The stories of the desert fathers are not mere fables,
nor just aphorisms meant to incline one to a moral life. They are stories born from experience,
from spiritual and existential struggle, both with the passions and with the demonic.
Nor are these stories just a thing of the past;
for many Christians still draw spiritual nourishment from them even today,
as they attest not only to an invisible reality but also to a spiritual tradition,
which for over two thousand years has continually been passed down from generation to generation.
Such as the saying by Abba Agathon,
a monk who lived in the Egyptian desert during the fourth century.
“Abba, which is better,” asked his disciple, “bodily asceticism or interior vigilance?”
“Man is like a tree,” replied Abba Agathon, “bodily asceticism is the foliage, interior
vigilance is the fruit. According to that which is written — ‘Every tree that brings
not forth good fruit shall be cut down and cast into the fire’ — it is clear that all
our care should be directed towards the fruit, that is to say, guard of the spirit;
but it needs the protection and the embellishment of the foliage, which is bodily asceticism.”
Fast forward some fifteen hundred years to the twentieth century,
where in the Athonite desert, a young monk named Ephraim had lived for several years in
the brotherhood of Elder Nikephoros and struggled with thoughts about leaving.
For his elder was strict, forging meekness and patience in his disciples through harsh
words and obedience. Yet, he offered no words of counsel on the inner life.
By day, young Ephraim and his fellow monks would haul timber and carve prosphora seals — six
seals a day, otherwise they could not eat — and by night they would gather for worship.
Through God’s grace, in cooperation with such bodily asceticism, Ephraim laid a
strong foundation and grew in humility, but he was still wrestling with overwhelming thoughts.
Then one day, Ephraim accompanied Elder Nikephoros on a visit to the nearby cell of Elder Joseph,
the monk known as ‘the teacher’, who lived at St. Basil’s Skete.
As they gathered after the service, Elder Joseph asked:
“Is Ephraim obedient?”
To which Elder Nikephoros replied, “Yes, he is.”
This question surprised Ephraim, who now recognized both life and grace in Elder Joseph.
For he asked not about his intelligence or workmanship, but about obedience.
Time passed, and Ephraim was finally ordained a priest.
When Elder Joseph found out, he requested to have Papa-Ephraim serve the divine liturgy
at St. Basil’s Skete several times a week, for they were without a priest at that time.
After the first divine liturgy, Papa-Ephraim asked Elder Joseph
if they could speak privately and both agreed to meet at midnight.
But Papa-Ephraim, like a thirsty deer in search of living water, arrived at the
Elder’s hut five hours early. He sat outside on a stone wall and, as he contemplated the
beauty of the wilderness at night, the salt ponds, and the sea beyond, he wept for hours.
When Elder Joseph finally opened his door, Papa-Ephraim entered with him and quickly asked,
“I see that all the monks are occupied merely with handicrafts, and there isn’t anyone to discuss
thoughts with or to hear some spiritual advice from. So is our life really monastic? Working
from dawn till dusk, while being rudely humiliated and never hearing kind words?”
“My child, be careful,” replied Elder Joseph. “Your elder is the one whom God has revealed
to you. You may neither leave nor judge him. If you want to become a servant of Christ,
you ought to accept everything Christ suffered for our sake.
There is no progress with comfort, empty honor, and courteous talk.”
Papa-Ephraim was moved by these words.
When they finished, Elder Joseph
embraced him and said, “My child, you have been looking for me, and I have been looking for you.”
From that day on, with the blessing of Elder Nikephoros, Elder Joseph began answering
Papa-Ephraim’s questions about unseen warfare, interior vigilance, and prayer.
Elder Joseph spoke about the importance of knowing oneself,
of being aware of the passions, and how, by God’s grace, they can be overcome.
“Let humility be your garment in everything,” said Elder Joseph. “For everything done with
the body resembles leaves which merely decorate the outer person.
These practices are well and good, but there is also that which cleanses the inner person.
These things will open the eyes of the soul. It is through them that the heart is purified to see
God on that day. For without noetic struggle, there is little benefit from outer works.”
This inner purification by God’s grace comes through the action of prayer and watchfulness, or
inner wakefulness, whereby one seeks God’s grace and mercy and carefully guards his or her heart
and mind from harmful thoughts and fantasies, especially those coming from the demons.
“Set your attention as a vigilant guard over all your inner and outer senses,”
said Elder Joseph. For he knew that such sobriety,
in cooperation with the grace of God, purifies the heart and brings about divine illumination.
“In addition, learn this,” he said, “With love towards Christ and the Panagia,
you obtain more watchfulness and theoria than with other struggles. Everything else is also good,
when done properly, but love surpasses them all.”
Papa-Ephraim put into practice everything that he was taught and, now shedding many tears,
soon discovered a great fire and love for Christ burning within his heart.
“Tears are good,” said Elder Joseph, the next time they met. “They cleanse the soul. For
now you are digging and opening a road so that the vehicle of God’s grace may come.”
As Papa-Ephraim continued in this way, month by month, the unseen warfare against him also
intensified. Fiery darts were thrown at him by demons, carnal temptations which he countered
by fasting and with the Jesus Prayer, and intrusive thoughts which he struggled to cut off.
One evening, as Papa-Ephraim was looking out the window of his cell praying,
“Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me,” suddenly three luminous figures approached.
Stunned by the dazzling appearance of each, he couldn’t recognize them at first
but as his cell was filled with ineffable light and an indescribable fragrance, he realized
through the eyes of his soul that the middle figure was Christ accompanied by two angels.
He was overcome by great joy, by heavenly delight,
and falling down he embraced the feet of Christ while remaining in serenity and bliss.
To his surprise,
when the light finally subsided, his room was filled with fearsome demons.
Gnarly beasts, snarling and raging, crowded around on every side. Papa-Ephraim trembled
but continued praying, “Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me. Lord Jesus Christ,
have mercy on me.” The demons were scorched and withdrew.
He then quickly grabbed his oil lantern and ran to see Elder Joseph.
“What is wrong,” asked the Elder.
“Wait a minute, Elder, so that I can come to myself and I will tell you.”
Papa-Ephraim then described what had just happened, about the three figures and the demons.
After hearing this report, Elder Joseph embraced him and replied, “This, my child,
is the first step. This is grace. Do you remember that I was telling you that through tears
you are in a sense digging so that grace’s vehicle could pass? Well, now it has. From now on, you
will have revelations from God. He will inform you of things and you will see differently. The demons
came after Christ because they realized this state of grace and wanted to scare you off the path.”
In the years that followed, Papa-Ephraim experienced other such moments,
even seeing grace transform the Holy Gifts,
to which Elder Joseph would say, “Slow down, do not run too quickly.” For experience taught
him that spiritual progress takes time and the snares of the evil one are many.
“Don't expect only sweet things,” he later added. “Expect bitter things too. When
you experience a spiritual state full of grace, expect a temptation soon. Likewise,
when you have temptations and grief, be aware that consolation from God is near.”
With such counsel and through the Elder’s prayers,
Papa-Ephraim made great progress even while remaining hidden from the world.
Eventually, after thirty-eight years in obedience to Elder Nikephoros, he became the elder of the
brotherhood in Katounakia. He spoke often of the benefit of obedience, persistence in prayer,
and watchfulness to the many monks and pilgrims who now visited him for counsel and healing.
For those of us living in the world, it is enough to be inspired and draw strength from such
stories. For these are not cleverly devised myths, but testimony to the power and majesty of Christ.
As with the monastics, we too should not seek visions nor spiritual gifts, but repentance
and obedience to the commandments of God. And, especially as we fast and prepare ourselves
each week to partake of Christ’s holy Body and Blood, we too should pray and keep watch over
the inner person. For it is in such a synergy, between both body and soul and God and man,
that grace comes to dwell in the heart and that we may experience spiritual joy and peace.