Monk Moses the Athonite
The justified issue of our days is the serious economic crisis our homeland is facing. That’s why there is a great unsafety, anxiety, agony, revolt, confusion, fear and stress. The times are hard indeed. In this situation the Christians are called to bring their testimony, to make their confession. The fortresses are collapsing as if they were towers made of sand.
The rich are caught in a trap, there arise many problems, the balance is overturned, abuses and cunning desires show up.
Unemployment, unsafety, criminality, unlawfulness and poverty grow. All these show clearly the lassitude and the spiritual scarcity of so many people.
If at least this powerful typhoon caused a wake from lassitude, a reviving quake, some cracks for a better knowledge, some wounds and cuts for taking responsible decisions. It is needed a revival of the forgotten optimism, of the hidden hopefulness, the lost joy, the desired peace.
Behind the human pain, behind the bitter trial, the tiring grief and frightening sorrow it is hidden the merciful eye of God. The wake from the sleep of earthly pleasures, comfortable living and individualism will bring the man to a spiritual wake, to a straight look, to a conscious study and to the rejection of the turbid stress. The man has many and unknown inner powers. He should not give in easily, fall instantly, lie down, allow himself be defeated by discouragement. Since there is no true Christian who is discouraged, without patience and hope, feeling miserable, sad and ungrateful.
The world challenge and call without cease to a society of prosperity, superconsumerism, abundance and satiety. The life of many men is fond of money, of flesh, of pleasures and of earthly things. The society has become sensualist and excessively fond of the body. Thus unfortunately it took place a terrible deadlock, a cunning trap, a stagnation and a narcosis related exclusively to the earthly goods.
There are no signs of resistance, of opposition or repentance. That’s why the economic crisis bothers so much. But it remains as an important opportunity for an essential change.
The Gospel speaks all the time about asceticism, abstinence, simplicity, temperance and mercy. It speaks about cross, sorrow, long patience and a lot of trust in God.
Now it is the time to show faith, to face trials, to be judged the authenticity of everyone’s faith. So that it won’t limit itself at words. In temptations, trials, storms it is proven the truth of our creed. The pain shows the disease. But the pain can become a doctor.
We need to feel the pain, even for the others. It is true that pain may melt the man and become a blessing but it can also harden him and thus his disease becomes a martyrdom, a torment or a curse. As the sun rays melt wax and harden the mud. The free will has a great significance.
Many are the reasons why the man should strive without cease. Despair is not allowed. Patience is absolutely necessary. We are not the only strugglers alive.
Our people say that the good sailor is shown during storm. It’s a storm, there are some clouds, there’s a squall but everything will pass. We drifted away by mistake. It’s the time to return to the righteous temperate moderate life. It’s an opportunity. And an important one.
