Letters of Elder Joseph of Vatopedi, No 5

“The divine Grace and human effort”

Nea Skete 4/1/1984

My dearest son, I give you a wholehearted and fatherly embrace and kiss.

I have felt your real unhappiness about the insignificant little me, and I was truly moved because this is not an indication of a simple expression but a genuine spiritual communion, which describes the truth of the relationship in Christ.

Now on your question: It is a fact that whatever is outside human effort is by nature and in reality called “beyond nature” and it can only be achieved by the intervention of the hyperphysical divine Grace. We have here two factors at work: one  is natural, and is achieved by human means and the other which is “beyond naturel” and is achieved only by divine Grace. Whatever man is called upon to use in order to accomplish his reform are physical means. These means express his total struggle which aims to control the brutality of the unreformed man. That is, to pull man from the “unnatural” life he finds himself in. Adam’s fall from Paradise has caused a distortion whereby man has his “mind persistently contemplating evil deeds”. This is the entire nature of our malevolence.

This is more precisely the essence of the issue:

I am struggling, holding on to righteousness and slowly I am freed from injustice. The same applies to lies, hatred, selfishness, greed and debauchery. Then, by virtue of Grace which comes to my help when it sees my good intentions, I am freed of my evil nature and I recapture my natural life, doing deeds of virtue. These are essential to the natural law and morality and God takes nothing. He only praises man, who regained his rationality and denounced the “ insult” to his life and the downfall of his personality, because otherwise, he was like a reasonable human being “ who behaved like and resembled the beasts”.  However, the laws of morality and dignity do not guide one to life from the claws of death.

If man inherits death and its subsequent perils, he is not freed from their control just by following moral laws, but only if the Divine Grace which is beyond nature and divine power, intervene. This is what God the Son did for us, by His incarnation.

For this reason Paul cries: “We have not been saved because of our righteous deeds but because of His mercy through the renewal and regeneration offered by the Holy Spirit” Therefore, both the presence of Grace and human effort are necessary. If man does not legitimately and persistently struggle, he will not be able to reclaim the balance to the entire nature of the “beast” which is called “man”. Equally, if the divine Grace does not find the human beast in its natural balance, She will not visit him because “God will not enter a body full of sin, and if He does, He quickly comes out again”.

I short; this is what I had to say to you, my beloved son and to my humble daughter, my own flesh, whom I truly love.

We are well and all the others remember you and are grateful to you. We are getting ready to celebrate, please God, Epiphany. I hereby leave you my loads of prayers and my affection in Christ.

Yours, humble father Joseph.