III. CUMPLIMIENTO DEL CTE
3- SEGURIDAD DE UTILIZACIÓN Y ACCESIBILIDAD (CTE DB-SUA)
Metropolitan of Nafpaktos and St.
Vlasios
I
consider it a special and exceptional honor to author the prologue of The Art of Salvation, the first volume of homilies by Elder Ephraim (the former Abbot of the Holy Monastery of Philotheou, Mount Athos), as he and the fathers of the HolyMonastery requested.
This feeling of honor stems from the fact that Elder Ephraim is a practiced teacher of the watchful way of life of our Orthodox Church.
I first met Elder Ephraim on Mount Athos when he was living at New Skete. I still
preserve quite vividly within my heart the image of this fervent ascetic, who is endowed with the ceaseless memory of God and spiritual insight. I am speaking of an ascetic who has lived the spiritual life in practice and who has acquired first-hand knowledge of
the passions and how they can be overcome, as well as what constitutes communion with God and how one can attain it. He is a proficient spiritual father with discernment, who
(just like every true monastic hesychast) expresses his distinct
ecclesiastical mindset, and simultaneously respects the Bishop whom he asks with extreme humility and his invulnerable grandeur to write the prologue of his first volume of homilies.
Here we witness the association between two gifts that are found within
the Church: the life of the monk and the ministry of the Bishop. This further reminds me of the relationship, as well as the humility, that existed between Saint Nicodemos the Hagiorite and Bishop Hierotheos of Evripos, which is evident in their correspondence in the
beginning of the book A Handbook of Spiritual Counsel.
The text contained within this book The Art of Salvation are homilies to the monks of the Holy Monastery of Philotheou on Mount Athos, as well as to laypeople, primarily of the United States, who
are his spiritual children and whom he guides in the spiritual life.
The characteristic feature of these homilies is their combination of theology with pastoral care. Indeed, when I speak of theology, I am not referring to academic knowledge, which of
course is necessary in certain instances in the Church’s historical life, but rather the theology that is a gift, which manifests itself as the experience of God as well as knowledge of the uncreated words and ideas that are perpetually transmitted as a teaching
via created words and meanings. Elder Ephraim himself was obedient to a sanctified elder: Elder Joseph the Hesychast. He lived with the noetic prayer, as he was instructed by this ascetical elder and
hesychast. He
experienced the “first
grace,” in following the
“second grace” (as Elder Joseph very wisely named it), and later he acquired the ability to discern the spirits, which is the true gift of theology.
This theology then becomes a pastoral science that is used to shepherd and guide
spiritual children. Such a theologian knows from his own experience the state of Adam prior to his disobedience and fall (for previously he had subsisted in the state of enlightenment of the nous), and the horrible consequences of the fall (since “the image” of God
was obscured, the nous was darkened, and all the powers of the soul were deformed and acquired
their unnatural
inclinations, resulting in the creation of the passions as we recognize
them today).
Consequently, such a theologian is familiar
with the ascetic, watchful,
and hesychastic
methodology (i.e., obedience, watchfulness, prayer, and noetic hesychasm), through which man is liberated from the rule of the devil, death, and sin, and develops communion with God “in the person
of Jesus Christ.” As a matter of fact, he even reaches the vision of God’s glory in the human flesh of the Logos, which is Paradise.
Therefore, the close union between theology and pastoral care, between spiritual knowledge and the
ministry of shepherding human souls is clearly evident. Only they who have empirical knowledge of God’s mysteries can help others to be liberated from the subjugation of the passions, the devil, and death, something which constitutes the genuine pastoral care of
the Church. If someone is
lacking these
prerequisites, then he will speak gracefully instead of theologically;
aesthetically instead of ascetically.
Elder Ephraim’s homilies take place within these boundaries.
Unequivocally, his lecture
material is derived from the Holy Scriptures, which are the words of the prophets and Apostles, the immediate witnesses of the bodiless and incarnate Word; from the writings of the holy Fathers of the Church, who are the successors of the Holy Apostles and the
bearers of the apocalyptic experience of Pentecost;
f r o m The Lives of the Desert Fathers and the Church’s Synaxarion, in which the lives of the true and sanctified members of the Church are visible, who simultaneously are members not of the mystical but of the real
Body of Christ; and from narratives taken from and referring to sanctified ascetics of Mount Athos.
Above all, however, these spiritual words are shaped by the personal experiences of Elder Ephraim, and this is why they are offered authentically, with
simplicity, serenity, and meekness, which are the fruits of Orthodox hesychasm.
I read the homilies contained within this first volume with attention and prayer, most of them within the quietude of the Dormition of the Theotokos
Ampelakiotissa Sacred Monastery, which is located within our Holy Metropolis. As I read these writings, I was spiritually edified, and a state of prayer was created within me. Most importantly, I saw who man was before the fall, where he ended up after
the fall, and how he can be liberated from the dominion of death. These homilies are indeed alive, informative, inspiring, and lead to repentance—
the markers of a genuine Orthodox teaching. These homilies, just as with the spoken words of men who possess the Holy Spirit
and have attained communion with Christ
through sacred
hesychasm, give the impression that the mind of the speaker is moving
beyond human
boundaries, and they direct the reader to a different understanding of matters that lie beyond
the action of the passions and death, in the full sense of the spiritual significance of this word and state.
When I finished reading these homilies, the following verse of Apostle Paul came to mind: “Let no man beguile you of your
reward in a voluntary humility and worshiping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, and not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit
together, increaseth with the increase of God” (Col.
2:18-19).
The Apostle Paul is making reference here to a situation that existed during his time, which related to the faith of the angels, and to visions that originated from fallen, secular man. Even today
we can assert that many faiths of angels (i.e., demons) exist, which are based upon the conceited secular mind, imaginary fantasies, demonic visions and social customs, and not upon the authentic teaching that emanates from union with Christ, the Head of the
Church. The words of the Apostle Paul, therefore, are appropriate:
“Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances” (Col.
2:20).
Since we live in a
secularized society that oftentimes influences the ecclesiastic state of affairs, we must humbly struggle with all the Orthodox ecclesiastic prerequisites as described by the teachings of the saints, who are the true members of Christ’s Body. We must be closely
united with the Head of the Church Who is Christ, and, as members of Christ’s Body, we must be nourished and held together by the Head, and increase spiritually—that is, our entire being must
“increaseth with the increase of God” (Col.
2:19). Our purpose in life
must be to increase in God and to advance from our present fallen state to Paradise, from our attachment with the devil to deification, which is exactly the “increase of God.”
This spiritual increase is facilitated by Elder Ephraim’s homilies,
which remind me not only of an authentic monastic teaching but also the spirit of Mount Athos as I encountered it during the
’60s and ’70s, and as I witness it today in sanctified Athonite monks who lead an ascetical and hesychastic life.
I feel the need to thank the venerable Elder Ephraim for the labors he undertook to acquire this knowledge of God, and I ask him to pray for me too, as well as for all of us who are involved with the pastoral ministry of the people, so that we do not lose the deeper and
more fundamental purpose of pastoral ministry, which is to lead people—primarily
ourselves—from “the image” to “the likeness”
of God, from the darkness of the mind to enlightenment and deification. We must understand well that
Christianity’s purpose is not simply to carry out certain social work, but according to the accurate statement of Saint Gregory of Nyssa,
“Christianity is the emulation of the Divine nature.”
T
Introduction
he book you are holding in your hands contains thirty-three homilies given by the venerable Elder Ephraim, the former Abbot of
Philotheou Monastery, who presently resides at St. Anthony’s Monastery in Florence, Arizona.
These homilies, which have been selected from the hundreds of recorded talks that the Elder has given throughout the past five decades from his position as the spiritual
guide for both the monks of his monasteries as well as laypeople, were originally transcribed and published in Greek by the Holy Monastery of Philotheou in a book e n t i t l e d The Art of Salvation [Ἡ Τέχνη τῆς Σωτηρίας].
The central theme of
these talks is repentance.
“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”
(Mt. 3:2), proclaimed St.
John the Forerunner.
“Repent, and believe the gospel” (Mk. 1:15), announced the Lord Jesus Christ a short time later.
The holy disciples similarly “went out and
preached that men should repent” (Mk. 6:12). After His Resurrection, the Lord reaffirmed “that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all nations” (Lk.
24:47). Following the example of all the Spirit-moved fathers of the
Church throughout the centuries, Elder Ephraim in our days continues inspiring us to repent while simultaneously setting forth for us how to
“bear fruits worthy of repentance” (Mt. 3:8).
Thus, this book has rightfully been titled The Art of Salvation, for it
demonstrates how to cultivate the fruits of repentance and blossoms of salvation. If you are plagued by sinful passions, it will instruct you how to decrease them. If you are
confronted by
temptations, it will encourage you to deal
with them. If you are overcome by indifference, it will infuse you with heavenly zeal. If you are battled by despair, it will show you how to draw hope. If you are assaulted by pride, it will inform you how to develop humility. In one word, if you desire to be saved, it
will teach you the art that securely leads to salvation.
In this present English translation, we have ordered the chapter sequence differently than that of the Greek edition.
The first twenty-three chapters are homilies given to laypeople; the
last ten chapters, homilies given to monks. In this manner, one can more clearly notice both the overlapping concepts in the two groups of homilies—since both monastics and laypeople belong to the one flock of Christ—as well as the discernment of the Elder
who, aware of each group’s distinct needs, tailors his approach and tone accordingly.
Most of the homilies were given in an informal manner without previous preparation by the Elder.
Consequently, we have translated the spoken word as demanded by the
English language in order to convey the spirit of the meanings, not to transliterate word for word.
Wherefore, dear reader, as you make your way through this book, as you learn and become proficient in the “art” that leads to salvation,
remember to pray for everyone who contributed to this publication, and to share what you have found to be beneficial with others who may be unfamiliar with these vital matters. Above all, do not forget to raise the eyes of your soul to Heaven and render
heartfelt thanks to the God and “Captain of our salvation” (Heb. 2:10), Jesus Christ. To Him is due all worship, honor, and glory unto the ages.
Amen.
The fathers of St.
Nektarios Monastery