Word from the Elder Paisios of the Holy Mountain

   

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“A person should experience his sinfulness and have trust and hope in the mercy of God, because that way he’ll be saved. That way the mind is recollected and experiences prayer as a need. That way he begins to say: Lord Jesus Christ, come…”, and the heart gains rest."

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" Peaceful, night-time prayer is of great assistance with its calmness and is also more efficacious for our spiritual development, just as the silent, night-time rain is of great benefit to growing plants."

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"As much as possible love the desert and the immaterial life, and fly from your material possessions to the fold of the poor. Simplify your life so as to be freed from worldly anxiety, so that your life might have meaning."

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"The greatest sickness of our age is the vain thoughts of secular people, which bring stress. Only Christ can provide a cure with spiritual serenity, along with eternity, provided you repent and turn to Him."

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“The Jesus Prayer must gratefully and generously spring out of our soul, while, at the same time, we think of all the good things God has done for us.”

“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”

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" All those who find rest within the material world and are not troubled about the salvation of their soul, resemble the foolish young birds that do not make commotion inside their egg - so as to break the shell, and come out and enjoy the sun and soar into the heavens of the paradisiacal life. Rather, they remain motionless, and die within their eggshell."

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" If we haven’t got control of our mind during the hour of spiritual study we are not benefited at all. We simply yawn and tire ourselves without a goal, for we cannot remember anything. In the same way, when the printer doesn’t have his mind on his work and forgets to put ink in, the printing presses work without printing anything."

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" Whoever is at peace in the material world and is not concerned about the salvation of his soul is like the senseless birds who don’t make a noise from within the egg, so as to break the shell and come out to enjoy the sun – the heavenly flight in the life of Paradise – but instead remain unmoving and die inside the egg shell."

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" If you want to grab God’s attention so He’ll hear you during prayer, turn the dial to humility, for God always works in this frequency; then humbly ask for His mercy."

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" The goal of reading is the application, in our lives, of what we read. Not to learn it by heart, but to take it to heart. Not to practice using our tongues, but to be able to receive the tongues of fire and to live the mysteries of God. If one studies a great deal in order to acquire knowledge and to teach others, without living the things he teaches, he does no more than fill his head with hot air. At most he will manage to ascend to the moon using machines. The goal of the Christian is to rise to God without machines."

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