✠ Support the Mystagogy Resource Center ✠
For more than fifteen years, the Mystagogy Resource Center has provided thousands of free Orthodox Christian articles, translations, lives of saints, theological studies, and spiritual resources for readers throughout the world. Your support helps sustain and expand this one-man ministry and its ongoing work for the Church.
PayPal • Credit Card • Debit Card • Venmo

June 5, 2010

Elder Paisios on Freedom


It is not freedom when we say to people that everything is permitted. That is slavery. To improve one must have difficulties. Let's take an example. We have a little tree. We take care of it. We place a stake and tie it with a rope. Naturally we don't tie it with wire because that way we would injure it. With their method they would not constrain the tree; and it doesn't develope properly otherwise. And look at the child. We limit his freedom from the beginning. When he is first conceived the poor thing is limited in his mother's womb and remains there nine whole months. Later he is born and immediately they swaddle him in a blanket, they tie him up, as soon as he begins to grow they set a railing, etc. All of this is necessary for him to grow. It appears to take away freedom, but without these protective measures the child will die in the first moment.

Freedom is good when the person can use it appropriately. Otherwise it is a disaster.
Support the Mystagogy Resource Center

For more than fifteen years, the Mystagogy Resource Center has been a labor of love dedicated to making the riches of the Orthodox Christian tradition freely available to people throughout the world.

Thousands of articles, translations, lives of saints, theological reflections, historical resources, and daily materials have been published across this ministry’s websites, all offered free of charge for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the Orthodox faith.

This is a one-man ministry that requires countless hours of research, translation, writing, editing, and maintenance each day.

If this work has spiritually benefited, educated, encouraged, or inspired you in any way, I humbly ask you to consider supporting this ministry financially.

Generous annual and monthly benefactors make possible the continuation and expansion of this work for the future, for without such support this ministry cannot exist.

Every contribution, whether large or small, truly makes a difference and is deeply appreciated. May God bless you abundantly for your generosity and prayers.

❖ ❖ ❖
PayPal • Credit Card • Debit Card • Venmo
Become a Patron on Patreon