One Should Not Desire Visions From the Other World
April 21
(From the elders, concerning demonic visions, that no one be deceived in imagination by the devil.)
By Archpriest Victor Guryev
April 21
(From the elders, concerning demonic visions, that no one be deceived in imagination by the devil.)
By Archpriest Victor Guryev
Although rarely, there are people who, having served God by certain special ascetic labors, begin to imagine that they already stand at such a level of spiritual perfection that they can behold manifestations from the other world, converse with heavenly beings, and the like. Such self-opinion is very dangerous for them. The devil usually does not sleep near such people, and, having recognized their weak side, immediately begins to trouble them with various imaginations and visions, appearing to them in the form of an angel of light or of saints; and they, because of their simplicity and inexperience, for their part begin to accept these visions as true, to be carried away by them, to become infected with pride, to depart from obedience to shepherds and spiritual teachers, and end by perishing. The Holy Fathers warn us against desiring to behold the mysteries of the other world and do not advise seeking conversations with heavenly beings, but command us to be saved in simplicity of heart.
To one monk, the devil, transformed into an angel of light, appeared and said: “I am Gabriel, and I am sent from God to you.” The monk answered: “You have surely been mistaken and sent to another, but I am a sinner and unworthy to see an Angel of God.” The devil was put to shame by these words and disappeared. Therefore the fathers teach: even if in truth an Angel should appear to someone, do not accept him, but with humility say: “I am a sinner and unworthy to see an Angel of God.” Thus, one of the elders related about himself: “Once, when I was sitting in my cell and occupied with contemplation of God, I saw demons around me and paid no attention to them. The devil, seeing that he was put to shame, appeared to me alone and said: ‘I am Christ.’ I immediately closed my eyes and answered: ‘I am unworthy to see Christ, and besides I remember His word, that many will be false Christs and will deceive many.’” Hearing this, the devil became invisible, and I glorified God.” And the fathers said: “Let no one desire to see Christ with the bodily senses or an Angel, lest he destroy his mind to the end and become insane; instead of a shepherd you will then accept a wolf and bow down to your enemies — the demons. Vainglory is the beginning of destruction, and one infected by it always strives to represent to himself in images and likenesses the Divinity, which is incomprehensible to any mind. But you, when demons in angelic form stand before you and present themselves as angels of light, troubling and terrifying you, pray more fervently, adjure them by the name of God, and they will leave you and cease troubling you.”
Therefore, brethren, do not desire and do not seek to see and behold that upon which the Lord has, for a time, placed an impenetrable veil. Such a desire, as you see, is not only dangerous, but may also be destructive. And indeed: how many vain persons, imagining themselves seers of heavenly mysteries, have gone into schism; how many absurd heresies they have invented, dragging with them thousands of the simple into destruction; how many have become insane! And this is not surprising. The desire for conversations with heavenly beings is a work of pride. And pride is a sin most hateful to God and most pleasing to our enemy. Therefore to such people he, of course, has the closest access and more quickly than others subjects them to his dark power. You will say: "The saints conversed with God and with Angels?" What then? Truly they did converse, but their labors, compared with ours, were as heaven from earth; and therefore to point to them as an example of the possibility for us also to converse with heavenly beings is again a matter of our pride. Therefore let us humble our mind and, striving in piety, let us unceasingly hold in mind and heart the unfailing word of our Savior: “Amen I say unto you: whoever does not receive the Kingdom of God as a little child shall not enter into it” (Mark 10:15). Amen.
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
