A young man asked his confessor :
`I`d like to know a lot of things about faith and religion. I read many books but I don`t know which ones are true and which are not. Some say things in a way the others in another way so what should I believe?`
`My son the greatest temptation is that one which tries your faith with all kinds of things which are nicely said but empty of spirit. Would you like to get a very nice looking apple from someone but when eating it to see that inside is full of worms and rotten? Would that apple be good of anything? Some books are like this as well; they keep your kind busy with all kinds of ideas but they don`t nourish the soul.`
`Read as much as possible but try to be like the bees which pass from flower to flower and they gather the nectar and no other useless things. You on your turn gather the nectar of the books seek what is useful in them and if you know to find the truth in books, you`ll know how to find it in your life as well.
The pagans say that religion, faith is not logical. But in fact faith is beyond logic.
Our mind judges according to the worldly principles and is not capable to comprehend even these. The heavenly ones can`t be found in this way. Don`t seek with your mind what you have to seek with your soul, for what belongs to the soul you can find only with your soul. And remember: you read in vain about faith if you don`t live in faith!
`Without God is impossible to know God.` (Saint Irineus)
Excerpt from the Most beautiful Christian Orthodox parables and stories – Leon Magdan, Aramis Publishing – Romanian Patriarchy, 1998.
