A time will come, the hour will strike, the moment will arrive for these eyes to close and for the soul’s eyes to open.

A time will come, the hour will strike, the moment will arrive for these eyes to close and for the soul’s eyes to open. Then we shall see a new world, new beings, a new creation, a new life without end. Its title is: “Infinite Immortality,” the great homeland, incorruptible and everlasting—the heavenly Jerusalem, the mother of the firstborn, where redeemed souls, which have been washed of their impurity by the blood of the innocent Lamb, will dwell!
Who is able to express in words or with a pen the joy, the exaltation, the bliss of those blessed saved souls? Blessed are they who have died in the Lord, for the riches of God’s goodness awaits them. Blessed is he who wins the “lottery” for the heavenly festival, for riches that cannot be taken away, for the glory that God Himself has described: “sons of the Most High, children of God, heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ.” Before the Passion, the Lord entreated His heavenly Father on behalf of His disciples and those who would believe through them: “Father, I desire that they also whom Thou hast given Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which Thou hast given Me; for Thou didst love Me before the foundation of the world.” (Jn. 17:24 ).

How great is Jesus’ love for us! He took on human nature and was hanged upon the Cross, giving us freedom and paying off our debt to His heavenly Father. And as a dear brother, He makes us worthy of jointly inheriting the infinite wealth of His heavenly Father! Oh, what love for us! Oh, how cold we are to Him! Oh, how ungrateful I am towards my Benefactor! My God, my God, have pity on me, and do not condemn me as I deserve because of my deeds!

Elder Ephraim of Arizona

Μη χάνης το θάρρος σου, παιδί μου... ( Γέροντας Εφραίμ Φιλοθεΐτης )

Μη χάνης το θάρρος σου, παιδί μου. Αι στερήσεις, που υπομένομεν, αποβλέπουν εις το να μας ετοιμάσουν την αιώνιαν απόλαυσιν του Ουρανού! Ημείς εν γνώσει μας υστερούμεθα τα ηδονικά της ζωής αυτής δια την αγάπην του χριστού μας. Αν θέλωμε τα απολαμβάνομεν ελεύθερα, αλλά εκούσια δεν τα δεχόμεθα, δια να μας δοθή η ερασμία αγάπη του υπεργλυκυτάτου Ιησού μας.
Ημείς, κόρη μου, έχομεν Νυμφίον αθάνατον και αιώνιον, που διατηρεί την δόξαν της παρθενίας αθάνατον. Άγγελοι εκλήθημεν να γίνωμε, κόρη μου αγαπητή, και δεν θα στερηθώμεν τα ηδονικά, τα αμαρτωλά; Δεν του αξίζει του Ιησού μας να στερηθώμεν τα βρωμερά δια την θεϊκήν Του αγάπην;
Λοιπόν αγωνίσου αξίως της κλήσεως με ανδρείαν. Οι μάρτυρες έχυσαν το αίμα των δια την αγάπην του Χριστού μας, και ημείς να μη αντισταθώμεν εις μίαν συχαμεράν ηδονήν, κάλπικην;
Δόξασε τον Θεόν εις το σώμα σου και εις την ψυχήν σου. Αγών μέχρι εσχάτων. Έρωσο, κόρη μου.
Ο Πατέρας σου.

Γέροντας Εφραίμ Φιλοθεΐτης 

Every night, review how you passed the day, and in the morning review how the night passed, so that you know how your soul’s accounts are doing

 Every night, review how you passed the day, and in the morning review how the night passed, so that you know how your soul’s accounts are doing. If you see a loss, try to regain it through caution and forcefulness. If you see a profit, glorify God, your invisible helper. Do not let your conscience prick you for long, but quickly give it whatever it wants, lest it take you to the judge and the prison (cf. Mt. 5:25 ). Does your conscience want you to attend to your prayer rule* and regain prayer? Give it these things, and behold, you are delivered from going to the judge. Do not weaken the saving voice of your conscience by disregarding it, because later you will regret it to no avail.

*Prayer rule (κανών )
Α prayer rule consists of the prayers and metanoias** which one does daily, under the guidance of one’s spiritual father.

** Metanoia (μετάνοια )
Ιn its primary sense, «μετάνοια» (pronounced «meh-tah΄-nee-ah» ) means repentance, literally, “a change of mind”. However, it can also mean the specific act of making the sign of the cross, followed by a bow either down to the ground or to the waist. It is a gesture of reverence, worship, respect, or repentance. A typical prayer rule includes a number of metanoias done while saying the Jesus prayer. Some translators use the word “prostration” for this term.

Elder Ephraim of Arizona

As soon as any evil thought whatsoever approaches even slightly, it is absolutely necessary that we drive it away and say the Jesus prayer right away. ( Elder Ephraim of Arizona )

Fasting is not just abstention from food, but primarily strict abstinence of the senses. When the senses are fed by external things, they transmit a corresponding amount of poison to the nous and the heart, which kills the poor soul’s life in God. Our Watchful Fathers have so much to tell us about the holy fasting of the senses. Their entire teaching is mainly directed at the purification of the nous from sinful fantasies and thoughts, and the purification of the heart from feelings that defile it. Furthermore, they teach that we must eradicate every evil in its beginning to keep the soul clean. 

As soon as any evil thought whatsoever approaches even slightly, it is absolutely necessary that we drive it away and say the Jesus prayer right away. And when in this manner we confront the thoughts coming from the senses and the devil, very soon we will feel the joy and the profit derived from the fasting of the senses. If Eve had restrained her sense of vision, she would not have poisoned the offspring of her womb, that is, all the people who were born from her. In short, abstinence with the senses saves man from hell.

Elder Ephraim of Arizona

Προσοχή στα λόγια μας! ( Γέροντας Εφραίμ Φιλοθεΐτης )

Προσοχή στα λόγια μας!

 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

Οι Χαιρετισμοι της Παναγιας μας όποτε τους λέμε μας δίνουν χαρά και φώτιση από την Παναγία μας ! ( Γέροντος Εφραίμ Φιλοθεΐτου )

Οι Χαιρετισμοι της Παναγιας μας όποτε τους λέμε μας δίνουν χαρά και φώτιση από την Παναγία μας !! Οι Χαιρετισμοι της Παναγιας μας , πολυ με βοηθουν !! Με βγαζουν απο πολλά αδιέξοδα !!

 

Γέροντος Εφραίμ Φιλοθεΐτου

 

 

Τι φοβερά η ώρα, κατά την οποίαν η ψυχή περιμένει πλήρης φόβου να ακούση την απόφασιν, που θα απέλθη δια μίαν αιωνίαν κατοίκησιν! ( Γέροντας Εφραίμ Φιλοθεΐτης )

Ανέβαζε τον νουν σου εις το φοβερόν κριτήριον του Χριστού, ποίαν απολογίαν μέλλομεν να δώσωμεν εν ημέρα κρίσεως, κατά την οποίαν θα κριθούν τα έργα μας! Τι φοβερά η ώρα, κατά την οποίαν η ψυχή περιμένει πλήρης φόβου να ακούση την απόφασιν, που θα απέλθη δια μίαν αιωνίαν κατοίκησιν! Η λέξις αιωνιότης είναι τρομερά! Δια να καταλάβης ολίγον τι θα ειπή αιωνιότης, θα σου φέρω ένα παράδειγμα: Φαντάσου πως όλη η γη είναι ένας βράχος από γρανίτην, σκληράν πέτραν, και σε κάθε χίλια χρόνια να έρχεται ένα πουλί, να τροχίζη το ράμφος του, επάνω εις αυτόν τον βράχον, και όταν από το τρόχισμα του ράμφους τελειώση ο βράχος αυτός, τότε θα εννοήσωμεν, ότι κάποιαν αμυδράν έννοιαν έχομεν, τι θα ειπή αιωνιότης, όχι ότι εννοήσαμεν την αιωνιότητα, την αθανασίαν, την ζωήν χωρίς τέλος! Λοιπόν αύτη η ζωή μας εις την γην παίζει ως εις κύβον την αιωνιότητά μας, ή παράδεισον ή κόλασιν! Άρα πόσην προσοχήν πρέπει να έχωμεν!

Γέροντας Εφραίμ Φιλοθεΐτης

When you have carnal warfare, be very careful with filthy fantasies, which produce dirty thoughts.

When you have carnal warfare, be very careful with filthy fantasies, which produce dirty thoughts. Stop and expel fantasies as soon as they come. Immediately say the prayer with pain of soul and at once will be delivered from the warfare.

Elder Ephraim of Arizona

Οπτασία Ανωνύμου Μοναχου, Αποτελέσματα Αμελείας της Ευχής - Γέροντας Εφραίμ Αριζόνα

Without exception all people will suffer in their life.

In this world, my child, people are divided into good and bad, rich and poor, educated and uneducated, noble and lowborn, smart and not so smart. All, however, have one thing in common: suffering. For without exception all people will suffer in their life. As the maxim says: “It is a wonder if anyone has been happy throughout his life”. So then, all people live in the kingdom of suffering. We know that suffering is something personal, which one must face alone. It is his cross, which he must carry, just as the Savior of the world, Jesus, carried His cross for our sake. So be at ease, my child, in the paternal hand, which at this time performs surgery on you by means of suffering, and be calm. Accept that God sends it to you, reconcile yourself with suffering, so that you will be able to face it. I know how difficult this is, but also how beneficial for your salvation. The saints rejoiced in their afflictions; let us at least accept ours with patience, and God will not forget even this minuscule, voluntary patient acceptance of His will, which is represented by suffering. My child, muster the powers of your soul when you suffer, and try to understand the purpose of suffering, through which God opens heaven for you. Do you think that He Who numbers the hairs of your head does not know the measure of your suffering? Yes, He knows it. Therefore be at rest, trusting in our heavenly Father. Do not grow weary; with our Christ’s help you will pass through everything, and will also become His heir in the boundless fortune of our common Father. Amen.

Elder Ephraim of Arizona