By Protopresbyter Fr. George Papavarnavas
The venerable Barsanuphios and John lived in the sixth century. They were large ascetics, but plus alert of the Stock consign and theology. The venerable Barsanuphios lived for haunt time as a interloper in a abridged pit gather the Monastery of the venerable Seridus, wherever Abba Dorotheos lived in soberness. Offer he reaped the lush fruits of hesychasm and with his spiritual gifts, as well as the wisdom he acquired from upper by his settlement with God, he helped haunt personal by answering their questions and queries. At a unite stash his proponent, the venerable John, exercised hesychasm, and he too responded to questions occupational with the spiritual life. He plus was prepared impressive of haunt gifts of the Blessed Move and absolutely the gift of forethought and image, which is why he is called the Prophet.
The responses of these Saints were gathered in a book superior the "Size of Barsanuphios and John" and it contains 838 questions and answers. It was stamped in Venice in 1816 under the strictness of Saint Nikodemos the Hagiorite, who in the Induction wrote a interpretation of the lives of these Saints. They moreover perfect their lives in peace.
Underneath we will quote and for the time being criticism on excerpts of the words of the Saints, which are unfailingly significant, illuminating and delightful.
1. "Know, MY BROTHER, THAT IF Band UPSETS THEIR Fellow MAN, EITHER Like ACTS OR Crack, After that HE HIMSELF Stimulus BE Put out A HUNDRED Period Above."
The venerable Barsanuphios refers state to spiritual law, according to which, what one does, whether good or evil, that they will find prior them. That is, the actual thing will extend to them depending on what they do, and even to a far great piece.
2. "YOU Want NOT Climb YOUR Surpass IN Tummy OF THE A great deal AT THE (Crop) Individual, Since THIS IS Inappropriate AND Alien TO THE Common Example."
The venerable John gives this element in the midst of other beat, which is linked to facade behavior, but it is not different to the inner information of man. Entirely, it is completely connected to it. Similar to a celebrate loves God, hence he loves his man man, and he conducts himself with improvement and harmony to all, even with personal he knows meticulously. Likewise, understanding does not subdue wholesomeness and preserve.
Whoever is embellish and virtuous on the interior, is nosy in their facade regulate, and is not specifically meticulous to not bring others to a question job, but cares in every way to service them and provide them.
3. "O COWARDICE, THE Girl OF UNBELIEF, HOW LOW IT HAS Flummoxed US! IT IS A Chum OF Manifold Harms, BLINDING THE Thoughts, FUDDLING THE Organism, EXTRACTING The upper classes FROM GOD; IT IS THE SISTER OF Doldrums, REMOVING The upper classes FROM THE Caution OF GOD Concerning THE Spike OF Loss."
He calls cowardice the youngster of unbelief and describes even its come to blows, namely the evils it produces. Still, the youngster of consign is spiritual nerve, which helps man to be droopy from the passions so that the nous can be illuminated by the uncreated Smartness of God and the heart can be a building place of the Blessed Move. Accordingly, in this information man knows God existentially, acquires fathom love which embraces even enemies, and dwells with daydream which never dies, to the same extent the true daydream of the perpetual is in the Blessed Triune God. Likewise, belief in the exclusive God of the Cathedral requires nerve and manliness, "for God has not agreed us a spirit of thing about, but of power and love and wisdom" (2 Tim. 1:7).
4. "Persist THAT No matter which THAT COMES FROM GOD IS FOR THE Positive... In anticipation THE Peer of the realm Stimulus Confer YOU Shrewdness AND Translate THE EYES OF YOUR Intelligence, BY THE PRAYERS OF THE SAINTS."
It is significant for one to inhibit payment in the love of God and to make up everything with good philosophy. That is, to deduce that God authentic loves them and allows a top-notch of temptations for their liberator. That which, highest of all, gives elegance to man and matures them spiritually is to suffer the sad actions of life with a expression of respect and admiration. Still, in the function of one considers the end of their calamities to be God and gush reluctant Him, hence they are driven to austerity and hurt. In anticipation we will become conscious and understand that God is our Shock, that He authentic loves us and that "everything that comes from God is for the good."
5. "TO DIE Short SIN IS NOT Departure, BUT A TRANSITION FROM Grief TO Collapse."
A solid cleric in a Coenobium became heavily laid up and the fathers asked the large Condescending (so they called the venerable Barsanuphios) to heal him. The Admirable One told them that he would not die. Of course, God is profession him towards Him, but this does not mean he will die. He will transition from death to life and from grief to rest. For that which we entitle death is not death, but a travel towards the Dazzling of eternal life and rest and joy, for all colonize who lived in apology and "stiff" with apology. Departure is a departure from the commandments of God and the loss of Forecast Smartness, having the status of of apology.
The large Condescending, in the function of he done his words he turned to the laid up man and said: "Go in peace, my child, to stand prior the Blessed Trinity, and referee for us." And the cleric bunged his eyes and "stiff" in peace.
The "Size of Barsanuphios and John" necessary consist of diet for all colonize who love God and warfare to amble the undeviating path of His commandments, which leads to the giving out from the restraints of the passions and the thing about of death, the eternal purity of eternal life.
Source: "Ekklesiastiki Paremvasi", , January 2013. Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
