Saint Barsanuphius
When one does not coincide on the modern way of life, the others will describe this person as obsolete; fossil; old-fashioned; unrealistic; to sum up, a person without any sense of pragmatism.
And who is that person with the sense of pragmatism? This is the person who does not steal; who is not skillful exploiter of situations.
An example could be General Mikhail Chernyayev. He fought against the Turks and offered many services in his homeland.
But he was not a “pragmatic” man. Even though he was able to make a big fortune, he did not!
That’s why the “pragmatic” people during his time criticized him! They called him stupid and foolish.
God shall bless you not to become “pragmatist”!
The situation already existed during the early Christian era.
When they led them to plead before the prosecutor and told them to worship the gods, they replied:
-We do not worship false gods. We believe in one true God, who created the heaven and the earth; our Lord Jesus Christ.
-You are arrogant. You must humble yourselves and worship the gods.
-Never!
And they condemned them to terrible torture. The prosecutor was asking for a false and sinful humiliation! He was asking to renounce Jesus.
The situation already exists in our private life!
– Humble yourself! Live your life like everyone else! Do not be proud! You should not want to stand out from the crowd!
Do not listen to them! There are people who get confused in these devil’s temptations.
In the beginning they have not noticed it, in no time at all.
And they gradually get away from Christ! And they lose their soul.
Sometimes I ask pilgrims:
-Do you have kids?
-Yes, we do.
-What kind of person would you like your child when they grow up?
-Engineer, someone says. My son has, by his nature, this inclination.
-And your daughter?
‘To marry a famous and wealthy young man.
-Do you think your kids will be happy in that way?
They answer with confidence:
-Of course, Father! What else would they want?
Poor people! They do not struggle to give their children the only true “treasure”, which will be there for ever, and will make them truly happy: Jesus! It is said that there is nothing which cannot be bought or sold.
Yes, with money you can buy a lot today. But not all.
Only Jesus cannot be bought, because He is worth more than all the riches and wealth in the whole world.
Without Jesus:
• there is no true life;
• there is no salvation;
• there is no eternal life.
