On Truth and Love - Saint Theophan the Recluse

Consider this lesson when thinking about how many are responding to many of the social issue of our time. Many times they try to persuade Christins to accept almost anything because of love. Saint Theophan uses John's Gospel to shows how dangerous this is. The following is written by Saint Theophan the Recluse

The Holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian, is a teacher of love. 

Love breathes through his gospel, lessons about love fill his epistles and his life serves as a striking example of love. He expounded on all the mysteries of love – its source, its movement in deeds, and its culmination – and where it leads all that follow it, to the heights…

Contemporary wise men say, believe as you like. 

They possess a special kind of vain wisdom called “Indifferentism” by which they reason say: believe as you like, it makes no difference – just love everyone like brothers, be charitable to them, and have a good influence on them. They point out that the Evangelist John the Theologian writes only about love. For him, love is light and life and all perfection. According to his words the person who does not love walks in darkness, abides in death, and is a murderer. It is well known that when he grew old and was unable to walk they carried him to church. There he only admonished, “Brethren! Let us love one another.” Thus he so valued love. They tell us that we also should love like that and only love, believing any way we wish. I myself have had to listen to such “wisdom.” Perhaps you have also had to listen to or will hear something similar to this.

How does this contradict the fundamentals of Christian good sense?

...These so-called “wise” people desire to build everything without God – their external welfare and their morality. From this, they strive wherever possible to craftily weave a school of thought where there is no need to talk about God. And they beat their drums about love. They tell us to love one another and here there is nothing to think about God. It is especially on this point where the Holy Evangelist routs them. 

True love involves a close bond with God’s love.

Although St John continuously, and exactingly reminds us to love one another, he also places love in such a close bond with God, with love for God and the knowledge of God, that it is impossible to separate them. Behold where love originates, Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. And he adds, Beloved if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. (I John 4:10, 11). 

Our mutual love must be the action of faith in the Lord

...it is not all right to believe as you want. Further, he teaches, Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; (John 4:7) If we love one another, God dwelleth in us … (I John 4:12) God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him. (I John 4:16). You see, he does not say a word about love without speaking about God and the Saviour. Love is from God and leads to God. Thus he who says that he loves his brother, and does not know and love God and the Saviour, is a liar and the truth is not in him (John 4:20,2:4). 

To love your neighbor you must love God.

Therefore it is possible to summarize the entire teaching of the Holy Evangelist on love in the following words: in order to love your neighbor you must love God, and in order to love God, you must, of course come to know Him within yourself and especially in His salvific activity on us. We must know and believe. What does the will of God consist of? In faith and love: thus the commandment says: That we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another. (I John 3:23).

Our faith is the source of love.

It does not only command us to love but to believe in the Lord, and in such a way that faith is the source of love. If one were to gather into one all the places where St. John the Evangelist speaks only of love, one could still not confirm his teaching by the false reasoning: only love and believe as you want. 

Can there be faith independent of love?

Besides his teaching on love he also speaks of faith, independent of the law of love. Behold how he categorically rejects those who say, believe as you want. 

What does John preach about from the very first verses: 

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looketh upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us; That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. (I John 1:1-3). 

The most important point with all the apostles is the teaching about communion with God through the Lord Jesus Christ, from which proceeds communion of the faithful with one another. How can we have the one without the other?

Who is a liar?

Further he asks the question: who is a liar? and answers thus: Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father… Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son o f God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. (I John 2:22, 23. 4:15). The whole matter is summed up in confessing the Lord Jesus Christ to be the Son of God and to be God. How then could one possibly say, “Believe any way you want”? Then there follows the warning: Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Herein know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist. (I John 4:1-3) 

He who says, “Believe as you want” does not confess Jesus Christ, 

For if he did confess Christ he would not speak thus. Therefore he cannot be from God. Where then is he from? – truly from the antichrist. 

Essence of Christianity

Finally, the Holy Evangelist describes the whole essence of Christianity thus: And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. (I John 5:11-12). Who possesses the Son of God? Those who believe in His name. Therefore he says, and writes: unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God, that ye may know that ye have eternal life … (I John 5:13).

Without belief in the Son of God there is no eternal life.

Consequently, he who does not believe in the Son of God, has not eternal life. Could it possibly make no difference how one wants to believe? No. We know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us light and understanding, that we may know the true God, and that we may be in Him that is true, even in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life (I John 5:20). These excerpts should be enough, I suppose, in order to show the Indifferentists that in vain do they seek to find support for their lie in the teaching of the Theologian. It is more than likely that they make such claims without having ever read his holy and divinely inspired writings, but rather quote him based on rumors about his overflowing love. Let them even now find something else besides the above argument, to defend their teaching to us believers. One word alone from the beloved disciple is sufficient to discredit their teaching and without any doubt to confirm our belief explicitly in that which was given to us by the Lord through the Holy Apostles and preserved by the Church.

False love of those who attribute acts charity as true love.

I would only add the following consideration to the decisive words of the Apostle and Evangelist John: having estranged themselves in their minds from the Lord, these unbelievers grasp at acts of charity whose source and support are precisely in love. They act in this way only to be founded on something without the assurance that they have found a solid basis. If only they had a clear understanding of how it is indeed possible for man to act in a fruitful way, they would never remain fixed on their teaching. The essence of the matter is – that we are not in the proper state. Therefore we cannot act in the right way. 

We must be in the right state for acts of love.

In order for us to act in the correct way, we must enter into the right state. By our own powers we are not capable of doing this. The Lord, having come to the earth, lifted up man to the right state. He did not lead man into this state for His own sake but rather that man would accept from Him renewed humanness and thus gain the possibility of acting properly. 

The proper state begins with Baptism.

We obtain this state through Holy Baptism, for those who are baptized into Christ have put on Christ. From the time of Baptism we become one with the Lord and begin to live His life and act by His power. Those who would claim love or the right action (for love is the fullness of the law) should first accept all the premises of Christianity in order to be able to walk rightly and deny their own falseness (lie). This is impossible without faith, for faith is the root of Christianity and the beginning of everything.

To love we must first believe in Him

The Lord Himself says this: Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except ye abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in Me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without Me ye can do nothing. If a man abides not in Me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them and cast them into the fire, and they are burned (John 15: 4-6). When someone begins to expound to you about love or fruitful action independent of true belief, tell him: Wait, first believe correctly. By faith acquire all the salvific precepts of Christianity. Through them be united with the Lord, make your life and strength depend on Him like you would on an injection for your health and then you will begin to act in a fruitful way. It is a fact that the witness to a righteous life is fruitful activity in love, but in order to attain it and to remain in it, one must accept all of God’s Truth with faith and pass through all of God’s sanctifying actions [on one’s self]. Only under these conditions, i.e., by abiding in True Love, may we grow up into Him in all things, Who is the head, even Christ (cf. Eph. 4,15). We could summarize thus: he who does not have the right Faith cannot enter into the proper state, and he who does not enter into the right state cannot properly act. Now do you see how one cannot say: “Believe as you wish, only love”?

Beware of institution’s that have faith in reality.

Faith is not only the image of the knowledge of God and of our relationship to Him; it also includes all the salvific institutions [not just the Church as an establishment but all that is contained within the Church for salvation] given by God. These salvific institutions maintain active faith. Our so-called wise men might not actually be opposed to Christian teaching, but, more than anything else, they are repulsed by Christian institutions. Since these institutions are nothing more than faith in reality and in action, then their main sin is that they do not want to act in the spirit of the Faith. One is only amazed at how these people so persistently expound about deeds and labors but remove themselves from activity in the realm of holy Faith. There is something amiss here. Surely they are acquainted with the laws of logical thought. There is such duplicity here that one must assume that they are not in fact doers, but are acted upon – they are the tools of a foreign spirit, and such a spirit that is itself foreign to Truth. 

Be on guard of evil reasoning of this world.

Brethren, having understood this, let us guard ourselves against the evil reasoning of this world. Only those who have never tasted the Truth can waver in it. Let us fulfill with humility and in the spirit of truth all that our holy Faith demands. Then we will have, and carry within, a witness which will bring to naught all false arguments from without. May the Lord illumine us by His Truth. Amen.

Source: https://inklesspen.blog/2022/07/23/on-truth-and-love/ 

What is True Religion?

Today many Orthodox Christians call themselves religious but do not practice a true religion. What do I mean? Let me give two simple examples. One person comes to church periodically. When she comes she makes many prostrations, crosses herself many times, cries, venerates all the icons on the iconostasis, makes a generous donation to the church. Another comes most Sundays and often on a week day and sits quietly in the back. The first, when she leaves the church immediately begins to complain about her health and other problems she has. The other, even though she sufffers from several ailments always has a warm smile and the first thing she is asks in broken English is, "are you OK" . So who has the true religion?

Saint Porfyrios says that the true religion is based on our love of God, not on the form but on substance of this love. He calls it Eros or love with passion. He says when we have this kind of love for God we receive His grace. We live in His light. When we have this light there is no darkness. No matter what we face we find goodness.

He uses the example of ancient people who lived in a cave and blocked the entrance to keep the wind out. Inside it was dark and there was little oxygen. They were not healthy. When they would go outside they would receive the sunlight and fresh air and be rejuvenated. The same he says happens when we receive the light of Christ. Without this light we are like the cave dweller, in darkness. With Hia light we are changed and what was bad becomes good. Darkness becomes light. This is the nature of a True religion.

We can follow all the rules, fast, pray, do metanias, cross ourselves, come to church, read scripture and still not have a true religion.

Saint Porfyrios says,

Often neither labor, nor prostrations, nor crossing ourselves attract God's grace. There are the mysteries. The most important thing is to go beyond the formal aspects and go to the heart of the matter. Whatever is done must be done with love.

 ....

With Christ a person is filled with grace and so lives above evil. Evil does not exist for him. There is only good, which is God. Evil cannot exist. While there is light there cannot be darkness. Nor can darkness encompass him because he has the light. 

The true Christian religion transforms and heals. But this requires our humility. True religion is love. We long for God always and seek union with Him, to live in His light. Without this, religion is a struggle and leaves us confused and weak. We grasp for pious actions. We seek charitable activities, we make prostrations. We try many things but remain confused, quarrelsome or depressed.

The true religion is not a human one. It is one with the true knowledge of the Trinitarian God and the work of the Holy Spirit. Our aim is to be one with Him based on a passionate love for Him. This love extends to all members. Saint Porfyrios describes this love as enthusiasm, madness, an intense longing for the divine. In this way we attract His grace and are changed and find peace and love in Him.

Reference: Wounded by Love, pp 94 - 95.

Why do we say Christ is the only Way?

The unique aspect of Christianity is that it is Christ centered. Jesus Christ is the Way and the goal. Through the Church we become united with Christ retaining our individuality. Christianity teaches that any  other union with God is an illusion if it is not achieved through Christ. Christ was given to mankind as the ladder to heaven, to Him. It is through Him that we have access to the Father and Spirit. It is Christ who sends the Spirit. Jesus Christ is like a bridge between human nature and the divine. It is in Christ that both are united. There is no other Way.

To those who see other good people of other faiths often question this. But the Incarnation of the Son of God is a reality that cannot be denied. God sent His son as the Way to His kingdom for our benefit. Fr Staniloae says, Jesus Christ He came for us as "a voice" of love, ringing out with all the affection of a human being, so familiar to us. But this means that man himself was made capable of becoming the medium by which the Son of God is communicated to us..."

When we ascend to God we are "with Him and in Him." Our ascent is  not based on our individual efforts. It is only through Him that we are able to ascend. In the beginning our soul is "sensitized by the Holy Spirit." From this we are able to realize that there is a relationship with Jesus who is the one guiding and helping us along the Way. He is like a good friend, who is more advanced in wisdom and whom we trust, guiding us with love and understanding.

In the beginning Jesus is not visible to us but is hidden in His commandments. We see from the Gospel that He is a model of perfection. As Saint Maximus the Confessor writes, "To beginners he appears in the form of a servant."

As we advance along the Way our vision of Him changes. Initially His true glory is hidden but then it is revealed more and more like the disciples experienced at the Transfiguration of the Lord on Mount Tabor. His glory is initially hidden in His commandments and as we strive to carry them out and begin to develop the virtues, the presence of Christ becomes clearer. By our cooperation with Him, our faith and commitment to carry out His commandments, we are given greater and greater power of the Spirit to carry them out. In the process the image of Jesus become clearer and clearer. As we make this ascent to higher levels of perfection we are aided by our ascetic efforts and we gain in our mystical contemplation of Christ.We find that Christ is a most intimate participant in every aspect of our life. He imprints "Himself spiritually in us."

He is there to help us in all our struggles of life in this world. He is there when we are tempted and when we sin. He is always at our side helping us along the Way leading us to our true nature. Because He became Man in His divinity we know that He knows our condition.  And because of His love for us that He has shown in His Crucifixion  and Resurrection we have great faith in His help.

The Mysteries of the Church are essential in our ascent. They are how Christ penetrates our inner being. This includes the purification of Baptism, anointing of Holy Chrism, and our partaking of Him in Holy Communion. Nicholas Cabasilas tells us that it is by the medium of the holy mysteries that "Christ comes to us and dwells in us; He is united to us and grows into one with us. He stifles sin in us and infuses into us His own life and merit..."

Our ascent to virtue that comes from faith and results in love is based on our acceptance of a hierarchy in the Church. Those who became saints have been helped by the angels. The church from the lay person, to the priests, bishops and then angles form a ecclesiastical hierarchy whose purpose is to help us grow in virtue and our closeness to God. This hierarchy is realized in degrees as we progress. Fr Staniloae says, "The work of the hierarchy for the salvation of the faithful is essentially exercised through the holy mysteries, especially through Baptism, Chrismation and the Eucharist." Even those at the hight levels of holiness gain from the holy mysteries and will have a greater vision of their content and profit even more by them.

While we are here on earth the Church is essential for us to make progress. We must accept the hierarchical and sacramental structure of the Church. if we do we will progress toward the heavenly hierarchy of the angels and saint in heaven. The Church is the body of Christ and is the ladder by which we climb.  It is the only ladder God has provided for us.

What is the "Fire" that Torments?

How can a loving God be so cruel to allow any of his creatures to burn eternally? In Scripture we find numerous references to the fire of hell which we will endure if we are not united with God's love (see passages below).  What is really meant by this reference to fire?  Is it like a physical fire or is it something else?

Saint John of Damascus gives us some insight into these passages that are often used to instill fear rather than love of God. He explains this fire as a condition where we will not be able to satisfy the desires we carry with us into death, those desires that we have put above our desire to be united with  God out of love and to do His will. This absence of any satisfaction for these misguided desires leads us to the kind of suffering which is like being burned by fire. Isn't it the nature of suffering our inability to satisfy our desires?

He writes:

We say that the torment is nothing other than the fire of unsatisfied passion. For those who obtained changelessness in passion do not desire God but sin. But there in that place the commission of evil has no place. For we neither eat nor drink, nor get dressed, nor marry, nor gather wealth, nor does envy or another evil satisfy us. Therefore, by desiring and not partaking of the things desired, they are burned by passions as if by fire. But those who desire the good––namely God alone, Who is and exists eternally––and who partakes of Him rejoice according to the intensity of their desire according to which they also partake of the Desired One.

When we pass from this life to a heavenly life there will not be the means to satisfy those desires that we place such high priority on in our earthly life. We will not be able to find satisfaction in food, in fancy parties where we dress to look our best, in all the pleasures we can buy with money, in the superior status or power we have gained. Heaven strips us of what was pleasurable in our earthly life. There is only one desire that can be satisfied in this new life. That is our desire to be united with God in love. Without this as our overriding desire we will not find pleasure in heaven. There will  be no way to satisfy any other desire.

According to Orthodox teaching the fire that torments is not a physical fire, but is a torment that comes from the inability our soul to direct its desire towards communion with God. One who cannot do this is imprisoned by his own action and his passions strike him like poisonous serpents. He will be surrounded by those he hates and separated from those he loves and who love him. He will always be seeking what can never be satisfied. Dumitru Staniloae says, "He falls into a sort of dreamlike existence in which everything becomes chaotic in a senseless absurdity, without any consistency, without any search for an exit out of it, without any hope for an exit."

Why does God leave a person in such a condition?  Why doesn't he show himself with His divine light so one can see and depart from such darkness? The answer is that God is not an external reality that imposes itself but is offered to us out of love. This cannot be perceived except through an openness to love that is humble and full of desire for Him. It is based on a relationship. He who is bound up in lesser desires will not admit that such love is possible when he cannot offer such love in return. God therefore cannot make Himself evident as a loving Person in this case. Saint Isaac the Syrian says that hell is a punishment of love.

Satin John of Damascus writes:

He who desires receives. He who is good receives good things ... The righteous, by desiring and having God, rejoice forever; but the sinners, by desiring sin and not possessing objects of sin, are tormented as if eaten by the worm and consumed by fire, with no consolation; for what is suffering if not the absence of that which is desired? According to the intensity of desire, those who desire God rejoice, and those who desire sin are tormented.
Here on earth when we incline our desire toward other things and obtain them even partially, we find pleasure in them. Over there, however, when "God will be all in all" (1Cor 15:28) and there will be neither food, nor drink, nor any bodily pleasure nor any injustice, those who possess neither common pleasures nor anything from God will suffer great pain that is not produced by God, but that we prepare for ourselves.

We cannot say that God punishes us with fire, but that it is our own misdirected desires that lead us to suffering that is like being burt by fire. To avoid the fire our primary desire has to be directed toward our love of God.

We must remember that Jesus, God incarnate, came for our benefit. He came out of God's love for all mankind to save us from the fallen condition we are in. He did not come to punish us. He came to transform us and to teach us that our earthly desires are misguided when substituted for our love of God our Creator. He loves us so much that He sacrificed His own life on the Cross to free us from our sinfulness, showing us the way through His Resurrection to be joined with Him in His kingdom with eternal life, and then sends the Holy Spirit to establish His Church on earth for our perfection in love. He is a God of love and only calls us to return that love. We can enjoy the pleasures of this world, all He created is Good, but only if we always give priority to our desire for His love and give thanks to Him for what we enjoy. If we replace this supreme desire with earthy desires, these will not be fulfilled when we enter into the heavenly realm. Lacking a desire for union with God, we will find ourselves separated eternally from His love, the only desire that can be satisfied after our bodily death.

Remember that Christ is within each of us. He resides in our heart. Make His love your desire.


New Testament references to the fire of damnation:
"every tree that does not bear good fruit is thrown into the fire" (Matt 3:10, Lk 3:9)
"His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threading floor, and gather His seat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire." (Matt 3:12, Lk 3:17)
"Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in their, so it will be at the end of the age.... Will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be ailing and gnashing of teeth." (Matt 13:40, 42, 50)
"It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, than to be cast into hell fire." (Matt 18:9, Mark 9:47)
"If Your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame, rather than having two feet, to be cast into hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched." (Mark 9:45)
"If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, they are burned." (John 15:6)
"The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever." (Rev 20:10)
"Anyone not found in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire." (Rev 20:15)
"The cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murders, sexually immoral,sorcerers, idolaters and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone..." (Rev 21:8)

Reference: The Experience of God, vol 6, by Dumitru Staniloae, pp 43-47

What does it mean to be a friend of God?

In our spiritual life we are asked to continually grow becoming more and more like Christ. Saint Basil the Great tells us that if we are advancing in virtue we are ever changing. This change involves an inner change. This is a change that affects our attitude towards the world, our friends and our enemies, our entire world view.


He writes,

'When I was a child' it is said, I spoke as a child, I felt as a child, I thought as a child. Now that I have become a man, I have put away the things of a child' (1 Cor. 13.11) Again, when he had become a man, he did not rest from his work, but 'forgetting what was behind, he strained forward to what was before, he pressed on towards the goal to the prize of the heavenly calling' (Cf. Phil. 3.13, Cf. n. 10 supra.) There is a change, therefore, of the inner man who is renewed day by day....

This inner change does not come to just any one. It comes to one who is seeking change, one who seeks the love of God each and every day. It is change where we are participants, where we have to make use of our free will, and to discipline our mind and body. It is change that involves a shift in the orientation of our heart.


Saint Basil writes,

It is not the privilege of any chance person to go forward to the perfection of love and to learn to know Him who is truly beloved, but of him who has already 'put off the old man, which is being corrupted through its deceptive lusts, and has put on the new man' (Eph. 4.22, 24) which is being renewed that it may be recognized as an image of the Creator. Moreover, he who loves money and is aroused by the corruptible beauty of the body and esteems exceedingly this little glory here, since he has expended the power of loving on what is not proper, he is quite blind in regard to the contemplation of Him who is truly beloved.

He is saying that we need to make sure that our motivations are not about the love of money, our the glamorization of our physical looks, or our accomplishment and recognition in worldly affairs. Instead the change we seek is only about the "perfection of love" towards our God. Our effort is to be direct towards the commandment of our Lord: 'Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole mind.' (Mark 12.30) Saint Basil helps us understand the meaning of "whole heart." It has to do with being a true friend of God.


He writes,

The expression, 'With thy whole,' admits of no division into parts. As much love as you shall have squandered on lower objects, that much will necessarily be lacking to you from the whole. Because of this, of all people few have been called friends of God, as Moses has been described as a friend; (Cf. Exod. 33.11) likewise, John: 'But the friend' he says, 'of the bridegroom, who stands, rejoices exceedingly,' (John 3.29) that is to say, he who has a steadfast and immovable love for Christ, he is worthy of His friendship.

WHo is a friend? "He who has a steadfast and immovable love for Christ." True friendship is based on true love. WHen we love someone we are continually seeking to be with them and to please them. Being a friend of God means we seek Him above all else and desire with our whole being to please Him, doing His will. It is the Lord's disciples that we can see as models for this true friendship.


Basil writes,

Therefore, the Lord said to His disciples who were already perfect: 'No longer do I call you servants,' but friends; 'because the servant does not know what his master does.' (John 15.15) Accordingly, it is the privilege of a perfect man truly to recognize the Beloved. In reality, only holy men are the friends of God and friends to each other, but no one of the wicked or stupid is a friend. The beauty of friendship does not fall into a depraved state, since nothing shameful or incongruous can be capable of the harmonious union of friendship.

Ask yourself these questions: Are you His friend? Or, are you only an acquaintance? Or, maybe even an enemy? How would you describe the intensity of your love for Him? Are you only a servant carrying out His commandments? To be His friend one needs to be ever changing with ever increasing love. He needs to be working on perfecting this friendship each and every day.


A friend of God is one who has "a steadfast and immovable love for Christ."


Reference: Saint Basil's Commentary on the Psalms, Homily 17

A Life Of Practical Simplicity

In the following, think of the simplicity of the earliest Christians.  They lived the faith and this was how Christianity was spread. They had no scholarly papers, not even a Bible.  They heard, believed and lived the truths that were taught them.  It is worthwhile to reflect on this simplicity.  It is the same simplicity exhibited by the life of Elder Porphyrios.  

Matthew the Poor wrties,

If we look back to the early days of the Church, we are astonished at its power, especially that of the newly-founded Churches. In spite of the fact that the people were simple and ignorant of the Bible... their spiritual life and their demonstrations of faith, love, and zeal were fine examples of a powerful life lived according to the precepts of the Gospel... Even up to the present time, we still draw on their faith and tradition, and understand only with difficulty the letters that were written to them, which they understood easily and lived out.

....

Those simple people understood the Gospel. They understood the Gospel. They understood that it was a life to be lived, not principles to be discussed, and they refused to understand it on a purely academic level. Up to this day, faithful followers of Christ still draw life for themselves from the living spring of the understanding of those early Christians.

These early communities, burning with love for Christ, had no creeds, no patrology, no expositions of Scripture, but the few words of Christ that reached their ears immediately became their creed, needing no explanations or teaching or interpretation, but needing, as they saw it, to be experienced and lived. Through experience they would discover the power of the words and bring to light the mysteries they contained. And so their zeal and love and faith in Christ and the Gospel would grow.

When they heard “Blessed are the poor in spirit,” they sold everything and laid their money at the feet of the apostles.

When they heard “Blessed are those who mourn now,” they despised all suffering and weariness in the service of the Lord.

When they heard “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,” they bore the cruellest humiliations and insults and attacks.

When they heard “Watch and pray,” they met in the catacombs to watch and pray all night.

When they heard “Love your enemies,” history recorded no resistance put up by the Christians, whether positive or negative, against their persecutors. And they bowed their necks to the sword in humility and obedience to honor the word of Christ.

This was for them the meaning of reading the Gospel and understanding it. There was born in them a hunger and thirst for the righteousness of God, and this is why the Holy Spirit was at His most active in working with them. He would give power to the word, strengthen their hearts, support them in weakness, lead them in the darkness, comfort them in distress, and accompany them along the way till they gave up their spirit into the hand of its Creator with great glory.

This is our challenge.  We must learn to thirst after God, to love him with our whole hearts, to desire to follow His commandments, to have a feeling of contriteness when we cannot do as He wishes us, to ask forgiveness, to seek with zeal ways to change our behavior.  With our love of Him comes His grace to aid us in loving others.  This is what is necessary for an Orthodox Way of Life. 

Reference: The Communion of Love, by Matthew the Poor.

Pray with Love and Yearning

When we pray we must pray with love and yearning. Through prayer our soul is filled with divine love.


Elder Porphyrios says,

Lord Jesus Christ Have Mercy On Me

Pray to God with love and yearning. And when you repeat the prayer, "Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me." Say it slowly, humbly, gently and with divine love. Pronounce the name of Christ with sweetness. Say the words one at a time: "Lord...Jesus...Christ...have mercy on me,"  smoothly, tenderly, affectionally, silently, secretly, mystically, but with exaltation, with longing, with passion, without tension, force of unbecoming emphasis, without compulsion and pressure. In the way a mother speaks to the child she lovesL "my little boy...me darling girl...my little Johnny...my sweet Mary!" 

This prayer will lead you to silence.  Gradually the words are lost. The soul prefers silence. There comes a time of true prayer where there is nothing but silence.  And as the Elder says, "The flood of divine love fills the soul with joy and exultation."


Reference: Wounded by Love, p 127

A Spiritual Guide is a Must for Practicing the Jesus Prayer

Why is a guide necessary?  Because you can easily be lead astray.  In prayer, you may experience visions or lights which are demonic and lead you to pride.  A guide can help you deal with such such experiences.  He can help you avoid being trapped by your pride and self will.  He can guide you in a progressive way, growing step by step to the stage where you will see the true light.

Elder Porphyrios speaks of the danger of delusion,

And if in this spiritual dimension desire is enkindled, not by your good self, but by the other self, the egotistical self, then undoubtably you will begin to experience a pseudo-joy. But in your outward life you will be ever more aggressive and irascible, more quick-tempered and fretful.  These are the signs of a person who is deluded.  

A guide must be a person who is experienced in the prayer of the heart.  It cannot be someone who prays mechanically and has not experienced prayer with the grace of God.  Such a person will only be able to tell you what he has read in books.


A spiritual guide will keep you out of danger of delusion.


The Elder advises,

This is the teaching. We say that prayer cannot be taught, but in point of fact it can be taught when you live with someone who truly prays. When you take a book about prayer and read it, it may be that you don't understand anything.  But when you have an elder next to you who prays, whatever he tells you about prayer you understand and take to heart.

Reference: Wounded By Love, pp 124 - 126 

How to Pray the Jesus Prayer

Elder Porphyrios gives us some instruction on prayer using the Jesus Prayer.


He says,

Prayer should be interior, prayed with the mind and not with the lips, so as not to cause distraction witht he mind wandering here and there.  Let us bring Christ into our mind in an unforced manner by repeating very gently, 'Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me.'  don't think anything except the words, 'Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me.' Nothing else. Nothing at all. Calmly, with open eyes, so that you are not in danger of succumbing to fantasies and delusions, and with care and devotion, turn towards Christ.  Repeat the prayer in an unforced manner and not continually, but when there is the disposition and an atmosphere of compunction which is a gift of divine grace. Without grace you fall into a state of self-hynotism and you can end up seeing lights and delusions and become mentally deranged.

Prayer should not be seen as a chore or an obligation but rather an act of love.  There is no need for techniques such as a stool, bowing the head or closing the eyes.  True prayer is not dependent on anything external.


Reference: Wounded By Love, pp 121-122

How Does One Pray in the Heart?

Once a monk from the Holy Mountain who practices the Jesus prayer visited Elder Porphyrios and inquired about how he said the Jesus prayer.  Here is the dialogue that took place:

"How do you say the Jesus Prayer? Do you sit on a stool? Do you lower your head and concentrate?"

"No, " I replied. "I say, 'Lord Jesus Christ...' clearly in my mind giving attention to the words.  'Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me... Lord Jesus...' That is how I do it in my mind and pay attention to the words."

"That's not right at all, Elder," he said.  "The way you describe it is quite erroneous, not to say deluded.  The mind needs to be in the heart.  That is why it's called 'prayer of the heart.'"

"I'll tell you something else," I said to him. "Sometimes when I would be facing some temptation, I would bring into my mind the image of the Christ on the cross with his transfixed hands and feet dripping with blood and with the crown of thorns piercing his brow and with myself kneeling before him and saying to Him, 'Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me'."

"And you didn't bring your mind into your heart?" he interrupted.

"No." I replied.

"You are deluded," he said to me. "The mind must be in the heart.  That's why it's called 'prayer of the heart.' Delusion!"

He got up to leave.

"Elder!", I said to him. "Listen and I'll tell you something.  When I am repeating the prayer in my mind, sometimes my joy becomes more and more intense.  And when my joy becomes ever stronger with the words, "Lord Jesus Christ...", I feel my mind leaping within me along with my heart. That is, I feel my mind plummeting into my heart and there I experience all this joy as I say the prayer.  I begin with the mind and then my mind moves on its own when when joy comes."

"So that's how you pray! That indeed is the way!" he said to me. "Forgive me for saying 'delusion'."

Elder Porphyrios Teaching the Jesus Prayer.

This is a story one of the spiritual children of Elder Porphyrios told about how he taught them to pray. 

He placed us towards the east, two of us to his left and two to the right, with him in the middle. “Now we’ll pray noetically. first, I will say the words, and you will repeat them. But be careful, without anxiety or force, you’ll say the words calmly, humbly, with love and sweetness.” The Elder started off with his fine, delicate and eloquent voice, “Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me.” He said it very slowly, word by word, without forcing it at all. It was a though he had Christ before and he was begging him, with a log pause after the word “Christ”, Coloring his words “have mercy on me” with an entreating tone. And we repeated it each time, trying to imitate his stance, the color of his voice and if it at all possible his spiritual disposition. At some point, the Elder stopped saying the prayer out loud and just continued whispering it on his lips. We did the same thing. How long did our night-time prayer take? I don’t remember. All I remember was that the Elder imparted an emotion to us that I cannot express with human words. 

More on Jesus Prayer....

Reference, With Elder Porphyrios, by C. Yiannitsiotis, p 55

Porphyrios' Advice on the Jesus Prayer

Elder Porphyrios teaches that the prayer of the heart is for those who have already attracted the grace of God. 

He warns,

I mustn't be done with the thought.  "I'll learn it, I'll so it, I'll acquire it", because in this way we may be led to egoism and pride.

This is the serious danger for those who set out to practice the Jesus Prayer to seek the divine light of God.  They apply it like an external method.  It is their ego acting, their self will seeking some kind of pleasure from God.  This will most likely result in only increasing ones pride and will attract much assistance from the devil.  You may experience visions and lights which encourage you on your quest. Meanwhile your relationships with others will worsen. You we be seen as aloof and impatient.  It is a very dangerous situation.


Elder Porphyrios says,

Not only experience and genuine desire, but also wisdom, care and prudence are required if our prayer is to pure and pleasing to God.

Reference: Wounded By Love, p. 121

In Prayer What Is Meant By "Simplicity of Heart"?

Be mindful of the Lord in goodness and seek Him in simplicity of heart; for He is found with those who do not tempt Him, and appears to those who are not unfaithful to him. Wisdom 1:1 - 2

Elder Porphyrios tells a story about a converstion on prayer he had with a visiting Bishop.

He asked the Bishop, "What is meant by praying 'in simplicity of heart and artlessness?'"

The Bishop replied, "Praying with simplicity."

The elder then asked, "And do you understand what that means, your Emenince?"

He responded, "Yes I do."

The Elder then said, "Well, I don't. It is a mystery. It's something that happens only with divine grace."

The Bishop replied, "You are quite right. I don't understand either. An I'm grateful to you for reminding me that simplicity and artlessness can only be understood and achieved though divine grace."

The lesson is that true prayer cannot be gained by any external set of rules or method.  It only comes based on a humble loving relationship with God. Prayer is mystical and comes with grace.

The Elder tells us,

Simplicity and gentleness are a very saintly mode of spiritual life, but you cannot learn this in an external way. It must suffuse itself mystically within you so that your soul embraces this mode of life through the grace of God.

Reference: Wounded By Love, p 118 

What Should We Ask For In Our Prayers?

Elder Porphyrios says we should not ask in our prayer for something like "free me from illness" or "solve my problem".  What we should ask for is for His support and strength to deal with what we are given in life. It is natural for us to ask God for what we want.  But this is self centered.  Do we know what it is that God wants?


Elder Porphyrios says,

We shouldn't continue relentlessly in order to acquire what we want; rather we should leave all things to the will of God. What happens when we peruse what we want?  These always increase and we are never satisfied with what we have. The more we chase after these wants the more elusive they become. If we pray for good grades next we will ask for a good job.  Then it will be for a better job and so forth.

What should we ask for in our prayer?


The Elder says,

In our prayer we should ask only for the salvation of our soul.... The secret is to ask for your union with Christ with utter selflessness, without saying "give me this" or "give me that."... We should ask for the will of God to be done.

The enemy is our egoism.




Reference: Wounded By Love, p 117

Why are our prayers not heard?

Our prayers are not heard because we are not worthy.

Elder Porphyrios tells us that "the slightest murmuring against your neighbor affects your soul and you are unable to pray."  We must make ourselves worthy for prayer he advises us.  And our unworthiness comes from our inability to love our neighbor as ourselves.


Jesus says,

If you bring your gift to the altar and there you remember that your brother holds something against you leave your gift before the altar and go first to be reconciled with your brother and then offer your gift. Matt. 5:23 - 4

True prayer is not easy.  It is based on a close relationship with God.  It requires a self-giving to God and His will.


Elder Porphyrios says,

Those who desire and crave to belong to Christ and who abandon themselves tot he will of God become worthy.

This is the greatest spiritual challenge to give up our will and submit it to God's will.  It is a necessity to be able to keep all of His commandments.  This is the sign of our love of God.


Jesus says,

He who has my commandments and keeps them, he is the one who loves me; and he who loves me shall be loved by my Father and I will love him and will manifest myself to him. John 14:21

To be in union with God takes great effort on our part.


The Elder says,

We have to wrestle with the roaring lion.

More on Orthodox Prayer


Reference: Wounded by Love, p 116 

Through Prayer We Unite our Mind With God

To be able to have our mind continually turned towards God in love we must pray and meditate on His words. Elder Porphyrios advises that prayer is not based on our effort. It is only done with the Holy Spirit. He says, “In human prayer effort represents only a time millionth part.”

He says we need to have the proper surroundings

The reading of Scripture, the singing of psalms, the light of an oil lamp, and the fragrance of incense all create the appropriate atmosphere so that everything happens naturally, in simplicity of heart.

It is important to create a quiet place in our homes for our daily prayer. 

He advises us to pray for the divine light to shine within us to open our spiritual eyes to understand His divine words. To pray the words, “Lord Jesus Christ have mercy on us,” we need divine eros, he says.

Love is sufficient to bring us into a suitable frame of mind for prayer. Christ will come on His own and He will stoop over our soul as long as he finds certain little things which gratify Him: good intention, humility and love….

There are some preconditions for this to take place.  He advises, 

Our heart must be pure and free from all impediments. It must be devoid of hatred, egotism and malice. We must love His and He must love us…. the secret is to ask for forgiveness.

The message is always the same. Love.  Love God with all your heart and you will receive His grace.  You will have a pure heart and your mind will be suitable for prayer.  No effort will be needed.


More on Orthodox Prayer....

Reference: Wounded By Love, pp 113 - 115

Illness as the Love of Christ

Elder Porphyrios suffered many illness during his life. It was the reason he could not stay on Mount Athos. Even though he suffered more than a normal person, he would thank God for his illnesses.


He says,

I am in great pain, but my illness is something very beautiful. I feel it as the love of Christ. I am given compunction and I give thanks to God. It is on account of my sins. I an sinful and God is trying to purify me. 

Normally we pray asking God to heal us, to free us from a maladies. But the Elder takes a different course. When he was sixteen he asked God to give him a cancer so He should suffer for His love. His elder told him to not pray in this way because it was egoism. He didn’t continue with this kind of prayer but he did receive his wish.


He says,

Now I do not pray for God to take away from me the thing I asked HIm for. I am glad that I have it so that I can participate in His suffering through my great love. 

I do not pray for God to make me well… I pray for my soul, for God to forgive my transgressions. I am not taking medicines, nor did I go for surgery, not even for tests…. The grace of God sustains me. I try to give myself to Christ, to approach Christ and to be one with Christ… 

We benefit greatly from our illnesses, as long as we endure them without complaint and glorify God, asking for His mercy… 

Often we do the opposite of this.  Some even get angry at God for their sickness.  Next time you you are sick, think about all that God gives you and how difficult it is for you to do all He expects of us.  Try giving thanks to God for this time of humbling.  Through your contrition and thankfulness, you will receive grace so His will can be done for you.




Reference: Wounded By Love, 224 - 231

Our Heart Can Transmit Either Good or Evil

We are not always aware of the powers we have. Depending on the disposition of our heart we can transmit either good or evil, Elder Porphyrios advises us. He warns us to be very careful to see things with a positive view.

He says, 

Even the slightest anger or indignation does harm. We need to have goodness and love in our soul and to transmit these things. 

We need to be careful not to harbor any resentment against those who harm us, but rather to pray for them with love… We need always to have thoughts of love and always to think good of others. 

He highlights for us the example of Saint Stephen. As he was being stoned to death he prayed, “Lord do not hold this sin against them.” How many of us can do this? Not many, but this is our potential with the love of God filling our mind at all times. Grace flows at these times enabling us to act in saintly ways. Saint Stephen had this love of Christ in his mind and heart as he was being stoned. He sets an example for us to follow.

If we pray with love for others this is also transmitted. It is important to be in touch with this invisible power of our soul. In both good and bad, this power is transmitted over great distances.

He says, 

If we pray with love for someone, whatever the distance that separates us, the good is transmitted. So distances do not affect the power of good and evil. We can transmit these across boundless distances. 

This is not something Elder Porphyrios is talking about in any theoretical way. After he became a monk he was given though God’s grace the powers of clairvoyance. In his autobiography he recounts a story of seeing his elders returning when they were on the other side of the mountain. He could visualize water under the ground when seeking a well for his monastery. One of his spiritual children, Constantine Yiannitsiotis, recounts how he saw in both people and things the cause of events. In his book, With Elder Porphyrios, he offers many examples of these powers in action. He understood the past as well as the future.

The person who receives this gift of clairvoyance is one who loves God as Elder Porphyrios does. Such power is an act of divine grace. The Elder gives us the preconditions for this.

He says, 

Only a person who has humility receives these gifts from God; he attributes them to God and he uses them for His glory. The good, humble, devout man who loves God, deluded or led astray. He feels in his heart that he is truly unworthy, and that all those things are given to him so that he may become good, and for that reason he makes his ascetic struggle. 

Our aim must be to become holy and God may then grant us additional powers. Grace does not come to those who are ego-centered. It comes only to those who are humble, selfless, and love God above all else.

Reference: Wounded by Love, pp 212 - 214

The Way to Peace in The Workplace

A lesson for the workplace. Elder Thaddeus (1914 - 2003) is another modern day holy person who teaches the Way of Love.  He gives us a very practical example that applies to many of us today.

I often remember the story of Sister J. ... Once she came together with an organized group of pilgrims, and complained, saying, 'I cannot bear this any longer!  People are so unkind to each other!’  She went on to say that she was going to look for another job.  I advised her against it, as there were few jobs and a high level of unemployment.  I told her to stop the war she was fighting with her colleagues. 'But I am not fighting with anyone!’ she said.  I explained that, although she was not fighting them physically, she was waging war on her colleagues with her thoughts, by being dissatisfied with her position.

She argued that it [i.e., her work situation] was beyond anyone's endurance.  'Of course it is,' I told her, 'but you can't do it yourself.  You need God's help.  No one knows whether you are praying or not while you are at work.  So, when they start offending you, do not return their offenses --- either with words or with negative thoughts. Try not to offend them even in your thoughts; pray to God that He may send them an angel of peace.  Also ask that He not forget you.  You will not be able to do this immediately.  However, if you always pray like that, you will see how things will change over time, and how people will change as well.  In fact, you too are going to change.’

At that time, I did not know whether she was going to heed my advice.  This happened in the Tumane Monastery in 1980.  In 1981, I was sent to the Vitovnica Monastery.  I was standing underneath the quince tree, when I noticed a group of pilgrims that had arrived.  She was in the group, and she came up to me to receive a blessing.  And this is what she said to me, 'O Father, I had no idea people were so good.'  I asked her whether she was referring to her colleagues at work, and she said she was.  'They have changed so much, Father, it’s unbelievable!  No one offends me anymore, and I can see the change in myself as well.'

If there were just one such person in every company, factory or office!  That would be the way toward peace.  Only one person, who is prayerfully connected to God, is needed; and we will have peace everywhere --- in the family, at work, in the government, and everywhere.  It is in the presence of such a person that we are freed from gloomy and cumbersome thoughts.

Reference: Our Thoughts Determine Our Lives: The Life and Teachings of  Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnica,  pp 93 - 94

How to Influence Others With Love

Meekness and graciousness are terms to apply to one who practices the Way of Love. To influence others we must show great consideration for the opinions of others. We have to listen with understanding and compassion.  We have to demonstrate we understand the other person's viewpoint and we care.  Listen, listen, listen.  Do not attack or condemn in any way. Seek to know their environment and situation. Ask yourself, "Why is it they think this way?" Think about how you can help nurture their soul and then say it simply with love.

Here is how Elder Porpyrios puts its,

In debates, if you say a few words about religion you will prevail. Let the person who has a different opinion give free reign to his thoughts and speak as much as he likes… Let him sense that he is addressing himself to a calm and uncontentious person. Influence him though your graciousness and prayer and then speak briefly. You achieve nothing if you speak heatedly and tell him, for example, ‘What you are saying is untrue, a downright lie!’ What will you achieve? Be ‘as sheep among wolves’ (Matt 10:16). What should you do? Show indifference outwardly, but be praying inwardly. Be prepared, know what you are talking about and speak boldly and to the point, but with saintliness, meekness and prayer. But in order to be able to do this you must become a saint. 

This last thought is an important one: 
“To be able to do this you must become a saint.”  Ask yourself, "How do I become a saint?"

Reference: Wounded by Love, p 188