A pious spiritual daughter of
his (Soteria Nousi) writes:
And a new visit of mine in the
month of March (of 1965). A rain of questions (of the Elder):
Welcome! How are you? Is your life unto salvation or unto perdition? See that
your works are unto salvation. Be watchful. The devil is tireless and a great
craftsman, and we are weak and inexperienced. Warfare will find you. You will
have temptations.
Before, you did not have
knowledge concerning spiritual matters; you let your thoughts free and it
wandered wherever it wished. Now you set a door to it and try to shut it in and
you also think differently. For this reason, know that warfare will find you;
the devil will fight against you in many ways.
He says to you: “What are you
going to do to me, you?”
In any case, neither should you
fear him, nor should you be careless and at ease. Great attention in prayer. Do
not cut off prayer. Let tears be your daily food. As much as you can, withdraw
yourself. Cut off the going back and forth.
Love silence. You should always
be reserved, speaking little.
Someone asked me: “How often
should I receive Communion?” I answered him: Why do you not also ask me, “How
often should I eat?” Whenever you are hungry, you eat. So also with Holy
Communion. Whenever your soul asks and you desire to commune, provided that you
have permission from your spiritual father. The mystery (of the Divine
Eucharist), if you are attentive and struggle, will notify you and you will
seek it. In any case, regular Holy Communion.
Night and day I entreat that you
remain faithful until death. May our Panagia shelter you. With
persistence I ask God to stand beside you.
The Discourses of Isaac
the Syrian, after the ten times that you will read them, you will understand
them, that is, you will understand his worth and you will love them more. Do
not read them in order to finish quickly, but slowly and with attention, and
see, from all that is there within, what you do and what you do not do. There
you will find benefit; there you should hasten.
And sleep as much as you wish,
and eat as much as you wish, but always remember this: do not abandon prayer.
Let your mind always be there. Nothing will harm you, if you have your mind in
prayer, in God. Prayer!
Some, when a little time passes
and they have not prayed, cannot endure and suffer. They regard as a martyrdom
the moments when they want to pray and are not able.
Now perhaps you do not understand
these things that I tell you; later perhaps you will. If in the brazier we do
not add coals, the fire will go out. Take care that the fire not go out. And it
will not go out, if you do not cut off prayer.
Love our Christ, as the Saints
loved Him, the Martyrs, and even more, as Mary Magdalene. “Where have they laid
my Lord?” she said with pain. I weep when I read this, because I understand how
she must have said it.
But listen then to the sweet
voice: “Mary!”…
Greek source: https://agiazoni.gr/logoi-parigorias/
Shared by the G.O.C. Metropolis of Larissa and Platamon:
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