Letter of Elder Ephraim, Mt Athos 1957

Holy Mount Athos, November 1957.

My beloved brother in Christ, may the grace of the Holy Spirit always cover you. I received your letter yesterday and was very glad to hear that you have grasped the true essence of monasticism and that you are in good health. My own health, by God's will, is meager.

My words about fleeing have the following meaning: a man, staying two or three years in the world and procrastinating, grows cold and after that loses the desire for monasticism. And this grace of inner burning recedes for neglecting to reach the goal.

"Both thorns and thistles it shall [a]bring forth for you" (GE 3:18) says the scripture. So thorns and thistles, that is, passions and bad habits, will grow on the ground of the heart. With much toil, sweat and tears the thorny roots of passions and bad habits will be uprooted, so that the ground of the heart may be cleansed, where the seed, the word of God, will be sown.

"Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me." According to the holy fathers, prayer is the seed sown in the heart of the beginner with much toil and effort, which must germinate and grow, so that it may be gathered and baked into bread, the bread of life. This means that the beginner will reap the fruit of the seed sown, that is, he will taste the sweetness of prayer, the love of Christ. It is the living, watering, watering of the heart, so that it may grow flowers, which I, who am negligent, am deprived of.

"But the hour is coming, and now is, when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth" (John 4:23). How well the Lord speaks of intelligent prayer!

Staying in the world, strive, read, pray as much as you can, do prayer, for its power is the greatest. Take care of almsgiving. The power of almsgiving is great. And when I lived in the world, even though I was poor, I did alms wherever possible, so that God would help me to reach my goal.

See how God glorifies the merciful: an angel appeared to Cornelius the centurion and said, "Your prayers and your almsgiving have come to remembrance before God" (Acts 10:4). In the same way the prophet Daniel said to Nebuchadnezzar: "O king, your sins with alms-giving, and your iniquities with mercifulness to the poor" (Dan. 4: 24).

My brother, let us remember - and I, the first, insensitive - the answer before the Last Judgment of God, as the holy ascetics remembered it.

Abba Agathon wept at the hour of his death. And the monks ask him:

- "Do you also weep, Abba?

- "Believe me, my children, I did my best to please God, but I don't know whether my work pleases God!"

Abba Anthony the Great also wept:

- "Are you also weeping, Abba?"

- "Believe me, children, ever since I became a monk, the fear of death has not departed from me!"

I also reflect on myself: what answer shall I give to God, lazy and impure, whom the passions have laid bare from the garment of marriage!

When St. Michael Malein was a novice, his father came to fetch him from the monastery and heard him singing: "My soul, the hereafter is temporary, but the thereafter is eternal. I see a judge on the throne, and before the Judgment, a river of fire flows, and the books are opened, and the innermost things of men are made manifest."

My brother, you will encounter many obstacles in your way, but do not lose courage. Avoid everything that hinders you in God's way. Cut off all friendships with worldly men. Do not be afraid: when God is with us, no one is against us (Romans 8:31).

My cell is very quiet. When you come, you will like it very much. I live in total silence and carefree. The elder gave me the blessing to eat something in the mornings here alone in silence. Rarely does anyone come by. I eat in solitude and try to pray with God's help. I get up by myself, and I keep vigil by myself. So, whoever yearns to live in silence, solitude, and prayer will like it here very much.

I wait for you with great joy. And I beg you very much to write to me without any hesitation.

With love for Christ, little Father Ephraim, child of the elder Joseph.