One Should Not Impose Upon Oneself Heavy and Hard-to-Bear Burdens
November 9
(From the Paterikon About Venerable John the Kolovos and His Obedience)
By Archpriest Victor Guryev
November 9
(From the Paterikon About Venerable John the Kolovos and His Obedience)
By Archpriest Victor Guryev
Many inexperienced in the spiritual life, relying solely on their own strength and believing, in their fervor and conceit, that they can overcome all obstacles on the path to salvation, often impose upon themselves heavy and unbearable burdens, laborious and unbearable feats. This is highly unwise and dangerous. While they attempt to climb high, experience shows that they fall low; they often become a laughingstock and a temptation to others, and they can perish altogether if they do not come to their senses in time, repent, and learn humility under the guidance of experienced people.
Blessed John the Kolovos (Nov. 9), having left the world in his youth, went with his brother Daniel to one of the sketes, where they both zealously labored in fasting and prayer. After some time, John's efforts to please God seemed insufficient, and, imagining himself like a bodiless angel, he one day told his brother that from then on he would neither worry about clothing nor eat food. He threw off his clothes and left his cell. But alas! For his rash undertaking, John was soon punished. On his very first night in the desert, the unbearable cold forced him to flee again to his brother, and upon returning, he begged him to open the door quickly. Hearing John's voice and wishing to reason with him, Daniel asked, "Who is knocking like that?" "I, John, your brother," came the reply. "Let me in, I'm dying of cold!" "Why do you tempt me, demon?" Daniel said. "Don't you know that my brother is an angel, and cares nothing for the body, and eats no food? Don't tempt me!" Hearing this, John repented before his brother, and the brother let him in. Realizing the folly of his actions, John soon went to the greatest ascetic of his time, Paul of Thebes, and after spending a long time with him in deep humility and obedience, he finally truly attained high perfection and was saved.
Thus, brethren, never think highly of yourself. On the contrary, the more you advance in piety, the less you think of yourself and the less you make leaps and bounds. If the thought of leaving the world, of abandoning all earthly things, comes to you, do not rush to carry it out, but consult with experienced people. You see, even saints fell from conceit, and we sinners can fall even more easily. With thoughtless actions, we only create obstacles on our path to the Kingdom of Heaven. "Once," says Saint Arsenios, "an angel showed me a temple and two men struggling to carry a log into it. They carried the log not lengthwise, but placed it across the door, and therefore were unable to enter the temple." "Who are these?" Arsenios asked the Angel. "These are those," the Angel replied, "who do good with pride and do not want to walk the spiritual path in humility: they necessarily remain outside the Kingdom of Heaven" (Prologue, Dec. 5). Do not forget this. Amen.
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.