April 16, 2013

Elder Paisios: Never Say "They Will Answer to God"


- Elder, is it alright to say about someone who has caused me an injustice: "They will answer to God".

- Whoever says that is being fooled by the evil one and does not understand that in this way he is cursing politely. There are some who say that they are sensitive and they have love and a delicate hand and they are tolerant of the injustices done to them by people, but they say: "They will answer to God".

In this life all people are given tests, so that we may pass to the other life, to Paradise. My thoughts tell me that the polite curse is below the spiritual base and is forbidden to Christians, because Christ did not teach us that kind of love, but rather: "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."

Also, the best prayer of all is, when you have been unjustly cursed, to bear it silently and with kindness.

When we are falsely accused or unjustly treated either by frivolous or wicked people, who have evil intentions and distort the truth, if we can, it is good to not seek to be justified when the injustice concerns only ourselves. Nor should we say: "They will answer to God", because this is a curse. It is good that we forgive them with our whole heart and supplicate God to strengthen us, to bear the weight of the false accusation and continue along in our spiritual life (in obscurity, as much as possible). Let those who have it as a habit to judge and criticize continue to do so, to be unjust to us, because they are continuously in this way preparing for us golden crowns for the true life.

Of course, those who are near to God never curse, because they do not have evil intentions but are filled with goodness, and whatever evil is thrown at them, these sanctified people sanctify it, and feel a great, secret joy.

Translated by John Sanidopoulos