Homily One for the Sunday of the Holy Fathers of the Fourth Ecumenical Synod - The Theology of Fatherhood (Metr. Hierotheos of Nafpaktos)

Sunday of the Holy Fathers of the Fourth Ecumenical Synod

The Theology of Fatherhood

Metropiltan Hierotheos of Nafpaktos and Agiou Vlasiou

"You are the light of the world" (Matt. 5:14).

The God-man Christ called His disciples, "the light of the world" (Matthew 5:14). This characterization has a real meaning and not a moral one. This means that the disciples are the "light of the world", not simply because they have some external works, but because they are connected to Christ Who is the true "Light of the world" (John 8:12).

Homily for the Second Sunday of Matthew - The Meaning of Obedience (Metr. Hierotheos of Nafpaktos)

 

Homily for the Second Sunday of Matthew

The Meaning of Obedience

By Metropolitan Hierotheos of Nafpaktos and Agiou Vlasiou

"...and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed Him" (Matt. 4:23)

Beloved brethren,

One of the most difficult but necessary truths of the Church for modern man is the teaching of obedience. Christ sets it as a necessary condition of salvation and perfection. That is why when He called His disciples, they left everything and followed Him.

Modern man, however, cannot understand the value of obedience. He considers it destructive to his person. This is because he has deified his reasoning faculty that he thinks is of great value. When one lives with the rule of reason, then one is completely incapable of understanding the great value of obedience.

Holy Five Virgin Martyrs Thekla, Mariamna, Martha, Maria and Ennatha as Models for our Lives

Holy Five Canonical Virgins (Feast Day - September 26 & June 9)

 By Protopresbyter Fr. George Papavarnavas

The Holy Virgin Martyrs Thekla, Mariamna, Martha, Maria and Ennatha came from Persia and lived in the 4th century AD, during the years of King Shapur. They lived near a village called Ἀza and were dedicated to God. There they lived in asceticism and prayer and were guided by a priest named Paul, who, unfortunately, was greedy and kept for himself the money given by the faithful for the needs of the hungry. And this passion of his, because he did not strive to defeat it, led him, unfortunately, to eternal loss.

In the area where the nuns and their spiritual father Paul lived, there lived also a magician, who understood that Paul had money and he wanted in every way to get it. That is why he presented himself before the king and told him that these women and Paul were Christians. The king called for them and ordered them to deny Christ. Then the nuns openly confessed their faith in Christ, but Paul did not do the same. Instead, he asked the king not to take his money away from him, and when he told him that you could keep your money if you deny Christ, then he said that he would deny Him. Later, however, the king set a condition for him to keep his money, which was for he himself to behead the nuns, who in the meantime had been severely tortured. At first he hesitated to carry out this heinous act, but then, defeated by the passion of greed, he took the sword from the hands of the executioner and beheaded them. Before beheading them, they tried with warm words of faith and love for Christ to awaken his conscience and lead him to repentance, but, unfortunately, he remained unrepentant. The money, however, which he loved so much, he did not enjoy, since at the end the magician took it, and then in his despair he committed suicide, like Judas, that is, he put a noose around his neck and hung himself.

Saint Simon the Myrrhgusher and his Spiritual Father

St. Simon comes to the Holy Mountain in search of an elder.

We know nothing of the life of Saint Simon the Myrrhgusher before he came to Mount Athos in search of a virtuous elder to whom he could devote his complete obedience, without which no monk can hope to attain salvation. His desire was to find a virtuous man that had the ability to guide him to live a life pleasing to God, but who was also strict in order to subject his flesh to the spirit. After finding what he was looking for, he placed himself under obedience as though his elder was God Himself.

Four Arguments to Free a Sinner From Despair (St. Nikodemos the Hagiorite)

By St. Nikodemos the Hagiorite

The arguments with which you will be able to free the sinner from despair are these, Spiritual Father.

1) That despair is the greatest and worst of all evils, because it is opposite to and extremely opposed to God. And even though every sin is opposed to God in some way and partially, despair is entirely opposed to God and in every way, because it negates God, and by taking Him out of the picture it makes evil as another God, as well as the cause of evil, the devil. It would make evil stronger than the goodness of God, more infinite than His infinity, and for despair to even be in the place of wherever God is. What can be found that is more impious or more mindless? To believe that powerless sin is more powerful than Power Himself? That the finite is more infinite than the Infinite Himself? And for non-being to be above the Eternal Being? For this reason the Orthodox Confession writes that despair is opposed to the Holy Spirit. Therefore say to the sinner, Spiritual Father, that which Basil the Great says, that is, if it is possible to measure the fullness and the magnitude of the compassion of God, let the sinner then despair, comparing and measuring the amount and magnitude of his sin: “If it is possible to number the multitude of God’s mercies and the greatness of Gods compassion in comparison with the number and greatness of sins, then let us despair” (Lesser Rules 13, PG 31, 1089C). Even if one’s transgressions are measured and counted, the mercy and compassion of God being immeasurable, why should one despair and not know the mercy of God and blame his transgressions: “But if, as is obvious, the latter are subject to measure and can be numbered, but it is impossible to measure the mercy or number the compassions of God, there is no time for despairing, but only for recognizing mercy and condemning sins; the remission of which is set forth in the blood of Christ" (ibid.).

Saint Nektarios of Bitel (+ 1500)

 

St. Nektarios of Bitel (Feast Day - December 15)

Venerable Nektarios was born in the small town of Bitel (or Butili) in Bulgaria around the year 1430. In the world he was named Nicholas. Before the Turkish invasion his mother had a vision: the Most Holy Virgin herself appeared and told her to flee and go into hiding with her husband and children. They immediately got people together from Bitel – children, women and weak old people left the city, while the men remained to defend the city from the Turkish invader with weapons. The Turks conquered the city and spread devastation, slaughter and atrocities. When the Turks passed and the situation was calmed down, many of the residents returned, but Nicholas’s father, who was now old and after making an agreement with his wife, withdrew to a monastery dedicated to the Holy Unmercenaries Saints Kosmas and Damian, not far from Bitel, where he became a monk with the name Pachomios. Young Nicholas often visited his father there, and received an education.

Saint Nestor as a Model for our Lives

 

 

 By Protopresbyter Fr. George Papavarnavas

The martyr Nestor lived in the third century during the reigns of Diocletian and Maximian. He came from Thessaloniki and was connected with a genuine spiritual friendship with the great martyr Demetrios the Myrrhgusher. He was martyred at a young age, about eighteen years old. In that difficult period of persecution, the Church was to show forth an innumerable number of martyrs, and among them Nestor holds a prominent position.

At that time there was a giant barbarian named Lyaios, who was considered a common murderer, having killed many innocent people. However, Emperor Maximian rejoiced in him, bragged about him and boasted of his bravery and victories. For this reason, the arrogance of Lyaios had no limits, and he turned against everything, especially against the members of the Church. He said that Christians are weak, just like the God they worship, and that none of them dares to stand before him. Nestor, who loved Christ very much, wanted to battle with him, the arrogant one, and humiliate him with the power of Christ and the blessing of Saint Demetrios. So he went to the prison where Saint Demetrios was being held and confessed his thoughts to him. Saint Demetrios encouraged him and told him that he would defeat Lyaios and shed his blood for Christ. Then he entered the stadium without fear, shouted "God of Demetrios, help me!" and defeated Lyaios. Maximian, full of anger, ordered him to be killed, and the enraged crowd of idolaters shouted "death to the victor" instead of "crown to the victor", as was usually the case. Nestor, however, received the unfading crown of victory from the prize-giver Christ, the King of kings and Lord of lords.

His life and conduct gives us the opportunity to highlight the following:

On the Controversial Statements of Metropolitan Neophytos of Morphou

I learned lately about the issue created around the sacred personality of His Eminence the Holy Metropolitan Neophytos of Morphou concerning one of his pastoral messages and the uproar of many regarding this issue.

Because the pastoral issues of Bishops have universal power, I as a humble Bishop would also like to submit some thoughts, which I think are useful for this entire issue. What I will write will be done with simplicity, as a catechism for the people, by whom it will be read.

Venerable Abraham of Cyrus as a Model for our Lives

By Protopresbyter Fr. George Papavarnavas

The Venerable Abraham lived in the fifth century, specifically during the reign of the Roman Emperor Theodosius the Great. He was born in Cyrus of Syria, where he was also raised and lived in asceticism as a monk. After many years of asceticism he went to a village where pagans lived in order to teach them the true faith. However, when he began to speak to them about Christ and His Church, the pagans arrested him and buried him in dirt up to his head. They then removed him and ordered him to go far away. As he was about to go away tax-collectors came and demanded of the inhabitants the royal tax, and those unable to pay were beaten mercilessly. Venerable Abraham felt sorry for them, and after he had consulted with the tax collectors, he gathered money and made a payment in the name of those who were unable to pay. When the tax collectors left, the villagers, who were amazed by his forbearance and philanthropy, fell at his feet and begged him for forgiveness and to stay with them. He forgave them, catechized them and baptized them, and he remained with them for three years making them firm in the faith. Then, after he had built them a sacred church and provided for them a priest, he withdrew to his ascetic cell.

Holy Abba Ares

Holy Abba Ares (Feast Day - December 13)

Verses

The divine Ares was not the Ares inclined towards anger,
Rather he is gentle, and he walked the earth gently.

The Holy Abba Ares, who reposed in peace, is recorded to have had the following conversation in the Gerontikon:

Abba Abraham went to see Abba Ares. They were sitting together when a brother came to the old man and said to him, "Tell me what I must do to be saved." He replied, "Go and for the whole of this year eat only bread and salt in the evening. Then come back here and I will talk to you again." The monk went away and did this.

The Difference Between Spiritual Advice and a Spiritual Command

The following correspondence is between an unknown monk and Abba John the Prophet (Feb. 6), who lived in asceticism in Gaza of Palestine in the sixth century, regarding the difference between receiving spiritual advice and a spiritual command from holy elders and spiritual fathers.

Letter 368

How should one behave in approaching the fathers with a question? Should one perhaps carry out all of the responses without the least transgression?

Response

No, one is not obliged to carry out all of them, but only the ones given in the form of a command. For simple, godly advice is one thing, and a command is another. Advice is counsel without compulsion, revealing to a person the straight way of life; a command, on the other hand, is an inviolable bond.

Letter 369

The Difference Between a Spiritual Father and an Elder

By Archimandrite Paul Papadopoulos

Many times while talking about Christ we lose Christ, while we talk about the Cross we avoid our own personal cross, refusing to lift it and walk behind Christ. While we go to a spiritual father to reconcile with God through the Mystery of Confession we rather connect with the person of our spiritual father and we put the person of Christ on the margins of this relationship. This is wrong.

The work of the spiritual father is to lead the penitent to Christ, to the restoration of their relationship and not to make them a follower of theirs, which is something that is unfortunately observed. And often the spiritual father doesn't do it deliberately, but it may happen unwittingly.

Saint Panteleimon and our Spiritual Health

1. Today, my Christian brethren, our Holy Church celebrates the memory of the great martyr Saint Panteleimon, the healer. It would take a lot of time to speak of the entire life and brilliant miracles of this Saint. I will only tell you a few things, as much as anyone can say in a short sermon.

Saint Panteleimon, my beloved, is identified as a physician. We have saints from every profession of human life: from teachers and judges and cooks and gardeners, no honorable occupation prevents a person from being sanctified. And so our Saint, Holy Panteleimon, was a physician. We have a command within Holy Scripure that specifically says we should honor physicians, because God enlightens physicians to find the medicines of the earth for the sick to be healed. Sirach says: "Honor a physician with the honor due unto him for the uses which you may have of him, for the Lord has created him. For of the Most High comes healing, and he shall receive the honor of the king. The skill of the physician shall lift up his head, and in the sight of great men he shall be in admiration. The Lord has created medicines out of the earth; and he that is wise will not abhor them" (38:1-4). With medical wisdom, therefore, and especially the enlightenment of God, Saint Panteleimon healed many sick people, who could not be treated by other physicians. But what should make a strong impression on us is that the physician Panteleimon practiced his profession without asking for payment or reward. He was an Unmercenary. He would seek out sick people, especially those who were poor, in order to offer treatment free of charge. What great love, what great mercy! And although his first name was Panteleon, later, due to his great love and mercy, they called him Panteleimon, which means "all-merciful".

The Extraordinary Obedience of St. Anthousa the Confessor

The venerable Anthousa, celebrated on July 27th, a confessor of Orthodoxy, who lived and suffered in the period of Iconoclasm during the reign of the iconoclast Emperor Constantine V Copronymos (741-775), was a monastic and founder of churches and Mantineou Monastery.

When Anthousa decided to embrace the monastic life, she went to see a certain holy hieromonk and elder named Sisinios. Elder Sisinios was a wonderworker and Spirit-bearing guide of many souls. For this he was widely known, which is why Anthousa went to him to consult with him. Upon meeting him, she was immediately inspired to emulate him in the contest for virtue.

The Spiritual Counsels of Elder Daniel to Saint Arsenios of Paros

St. Arsenios of Paros (Feast Day - January 31 and August 18)

As a youth, St. Arsenios of Paros (1800-1877), who was known as Athanasios in the world, was introduced to his spiritual father, the renowned Elder Daniel of Zagora in Thessaly, while he was a student in Kydoniai of Asia Minor, when he had come to confess the students there. After their meeting, Athanasios never left the side of his spiritual father till he reposed.

When Elder Daniel took his fourteen year old disciple Athanasios to Mount Athos, he taught him the lessons, canons, laws and ways of true wisdom of the monastic and angelic mode of life, of true philosophy. According to Elder Philotheos Zervakos, the biographer of St. Arsenios, "Elder Daniel was a perfect teacher, in deed as well as in word. And his pupil, Athanasios, was extremely attentive and diligent in his efforts to master the queen of the arts and sciences, the true wisdom, the monastic way of life."

Before Elder Daniel clothed Athanasios in the great and angelic habit as a monk and renamed him Arsenios, he counseled him with the following words of authentic theology and spirituality:

Saints Clement of Ancyra and His Disciple Agathangelos as Models for our Lives

Sts. Clement and Agathangelos (Feast Day - June 23)

By Protopresbyter Fr. George Papavarnavas

Saint Clement lived the era of persecution, specifically during the reign of Emperor Diocletian. His father was a pagan and his mother a Christian. Orphaned of his father at an early age, his upbringing was assumed entirely by his most pious mother. Therefore the Saint was brought up inside the temperate climate of piety and love for the true God, and from his youth his life flowed with prayer and philanthropy. He was a help and support for the poor and afflicted. When the fullness of time had come, Christ, through the Church, entrusted him with the blessed work of the pastoral care of His reasonable sheep. He was made Bishop of the Church of Ancyra and proved to be a good pastor. Later he was tested in the furnace of temptation and martyrdom "as gold in a furnace". He underwent horrific torture, which he endured with admirable patience and bravery, and finally sealed his confession of Christ with the blood of his martyrdom.

The Sayings of Abba Rufus

Abba Rufus was an early desert father who reposed in peace. He is commemorated by the Orthodox Church on October 22nd. The following sayings are attributed to him in the Paradise of the Fathers:

1. A brother asked Abba Rufus, 'What is interior quietude, and what use is it?' The old man said, 'Interior quietude means to remain sitting in one's cell with fear and knowledge of God, holding far off the remembrance of wrongs suffered and pride of spirit. Such interior quietude brings forth all the virtues, preserves the monk from the burning darts of the enemy, and does not allow him to be wounded by them. Yes, brother, acquire it. Keep in mind your future death, remembering that you do not know at what hour the thief will come. Likewise be watchful over your soul.'

Abba Sisoes on the Remembrance of Hell

St. Sisoes the Great (Feast Day - July 6)

Three old men came to see Abba Sisoes, having heard about him. The first said to him, 'Father, how shall I save myself from the river of fire?' He did not answer him. The second said to him, 'Father, how can I be saved from the gnashing of teeth and the worm which dieth not?' The third said, 'Father, what shall I do, for the remembrance of the outer darkness is killing me?' By way of reply the old man said to them, 'For my part, I do not keep in mind the remembrance of any of these things, for God is compassionate and I hope that he will show me his mercy.' Hearing this, the old men went back offended. But the old man, not wishing to let them go away hurt, said to them, 'Blessed are you, my brothers; truly I envy you. The first speaks of the river of fire, the second of hell and the third of darkness. Now if your spirit is filled with such remembrances, it is impossible for you to sin. What shall I do, then? I who am hard of heart and to whom it has not been granted so much as to know whether there is a punishment for men; no doubt it is because of this that I am sinning all the time.' They prostrated themselves before him and said, 'Now we have seen exactly that of which we have heard tell.'

Elder Paisios: "Compassion Harms the Unrepentant"

- Elder, I remember how one time you scolded me a lot.

- If necessary, I will scold you again, that we may go together to Paradise. Now I will take draconian measures!

Elder Ephraim of Vatopaidi Interviewed Concerning the War With Sinful Thoughts

January 9, 2014

Briefing News

Are thoughts (logismoi) a part of ourselves? Is it part of our thinking? How are they born and how do we fight against them? How does a person succeed in conquering them or approach the derivatives of good and evil?

The known Russian magazine "Slavianka" conducted a substantial interview with the abbot of the Sacred Monastery of Vatopaidi, Archimandrite Ephraim, on the main theme: "Sinful Thoughts".

Elder Ephraim, who is known to all for the power of his spiritual words and the clarity with which he describes complex topics, now has given us a clear image on sinful thoughts, though he stressed that there are even thoughts which make us stronger spiritually.

The truth is that many of us do not know the state of our thoughts and how much they can damage our spiritual integrity or our efforts to move towards such spiritual integrity.

What are thoughts? How do they spring up daily in our lives? How do we recognize them and manage them? These are some of the issue that Elder Ephraim will illuminate for us.

We present below excerpts that were published in the Russian magazine "Slavianka":