April 12, 2011

Divorce and Selfish Egotism


St. Paul says in Ephesians 4:26:

"The sun should not go down on your anger, and you should not give room to the devil."

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Elder Paisios on Divorce:

- Why, Elder, are couples divorcing?

- People divorce, my child, because they are selfish and egotistical; from nothing else. Any other reason comes from the Evil One in order to justify oneself.

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Monk Moses the Athonite on Marriage:

Marriage is an arena for exercising humility, mutual leeway and mutual respect, and not the parallel journey of two egotisms despite a lifelong coupling and coexistence. The devil dances for joy whenever there is no forgiveness in human weaknesses and in everyday mistakes.

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Elder Dionysios the Athonite on Divorce:

Many families suffer because there is selfish egotism within, which stifles love and throws it away! Couples do not practice patience. The husband does not honor the wife, nor the wife the husband, and they suffer and torture themselves and make their children unhappy. But he/she that you took [in marriage], are they not from the Church? Why do you constantly forget this?

Why? Because they reach the point of divorce. This is the worst. What can I say? People with two and three and four kids dissolve the great Mystery of Marriage. My, my, my! Fearful, fearful! What pain in those poor children, what sorrow, what grief! ... We ensure them with a dark life. Be careful! A mother is one thing, but a second wife or relatives to help them is another. Within each family there must be a Divine Liturgy, since it is a "house church". How can you father, how can you mother, ruin this Mystery? As good and beautiful is another woman, as good and beautiful is another man, she is the wife the Church gave you, he is the husband God gave you in "glory and honor". Forget about everything else. We must have patience. That is our cross. Patience! Ah, Satan constantly works.