"What is humility, Father Paisius?" some of his disciples once asked him.
Fr. Paisius: "Humility is the thought and conviction of our heart that we are more sinful than all men and unworthy of the mercy of God. Reviling ourselves does not mean that we have true humility. True humility is when someone shames and abuses us publicly, and we endure it and say, "God ordered that brother to shame me for my many sins." We should receive everything as a command from God. When someone shames you, say that God commanded him to do it. When someone takes something of yours, God commanded him to take it, in order to make you a monk. When you are removed from a higher place, God changed your place so that you would change from your passions and bad habits. This is true humility. And the pride is when we trust in ourselves, in our mind, our strength, when we think we are more capable than someone else, better, more beautiful, more virtuous, more pleasing to God. Then it is certain that we are overcome by the ugly sin of pride, from which may God, who humbled Himself for our salvation, preserve us. Let us humble ourselves, brethren, because a proud man cannot be saved. Let us weep for our sins here, so we can rejoice forever in the next life, for after we leave this world everyone will forget us. Let us not hope in men, but only in God..." (From The Orthodox Word, Vol 28, No 1 (#162 --Jan-Feb, 1992)
Elder Paisius Olaru is speaking the truth, just as all the elders have from the earliest times till now. They all tell us the same things, and we also experience the same things. I first heard teachings like this as a very young man, about 20 years old, from reading the sayings of the Desert Fathers. Now that I am a bit older, the truth is not just book learning, but it has become the fabric of my life. We know these things are true because we have lived them and tested them, and so we know for sure, not just believe.
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting this great testimony. God bless you, Yudhie.
Thank you; wonderful words of wisdom from a most wonderful Saint.
ReplyDeleteI shared this with my husband ... his email back to me "a miracle is when someone in Indonesia can talk about my life." I call it a small world. :) Thanks for posting this.
ReplyDeleteRebecca (from O-chat)
Romanos: thanks for sharing your experience!
ReplyDeleteIan: Indeed! very lovely
Rebecca: Glory to God! I am very glad to know you read this and shared this with your husband :). Greetings from Indonesia to your family :)