Orthodox Parables and Stories: St. Paisios On Ego

February, 1988 It is quite cold in Karyes. The altitude is high. There is also humidity that makes things difficult. Today, however, the weather is dry. There is also a breeze to enjoy if you are well dressed. It's evening. The sun has just disappeared behind the mountain. We continue along the path with Elder Paisios. Along the way we meet Fr. Kalinik from the Kutlumush monastery.

We reach his wooden bridge. There are only bare hazel trees around us with no leaves. Only branches.

"Um, who brought the tangerines?" asked Elder Paisios surprisingly.

In the distance, at a distance of more than 60 meters, one can see the door of his hut and something that blushes at its base, probably orange. The distance does not allow for further details.
In a little while we are approaching. Indeed, we see a large transparent bag, orange-colored, full of tangerines. How did the Elder see them! Why tangerines and not oranges! Since the bag is orange, there could have been apples in it.

"How I like tangerines!" says the Elder with a visibly feeble bow. "I'll hold three for me ... Better to make them five ... When the opportunity comes, I'll take seven!" he says with a charming smile and pauses. "Take the others, Father Kalinike, and take them to the Elder Joseph."

The Elder Joseph was an old man in the Kutlumushki skeet, 103 years old, who used to cultivate his garden on a daily basis.

Fr. Kalinik asked for a blessing and left. Elder Paisius and I went into his little kalyva. We sat in his cell and he asked me to read some of his writings. Nearly 20 minutes went by and an iron struck the yard door. Some came to meet him.

"Shall I open it, Geronda?" I ask.

"Better leave it. If they are curious, they will leave. If they are suffering or spiritually thirsty, they will insist."

I continue reading. After a few minutes they knocked again.

"What are we going to do now, Geronda?" I ask again.

Instead of a curtain, a piece of sheet was hanging on his window.

"Look to the side so they don't see you and see how many they are," he told me.

“I can't count them, they can't be seen,” I reply.

"Okay, don't you know arithmetic? What has he been doing in America for so many years? Let's wait, they will knock again."

Indeed, after a few minutes they bang for the third time.

"Now I'll try to count them. I may not have finished primary school, but I will succeed," he told me.

He gets up and opens the door to the yard.

"What happened to you, heroes, at such an hour? What did you come for?"

“Father, we want to see you for a while. Can we?"

"You can see me. But what can I find to get you. How many are you? Let me count you ...one, two, ..seven. Let's see what I can find in the "store" at such an hour."

He goes into his kalyva and returns with seven tangerines.

How amazing this person is I thought! How did he know to keep seven tangerines? God enlightened him without realizing it?

"Where do you come from, heroes?" he asked with interest.

"We are from Athens. And Bruce and John are from America."

"From America? But if we pump them with a tangerine, they will make us a staple all over the world! Let's find something American in the supermarket."

He went back inside and came back with a packet of American biscuits and a box of different kinds of Ρlanters nuts, from America's most famous brand. Surprised they express their amazement and impression.

"Father, what symbolizes the lash they beat in the monasteries?" Asks one timidly.

“I don't know what it symbolizes. Neither does it matter. What is valuable is not to beat one of the monastery's eyelids, but to multiply the talent (in Greek, the word for eyelid and talent is one and the same - τάλαντο - Bel.) By God. Listen, people! As time passed, they had to leave. One thing he said: "The problem for Americans is that in English "I" (in Greek ἐγώ) is always written in capital letters, while in Greece we sometimes write it in small.

They laughed at the funny note and the Americans asked:

"What does it mean? What do we have to do?".

"Delete the "ego" from your vocabulary, children. Selfishness is our great enemy. We must fight it without exception."

Holiness has nobility, tenderness, grace in itself. He did not say wisdom, nor theological words, nor did he make any impressive revelations. But fill the hearts of all. He thought carefully, hid his gift of grace, kindly treated his visitors, treated himself in a beautiful and original way, made his speech, comforted with his presence. Without trying to convince anyone of something, he convinces everyone about the greatest things. By it you are enlightened, rejoicing, comforting. You feel like Mary "at the feet of Jesus." Like the apostles on the mountain of the Holy Transfiguration - you don't want to leave for anything in the world.