Elder Ephraim of Arizona

Let us not lose our time in vain. The kingdom of heaven belongs to those who force themselves. Bear in mind the departure of our souls, the final hour and moment of that difficult separation. Keep in mind how the demons seek to snatch the poor soul at this final hour and lead it to Hades. Oh, what grief! What pain of soul! How the soul sighs then! Alas, what a sorrowful situation it is in at that moment! How many promises a person will make to God that he will change his life, that he will walk the path of repentance and hardship, as long as he does not die!

All of us shall reach this hour and encounter the above and much more, and we shall then promise much more earnestly that we shall take the path of repentance and spiritual warfare. Let us imagine that this has already happened and that God has heard our request. Now what is left for us to do? To fulfill our promises by showing true repentance and to struggle to correct our soul. Behold the appropriate time for repentance and spiritual warfare! Little by little the time of our life is cut short, and without even realizing it, we are led to the end and to the grave!

A tribunal and a Judge await us, as well as entire books in which the deeds of each one of us are written. Who is able to escape these things? No one. We shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ “naked and open” for each of us to give an account of his deeds, words, and thoughts. Let us bear in mind these and many more such things night and day, so that we may bring our souls to mourning and tears!

Elder Ephraim of Arizona

Elder Ephraim of Arizona

Here in this world, we celebrate Holy Pascha for a very short time. Joy passes and again tribulations, sorrows, temptations and many other evils come. But in heaven, in the other world, Pascha will last forever, and there will be no end. It will be the Pascha of eternity, and there will be no end to it. - Elder Ephraim of Arizona

Elder Ephraim of Arizona

The sufferings of life will end one day, because the world is passing away; only what one does for the soul that will remain forever. - Elder Ephraim of Arizona

Elder Ephraim of Arizona

The greatest church where God gladly settles in is the one that He very skillfully created with his own hands — our entire being, our soul, when it is pure. - Elder Ephraim of Arizona

Elder Ephraim of Arizona

"In the evening, before going to sleep, let us kneel again and offer our prayers to God. And in the day or evening, open the New Testament and read at least one chapter. " - Elder Ephraim of Arizona

Elder Ephraim of Arizona

Even one additional bow is already a work of asceticism, for which there will be its reward from God. Those few bows that we make slowly accumulate with God in heaven, and when we go to the Mountain we will find them there in large numbers. And that will help us give a kind answer in the terrible hour of judgment. - Elder Ephraim of Arizona

Memorial for Elder Ephraim of Arizona

Elder Ephraim of Arizona

Let's not sit around and talk with people, don't be upset with conversations that are timely and harmful. Let us change our language from judging people, our brother, our neighbor. No, we don't do that. Let us judge ourselves, condemn ourselves. If we condemn him, we will change the condemnation of God. If we condemn, we will be condemned, and if we judge, we will be judged, and with whatever measure we measure we will be measured by God. - Elder Ephraim of Arizona

Saxonburg 1996

Elder Ephraim of Arizona: What is spiritual mercy?

At His Second Coming Christ will bless and condemn us.

He will bless them on His right hand because they have given alms and have shown love and He will condemn them on the left because they have been deprived of these virtues.

The alms goes up to the throne of God and lowers God's mercy on man. Mercy offers, Mercy finds, Love scatters, Love accepts.

We don't have to have too many things to be merciful about. And a little something to offer with love, counts so much in the sight of God before God. So with all the power we have, let's help and be merciful.

Abraham was the richest man in his time, but also the richest in alms. As was his heart, so was his hand.

Christ told us that if we have an option and can offer something to the brother, he will owe it to us in heaven and it will represent us a thousand times more.

Here on earth we give tithes in front of the good that God gives us. We deposit here to find them upstairs. After all, is anything of our own? "Thine own of Thine own." What we give is what God gives us.

Alms is not only meant to offer something material, but more valuable is to offer something spiritual. What is this spiritual charity? It's when I forgive an enemy of mine. Instead of condemning him, I am merciful, I don't blame him, I don't hate him, but I pray for him. This is the greatest charity a Christian can do.

… There are other kinds of spiritual alms. For example, I am physically assisting a person who cannot work or serve. There are so many patients, so many of our brothers, who need support. I go and comfort the desperate.

Everyone suffers from skepsis, from thoughts, from psychological problems; and everyone needs the alms of a good word, a word of consolation. I visit the prisoners, the sick, the helpless, the old people. I drive a sinner to the confession and there his sins are forgiven and he becomes worthy of eternal life. I make peace for a couple who are in danger of breaking up their marriage, and they are not divorcing. I help someone else do a good act of charity.

And above all, spiritual alms is the prayer we make for all of our brothers and especially for our enemies…

Let us thank God in our souls for claiming to be Orthodox Christians and having the opportunity to be merciful and strive to be with Him in His eternal glory. Amen.

From the book: "Spiritual Speeches" - Elder Ephraim Philotheitou - Orthodox Kipseli Publications.

Isn't the world in vain?

Isn't the world in vain? Isn't life short? So why should we care about straws more than gold? Everything in this vain world will be gone. Festivals are the world, life and everyone trades with the time of his life, the Eternal Life. - Elder Ephraim of Arizona

Geronda Ephraim of Arizona

This photo of a friend was a blessing on the day of the funeral of the Geronda given by his father PASIY, it was fragrant later, 5 seconds was in the hands of Father Ephraim in the coffin.

Elder Paisios, Abbot of St. Anthony's monastery and Elder Ephraim of Arizona

Elder Ephraim of Arizona

Elder Ephraim: "You see this photo of Elder Joseph the Hesychast. I had a great Elder, he was a man on fire, a human phenomenon. All heaven was thinking, living with him. Two words he kept telling us, patience and prayer, and it helped us as much as God's Providence allowed. Being obedient, we never quarreled with each other. Others were troubling us, insulting the Elder, accusing him, but Elder Joseph was saying, "let them say, let's not say."

Elder Ephraim of Arizona

O my Thrice-holy Lord of Saboath, love of my lowly soul, bless the new year; spread Your goodness throughout the world, and the sinners will fall down before You in repentance and confession.

from the Diary of Elder Ephraim of Arizona

Next to Elder Ephraim of Arizona is Elder Philotheos abbot of Holy Monastery of Karakallos,

Elder Ephraim of Arizona

When Two Angels See Each Other.

Elder Ephraim of Arizona, By the hand of John Hall in the basement dorms of St Anthony’s

Philotheou Monastery 1983