Do not grow tired of crying out to Christ

We are disciplined that we may become worthy of the heavens. The heavenly Father disciplines us in every way in order to form a spiritual character within us, so that we may resemble our heavenly Father as His children. 

We must nurture in ourselves characteristics with clearly reflect that we are legitimate sons of God. Let us be distinguished in patience, in meekness, in love, in brotherly affection, and so forth—characteristics of God’s children, who are about to inherit, along with Christ, the boundless spiritual riches of the heavenly Father. Be courageous, my child, in the struggle; through many tribulations we shall ascend to heaven. 

The path of our salvation is strewn with thorns, and we shall have pain and shed blood; but be patient. The blessed hour will come when all the pain and blood will inscribe our names in the book of life! Then we shall bless God, Who with unfathomable wisdom devised pain and affliction as a means of great salvation. 

Do not grow tired of crying out to Christ, if you want your mouth to be sanctified. As for the temptations which you see in your sleep, do not think about them, but disregard them, for they themselves do not have any substance. When you disregard them, they will not bother you.

Elder Ephraim of Arizona

Counsels from the Holy Mountain Chapter Two
On Afflictions, Pain, and Labors

Μέσα εις τας θλίψεις υπάρχει ο Χριστός

Μέσα εις τας θλίψεις υπάρχει ο Χριστός και εις την ανάπαυσιν το πνεύμα του διαβόλου. Εις αυτήν την τραγικήν δοκιμασίαν που επέρασεν ο Γέροντάς μου Ιωσήφ, πόσον ησθάνετο τον Χριστόν!

Ενώ εις άλλους η ώρα της προσεγγίσεως του θανάτου προξενεί τρόμον και φόβον, αυτός τω έρωτι του Χριστού διετέλει. Τι θαύμα τούτο! «Ο Χριστός χθες και σήμερον ο αυτός και εις τους αιώνας» ( Εβρ. 13,8 ).


Γέροντας Εφραίμ της Αριζόνας 



Πατρικαι Νουθεσίαι
ΚΕΦΑΛΑΙΟΝ Β΄
Περί θλίψεων, πόνων και κόπων. 

Δεν γνωρίζεις, παιδί μου, ότι δωρεάν σώζει τον άνθρωπον ο Θεός

Δεν γνωρίζεις, παιδί μου, ότι δωρεάν σώζει τον άνθρωπον ο Θεός; Βεβαίως οι κόποι δείχνουν την προαίρεσιν του ανθρώπου και όχι αυτοί καθ’ εαυτοί δύνανται να απαλλάξουν τον άνθρωπον εκ των παθών του, αλλά δια να μάθωμεν να ελπίζωμεν εις τον Θεόν και όχι εις τους κόπους μας, επιτρέπει ο Θεός μετά από κόπον να μην έχωμεν φυλαχθή από το κακόν. Συν τω κόπω να λέμε λοιπόν ότι, εάν δεν φυλάξη ο Θεός τον άνθρωπον, τα έργα του είναι άνεμος και φεύγουν κούφια.


Γέροντας Εφραίμ της Αριζόνας

Always be prudent in your words

Always be prudent in your words; that is, first think and then speak; do not let your tongue run ahead before you think what you have to say. 

Do not become bold in talking much, my child; many are the evils from this evil boldness. Flee from it as from fire or a viper!

Elder Ephraim
Counsels from the Holy Mountain
On Silence, Idle Talk, and Boldness

The comfortable life is very hazardous for eternal salvation

Glory to the only wise God, Who knows how to extract the sweet out of the bitter and thus enrich our knowledge out of His boundless love toward us. He scourges us with afflictions and trials, so that He can draw us near Him; for He knows that through the sorrowful things of this present life, man remains near Him and is saved.
 
The comfortable life is very hazardous for eternal salvation. It is not the Spirit of God that dwells in those living in comfort, but rather the spirit of the devil, according to the saying of the Fathers. For this reason, in this life’s sorrows we need to have patient and thanksgiving, for God is well pleased with both of these virtues. May the Lord give us much patience in our life’s sorrows, so that in everything we may thank the Giver of good things Who provides for us.


On Afflictions, Pain, and Labors 
Counsels from the Holy Mountain
Elder Ephraim

Πόνος και Δάκρυ

Χρειάζεται να είμαστε υπάκουοι

Με την υπακοή ο άνθρωπος αποβάλλει κυρίως τον κακό δαίμονα της υπερηφανείας, που φέρνει όλα τα κακά και εισάγει την ταπείνωση.


Γέροντας Εφραίμ της Αριζόνας

Να είστε προσεκτικοί σ'αυτό που λέτε στους άλλους

Μερικές γυναίκες, που θέλουν να κάνουν έκτρωση, πάνε και συμβουλεύονται: «Τι να κάνω βρε αδελφή;»

«Τι θες και το κρατάς, τόσα παιδιά έχεις, δεν το ρίχνεις!»

Αυτή λίγο ήθελε, ήταν κατά το ήμισυ αποφασισμένη. Συμπλήρωσε και το άλλο μισό η άλλη με τον λόγο της και πάει, ρίχνει το παιδί και γίνεται ο φόνος! Βέβαια έχει και η άλλη την ευθύνη για τον μισό φόνο.

Ή όπως μερικές μητέρες, που δεν έχουνε μυαλό, αν τύχη η κόρη τους να κάνη ένα λάθος, την συμβουλεύουν: «Άντε, θα γίνουμε ρεζίλι, πήγαινε και βγάλτο». Πάει η κοπέλλα και το σκοτώνει το παιδί. Ποιος έχει την ευθύνη; Η μάνα, που είπε αυτήν την συμβουλή. Βλέπετε ένας λόγος τι κακό μπορεί να κάνη; Γι’ αυτό θέλει πάρα πολλή προσοχή στα όσα λέμε. Πόσο πάει να μας υποσκελίση ο διάβολος!….

Γέροντας Εφραίμ Φιλοθεΐτης

On Salvation and Paradise

 

Everything will pass and will end as if had never existed, whereas works done in God will remain with the soul that worked them so that the worker may reap eternal life from them. 

 

Blessed are the spiritual philosophers of God, who give away transient things and store up eternal things, so that when they depart, they will find their treasures in God’s treasury with accrued interest. 

 

Blessed are they who clean their hearts from the weeds of sin and cultivate the good seed, for the time will come for them to reap sheaves of eternal life! 

 

Blessed are they who sow tears with spiritual fasting, that is, always hungering and thirsting for good works, for they will reap eternal joy!

Elder Ephraim of Arizona
Chapter One
Counsels from the Holy Mountain 

"Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be afraid (Gospel of St. John 14:27)."

"Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be afraid (Gospel of St. John 14:27)." My children, trust that GOD will not let us be tempted beyond our strength; along with the temptation will come the help of GOD. Our CHRIST tells us that if they hated ME they will also hate you (Gospel of St. John 15:18). 

If they persecuted and blasphemed and cursed ME, they will also persecute and blaspheme and curse you. And they will do these things to you because they do not know GOD and "they know not what they do (St. Luke 23:43)." We, my children, know GOD, and because we love HIM and are HIS, the world hates us, since it does not agree with HIM. Therefore have courage, my children; we are followers of the ONE WHO was crucified by them; so too we will be crucified by trials and temptations. 

Just as HE was resurrected, we too will be resurrected and glorified together with HIM unto the ages of ages.




Elder Ephraim of Arizona