3/17/2009
Archimandrite Ioanichie (Balan)
Arise, my soul, darkened and clouded by passions; rise to repentance.
You, my soul, and I are two wayfarers in this huge world. And unless we unite under Christ’s hand, we live in vain
So, my soul, I advise you to be more obedient, more zealous in this holy service, strive for it with more love, and fulfill it with more humility.
Few monks and confessors are able to successfully combine the labors of a hermit with ministry as a spiritual father, solitude with an abundance of spiritual children, love for God with love for neighbor, hidden tears with pain of heart for disciples.
Our hearts should burn with love for God and our eyes should be filled with tears of compassion for our brothers, because they are also created after the image and likeness of God, our Creator, and are like us.
Archimandrite Arsenie (Papacioc), Archimandrite Ioannici (Balan)
Rating: 9.4|Votes: 8
All passions can, let's say, be excused due to nature and bad life circumstances; but pride cannot be justified by anything! It has an unbearable insolence—it attaches itself to any virtue if it can, and it even hides behind humility, which serves as its shield. We see this very often, and to prove what I am saying, it is as one father said: "That proud one is so humble!"
Rating: 8.9|Votes: 8
Тhe fathers from Sihastria Monastery and the faithful from the region remember with great reverence the name of Protosinghel Joel (Gheorghiu). He was a skilled spiritual father, meek and merciful, with a heart pure before God and man. He was also a father of absolute obedience, humility, and prayer. Few from the community loved the services of the Church, the good order [of the monastic life] and silence as much as Fr. Joel did. However, in order to attain this spiritual measure, one needs over fifty years of ascetic labor, obedience, patience, and renunciation of all that is transitory. Otherwise, one is unable to acquire a peaceful conscience and the hope of salvation.
