— Your Beatitude, give us your counsel: how are we to keep our courage in such difficult times?
— Now is precisely the time when we can show our spiritual courage and our true love for Christ. We must be faithful to God not only in bright days. When darkness falls, we too must remain devoted disciples of the Saviour. From the pages of the Gospel we know how, in the days of Christ's earthly life, some kept faith with Him while others betrayed and persecuted Him. So it was in the times that followed. And today each of us must ask himself: to which group do we belong? To those who marvelled at the Saviour's miracles and sang "hosanna!", and then turned away from Him? Or to those who stood at the foot of the cross when the Son of God was reviled and crucified?
Looking at ourselves objectively, we shall most likely find ourselves among the first. Often we love God when all is well, when we are praised for our faith. But what are we to do when we are insulted and persecuted? — We must look to the Lord's path to Golgotha, to the fact that He allowed Himself to be crucified and laid in the tomb. This is a manifestation of God's utter self-abasement for the sake of our salvation. He showed an example for us all. Therefore in difficult periods we must take particular care to keep our courage. When the Church comes under attack, we must show her even greater love.
— Why is it that, being in the Church, we sometimes lose the peace in our soul?
— Peace is gained only by the one who fulfils his calling to be a temple of God, who is a true child of the Church. For this one must be a doer of God's commandments, which are necessary for our salvation. Keeping these rules, a Christian cleanses himself and becomes a vessel of the grace of God. From such a person, wherever he may be — among a society indignant, distressed, unpeaceful — the light of peace will go forth. And the place where true peace is found — peace with God, with one's own conscience, with everyone around — is the Church.
— Unfortunately, today it is very fashionable to say that the Church needs to be remade, that this and that in the Church is unsuitable…
— What will happen if we set about rebuilding the Church — changing one thing, abolishing another, adding a third? In that case the Church will turn into a political club: it will remain a "church" in word only. To my mind, it is we who do not suit the Church, and not the Church that does not suit us. She always was, is and will be the Body of Christ. And in this Body everything is harmonious, everything is rightly ordered. If we want good for ourselves, if we want to restore the Divine harmony within ourselves, then we must adjust ourselves to the Church and not the other way round. In the Church the Lord mercifully gives us the possibility of enjoying in fullness those blessings which we received through His most glorious resurrection.
— Why is it necessary to repent often? What should one pay attention to when preparing for confession?
— Every person stands in need of repentance. Since we sin every day, we must also repent every day. Three important points connected with repentance should be noted. First, one must not fall into despondency. Have you fallen? Get up! If you have sinned, you must repent. Second, do not put off repentance until the last day of your life. The example of the wise thief is given not for imitation but for encouragement: so that we may understand how great the mercy of God is. Third, repentance must be proportionate to our sins.
— Sometimes it happens like this: a person has sinned, then repented, and waits to receive peace, joy and quietness of soul at once, as soon as the word "forgive" has been said. And when that does not come about, the questioning begins: what has happened?
— Besides repentance, one must also undertake the labour of patience. For a certain time we must bear with the consequences of our sin. For example, the Venerable Mary of Egypt repented at once, as soon as she had crossed the Jordan. But since she had sinned for seventeen years, for just as long she waged a heavy warfare with the passions. For the wounds inflicted by sin to heal, a definite period is needed. Even if a plaster is laid on an ordinary (bodily) wound, it can still hurt for a long time.
— From what period of one's life should one begin to repent?
— One should begin from childhood. Although children do not commit terrible sins, they sometimes disobey their parents, say bad words, fight and can even be cruel. As for the adult, his spiritual life demands closer attention, because the sins he commits are already far graver. From the pages of the Bible we know that there is no person who does not sin (1 Kings 8: 46). Repentance eases the soul. It may be unnoticed, hidden from the eyes of others, but it must be done sincerely and constantly. And then our life will be blessed by God. Having tasted the bitterness of the labour of repentance, we shall receive the sweetness of the grace of God. Repentance must be brought not only at confession before communion. Every day, as we prepare for sleep, we must recall what we did wrong during the day: "Lord, I did this and that, forgive me! Lord, I am guilty! Have mercy on me, Lord!" Such short prayers of repentance prepare us for confession. It must not be put off "until later". For no one knows how long he will live and whether there will be time to repent.
— How often should one receive Communion?
— We receive the Body and Blood of Christ because this is the pledge of eternity. It is the leaven for eternity. He who does not commune cannot become a partaker of the good portion in eternity. To make dough rise, a little yeast is put into it. Something similar happens with us: human nature receives a new "leaven" from the Chalice of Christ, and through this it has a good portion with the Lord in eternal life. The frequency of Communion depends on the degree of our spiritual perfection.
— What is your attitude to the well-known opinion widespread in our society: that going to church is not obligatory, and that one can pray in any place.
— One not only may pray everywhere, but must. However, there are places appointed precisely for prayer. Anyone who wishes to live in a Christian way understands this. Every Orthodox Christian knows: it is easier to pray in church than anywhere else. The church is the place where we grow spiritually. Here the sacraments are celebrated: the Eucharist, Baptism, Marriage, Chrismation, Repentance, Anointing of the Sick and Ordination. In the church there is the grace of God, which is an aid to prayer.
— In what cases do we become conductors of the grace of God?
— When we do good for the glory of God. It is important to remember here: all good deeds come from God, and man is only an instrument in His hands. If we regard all our deeds in this way, pride will not take hold of us. Through the priesthood the Lord imparts His grace to others. If a priest is an example to his flock, then he is a clean conductor of the grace of God. God grant that we may not be rusty conductors. For we shall have to answer for this before the Lord.
— Sometimes people, analysing someone's path in life or someone's choice, come to the conclusion: this is your cross. How should one regard such opinions?
— Every person has his own cross, which consists of sorrows, trials and illnesses. All this we endure during our earthly life. Will our cross be a saving one? Everything depends on the state in which we carry it. If we show arrogance, pride or impatience, it will not be a saving cross for us. But when we show thanksgiving to God, humility and prayer, then we shall enter those mansions which the Lord has prepared for all who love Him.
— What should be said about love in the light of the New Testament?
— The commandment to love God and to love one's neighbours was given to people already in the Old Testament. However, in His discourse at the Mystical Supper the Lord Jesus Christ addresses His disciples with the words: "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another" (John 13: 34, KJV). Wherein lies the newness of this commandment? Above all in this, that a Christian's love must extend not only to those who are close to us by blood or who are pleasant to us, but to all who stand in need of our help and love. On the pages of the Gospel Jesus Christ calls us to a selfless love. And if we love as sinners love, what thanks is there for that from the Lord? We are called to love even our enemies, expecting nothing in return (Luke 6: 35), that is, not counting on repayment of what we have spent.
— In what does ordinary (human) love essentially differ from Christian love?
— In ordinary life we love those whom we like and who love us. But Christian love presupposes not reciprocity but self-sacrifice. It is a love exalted and all-embracing, and, reaching its perfection, it extends even to enemies. The Lord teaches us to bless those who curse us and to pray for those who wrong us.
— But how is such love to be attained? For it does not happen that a man simply opens his soul and comes to love everyone…
— Of course, Christian love does not come easily, however much we might wish it. The Lord Jesus Christ not only commands us to love one another but, above all, by His own life shows us the example of love and helps us to acquire it. In this lies the newness and the power of the New Testament: in union with Christ in the Church we become able to receive the gift of love from God, that love which extends to all, enemies included. Grace is received by a person in the measure in which his soul is cleansed: one must overcome oneself, crush one's pride, drive away all those evil thoughts which fill our soul. This is done with the help of the church sacraments of repentance and communion, of prayer, of the reading of Holy Scripture and of self-compulsion. The Lord Himself said that the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence (Matt. 11: 12, KJV), that is, one must compel and urge oneself to keep the fast, to chastity and to the other virtues. We must subject our flesh to the laws of the spirit. Then we shall have spiritual fruits, the chief of which is love. If a person does good, forgives offences, loves his neighbour with a sacrificial love, then he becomes like his Creator. Acting thus, a person finds peace of soul and fills his life with joy.
— To have joy and peace, one must feel happy. But how is that to be achieved in the present difficult conditions, when the cost of living rises and prices grow?
— Our happiness does not depend on the abundance of our possessions or on the external situation (economic and political) in which we find ourselves. A man may hold the highest position in society and own an enormous fortune and yet feel himself deeply unhappy. Truly happy is the one whose happiness does not depend on the outer world. Being sons of God, the saints were happy with what God gave them, because their hearts were filled with the grace of God. Happy is he who knows how to be content with what he has, who strives to cleanse his heart of the passions and tries to love God and all people.
— The Lord Jesus Christ commands us: thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. In order to love one's neighbour, must one love oneself? What does it mean to love oneself?
— It is natural for a person to love himself. No one wishes himself harm. The question lies in the direction of our love. One can love oneself by indulging one's selfish desires, and one can love oneself in order to gain the Kingdom of Heaven. What are the joys of this world? — They are a good job, the increase of one's material wealth, various amusements… Of course, we all need the necessary things — a roof over our head, clothing, our daily bread. But Christian love towards oneself does not mean a desire to acquire earthly goods. A Christian sees his own good in the keeping of God's commandments, which bring a person nearer to God and open the possibility of acquiring the grace of God, which fills the heart with a fullness and joy beyond all comparison.
— In the 13th chapter of the First Epistle to the Corinthians the holy Apostle Paul, singing his hymn to love, concludes his discourse with the phrase: charity never faileth. How are these words to be understood?
— The essence of Christian love is the Christian's capacity for sacrifice. If there is no sacrifice in love, it cannot be called Christian love. Love without sacrifice is a manifestation of egoism, of self-love, of self-indulgence. With the phrase "charity never faileth" (KJV) the holy Apostle Paul shows us that the sacrificial character of Christian love cannot be abolished by anything — neither by offences, nor by trials, nor by disappointments…
Into the other world only his fruits of love for God and for his neighbour will follow a person. And in all its fullness the Christian will be able to unfold the gift of love in the eternal and better life, when not only the gifts of prophecy and of tongues will disappear, but faith and hope also will cease. Faith will there be replaced by the beholding of the Lord, and hope will have come to pass; love alone will reign unto the ages of ages, for ever, because true love is God Himself, and God is the eternal source of love
Source: Онуфрий, Митрополит Киевский. Ответы на вопросы. — СТСЛ, 2017
