THE
ELDER PAISIOS
GOD
IS OBLIGATED TO HELP HIS CREATURES
RELATED
TO US BY MR. ELEFTHERIOS TAMIOLAKIS OF CRETE
At one time, I found myself in a
difficult situation because of my many responsibilities. Because of this
I went
to see the Elder Paisios on Mount Athos seeking his advice. I went to
Mount Athos during the winter and I
managed to reach his monastic cell through snow and nasty weather. When
I reached his cell the Elder immediately
answered the door and invited me in without hesitation. He said to me:
“I have been waiting for you.” I had not informed him previously that I
was
coming to see him. He sat me next to the
wood-burning stove and proceeded to prepare tea for me. He first poured
water into the coffee pot while
making the sign of the Cross and saying: “glory to you Oh God.” He then
placed
the tea in the coffee pot making the sign of the Cross and saying again:
“glory
to you Oh God.”
Finally he put the coffee pot on the stove and he again made the sign of the Cross and said: “glory to you Oh God.”
Finally he put the coffee pot on the stove and he again made the sign of the Cross and said: “glory to you Oh God.”
Up until that moment he had not said
anything to me other than “I have been waiting for you.” As I was
watching him intently preparing the
tea, I became agitated because I was anxious to tell him about my
personal
problems. When the tea was ready, he
gave me a cup and he looked at me with that innocent and compassionate
look of
his. He then proceeded to ask me calmly
why I was so nervous and uneasy. I then
started to blurt out to him my problems emphasizing the fact that the
world is
filled with worry. He smiled at me, took
a drink of tea and said to me calmly: “My friend, why are you troubled?
God
will help you.” I became more agitated
hearing this statement from him and I said: “Very well now, Elder, God
helps us
once or twice. Is He then obligated to
help us continuously?” He then looked at
me sternly and said something that struck me like a bolt of lightning:
“Yes,
God is obligated to help you.” He said
this to me with a sense of conviction.
He said it in such a way that it was apparent to him that it was true
for
he had experienced this with God. I felt
like getting lost. At that point my
nervousness just left me. I became very
calm and I felt a sense of unbridled peace.
I had only one question to ask him: “Very well and why is God obligated
to help us?” The answer that he gave me
could be given only by a person who understands that he is a child of
God and
has great boldness before the heavenly Father.
He said to me: “Just like you who have children, you understand what it
means to help them. You came here all
the way from Thessaloniki in this bad weather because you are troubled.
It is the same with God who created us and
considers us His children. He is
concerned about us and He understands the need to help us. Yes, He is
obligated to help us!” The immediate effect of this answer was such
that suddenly all my burdens left me and from that moment on, I no
longer worry
about the future.
Translated
from the Greek by:
http://apantaortodoxias.blogspot.gr/2014/07/the-elder-paisios-god-is-obligated-to.html
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