Blog

On the 21st Sunday after Pentecost, we read from Saint Paul’s Epistle to Titus: “Child Titus, this is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men. But avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and useless. Reject a divisive man after the first and second admonition, knowing that such a person is warped and sinning, being self-condemned” (3:8-11).

Therefore, for us who believe in God, our concern should be to excel in good works. This is most beneficial for us. Of course, we also have great theologians, but lived experience should come first, not knowledge. We need people who live their faith, as Elder Arsenie liked to say. This is essential, this should be our main concern. The best example is the Mother of God, who doesn’t enter into disputes. She rarely speaks, how could she then argue?! The Desert Fathers were the same. They rarely spoke, yet they were spiritual giants, so they would have had what to say. Some heretics came to Abba Pimen and were slandering Saint Athanasius of Alexandria. The elder remained silent, called his disciple and said: “Set the table, have them eat, and then let them go in peace.” He didn’t enter into disputes.

In general, women do not quarrel over the faith, more so men. Women have work to do: they sacrifice themselves; they love… This is the most important for us: how we manage to excel in good works. Elder Arsenie was a role model in this respect. He didn’t speak, he didn’t quarrel, he didn’t enter into arguments. For as long as I was near him, about 10-11 years, only once did I have an argument. Pope John Paul II had come to Romania and one of the university math professors was extremely enthused by his visit. When I went to confess to Elder Arsenie, I heard him say, “so, this pope came in our midst to cause confusion here.” And I was trying to tell him that maybe it’s good that he came, and other arguments too. And the elder responded tersely, “well, then, if you want to lose an ear, go be Catholic.” So, he didn’t engage in any disputes.

In general, when you live your faith, arguments don’t impress you. And Elder Arsenie spoke with his presence. As a young person full of questions and doubts, I would go speak with him. But everything melted away when I saw him. He wouldn’t say anything. You didn’t need to know anything more, because you looked at him and everything fell away. He was a much stronger proof that God exists than all the arguments you could bring forth. In him, the fire was burning so powerfully that arguments were no longer necessary. We see the same phenomenon in our mothers and grandmothers. They don’t explain whether or not God exists, but through their actions, they tell you that He exists. Because I look at them and see how great are their faith, their self-sacrifice, their love and kindness, and through them I see God. All these qualities speak to the soul. Yes, my mind needs to understand too, but my heart is the first that needs to be convinced. And the heart sees, because it has eyes. The heart sees and detects grace. And it sees God in this or that person, in the people who are overshadowed by God’s grace, because these people’s hearts see God. In Romania, there were many such people. We only realize much later that we saw God in them. Later in life, we seek arguments and we find them. The main problem, though, is to find that flame of grace somewhere. And this is the problem, because we no longer have people whose hearts are aflame. We speak in vain. We need to see. Therefore, the most important thing is not to dispute over dogmas, but to acquire lived experience.

This is the answer for parents who are worried for their children, who no longer walk on the right path: Let’s labor for God, let’s toil for Him just as we do for other things in this world. Then, our children will see the existence of God in us. They don’t believe because they don’t see God in us. Elder Arsenie had dedicated 60 years of his life to serving God and he also suffered for Him. It’s natural that you felt God in him. We can do likewise. If we would be aflame, if we would do good works, we would be much more convincing than through other methods. Words would no longer be necessary. As Saint Joseph the Hesychast said: “The greatest sin of our times is not pride, but rather laziness.” We no longer live and labor for God. This is the sin of our times.