Once the Elder was invited on board a frigate that had come from St. Petersburg. The captain of the frigate was a man quite learned, highly educated; he had been sent to America by Imperial command to inspect all the colonies. With the captain were some 25 officers, likewise educated men. In this company there sat a desert-dwelling monk of small stature, in an old garment, who by his wise conversation brought all his listeners to such a state that they did not know how to answer him. The captain himself related: "We were speechless fools before him!"
Father Herman gave them all one common question: "What do you, gentlemen, love above all, and what would each of you wish for his happiness?" Diverse answers followed. One desired wealth, one glory, one a beautiful wife, one a fine ship which he should command, and so on in this fashion. "Is it not true," said Father Herman at this, "that all your various desires can be reduced to one - that each of you desires that which, in his understanding, he considers best and most worthy of love?" "Yes, it is so," they all replied. "Well, then, tell me," he continued, "can there be anything better, higher above everything, more surpassing everything and in general more worthy of love, than our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, who created us, perfectly adorned us, gave life to all, supports all, nourishes and loves all, who Himself is love and more excellent than all men? Should not a person then love God high above all and desire and seek Him more than all else?" All began to say: "Well, yes! That is understood! That speaks for itself!"
"And do you love God?" the Elder then asked. All replied: "Of course, we love God. How can one not love God?" "And I, sinful one, for more than forty years have been striving to love God, and cannot say that I perfectly love Him," answered Father Herman; then he began to show how a person should love God. "If we love someone," he said, "we always think of him, strive to please him, day and night our heart is occupied with this subject. Is it thus that you, gentlemen, love God? Do you often turn to Him, do you always think of Him, do you always pray to Him, and fulfill His holy commandments?" It had to be acknowledged that they did not! "For our good, for our happiness," concluded the Elder, "at least let us make a promise to ourselves, that from this day, from this hour, from this very moment we shall strive to love God above all, and fulfill His holy will!" Behold what an intelligent, superb conversation Father Herman conducted in society; without doubt this conversation must have imprinted itself on the hearts of his listeners for their whole life!
Saint Herman of Alaska
(Yanovsky, in Life of Monk Herman of Valaam, 1868)
The spiritual world is gained by sorrows. The scriptures say: "We went through fire and through water: but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place" (Ps. 66:12). For those who desire to serve God the path lies through many sorrows. How can we praise the holy martyrs for the sufferings which they bore for God, when we cannot even bear a fever?
Nothing so aids the acquiring of internal peace as silence, and as much as is possible, continual discussion with oneself and rarely with others.
A sign of spiritual life is the immersion of a person within himself and the hidden workings within his heart.
This peace, as some priceless treasure, did our Lord Jesus Christ leave his followers before His death, saying, "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you" (John 14:27). The apostle also spoke this about it: "And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus" (Phil. 4:7); "Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord" (Heb. 12:14).
In this way, we must direct all our thoughts, desires and actions toward obtaining God’s peace, and always cry out with the Church: "Lord, thou wilt ordain peace for us" (Is. 26:12).
It is necessary by all means to try to keep one’s spiritual peace, and not to become provoked by insults from others. To do this, it is necessary always to restrain oneself from anger, and by careful watch to guard the mind and heart from unclean waverings.
Insults from others must be borne without disturbance; one must train oneself to be of such a nature, that one can react to insults as if they did not refer to oneself. Such an exercise can bring serenity to our heart and make it a dwelling of God Himself.
We see an example of such a lack of malice in the life of St. Gregory the Miracle-Worker. A certain immoral woman demanded payment from him, purportedly for a sin committed with her. He, not in the least angry with her, humbly said to one of his friends: pay her the price which she demands, quickly. The woman became possessed as soon as she accepted the unrighteous payment. The bishop then prayed and exorcised the evil spirit from her.
If it is impossible not to become indignant, then at least restrain your tongue according to the words of the Psalmist: "I am so troubled that I cannot speak" (Ps. 77:4).
In this instance we can take as examples for ourselves St. Spyridon of Tremifunt and St. Ephraim the Syrian. The first bore an insult when he entered the palace by the demand of the Greek emperor: one of the servants present in the emperor’s chamber, taking him for a beggar, laughed at him, did not allow him to enter the chamber and even struck him on the cheek. St. Spyridon, being without malice, turned the other cheek to him, according the word of the Lord (see Mt. 5:39). The Blessed Ephraim, living in the desert, was once deprived of food in the following fashion. His pupil, carrying the food, accidentally broke the vessel on the way. Blessed Ephraim, seeing the pupil downcast, said to him: "Do not grieve, brother. If the food did not want to come to us, then we will go to it." And so the monk went, sat next to the broken vessel, and, gathering the food together, ate it. He was thus without malice!
In order to keep spiritual peace, it is necessary to chase dejection away from oneself, and to try to have a joyful spirit, according to the words of the most wise Sirach: "Sorrow has killed many, but there is no good in it" (Sir. 30:25).
In order to keep spiritual peace it is also necessary to avoid judging others in any way. Condescension towards your neighbor and silence protect spiritual peace. When a person is in such an state, then he receives Godly revelations.
In order not to lapse into judgment of others, it is necessary to be mindful of oneself, to refuse to receive any bad information from anyone and to be as if dead to others.
For the protection of spiritual peace it is necessary to enter into oneself more often and ask: Where am I? In addition, it is necessary to watch that the physical senses, especially sight, serve the inner person, not diverting the soul with mortal items, because the gifts of grace are received only by those who have inner workings and keep watch over their souls.
St. Seraphim of Sarov
They said of an old man that he went on fasting for seventy weeks, eating a meal only once a week. He asked of God the meaning of a text of the Holy Scriptures and God did not reveal it to him. So he said to himself: “Here I am: I have worked so hard and profited nothing. I will go to my brother and ask him.” Just as he had shut his door on the way out, an angel of the Lord was sent to him; and the angel said: “The seventy weeks of your fast have not brought you near to God: but now you are humbled and going to your brother, I have been sent to show you the meaning of the text.” And he explained to him what he had asked, and went away. “The Sayings of the Fathers” in Western Asceticism (by Chadwick)
As Orthodox, we rightfully honor our ascetics and hermits. We honor the way they “leave” the world in order to devote themselves to prayer, to learn to know God better, and to learn how to live a holy life. But, sometimes we talk about them in a way that appears to say that they are self-sufficient in their separation from the world.
Elder Philaretos of Karoulia (1872-1962) was a renowned ascetic from Holy Mountain Athos. Drawing by Rallis Kopsidis
But, when you read the Fathers, that is not the point they make. The first part of the story of the old man that I quoted at the beginning pictures an ascetic the way we often picture one. The old man apparently was doing everything correctly. He was eating once a week; he was praying; he was fasting; he was reading Scripture. He fasted for seventy weeks, which reminds one of the seventy weeks of Daniel.
From our point of view, he must have achieved great holiness during this time. From our point of view, he almost deserved an answer from God. After all, he wanted to know God’s Scriptures better. Does not God want us to know Scriptures? Did not Jesus speak of the importance of fasting and prayer as important to our life?
But, that is not what the Fathers say to us. The old man did not receive a visit from an angel until he knew that he had to go to his brother to ask for help. It was only when he recognized that he needed his brother that God was willing to answer him. Even the ascetic needs the Church.
I learn two things out of this story. The first is that I need the Church. I cannot be self-sufficient and be a Christian. I cannot simply say that I pray to God and read the Scriptures, so I do not need to go to Church and be with my brothers and sisters. Without my brothers and sisters, God will not bless me. It is only as part of the Body of Christ that I receive blessing.
Elder Philaretos of Karoulia (1872-1962). Photo by Pávlos Mylonás, 1959
But, the second thing I learn is that no Scripture can truly be correctly interpreted by me alone. I need my brothers and sisters if I am to understand Scripture correctly. It is only when Scripture is interpreted by the Body that God’s angel will be with us to guide us to the correct interpretation.
Finally, I learn that humility is necessary. It is not until I humble myself and submit myself to my brothers and sisters that I will truly learn from God. God dwells with the humble of heart. As Saint Paul says in Ephesians, we need to submit ourselves one to another that we may know what the true will of God is (Ephesians 5).
http://agapienxristou.blogspot.ca/2014/11/even-ascetics-need-community-fr-ernesto.html
http://pemptousia.com/2014/11/even-ascetics-need-community/
Have our Panagia, His dear, sweet Mother, as your protectress and entreat her constantly.
Embrace her holy icon as if she were alive, and wet it with tears as the myrrh-bearer did to Jesus' feet. And you will derive substantial consolation as if she were beside you.
Elder Joseph the Hesychast
Consider all men to be your brothers , and sick brothers at that.
And if you come to feel that God has given you better health than others, know that it is given through mercy , so in health you may serve your frailer brothers.
St. Nikolai Velimirovich
