www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Scripture and Patristic Writings Words from Optina

Beware of the counsels of the evil one, if he should come in the guise of one professing truth to beguile you and lead you into deceit. Even if he should come to you as an angel of light, do not believe him or obey him; for he is apt to fascinate the faithful by the attractive semblance of truth. Those who are not perfect do not know these wiles of the devil and are not aware of what he is constantly putting into them; but the perfect know, as the Apostle says, "But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil" (Hebrews 5:14). These the devil cannot seduce; but he easily fascinates those faithful, who keep scant attention on themselves, by a bait which appears sweet, and he catches them as a fisherman catches fish with a hook hidden in the bait . . . as Solomon says, "There are ways that seem to be right to a man, but the end of them looks to the depth of hell" (Proverbs 16:25). These things happen to them because in their self-reliance they always follow the inclinations of their heart and fulfill their own desires, not listening to their fathers or asking their advice. So the devil shows them visions and illusions, and puffs up their hearts with pride. Sometimes he sends them dreams at night, which he fulfills in the daytime, thus to plunge them into greater prelest. More than that, he at times shows them light at night, so that the place where they are becomes bright; and he does many other things mistaken for true signs. He does all this to set their mind at rest as regards himself and make them accept him for an angel. As soon as they have accepted him as such, he hurls them down from their height, through the spirit of pride which takes possession of them. He strives to keep them in the conviction that they have become greater and more glorious in spirit than many others and have no need to turn to their fathers and listen to them. But they, according to the Scriptures, are in reality clusters of grapes, shiny but bitter and unripe. Directions of the fathers are onerous for them, for they are convinced that they know everything already.

Anthony the Great, "Early Fathers From the Philokalia," by E. Kadloubovsky and G.E.H. Palmer, (London: Faber and Faber, 1954), pp. 52-54

Sometimes afflictions are sent to a person even though he is innocent, so that he would suffer for others, as did Christ. The Saviour Himself first suffered for people. His Apostles suffered for the Church and for people. Perfect love means suffering for your neighbor.

St. Ambrose of Optina (+1891)

So the Orthodox believe in redemptive suffering and victim souls like some Catholics do? Very interesting.

A human being who does not endure courageously the unpleasant burdens of temptations, will never produce fruit worthy of the divine wine-press and eternal harvest, not even if one possesses all other virtues. For one is only perfected through zealously enduring both all the voluntary and involuntary afflictions.

St. Gregory Palamas, Treatise on the Spiritual Life

As long as we are in this world, let us repent with our whole heart of the evil things which we have done in the flesh, so that we may be saved by the Lord while we still have time for repentance. For after we have departed from the world, we are no longer able there either to confess or to repent anymore.

Second Clement, c. A.D. 100.

�Send your treasures to the heavenly storage room. Deposit your wealth in God�s Bank, distributing it to the poor, the orphans and the widows, so that you can receive a million times more in the Second coming of Christ�

Elder Joseph the Hesychast

Do not works precede Scripture and Tradition? Does not Tradition precede Scripture? Were not the works of Noah, Abraham, the Forefathers and representatives of the Church of the Old Testament pleasing to God? And did not the tradition exist among the Patriarchs, beginning with Adam, the forefather of all? Did not Christ give liberty to men and teaching by word of mouth before the Holy Apostles by their writings bore witness to the work of redemption and the law of liberty? Wherefore, between Tradition, works and Scripture, there is no contradiction, but, on the contrary, complete agreement.

A. Khomiakov, The Church is One

A man is not saved by having once shown mercy to someone, although, if he scorns someone but once, he merits eternal fire. For 'hungered' and 'thirsty' is said not of one occasion, not of one day, but of the whole life. In the same way 'ye gave me meat', 'ye gave me drink', 'ye clothed me', and so on, does not indicate one incident, but a constant attitude to everyone. Our Lord Jesus Christ said that He Himself accepts such mercy from His slaves (in the person of the needy).

Archimandrite Sophrony (His Life is Mine, Chapter 9

A monk had a brother living in the world who was poor, and so he supplied him with all he received from his work. But the more the monk supplied, the poorer the brother became. So the monk went to tell an old man about it. The old man said to him, "If you want my advice, do not give him anything more, but say to him, 'Brother, when I had something I supplied you; now bring me what you get from your work.' Take all he brings you, and whenever you see a stranger or a poor man, give him some of it, begging him to pray for him."

The monk went away and did this. When his secular brother came, he spoke to him as the old man had said, and the brother went sadly away. The first day, taking some vegetables from his field, he brought them to the monk. The monk took them and gave them to the old men, begging them to pray for his brother, and after the blessing he returned home. In the same way, another time, the brother brought the monk some vegetables and three loaves, which he took, doing as on the first occasion, and having received the blessing he went away.

And the secular brother came a third time bringing many provisions, some bread, and fish. Seeing this, the monk was full of wonder, and he invited the poor so as to give them refreshment. The he said to his brother, "Do you not need a little bread?" The other said to him, "No, for when I used to receive something from you, it was like fire coming into my house and burning it, but now that I receive nothing from you, God blesses me."

Then the monk went to tell the old man all that had happened, and the old man said to him, "Do you not know that the work of the monk is of fire, and where it enters, it burns? It helps your brother more to do alms with what he reaps from his field, and to receive the prayers of the saints and thus to be blessed."

"The Wisdom of the Desert Fathers"

On one occasion Abba Ammon went to Abba Anthony, and he lost his way, and sat down for a little and fell asleep; and he rose up from his slumber, and prayed unto God, and said, "I beg Thee, O Lord God, not to destroy that which Thou hast fashioned." Then he lifted up his eyes, and behold, there was the form of a man's hand above him in the heavens, and it showed him the way until he came and stood above the cave of Abba Anthony; and when he had gone into the cave of the old man, Abba Anthony prophesied unto him, saying, "You shall increase in the fear of God." Then he took him outside the cave, and showing him a stone, said, "Curse this stone, and strike it," and he did so. Abba Anthony said unto him, "It is thus that you shall arrive at this state, for you shall bear heaviness, and great abuse;" and this actually happened to Abba Ammon.

Now, through his abundant goodness, Abba Ammon knew not wickedness. And after he had become a bishop, through his spiritual excellence they brought unto him a young girl who had conceived, and they said unto him, "So-and-so has done this deed; let them receive correction." But he made the sign of the Cross over her stomach and ordered them to give her six pair of linen cloths, and he said, "When she delivers, either she or the child will die, and if either dies let them be buried." Then those who were with him said unto him, "What is this that you have done? Give the command that they receive correction." And he said unto them, "See, my brothers, she is nigh unto death; what can I do?" Then he dismissed her.

And the old man never ventured to judge anyone, for he was full of loving kindness and endless goodness to all the children of men.

E. A. Wallis Budge, "The Paradise of the Holy Fathers,"

...advance into battle without hesitation. Should you be visited by the troubling thought of the hatred and undying malice, which the enemies harbor against you, and of the innumerable hosts of the demons, think on the other hand of the infinitely greater power of God and of His love for you, as well as of the incomparably greater hosts of heavenly angels and the prayers of saints. They all fight secretly for us and with us against our enemies...

Lorenzo Scupoli (Unseen Warfare: Chapter 15)

Demons often transform themselves into angels of light and take the form of martyrs, and make it appear to us during sleep that we are in communication with them. Then, when we wake up, they plunge us into unholy joy and conceit. But you can detect their deceit by this very fact. For angles reveal torments, judgments and separations; and when we wake up we find that we are trembling and sad. As soon as we begin to believe the demons in dreams, then they make sport of us when we are awake too. He who believes in dreams is completely inexperienced. 'But he who distrusts all dreams is a wise man. Only believe dreams that warn you of torments and judgments. But if despair afflicts you, then such dreams are also from demons.

St. John Climacus, The Ladder of Divine Ascent

Alexandr:

Noticed your online icon. Hope you don't have the flu that is going around.

Your brother in Christ,

Bob

Even if an angel should indeed appear to you, do not receive him but humiliate yourself, saying, 'I am not worthy to see an angel, for I am a sinner.'

St. Clement of Rome

Do not let the sun go down on the anger of your brother (Eph. 4:26); that is, let no one be angry and enraged against his brother until the setting of the sun.

Elder Ephraim of Philotheou Mount Athos, "Counsels from the Holy Mountain"