« Όπου εύρω σε, εκεί και κρινώ σε». Να η αξία της στιγμής, σε εύρεν εν μετανοία; Σε έφθασεν εν εξομολογήσει; Σε επρόφθασε με το « ήμαρτον, Πάτερ, εις τον ουρανόν και ενώπιόν σου»; ( Λουκ. 15,18 ). Σε προσήγγισεν με το δάκρυ της γνησίας μετανοίας και αυτομεμψίας; Ιδού εις μίαν στιγμήν χρόνου σε κρίνει ο Θεός καθώς ελάλησεν, « πιστός ο Κύριος εν τοις λόγοις Αυτού» ( Ψαλμ. 144.13 ). Εάν εις το ανάπαλιν σε εύρη, ω άνθρωπε, τότε θα ανοιχθούν τα μάτια της ψυχής και θα ίδης τι εζημιώθης, αλλά τι το όφελος! Άμα κρίνη ο Θεός τον άνθρωπον, τότε περιττή η μετάνοια. Όταν τελειώση η πανήγυρις, περιττά τα πολλά λόγια, το παν ετελείωσε! Ω, τι μέγα μυστήριον τούτο! Ω Θεέ μου, γλυκέ μου Ιησού, άνοιξόν μοι τα όμματα της ψυχής μου, ίνα ίδω καθαρώτατα τούτο το μέγα μυστήριον της αιωνίου σωτηρίας μου, ίνα ετοιμάσω εφόδια δια της χάριτός Σου βοηθούμενος, ίνα μη εν τω τέλει του βίου μου μεταμεληθώ χωρίς όφελος. Ως βλέπεις, τίποτε απολύτως δεν κάμνω, αλλά όλος λελέπρωμαι από πάθη, δώρησέ μου δάκρυα και μετάνοιαν ολόκληρον, προτού να έλθη η εσχάτη ώρα, καθ’ ην θα ακούσω την φωνήν Σου: « Ετοίμασον τα περί του οίκου σου, αποθνήσκεις και ου ζήσεις».
Γέροντας Εφραίμ Φιλοθεΐτης
Why are you sorrowful and glum while walking along the way of God? Those who have forgotten God, who have no hope in the living and eternal fountain of God, should grieve. But we, who believe in the living God and whose hopes depend upon Him, ought to rejoice that we have such a Father in the heavens, Who loves us more than all fathers and mothers and Who takes infinite care to render us worthy of Him. But, you say, we fall every moment! Yes, I do not deny it—but we know that our nature is from clay and that it desires the earth and seeks what is base, for “the mind of man is inclined to evil from his youth.” (cf. Gen. 8:21 ). And we see within us a law which seeks to capture our free will, to subjugate it and render it a slave of sin. (cf. Rom. 7:23 ). In all this, however, our good intention triumphs. God has given us spiritual weapons to fight against every satanic attack: the glorious banner of the cross of hope—living hope in Him Who said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (cf. Heb. 13:5 )—hope in our Christ, who was hanged on the Cross, and all who look upon Him and hope in Him will not be put to shame. The all-immaculate Blood which was poured out on the Cross pardoned the sins of mankind and poured forth life. “Blessed is the man who hopes in Him.” (cf. Ps. 33:8 ).
Take courage, my child; this grief of yours will turn into joy. This grief produces great good for you; it surrounds you as with a breastplate of iron, so that the evil darts of attachment to earthly things do not tear your mind away from the concern for heavenly things and for your immortal soul. Grief will succeed joy, and joy, grief, just as night follows day. This is how the Father of lights has established the path of those who are being saved. Just have patience and hope: engrave these in the depths of your heart—with these, all adversities will be faced. Cling to our sweet Jesus; cry out to Him in your afflictions. Entrust to Him the care of grievous things and He will do good to you, as to Hannah, the mother of the Prophet Samuel, who out of extreme grief because of her barrenness, fell down before the Lord and poured out her soul as if beside herself. And her petition did not fail. [vid. 1 Kings (1 Sam. ) 1:1-18 ]. Who ever hoped in God and was put to shame? Of course, this does not mean blameworthy hope but active hope—that is, hope along with spiritual works according to our strength; otherwise, it is not hope but mockery. Save us from such deceitful hope, O God.
Elder Ephraim of Arizona
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
Sin, as a hook camouflaged with the suitable pleasure, comes craftily as something sweet and charming to the tongue in order to attack the soul. However, he who has been lured by the momentary pleasure and its comfort will find it more bitter than poison and more destructive than a pestilent disease in his soul.
Elder Ephraim of Arizona
Παιδί μου, αν και πολλά της ασθενείας σου είναι από παρακοήν, εν τούτοις όμως διαφαίνεται εν σοι η αγάπη του Θεού. Πολύ σε αγαπά ο Θεός, δια τούτο και σε παιδεύει. Την πολύτιμον σωτηρίαν σου κατεργάζεται ο Θεός δια μέσου των δοκιμασιών σου, θέλοντας να σου ελαφρύνη το φορτίον και να γεμίση το σκεύος της ψυχής σου με το δώρον της μεγάλης ελπίδος, δια την κατάκτησιν του ουρανού και την αιώνιόν σου παραμονήν πλησίον του Χριστού, που αγάπησες φλογερά!
Λοιπόν τι μένει πλέον; Υπομονή εις το έπακρον, θάρρος εις την δοκιμασίαν σου και μία απέραντος ευχαριστία εις τον άριστον Κυβερνήτην των ψυχών μας, την οποίαν ευχαριστίαν θα συνοδεύη και μία χαριτωμένη ταπείνωσις. Βάδιζε, παιδί μου, τον ανηφορικόν δρόμον του ιερού Γολγοθά με τον Σταυρόν, που σου έδωσε το ευεργετικώτατον χέρι Εκείνου, που σε αγαπά και σε παιδεύει, δια να μεταλάβης της αγιότητος Αυτού. Βάρος αιωνίου δόξης κατεργάζεται η θλίψις και η ασθένεια εις την ψυχήν, η οποία υπομένει και ευχαριστεί τον Θεόν.
Γέροντας Εφραίμ Φιλοθεΐτης
My blessed child in Christ, I am praying that the great Physician of souls and bodies grant you your full health, in accordance with His holy will. There were holy men, my child, who were gravely ill, yet in their illness they healed others. Oh, how much God loved them!
An exceptional sign of God’s love for a soul is when He saddles it with illnesses or afflictions. Pain of body or soul purifies, cleanses, and brightens the garment of the soul from every stain of sin. There was one holy monastic father who was always ill. It happened once that he was not ill for a period of time, and he complained, saying: “Ah, my God, why didst Thou forget me and not consider me worthy of Thy visitation?” This blessed man yearned for illnesses because he knew from his experience how much the soul benefits from them.
Pain brings the unrepentant sinner to repentance, whereas for the righteous, it fortifies the strength of his soul and becomes a mighty wall around him so that he does not stray into sin. Just as a sick person gladly submits himself to the painful treatment of the doctor because he knows his aim, similarly we should endure with gratitude and knowledge all things that befall us involuntarily as sent from the kind hand of God for our salvation.
“The athlete is tested by the stadium, the captain by the storm and tempest, the general by the battle, the magnanimous by misfortune, and the Christian by temptation,” says St. Basil the Great. Just as the earth becomes productive when the plow tills it deeply, likewise the soul becomes fruitful in virtues when pain and illness visit it frequently and intensely!
The more pain and affliction a person has, the more beautiful his crown becomes. And if there are many and various pains that oppress him, then the crown of glory is adorned with many flowers and pearls. Gold has to pass through the furnace to become purified, and the soul of a Christian has to pass through the furnace of temptations to receive the seal of eternal glory in the royal treasury of Christ the King.
If holy and blessed people passed through the furnace of pain and were benefited, how much more pain suits us and how much benefit we will derive from it when we endure it with knowledge and gratitude! It is when we see pain oppressing us, physically or spiritually, that we should consider that we are loved by God and that He has placed us in the ranks of His chosen.
O blessed chastening of the Lord, I love you. But I am unworthy of such a gift, for I live in comfort and shall become a victim of the eternal fire. So, my child, I envy you because you are suffering and will obtain eternal repose! Your crown is decorated and beautified for your eternal glory! Endure for the Lord’s sake until the end. Bear your cross well lest you drop it, and you can be sure that you will be glorified with Christ eternally! Pray for me, too, lest I be shut out of paradise as one who does not practice what he preaches.
Elder Ephraim of Arizona
It is very consoling, my child, that each one of us will receive his reward based on how much he has labored for the love of Christ. It involves much labor to bear the burden of souls in the present era which is ruled by egotism and self will. Let us not lose our courage; for invisibly present is Jesus, Who will rebuke the stormy sea of trials and bring the calm of grace. Struggle upon the raging waves; call upon the only all-powerful God: “Lord, Lord, look down from heaven and behold my trials and perfect my soul to do Thy will, for Thou art my God.” (cf. Ps. 79:15-16 ).
Elder Ephraim of Arizona
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. 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
