From the publishers
Dear readers!
You are holding in your hands the first edition of the “Words” of Elder Paisius the Holy Mountain, published after his general church glorification as a reverend and God-bearing father[1]. If earlier the teachings of Elder Paisios were precious pearls, reflecting the experience of the highly respected ascetic of Holy Mount Athos, now the Church recognized that his life was holy and worthy of imitation, and his words belonged to the treasury of patristic writing, accurately expressing the sacred Church Tradition.
The relics of St. Paisius rest in Greece near Thessaloniki, in the hesychastery of St. John the Theologian near the village of Suroti. The special presence of Elder Paisius is felt there, and the sisters of the hesychastir are engaged in publishing the legacy of the monk. Since in Russia the Hesychastria has established friendly relations with the Holy Transfiguration Skete of the Danilov Monastery, it was our skete that the sisters entrusted with the preparation of a new edition of the “Words” of St. Paisius the Holy Mountain. Understanding the responsibility of this work, the brethren of the monastery and the Orfograph publishing house carefully double-checked the translation of the “Words,” corrected and supplemented the notes, and made new thematic indexes.
We hope that thanks to the fervent prayers and bold intercession before the Lord of our venerable and God-bearing father Paisius the Holy Mountain, this publication will serve the benefit of readers, encourage us all to “strive an honorable deed,” teach us to “include a good thought in our work,” and become an effective cure for many modern ailments .
Holy Transfiguration Skete, May 21, 2015, Ascension of the Lord
Paisiy Svyatogorets - Lyrics. Volume 5. Passions and Virtues
Elder Paisiy Svyatogorets of blessed memory
Words.
Volume V
Passions and virtues
Section 1.
Passions
“The struggle with passions is a constant sweet martyrdom for keeping the commandments for the sake of love for Christ”
Fighting passions
— Geronda, what did the prophet David ask of God when he said: “Strengthen me with the Lord’s Spirit” (Ps. 50:14)?
—David asked God for the gift of leadership as he governed people. But every person needs a “spirit of rulership” so that he can control himself and not be commanded by passions.
- Geronda, what are passions?
— I think that passions are the forces of the soul. God gives man not vices, but strengths. But if we do not use these forces for good, then the tangalashka (demon) comes and begins to direct them himself, and they become passions, and then we grumble and blame God. But if we use these forces correctly, directing them against evil, then they will help us in our spiritual feat. For example, anger. If it is in a person, it means that the soul has courage, and it is useful in spiritual life. He who does not have anger does not have courage; it is not easy for him to cope with himself. An angry person, when he uses the power he has for spiritual benefit, is like an expensive car driving on a good road - you turn on the speed, and no one can catch up with you. And if he uses this power incorrectly and does not control himself, then he is like a car that flies at great speed along a broken road and every now and then falls into potholes.
A person must know the powers that he has and direct them for good. So, with the help of God, he will come to a good spiritual disposition. For example, let him direct his egoism against the devil and not give up when he tempts him. Let the tendency to idle chatter be sanctified by practicing prayer. Isn't it better to fellowship with Christ and be sanctified than to talk idle talk and sin? Depending on how a person uses the powers of his soul, he will become either better or worse.
No need to justify your passions
- Geronda, some believe that they do not have the necessary prerequisites for spiritual life and say: “There is nothing to take from those who have nothing” (Lucian. Conversations in the Kingdom of the Dead. Dialogue II).
- It’s even worse when people say that they have inherited passions, and thereby justify themselves.
- And if, Geronda, this is really so?
- Listen to what I tell you. Every person from birth has some inclinations, good and bad. And a person must work to get rid of shortcomings and develop the good that is in him in order to become the image of God.
Bad inclinations are not an obstacle to spiritual improvement, because if a person strives, even a little, but with zeal and desire, this means that he is in the area of action of spiritual laws, in the area of miracles, and then all his hereditary shortcomings are erased by Grace God's
God especially loves and helps that soul that, having not very good inclinations from birth, zealously strives in the spiritual life and strives for Heaven, trying to break away from the earth and rise upward on its weak wings, weakened by bad heredity. I know many people who, with some effort, received strong help from God and were freed from what was burdening them. For God, such people are real heroes. After all, what inclines God towards us? The work we put in to overcome the old man.
- Geronda, doesn’t Baptism erase a bad hereditary predisposition?
— In Baptism, a person puts on Christ, is freed from original sin, Divine Grace descends on him, but bad hereditary inclinations remain. Can’t God really blot them out with holy Baptism? Maybe, but he leaves them to a person so that he struggles, wins and in the end receives a victorious crown.
- Geronda, when I indulge in some passion, I say to myself: “I was born this way.”
- This was not enough yet. Maybe you will say that your parents endowed you with all the vices, that the vices of your ancestors manifested themselves in you, and all your talents and virtues went to others? Maybe we’ll blame God too? If a person says: “This is my character, I was born this way with bad inclinations, I grew up in such conditions, it means I can’t improve,” he seems to be saying: “Not only my father and mother are to blame for this, but also God.” Do you know how hard it is for me to hear such words? After all, a person not only blasphemes his parents, but also God. When he begins to think like this, the Grace of God ceases to act.
— Geronda, some believe that when a flaw is in the very essence of a person, it cannot be corrected.
- Look what’s happening, it’s beneficial for some to talk like that, because that’s how they justify themselves and don’t even try to get rid of the shortcoming that sits in them. “God didn’t give me abilities,” says such a person! What am I to blame for? Why do they demand from me something that is beyond my strength? Here's a loophole for you. A person justifies himself, calms his thoughts and lives as is convenient for him. If we start saying: “This is hereditary, then it is a character trait,” how then will we correct ourselves? This attitude deprives one of spiritual courage.
- Yes, Geronda, but...
- “But” again? Well, what kind of person are you? Cunning as an eel. You always come up with some excuses.
- I didn’t do it on purpose.
“I’m not saying it’s on purpose.” But if God gave you such a mind that you grasp everything on the fly, then why can’t you understand that justification is very bad! There is so much intelligence in such a small head, and you don’t understand!
I have noticed that some smart people defend what is wrong because it is more convenient for them, because it is how they justify their passions. Others, on the contrary, do not justify themselves, but have an ineradicable thought that there is something in their character that they cannot correct, so they fall into despair. And the devil, what is he doing? Self-justification poses one obstacle to spiritual improvement; others are caught in their hypersensitivity and lead to despair.
To cut off passion, a person must not justify himself, but humble himself. If he says, for example: “It is not given to me to love, but it is given to another,” and does not try to acquire love, then how can he succeed spiritually? Without struggle there is no success. Haven’t you read from the holy fathers what initially some ascetics had vices and to what degree of spiritual perfection they later ascended? They surpassed many very virtuous ones. For example, Abba Moses Murin, what a criminal he was and what he became later! This is what the Grace of God does!
According to my reasoning, a person who has a bad hereditary predisposition, when he strives to acquire virtues, receives a greater reward than one who inherited virtues from his parents and did not shed sweat to acquire them. Because one came with everything ready, while the other had to work hard to acquire them. After all, look, people respect more those who, having inherited debts from their parents and working tirelessly, were able not only to pay off their debts, but also collect their own property, than those who inherited a fortune from their parents and kept it .
Vision of passions
- Geronda, I am tormented by passions.
- Do you feel that passions live in you?
- Sometimes I feel it.
- This is good. When a person understands that passions are fighting him, he humbles himself. And where there is humility, the Grace of God comes there.
“But it still upsets me that I make mistakes all the time.”
- Be glad that you make mistakes - they humble you, because you have pride. “My God,” say, “that’s what I am. Help me. If You don’t help me, I can’t do anything.” Don't despair. When we make mistakes, our true inner man is revealed, we get to know ourselves and try to improve. This shows us the right path and frees us from illusions. I rejoice when some of my weaknesses appear, when passions come out. If passions did not manifest themselves, I would think that I had achieved holiness, while the seeds of passions would secretly live in my heart. So you, when you get angry and fall into condemnation, it is understandable that you will be upset, but there is also a reason for joy - your weakness has appeared, which means you will fight to get rid of it.
— Geronda, when passion does not manifest itself for some time, does this mean that it no longer exists?
- If passion lives in you, at a certain moment it will manifest itself. Therefore, if you know that you have passion, be attentive. For example, knowing that somewhere near your cell there lives a snake, every time you go out the door you will be careful that it does not crawl out and bite you. It’s not scary when you know that there’s a snake somewhere nearby and you’re waiting for the moment to kill it when it crawls out; it’s scary if you’re walking carefree and suspect nothing, and it suddenly rushes at you and bites you. By this I want to say that when a person does not take care of himself and does not know his passions, then this is a dangerous state. But when he knows what passions he has and fights against them, then Christ helps him to eradicate them.
Synaxarion
Our venerable father Paisios the Holy Mountain was born from pious parents Prodromos and Eulogia in the village of Faras in Cappadocia in 1924, shortly before the tragic resettlement of the Asia Minor Greeks from their paternal homes to the borders of Mother Hellas. The newborn baby was baptized by the parish priest Faras, the Venerable Arsenios of Cappadocia, who shone in holiness. He gave the boy the name Arseny, thus wanting to “leave behind him a successor-monk,” as he himself said.
Having moved to Hellas, the family of the Monk Paisius settled in the Epirus city of Konitsa, where the monk grew up, feeding, as if on milk, stories about the miracle-filled life of St. Arsenios. Already at the age of five, the boy said that he wanted to become a monk. When Arseny learned to read and write, the Holy Gospel and the lives of the saints became his delight, and with ardent zeal he imitated the exploits of the venerable fathers. Having received his primary education, the boy wanted to study further not the sciences, but the craft of a carpenter - in order to imitate our Lord Jesus Christ in this. Becoming a carpenter, he worked diligently and carefully.
At the age of fifteen, he was awarded the merciful appearance of Christ. The Lord appeared to the monk after he wisely repelled the devil’s temptation of unbelief with his thoughts of love. After this, the fire of divine love and a fiery aspiration for monastic life flared up in Arseny’s heart even more strongly.
During the turmoil and war in Hellas (1940-1949), the monk, both as a civilian and as a warrior (he served as a radio operator in the army), showed unbending courage and self-sacrifice. He was ready at any moment to sacrifice even his own life to save others. Repeatedly finding himself under enemy fire, he saved his neighbors with his fiery prayer, and he himself was saved many times by the power of God.
After the war, Arseny worked as a carpenter for three years to financially support his brothers and sisters. At the age of 29, leaving the world and everything in the world, he retired to Holy Mount Athos. Inflamed by a strong desire for silence and constantly guided by Divine Providence, he labored in various monasteries of the Holy Mountain, and he also revived the monastery of the Most Holy Theotokos Stomion (not far from Konitsa), which had previously been desolate. In addition, the monk asceticised on Mount Sinai in the cell of Saints Galaktion and Epistimia. His entire life was unceasing fasting, unsurpassed abstinence, continuous vigil, undying prayer and active reading of the holy fathers. The monk especially loved to read Abba Isaac the Syrian. Father Paisius led an extremely austere life, with abstinence, courage and constant praise. Having humbly given himself to these supernatural feats, he defeated the many-wily devil, united with God and was consoled by divine joy. As if disembodied while living on earth, he became a citizen of Heaven, ascended to the heights of contemplation through action, became a participant in the heavenly mysteries, enjoyed the beauty of Christ and was greatly consoled by the blessings of the Mother of God.
The Monk Paisios was honored with the appearances of many saints: the Monk Arsenius of Cappadocia, the Monk Isaac the Syrian, the holy martyr Lucillian, the great martyr and healer Panteleimon, St. Blasius of Sklava, the Great Martyr Catherine, as well as the Great Martyr Euphemia the All-Praised, who visited him in the kaliva and talked with him for a long time. In addition to these phenomena, the monk saw his guardian angel, heard angelic chants and was illuminated by heavenly Light.
When the saint completely became light, it was no longer possible for him to remain in obscurity, although he himself very much desired this. His name became known everywhere, and many people of all ages and ranks flocked to him on the Holy Mountain, in his humble kaliva near Karyes, called “Panaguda”. There the monk lived the last 14 years of his earthly life. Desiring silence, he sought to move to an unknown place, so that from there he could invisibly show mercy to people and maintain peace through prayer. However, having received notification from above that this was not God’s will, the elder remained in his kaliva for the consolation and confirmation of all who came to him. At night he stood before God like a burning candle and prayed with pain for the whole world, remembering the many names of the living and the dead, and during the day he gave all of himself to the consolation of the people who flocked in rivers to his kaliva. Having become a faithful steward of the great gifts with which the Merciful God had endowed him, the Monk Paisius became the repository of the diverse gifts of the Holy Spirit: he called strangers who came to him by name, the secrets of human hearts were not hidden from him, he warned about future events, spoke to foreigners in their native languages, he healed bodily and mental infirmities and had power over unclean spirits, casting them out in the name of Christ. His speeches were like the words of God,
according to the Apostle, and pointed out to everyone the true purpose of earthly life - preparation for the future life, and encouraged people to repentance, confession and honest deeds.
In his dealings with people, the monk was sweet, simple, accessible, merciful, extremely comforting and, in a word, he was all love. But turning to those who wanted to break God’s law and fatherly traditions, the elder became like a fire-breathing lion. He especially took up arms against worldly wisdom, considering it a most dangerous trap for believers, and especially for monks.
This tireless ascetic, who suffered many physical illnesses from his youth, fell ill with cancer at the end of his life. The monk complacently endured the suffering that the tumor caused him, and died on July 12, 1994, having lived on earth for 70 years. He reposed in the sacred hesychastirium of St. John the Theologian, which is located near the village of Suroti, near Thessaloniki. He led the sisters of this Hesychastir for 28 years and donated to them the holy relics of St. Arsenius of Cappadocia, his godfather. The long-suffering body of the Monk Paisius rests in Suroti near the temple of St. Arsenios.
The Monk Paisius, while living on earth, gave himself entirely to God and people. Now, when he is in Heaven, God has given him to the entire universe.
Through His holy prayers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us. Amen.
Troparion to St. Paisius the Holy Mountain, Voice 5. Similar to: Meaningful Word:
Receiving the Divine fire of love, / you were all God with a superior feat, / and you were the consolation of many people, / you punished with divine words, / you worked wonders with prayers, / you were God’s Paisier. nose, / and now you pray unceasingly // for the whole world, Reverend.
Kontakion
Voice 8. Like: Climbed:
Lively on earth like an angel, / you shone with love, like Saint Paisius, / the great affirmation of the monks, / the leader of those faithful to the life of the saint, / the sweetest consolation of the universe appeared to you, / For this reason we call you: // Rejoice, universal father.
