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.
