Letters by Elder Joseph of Vatopedi, No 2

“What can one say about peirasmos (trials, temptations)?

Nea Skete 21 /1/1987

To my beloved child, I fatherly pray that Christ’s Grace be with your spirit.

I have received your letter, which was just a little smaller than a newspaper, even though it could be as big as that! Fr. Athanasios and Fr. Theonas are about to leave for Thessaloniki to see some doctors and to sort out the book, and they will perhaps speak with you there. I was very pleased to hear about X; it is nice for him to have his own family nest, since time passes and then everything seems like too much effort.

What can one say regarding trials? Are we talking about the present or the future ones? The present ones are either gone or are still here, but they are less fierce than the future ones and therefore, we must realize that we must inevitably prepare for them better than what we have already done so far. As for us, we have entered a struggle which has so far been unknown to us.  And again, the priest is out there. Let’s wait and see where this will lead us. These are the times for which our fathers have predicted that all the living will be tested. For now and the rest of the future, we must show patience. Amen. “Those who want to be devout will be tested”. And also “we must go through a lot of trials in order to enter Eternal life”.

These are the tendencies of the unjust world we are living in. What we are seeing is not even the beginnings of what is coming in the near future in order to rectify social justice! Therefore in the future, do not wonder “why this”, “why the other “.  There is something else you must worry about: How to show patience and how to persevere in prayer for what is coming to us.  Everything has a purpose: To love our Christ and to comprehend the meaning of Crucifixion, which nowadays is something we most need. Everything, which is human, changes and is altered and transformed. Unfortunately, we remain the same and many times we are fighting with our own selves!

As for me, I am getting rusty; my legs have become totally useless. Generally speaking, we are sick most of the time. The telephones are now out of order and we can have some peace at last. Unfortunately, they will be repaired and the feast will start again! Every day, we only hear of problems, illnesses, divorces, life struggles and our hearts ache. What has the world come to without the presence of God! Like a jungle, a human arena! May the Lord have mercy on us!

With all my love and affection, I pray for all of you,

Your father, humble Joseph