Don’t lecture anyone, and if you see someone in need of spiritual help and feel that you could help at least a little, then talk about spiritual things as if you had read or heard this and that from knowledgeable people, and not as if from your own experience or knowledge. It will be easier for you, and you will block the demon’s access to you through vanity. Do you understand this idea?
In his other notes, Father Kensorin, especially emphasizing the elder’s love for the reclusive life, writes:
“His constant proverb was: “Love everyone and run away from everyone.” He was in constant seclusion for several years (about eleven) performing the Divine Liturgy daily; only the cell attendant brought prosphora and so-called “warmth” (wine mixed with warm water) to the seclusion, and he alone celebrated the Divine Liturgy there. Hieromonk Michael was also distinguished by his love and humility. Of course, he loved everyone who came. I used to observe how, after certain visitors, he lay sick; there was even a case that he lay sick for several days. He gave his grace to that person, and took upon himself all the weaknesses of the person who came, overcoming with his feat of love the weakness that this person coming to him must overcome."
When a person learns to think, reason and at the same time prays, relies on God, checks his feelings, thoughts and intentions with the commandments - this is the process of purifying his heart. This is a very big job. Here Abba Dorotheus said: "I do not know of any other fall for a monk, except when he believes his heart." Yes - until it is purified. And it also seems to me that this is said in the sense that one must always keep such a thought - but maybe I am wrong. Allow such a possibility, recognizing the limitations of any private opinion. "Don't be too right" - there is such a saying. If Sisoes the Great, dying, said: "I do not know whether I have begun repentance," it means that he did not trust his heart to the end in this regard. Man is mistaken. Apostle Peter confessed Jesus Christ as the Son of God, but when Christ said that He must die on the cross, he retorted: “…May this not happen to You!” (Matthew 16:22).
What is the difference between a layman and a monk? The difference in terms of obedience is very simple: a monk does as he is asked, and a layman does as best he can. And this is a big problem. When you tell laymen to do something, they always try to do as best they can. But you have to do as you are asked. The main goal is the unity of the spiritual father and the obedient, and the rest is a means to this unity. The spiritual father asked you to do something, you did it - and you have contact, unity with the spiritual father, with his thought, you grow together with him in soul. And the rest is a means: cabbage, firewood ... Do as he has asked, and you will receive the most important thing that Christ prayed for before his suffering: That they all may be one, as We are one. That there may be one will. Obedience is the unity of will, when two beings merge in one act. Confessor and obedient, husband and wife, father and children.
It must be said that in the East, in Greece and other Balkan countries, Confession has long been separated from Communion. This rule that one cannot receive Communion without Confession no longer exists there, and this sometimes has very bad consequences because people do not prepare at all, come from the street and receive communion without any repentance. Some even, I was told, receive communion several times. They go to every church and receive communion. The priest does not know them, he has not taught them anything and does not control anything.
But if we do the same, it will be a terrible excess. This is absolutely unacceptable for us. The priest is obliged to exercise control over Communion anyway. That is, one cannot receive Communion without the priest's blessing. That's what I would say: not without Confession, but without a blessing. And I bless those whom I know, in whom I have confidence. That's it. And if I don’t know the parishioner: “let’s confess normally.”
When a spiritual father meets people who tell him about their visions, he is concerned first of all with correctly recognizing the source of the vision: whether it was truly given from Above, or it is only a product of an excited fantasy, or a consequence of the influence of hostile spirits. It is sometimes a difficult and extremely demanding challenge. If we attribute what is given by God to an opposing force, then we risk falling into blasphemy against the Holy Spirit (cf.: Matt. 12:28-31). And vice versa: if we recognize demonic action as Divine, then we push the confessing person who trusts us to worship demons. Hence, all spiritual fathers without exception need fervent and constant prayer in general and in each individual case, so that the Lord Himself will protect him from errors in his judgments.
When the state of affairs is unclear to the spiritual father, he has a "psychological technique" at his disposal: to suggest that the confessing person be distrustful of any kind of special phenomena. If the vision was truly from God, then humility will prevail in his, the person's, soul, and he will calmly accept the advice to be sober. Otherwise, a negative reaction is possible, as well as a desire to prove that the vision could not have been otherwise than from God. Then there is some reason to doubt this. Of course, such a method is nothing more than a palliative, and one should not resort to it frivolously. Experience has shown that when someone tempts his brother, he thereby pushes him to irritation and grief.
What spiritual trouble a person can get into if even for a moment he allows himself to be spiritually careless is told by a young parishioner V.:
"Once, when I was in Orekhovo-Zuevo, I complained to a woman I knew about my passion for the wine drinking, which was bothering me from time to time.
- You should go to Strunino, to Schemamonk Theodosius," she said, "he's an elder, fool for Christ, he heals with prayer, and predicts the future.
When she saw that I was hesitant, she added:
- Have no doubt, both teachers and professors from Moscow go to him - he is such a wonderful clairvoyant elder!
I did not risk going without the blessing of my spiritual advisor and told him about the Monk Theodore, or simply "Father Theodosius". All he said was, "Be careful," but then something distracted him and there was no time for the discussion. But I was so eager to get to "the elder" and get help as soon as possible, and I lied to my conscience – I convinced myself that my confessor had nevertheless blessed me to go to Strunino.
However, I met Theodosius for the first time in Orekhovo-Zuevo, when there were a lot of people there. They talked excitedly about his miracles: his mind-reading, and how he stopped a train. One woman didn't listen to him and went without his blessing. "You won't get there," said the elder. And sure enough – there was a broken wire, and the train stopped. "It was HE who broke the wire," the women said.
I am 19 years old. I go to the church weekly, sing on the kliros and love everything connected with the church. I fell into fornication, and, the strangest or most terrible thing, I cannot leave him: he is a good person, kind, but not very religious, we are former classmates with him. Father, help! Not only that I can’t go to confession, I'm ashamed to look at icons. What should I do? I can't tell anyone about this.
The priest Mikhail Vorobyov, rector of the church in honor of the Exaltation of the Holy Life-Giving Cross of the Lord, town of Volsk, answers.
There can be found no way out of the current situation, except for sincere and deep repentance. You condemn yourself, condemn your sin, you are ashamed of your ambiguous stay in the church - this is the voice of your conscience, which is nothing but the voice of God in the human heart. The Lord calls you to repentance, to the discovery of your sin at confession, which shall be courageous, precise, ruthless towards yourself.
[01/29/2006] Andrey asks:
Fr. Raphael! How should an Orthodox person preach the message about Christ, the Church, etc. in the world? Where should you start so that preaching about Christ does not sound sectarian?
Is it necessary to take a special blessing from the priest for this or is it a self-evident duty of every Orthodox person?
Archimandrite Raphael answers:
Andrey! We should talk about Christian teaching to those who ask us, or, in any case, express their interest. To do this, you need to engage in constant self-education. Before such a conversation, you should pray to God in your heart and ask Him to teach you how to give an answer. You should warn that you are not speaking on behalf of the Church, but to the best of your knowledge, and if your answer does not satisfy your interlocutor, then he can turn to other, more competent people. If the conversation turns into confrontation and argument, then it is better to stop it. If you find it difficult to answer a question, then you need to say directly that you will think about it and then, at the next meeting, give an answer. I think that a special blessing is not required because the Apostle Paul writes that a Christian must give an answer of a reason of the hope that is in him. We need to beware of the sectarian practice of forcing a conversation about Christianity on people who are not inclined to do so. The most effective sermon is preaching not with words, but with the example of your life, which attracts the hearts of people. For more specific questions, you should consult with the priest to whom you confess and from whom you receive communion. God bless you.
I was honored to know Fr. Vsevolod Shpiller personally. He was a man with a sense of humor. When one woman told him: "Father, I always feel unready for Communion," he replied: "If you feel that you are ready, then it is better not to go." You need to prepare, but not consider yourself ready.
Extracts from the conversation with Elder Ephraim of Katounakia
I have told you already the story about Fathers from the Lavra coming to me with a proposal to make me the Hegumen there. I answered, “O Fathers! I will pray, and if I get an assurance, I will come to you.” But I was talking in a language not familiar to them, as they were not men of prayer.
‘What do you call ‘an assurance’, Gerondas?
‘I wish I could explain it to you, my child… Usually when you are going to ask God to give you a notice on some question, you address Him when in the state of grace or after the Divine Liturgy. You are praying about a problem or about a person, and the grace increases, enlightens you and makes changes so that you are clearly aware of an assurance. You are feeling that there is God’s will to fulfil that, and it will come true. However, when you feel the grace to decrease, feel sorrow, burden, you understand that there is no God’s will to fulfil what you are asking for.
When your tears gush out and you are full of calm, this is God saying to you that your prayer has been accepted, that He hears you. You see no obstacles. The more you are praying, the more tears are gushing and the greater is the sense of calm. On the other hand, when you are praying about a person and feeling like talking to the wall, or experiencing sorrow, or you have no tears, there is nothing to be done. It is like God is telling you, “I cannot hear you. Stop praying.”
Sometimes you can hear a voice, either an inner one or an outer one. You cannot realize where the voice comes from – from the inside or from the outside. So, when the fathers from the Lavra arrived, I was praying. And I felt a great burden when going out at the Great Entrance with the Diskos and the Holy Chalice. I visited my spiritual Father, Fr Dyonisios, and he said to me, ‘What other assurance are you waiting for? If you can’t bear the burden of being the Hegumen, it’s out of question.”
I also wrote to my brother, Haralampios, seeking his advice. He answered, “Don’t agree! We, military men, are used to rule the army and can predict what the results can be. In your case I’ll tell you that you will make lots of mistakes not knowing the idiorrhythmic monasticism…” Later, Elder Paisios wrote to me not to move to Lavra. See? That’s how I got the assurance. It can come at the time of prayer or as a vision, depending of the will of God.
Patriarch Kirill:
Dad served as a priest in the Transfiguration Cathedral in the city of Leningrad. And he had a heart attack just before Easter. And the doctors demanded that he stayed at home and missed the service. But the same thing was told to my father by my relatives, my mother, and other relatives who had the opportunity to communicate with us at that time. But the father was adamant and he decided to go to the service. Of course, his performing divine service was out of the question, he simply stood in the temple, in the Altar. We were all very worried about dad. And so I decided to pray for him throughout the night service. And I prayed that the pain from daddy’s heart would transfer to my heart. You can’t imagine - I’m speaking as if confessing - like before the sacred objects, so that everyone understands that this is not a lie. My heart ached so much that I had no strength to stand at the service. But I told myself: “This is not because of your illness, it’s just that you asked the Lord for your father’s pain to pass on to you, so stand and be patient”. I endured this entire service. And when the service ended, and someone came up to dad - as I already said, he did not serve, but stood nearby - and they said: “Father Mikhail, how are you feeling?” - “I feel great.” - “So, nothing bad has happened, you didn’t feel any pain or discomfort?” - “None. The service was great.” And then I realized that the Lord had heard my childish prayer.
Why does the church not welcome the presence and development of paranormal abilities in a person (prediction, clairvoyance, etc.)?
Hegumen Nektary (Morozov), rector of the Bishops' Church of the icon of the Mother of God "Satisfy my Sorrows" answers.
Saints of the Orthodox Church performed many amazing miracles, including seeing the future, healing incurable ailments, and resurrecting the dead. But all these miracles were not the work of their hands, a manifestation of their "abilities", but were performed by the action of power, the grace of God, of which the saints were living vessels. The grace of God is not something that can be "developed" in oneself. This is a divine gift given to a person who zealously fulfils Christ's commandments, tirelessly striving to please God, to purify himself from all filthiness, from all passions. However, gifts of grace are by no means a goal, but only a consequence. Many saints of God, having been honored with the gift of miracles, prayed that the Lord would take away this gift from them, because they knew how easy it is to become haughty and fall away from God out of pride.
When a person strives to "develop abilities in himself", then it is quite obvious that he is on a dangerous path. On the dangerous, because in this case these abilities can really be given to him, but not by God (since a person has not reached the measure of saints and has not “deserved” it), but by a serpent who promised our forefathers in paradise that they would be like gods ( Gen. 3:5) and then deprived them of paradise itself.
