Cor. 5:7). If light or some fiery form should be seen by one pursuing the spiritual way, he should not on any account accept such a vision: it is an obvious deceit of the enemy. Many indeed have had this experience and, in their ignorance, have turned aside from the way of truth. We ourselves know, however, that so long as we dwell in this corruptible body, 'we are absent from the Lord' (2 Cor. 5:6) - that is to say, we know that we cannot see visibly either God Himself or any of His celestial wonders.

Source

Unwillingness to Lose "Gifts" is a Sign of a False Healer

Hieromonk Anatoly (Berestov). "Orthodox sorcerers" – who are they?"

Hieromonk Anatoly (Berestov)

Repentance is extremely frightening to the enemy of mankind, for it deprives him of his power over the human soul. I can recall a sincere conversation with a very experienced healer, who knew a lot of herbs, naturopathic treatment methods, diet, detoxification, and was conscientious and selflessly kind to people. She was unbaptized and could hardly go to church. She could go only when there was no service, because, as she said, those prayers "disturbed" her. 

- Why don't you get baptized, Marina? 

It is surprising that she was not at all mistaken about the source of the power she used in the treatment and diagnosis: 

- Yes, I am aware that my actions, from the perspective of God, are wrongful, that it may have other consequences than we expect in eternity. But I believe that we should live here and now. And to get baptized... One must repent in order to do so. Could it happen that after I am baptized I will lose these powers? I don't want that... 

So we see that the fear of repentance, the unwillingness to lose those wrongful "gifts" drives an outstanding, gifted person to atheism – the denial of God. 

Source

Considering oneself Worthy of God is a Demonic Delusion

St Ignatius (Brianchaninov). "On Prelest". Seeing One's Sin.

St. Ignatius (Brianchaninov) (1807-1867)

That frightening time will come, that frightening hour will approach when all my sins will appear uncovered before God the judge, before his angels, before all mankind. I foretaste the state of my soul in this terrible hour, and I am filled with horror. Under the influence of this vivid and strong foretaste, I hurry with trepidation to plunge deeply into myself, to examine myself, to inspect the book of my conscience for the sins of deed, word, and thought that are written within.

Books that have been left a long time unread in cabinets become filled with dust and can be eaten away by moth. If someone tries to read such a book, he finds it quite difficult to make out the words. This is my conscience. It has long remained uninspected; it can hardly even be opened. Having opened and read it, I do not find the contentment I expected. Only my grievous sins are clearly written. The smaller sins, which are very many, have been almost completely effaced. And now, I can hardly make out what was written.

God, God alone can return clarity to the faded words and deliver man from an evil conscience (Heb.10:22) God alone can give a man the vision of his own sins. Only through God, can man see his sin and the fall that is the germ, the seed, the summation of all human transgressions.

False Interpretation of the Apocalypse

Priest Dionysius Tatsis

Sayings of the Ascetics of Greece. Compiled by Priest Dionysius Tatsis.

In a monastery on the island of Patmos, there was a monk named Antipas who believed he had seen the Lord. He said that the Lord for three years dictated him the interpretation of the Apocalypse, which he wrote down in a book. Many of the important prophecies, according to this monk, have already been fulfilled. Elder Daniel, having talked with him, persuaded him to burn this interpretation.

Source

Saint Theophan the Recluse on Discernment

Selected psalms interpreted by Saint Theophan the Recluse.

St. Theophan the Recluse (1815-1894)

The truth of God is the commandments: the decisions of the truth of God are God's judgments and determinations of what, when and how things should be done in order to serve the cause of salvation and pleasing God, and not ruin it. This is determined by the well-known "reasoning" of the holy fathers. This is the second requirement for success in the work of God.

This reasoning, or the ability to determine how best to act in which case, is not acquired suddenly, but gradually. At first, he who approaches the way of God usually does not reason himself, but asks everything from those who know how to reason, as it happens in all worldly affairs and undertakings. But then, with strict attention, which was suggested in the previous verse, and with experiments in leadership, deeds after deeds, successfully completed, give the soul the habit of determining something by itself. This skill grows along with the progress of life and is finally established; internal rightness is acquired, which directly and correctly determines what and how to do; the right spirit is renewed in the womb, that is, in a purified heart.This reasoning has two functions: one distinguishes thoughts, the other guesses the indications of God's providence, that is, what God wants from us in this or that case and situation, for everything is from Him, and everything is arranged for our good, for our salvation.

St Leo Understood that the “Foreseeing” Monk is in a Devilish Delusion

From the Life of St Leo of Optina

 

Elder Leo of Optina (1768 - 1841)

As an example of a spiritual discernment, the following story is given. At the end of the 20s or at the beginning of the 30s, the Elder Fr. Leonid visited the Sofronieva Hermitage in Putivl District, Kursk Province. At that time, Hieroschemamonk Theodosius lived there in a hermitage in the garden, and many considered him a spiritual and clairvoyant man, because he predicted in his time the Patriotic War of 1812 and some other events. Fr Leonid found his spiritual condition questionable. After talking with the hermit, the Elder asked him, how he knew and foretold the future. The hermit answered that the Holy Spirit disclosed him the future. When further asked by the Elder, in what way did He disclose it, he explained that the Holy Spirit appeared to him in the form of a dove and spoke to him with a human voice. Seeing that this was an obvious delusion of the enemy, Fr. Leonid began to warn the recluse that such things should not be trusted. But he was offended, and with indignation objected to the Elder, “I thought that you, like the others, wanted to get useful things from me, and you came to teach me!” After that, the Elder Fr. Leonid withdrew and, leaving the monastery, said to the abbot, “Take care of your holy recluse, lest anything bad happens to him.” Barely had Fr. Leonid reached Oryol, when he learned there that poor Theodosius had hanged himself. From this, we may conclude that although this hermit was in the delusion of the enemy, the mercy of God did not entirely depart from him. However, when he rejected the benevolent warning of the wise and experienced Elder, the Lord forsook him, and he died such a horrible death.

Source

The Beginning of Love for Enemies - at Least do them no Harm

Elder John (Krestiankin) (1910 - 5.2.2006)

"Do Love the Love. Memories of the Spiritual Father - Archimandrite John (Krestiankin)". Compiled by T.S. Smirnova.

Deacon Dmitry Polyakov recalls.

Once, on one of my visits, in a conversation with Father John, the topic of love for enemies was touched upon. I wondered how it is possible to love enemies? Father spoke for a long time and convincingly, using the example of the holy fathers and ascetics of the faith, about the possibility and necessity of pitying and loving our enemies. But, apparently, realizing that his words did not reach me much, in conclusion he said: “Yes! This is hard and difficult to do. In the initial stage, at least don't make them harm".

Source

Elder Ephraim on Spiritual Delusion (video)

How we can distinguish when the Devil wants to deceive us? (at 52:17)

Whenever the devil tries to trick you to things that maybe that was a good sign from Jesus and that really was and was the devil, how can you easily distinguish between the two?

The way to distinguish whether or not these spiritual experiences are from the Lord or from the devil is to see what results of them are, what the fruits of them are in our lives. If the experience that we had is from the Lord, accompanied it will be with humility, peace in our soul, and certain spiritual blessings and fruits that come from that: we feel that it is from the Lord. If on the other hand, if there is something from the devil, the results will be different: there will be an uneasiness about it, there will be a discomfort, there will be a spiritual unrest that will be created by the activity of the devil in our lives and of course that sometimes leads to pride. So when we are not sure about a spiritual experience is to whether or not it is from the devil or not or whether it is from the Lord, we are to go for insurance to our spiritual guide, our spiritual father. We do this in order to check ourselves out. We need to go to somebody who help us make this discernment, to find out whether is something of the Lord. If we only depend on ourselves, if we make our own judgment on this, if we in a sense draw our own conclusions about the validity of the experience, we can easily fool ourselves, thinking that this is from the God while in reality it is not from the God, it could be from the devil. That requires a tremendous amount of spiritual discernment in order to be able to make distinction which one is from the devil and which from the Lord. 

Source

The One not Asking for Advice or not Heeding the Advice Falls into Delusion

Elder Joseph the Hesychast (1897 - 1959)

Elder Joseph the Hesychast. "Monastic wisdom".

From the preface to the book, written by elder Ephraim.

The elder always taught his monks that Christ-like obedience was more important than anything else. He permitted the Christians in the world who knew him to practice noetic prayer,* but always under the guidance of those who were experienced, for he had seen much delusion and had become fearful of it. He would often tell us, “If you see a person not asking for advice or not heeding advice given to him, expect to see him deluded soon.”

* Noetic Prayer (νοερὰ προσευχή): Noetic prayer is prayer done with the nous without distraction within the heart. Another name for it is “prayer of the heart.” It is contrasted with the prayer of the intellect which is done within the reason.

Source

Obedience and Choosing of the Spiritual Guide

Prof. Nikolay Pestov. “Way to True Joy”.

Professor N.E. Pestov (1892-14.1.1982)

“Christ humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2,8). A man was created for free will, but does it mean that he is absolutely free in his wishes, intentions, decisions and deeds? Does he have a right for headstrongness and willfulness? No, the human will is restrained by God’s laws of the universe. God determined what Adam was allowed to do and what was prohibited.

According to the Holy Fathers obedience is the same thing as piety. So St. Anthony the Great explains: “To be pious is to fulfill the will of God, that means to know God”. The Holy Fathers say that the will is the only thing that really belongs to us, and anything else is given by God as a gift. Therefore the renunciation of the will values more than many other good deeds.

As elder Silouan of Mount Athos says: “Hardly anyone knows the mystery of obedience. The obedient man is great before God. He emulates Christ, Who gave us the image of obedience. The Lord loves the soul of the obedient, bringing it quiet and love. The spirit of obedience is necessary not only in monks but in everyone else, too. Everyone seeks peace and joy, but few people know that they are obtained through obedience. Even feats without obedience may lead to vanity”.