Category Archives: Writings of Elder Paisios the Athonite

Choosing a Profession

By Fr. Luke | Published: October 10, 2007

—Geronta, some parents try to steer their children towards their own professions, and often get very pushy at it. —No, they don’t manage well. Parents shouldn’t pressure their children unwillingly to do that which they enjoy themselves. I knew one young man who wanted to study theology and become a priest, but his mother wouldn’t [...]

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Work is a Blessing

By Fr. Luke | Published: October 5, 2007

—Geronta, in the old days they would say, “Better to wear out your shoes rather than blankets.” What did they mean? —They meant, “Better to wear out your shoes by working than to stay in bed and be lazy.” Work is a blessing, a gift of God. It gives energy to the body, refreshment to [...]

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Temptations on Feast Days

By Fr. Luke | Published: September 26, 2007

—Geronta, why do temptations often occur on feast days? —Don’t you know? On feast days, Christ, the Panagia, and the Saints are joyful. They treat people, giving blessings and spiritual gifts. If parents give gifts when their children celebrate their namedays and kings release prisoners when a prince is born, why shouldn’t the Saints care [...]

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Relationships with Relatives and Friends

By Fr. Luke | Published: September 26, 2007

—Geronta, a certain woman asked what to do with her two cousins who have been freeloading off her for years. —What does she want? To write a new Gospel now? God asks of her to help them and He will do whatever helps their souls. —Geronta, when there is a misunderstanding between relatives, should someone [...]

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A Mother’s Love

By Fr. Luke | Published: September 20, 2007

Geronta, you once told us that with love, a person grows and matures. —It’s not enough for someone to simply love another; he must love him more than he loves himself. A mother loves her children more than herself. She fasts so as to feed her children, yet she experiences more gratitude than they. The [...]

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Children and the Spiritual Life

By Fr. Luke | Published: September 20, 2007

—Geronta, if a mother gives holy water to her child and he spits it out, what should she do? —She should pray for her child. Maybe the way in which she gives the holy water to her child causes a reaction. For the child to be on the path of God the parents must also [...]

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The Spiritual Life of Spouses

By Fr. Luke | Published: September 11, 2007

—Geronta, when the husband doesn’t live spiritually, what should the wife do? —Entrust this to Christ and pray that his heart would soften a little. Little by little Christ will descend into his heart and he will begin to be uneasy. As soon as his heart softens a little she can, for example, ask him [...]

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Prayer in the Family

By Fr. Luke | Published: September 11, 2007

—Geronta, should the entire family do compline together at night?[1] —They should do compline and say to the small children: “If you want, stay a little while.” When the children are somewhat bigger they can have a rule—for example, fifteen minutes for the older ones, and two to five minutes for the small children—then after [...]

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The Practice of Virtue Within the Family

By Fr. Luke | Published: August 24, 2007

— Geronta, how can a husband become practiced in the virtues? — God will give him opportunities. Many men, however, after asking God to give them opportunities to practice the virtues, grumble when they are faced with a certain difficulty. For example, sometimes the Good God, in His boundless love, and in order to provide [...]

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Tender Care for our Neighbor Helps the Family

By Fr. Luke | Published: August 16, 2007

People today will have as many problems as the amount of material goods they acquire. They neither thank God for His benefactions, nor notice the grief of their fellow-man that they may provide some kind of charity. They squander what they have and don’t even think of their neighbor who does not even have enough [...]

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