11/9/ 1988 Vatopedi
My most descent lady M, may our Christ’s Grace be with your spirit.
I have received your letter and read the
contents carefully. The issues you raise are not worthy of as much
praise, as your good will and decision to live a more meticulous life in
Christ is. I wish you to have never ending progress.
The issue of our diet is something which
preoccupies everyone, as the most necessary duty and element of our
lives, not to mention that some of us are becoming prisoners to it
because of the special luxuries that our generation enjoys. Now, it is
neither beneficial nor worthy of praise to stop eating, especially
suddenly, one of the most basic foods, thinking that perhaps, you may
have lost control over it. Even our fathers do not approve of or praise
such a move, but in my opinion the middle road is the best. Which road
is this?
To restrict its consumption, so that your health is not affected, and to prevent people kicking a fuss that “M is not eating meat”, which will create for you a useless struggle to avoid haughtiness and pride. The same applies to sweets, since they too are useful to a certain extend to preserve a normal and balanced life.
To restrict its consumption, so that your health is not affected, and to prevent people kicking a fuss that “M is not eating meat”, which will create for you a useless struggle to avoid haughtiness and pride. The same applies to sweets, since they too are useful to a certain extend to preserve a normal and balanced life.
It is only in this way that temperance
as a rule of life can be applied, in order to cause prudence and balance
in our lives. The psychosomatic state and condition of our lives lies
in the balance created by this very temperance in our diet. A healthy
balance of mind and body is formed as a result.
Consequently, our sleep is normalized,
our harmful thoughts and onslaught to our minds disappear and an
increase in eagerness and zeal for struggle is born. This is, therefore,
what you must do without any further excesses and if you do not succeed
sometimes, you must start again and again, and finally you will
certainly win, with the Grace of our Christ.
You are a social person and live in
difficult and unhealthy times and you cannot apply monastic rules to
your life, which even the monks today cannot keep.
You have my many prayers and affection in Christ,
Humble Elder Joseph, monk
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment