“Non-condemnation, prayer, and purity of heart are the foundation upon which spiritual work is built.”For the Memory of ELDER PAVLOS of Sinai († MARCH 1, 2020)

“Non-condemnation, prayer, and purity of heart are the foundation upon which spiritual work is built.”

For the Memory of ELDER PAVLOS of Sinai († MARCH 1, 2020)

*"There are people with whom you’ve spoken only a little but you’ll preserve their light in your heart forever. Recalling their righteousness, you strive for it yourself. Fr. Pavlos, seen by many pilgrims as he led excursions on Mt. Sinai, was an earthly angel. He had everything—truth, joy, humility, purity. Your soul was warmed being near him. All intellectuality and cleverness fell away, like a husk, and you could clearly see where is light and where darkness. …

Fr. Pavlos was inconspicuous and irreplaceable. He was constantly on the move: sweeping the yard, cleaning the church, washing, leading tours for pilgrims. He was the first to come to church and the last to leave, like a simple monk. But he was a significant figure—the spiritual father of the Sinai Monastery: Clergy and laity from all ends of the earth came to him every day for confession. When I was preparing to confess in Greek for the first time, my neighbors in the guest house, relatives of the monks, reassured me: “Don’t be afraid! Fr. Pavlos advises little; more than advising he prays for you and always says: ‘Don’t judge!’” I went to the confessional on the appointed day and hour. Fr. Pavlos had lively eyes and a quiet heart. He said a prayer, asked how I believe—I read the Nicene Creed—and he heard my confession. [Father] prayed and at the end quietly asked: “Remember: all our troubles are due to the fact that we judge not ourselves, but other people. Judge no one!” Such humble love came from the Elder (he sincerely considers himself worse than me!), that this love of his heals and revives the soul. …

Fr. Pavlos reposed on the morning of Forgiveness Sunday. One of his Mt. Sinai brothers said: “His prayer was such that if the altar were to go up in flames right now, he wouldn’t notice! I believe that Geronda will not abandon his beloved work—communion with God—and that he will pray for us in the Heavenly Kingdom! He who comforted men all his life will now himself receive great consolation from God!”

Fr. Pavlos has no written legacy. Therefore, the only thing that remains is his oral conversations with pilgrims to Mt. Sinai and on television and radio programs on Crete and Cyprus. Here are several of his spiritual counsels.

NON-JUDGMENT, PRAYER, AND A PURE HEART ARE THE FOUNDATIONS FOR SPIRITUAL WORK

The name of God is great power! As are the words that we monks say: “Lord Jesus Christ have mercy on me.” If you say them from your whole heart, and you labor and preserve your heart in purity, they will have great power. A simple example: We often lose something. The evil one makes us nervous and irritated: “Come on, where did I put it?” Don’t make a fuss, but say: “Lord, Jesus Christ, show me what I lost.” And He will show you.

Prayer is a great consolation in all temptations and trials in life. It is an invincible weapon. Therefore, the enemy frightfully rises up against prayer and tries to take it away from a man by any means. When we pray in church and our mind is dissipated, we need to bring it back: “Where are you going? Come back!” And watch after the purity of your heart, because the purer the heart, the easier it is to reach Christ. The great ascetics reached great heights, but this was preceded by their [ascetic strife] of purifying the soul from the passions. The passions, like clouds in the sky, conceal the light and it becomes dark.

In confession, we often say: “I don’t have any special sins… they’re normal…” And among them is condemnation, which is a heavy sin. We consider it “normal.” Condemnation is a spiritual disaster. Non-condemnation was laid at the foundation of the [ascetic strife] of all those who have succeeded spiritually. The Desert Fathers tried to cultivate the virtue of non-condemnation. They condemned no one; they were very afraid to condemn. St. John Climacus says: “A monk who does not condemn goes to another monk’s cell and sees it dirty and cluttered. And what does he say? Ah, this brother is engaged in spiritual work, and he has no time for himself. Then he goes to another’s cell, and there it’s clean and everything is tidy. He thinks: This brother has the same purity within as he has in his cell.” He didn’t condemn either of them. But we, in our carelessness, could have condemned both.

Christ very wisely said: Judge not, and ye shall not be judged (Lk. 6:37). And we easily lose non-condemnation and often justify ourselves: “I said it out of love!” It’s not love! The great ascetic St. Isaac the Syrian says: “On that day when you open your mouth and condemn your brother, all the good you have done will be lost.” So strong! If we are attentive to ourselves, we will see the fruits of non-condemnation.

Non-condemnation, prayer, and purity of heart are the foundation upon which spiritual work is built. …"

* From an Article by Alexandra Nikiforova - ARCHIMANDRITE PAVLOS (BOUGIOURAS; † MARCH 1, 2020): “DO NOT JUDGE!” Life and Counsels of the Confessor of Mt. Sinai - at https://orthochristian.com/129813.html

You can also find this article in our FMSM News Blog: http://www.mountsinaimonastery.org/news-blog/archimandrite-pavlos-life-and-counsels-of-the-confessor-of-mt-sinai 

For short videos with Father Pavlos talking, please visit our Video Library.