My beloved spiritual children in Christ Our Only True God and Our Only True Savior,
CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.
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THE BEATITUDES OF SAINT PAISIOS (Part II)
13. Blessed are those children who lived from infancy in a spiritual environment and, thus, tirelessly advanced in spiritual life. Thrice blessed, however, are the mistreated ones who were not helped at all (on the contrary), they were pushed towards evil). But, as soon as they heard of Christ, their eyes glistened, and with a one hundred and eighty-degree turn they suddenly made their soul shine as well. They departed from the attraction of earth and moved into the spiritual sphere.
14. Fortunate, worldly people say, are the astronauts who are able to spin in the air, orbit the moon or even walk on the moon. Blessed, however, is the immaterial Paradise, their place of permanent abode, with the quickest of means and without much fuel, besides one crust of bread.
15. Blessed are those who glorify God for the moon that glimmers that they might walk at night. More blessed, however, are those who have come to understand that neither the light of the moon is of the moon, nor the spiritual Light of their soul of themselves, but both are of God. Whether they can shine like a mirror, a pane of glass or the lid of a tin can, if the rays of the sun do not fall on them it is impossible for them to shine.
16. Fortunate, worldly people tell us, are those who live in crystal palaces and have all kinds of conveniences. Blessed, however, are those who've managed to simplify their life and become liberated from the web of this world's development of numerous conveniences (i.e., man inconveniences), and were released from the frightening stress of our present age.
17. Fortunate, worldly people say, are those who can enjoy the goods of the world. Blessed, however, are those who give away everything for Christ and are deprived even of every human consolation for Christ. Thus it is that they manage to be found night and day near Christ and His Divine consolation, which many times is so much that they say to God: "My God, Thy love cannot be endured, for it is great and cannot be fit within my small heart".
18. Fortunate, worldly people say, are those who have the greatest jobs and the largest mansions, since they possess all possibilities and live comfortably. Blessed, however, according to the divine Paul, are those who have but a nest to perch in, a little food and some coverings (cf. 1 Timothy 6:8). For, in this way, they've managed to become estranged from the vain world, using the earth as a footstool, as children of God and their mind is constantly found close to God, their Good Father.
19. Fortunate are those who become generals and government ministers in their head by way of heavy drinking (even if just for a few hours), with the worldly rejoicing over it. Blessed, however, are those who have put off the old man and have become incorporeal, managing to be earthly angels with the Holy Spirit. They have found Paradise's divine faucet and drink from it and are continually inebriated from the heavenly wine.
20. Blessed are those who were born crazy and will be judged as crazy, and, in this way, will enter Paradise without a passport. Blessed and thrice blessed, however, are the very wise who feign foolishness for the love of Christ and mock all the vanity of the world. This foolishness for Christ's sake is worth more than all the knowledge and wisdom of the wise of this world.
I beg all the Sisters to pray for God to give me, or rather take from me my little mind, and, in this way, secure Paradise for me by considering me a fool. Or, make me crazy with His love so I go out myself, outside of the earth and its pull, for, otherwise my life as a monk has no meaning. I became externally white as a monk, but I justify myself as one unhealthy when I happen to be so; other times, I excuse myself again for being ill, even though I am well, and so I deserve to be thoroughly thrashed. Pray for me.
May Christ and Panagia be with you!
With love of Christ,
Your brother, Monk Paisios
(Source: Epistle by Elder (Saint) Paisios of Mount Athos, Holy Monastery "Evangelist John the Theologian," Souroti, Thessaloniki, Greece (2002).
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"Glory Be To GOD For All Things!" -- Saint John Chysostomos
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With sincere agape in His Holy Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+Father George