Elder Germanos of Stavrovouni (+1982): “You complain that they do not treat you well…”

 

You complain that those with whom you associate do not treat you well. Listen to my advice: 

If someone does not treat you well, you treat him with kindness. The whole matter requires humility. Let us give an example: Someone tells you that your work is not good. Say to him: “Thank you for advising me. Help me to become better. Tell me my mistakes so I can correct them.” Accept advice from everyone, but out of humility and not out of cowardice. In this way, you will preserve in your soul the heavenly joy and peace.

Your brother said that you are deceitful! Take it as a joke and do not be offended! But even if he meant it, I ask you: Are we not in reality all deceitful? Who can claim that he is straightforward and sincere everywhere and always? Say that your brother told you this by God’s allowance, so that you may be humbled and corrected. And you should feel not aversion, but love and gratitude toward your brother who, even in this manner, helps you to be corrected and saved!

When you are grieved or when you are insulted, then remember the Passion of our Lord: When He was reviled, He did not revile; when He was mocked, He did not mock; when He was struck, He did not strike; when He was slandered, He did not slander, but in all these things He responded with calmness: “If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil” (John 18:23). And He prayed for His crucifiers. Let us live as Christ lived, that is, with humility, with obedience, with absence of resentment. Let us strive to imitate Him, as much as possible, in everything. Let us walk with joy on the narrow and afflicted path, and hate the broad and thoughtless life.

Take care not to be offended when you are spoken to with a harsh word. Harsh words, revilements, and scorn free a person from evil thoughts, especially shameful ones. They free him from all passions, provided he endures all these without grumbling. When you reach the point of being glad when you are despised, reviled, and slandered, then know for certain that you will receive an unfading crown in the heavens.

If they mock you, you should make good thoughts—take it, for example, as a joke—and thus misunderstanding and scandal easily go away. Let me tell you an example: In the obedience of agriculture, I had two lay helpers, hired by the Monastery. One was experienced in farming, while the other had previously worked as a barber and had only recently begun to engage in agriculture as well. The experienced one was younger in age than the other. And yet he teased him, calling him “bread-eater,” implying that he wasn’t competent in his work, but only fit to eat bread. However, the other was meek and free of resentment, even though he was older and had ten children. He would think to himself: “Why should I be offended if he called me a ‘bread-eater’? Let him say what he wants. It doesn’t matter!” That is, he humbled himself voluntarily, took the insult as a joke, was not saddened, and thus gained the most precious thing: the Grace of God!

The Lord blesses the meek. He says that “they shall inherit the earth” (Matt. 5:5). He who is truly meek not only does not become angry outwardly, but not even inwardly in his soul. At the moment of provocation, prefer silence, prayer, and withdrawal, and you will never regret it.

Many become angry not only against people, but even against inanimate things, and begin to break objects and strike animals, thinking that they are to blame. But the truly meek and free of resentment does not become angry at anything and is always peaceful. The Holy Spirit dwells within his soul.

Meekness, when it is according to God, is neither cowardice nor weakness, but spiritual strength and true faith in God.

The meek person remains unaffected in his mind and in his heart. He is not disturbed, whether he is accused or praised, whether he is regarded or ignored, whether he is exalted or humiliated. Yet this virtue is the fruit of great faith in God, deep humility, and pure prayer.

The meek person also influences those around him. He brings peace to those who are quarreling, he calms those who are troubled and confused.

The meek person, even by his mere presence, radiates peace and grace…

 

Translated from the original Greek.