by Monk Moses of Mount Athos
Athanasius the Great says: “While the mind of man was made by the Most Merciful God to constantly see the beauty of God and to be enlightened by the divine splendor, after his fall, man became spiteful towards the view of Creation. So instead of people having their minds attached to God, they clung to buildings, worshiping them as gods.”
Many ask us what to do in the current crisis. Athanasius the Great tells us briefly how we got here. Prophet David, in his most beautiful psalms, insists on “avoid evil and do good.”
This time is not for easy and improvised words. There is no time to waste. Let the crisis lead us to self-criticism. Or to reflection within an honest repentance. Let the sweet come out of the bitter.
The blind Elder, Romanian hieromonk Dionysios Kolitsiotis said: “God gives us these gifts because He loves us. That is why we must thank Him whenever He gives us a cross. It is the Cross of Christ. Praise the Lord!”
And he continued: “It takes hope. The shepherds of the Church must give hope to the world, tell people that we must always resort to God. God will help us in everything. Yes, we have to be faithful and not have a split soul…”
Also, the Romanian hieromonk Petroniu Prodromitis said: “Evil delivers people to many directions, alters them, deviates them to other paths. And then people are spiritually burdened, overwhelmed by anxiety and become captive of their nasty inner state… Spiritual people and many people today are beginning to have some spiritual quests and concerns. And then, when people experiences these spiritual things they feel well, outside too. They do not feel mentally devastated, but they are self-conscious.” Am I wrong? Fathers do not say it well.
The late monk Markelos Karakallenos identifies our subject quite well: “Today our life is poor, because we cannot pray. That is, we have no communication with God. If you have no communication with God, you communicate with secular things. The Media. They inform you, but you are cut off from God. That’s why we are spiritually poor. The world has become poor because it does not know how to pray. If you do not communicate with your Father-God, then you are poor and unbidden inside you. You want the joys of the world. But those who have the joy and peace of God within them do not want anything.”
Is this difficult to be understood? Is it not true? Not communicating with God is the greatest poverty.
The only real joy is the connection of man with God. We are not sorry for this deprivation but only for the reduction of our monthly salary. Only Christ gives true joy.
All other joys are half-hearted pseudo-joys, trying to fill our internal void. With Christ, relations between people become more tolerant, passions are hated, virtues adorn and beautify the soul.
To discard evil, divine aid, inner strength and personal struggle are required. The more people are removed from God, the more they bristle, get upset, get attached to and worship tangible possessions.
Sometimes the voice of consciousness is not likable and is being asked to silence. People live in hell, and yet they do not want to get rid of that.
They think that psychiatric medication will help them and do not confess and admit their iniquities.
Within this dizziness, the passions of evil, anger, jealousy, revenge and corruption grow. Only Christ can offer true patience, humility, joy, peace and love to the hearts of the believers.
Then believers look inside them more, instead of looking around them. They are strict with themselves and indulgent with others.
If men arrive there today, then the crisis has judged them and promoted them. It has led men to a fine self-criticism, self-awareness, awareness of the other, to the sympathy of others, to the adoption of a healthy humble mentality and a spirit of simplicity, austerity and temperance.
