A Difficult Achievement

Fr. Dionysios Tatsis

 

No one can claim that the path of purity is easy. It has many difficulties and many temptations. This, of course, does not mean that it is unattainable or leads to gloom and despair. On the contrary. It is a journey that brings joy and nourishes the hope of salvation. It creates spiritual euphoria and transfers the interests of man from earth to heaven. Saint Chrysostom, referring to the difficulties of the struggle for purity and the means required for it to have endurance and success, says the following:

"I know the great difficulty of the matter, I know the intensity of these struggles, I know the harshness of the war. It takes a combative, determined, and daring soul to overcome carnal desires. For one is obliged to walk upon burning coals and not be burned, to tread upon the blade and not be wounded. Such is the strength of desire, as great as the strength of fire and iron. Therefore, if the soul is not accordingly prepared so as not to yield to the demands of carnal desire, it will quickly self-destruct.

"We therefore need a mind as pure as a diamond, an unsleeping eye, great patience, strong inner walls, external fortifications and locks, vigilant and brave guards, and above all, help from above. For, 'unless the Lord guards the city, the watchmen keep awake in vain.'

"How then shall we draw this help? When we contribute everything that depends on us, namely pure thought, intense fasting and vigilance, exact observance of the laws, application of God’s commandments, and above all not becoming overconfident with ourselves. The battle is waged against a biological necessity; our zeal must aim toward the angelic life; our path runs parallel to that of the angelic powers. Dust and ashes strive to be equaled with the angels who dwell in heaven, and corruption competes with incorruption." (Basileios D. Charonis, Pedagogical Anthropology of John Chrysostom, vol. 1, 1993, pp. 329–330)

 

Greek source: https://orthodox-voice.blogspot.com/2025/07/blog-post_3.html