A conversation with Archimandrite Alexii (Mandziris), the igumen of Xenophon Monastery,
with the sisters of St. Elisabeth Convent.
I thank
Metropolitan Porphyrius because he provided us as the visitors from Xenophon
Monastery, where I ministry as a father superior for more than forty years,
with the opportunity to meet with you.
I do not feel
that I have achieved something or that I am worthy something, or that I mean
something. The Lord has graced me by calling me to the monastic way of life.
I feel that all of us, who are sitting here today, are honored by the Lord for He
has chosen us among other people in this world and brought us to these holy
monasteries.
While vising your convent I felt that it is the heart of this city and this country. Just like
the heart pumps blood to the body and keeps the whole organism alive, this
convent circulates spiritual blood to this city and to the whole country. Your
prayers, the Divine Liturgy served here, and your holy ministry is this spiritual blood.
We are favored
by God, because he gives us an opportunity to follow such high ideals. Every
monk prays not only for his own salvation, but also for the salvation of his neighbors. As Saint Isaac the Syrian said, “Although the monk has rejected
everything, at the same time he makes up one thing with everything.” So when
the apostles asked Christ: “See, we have left all and followed You. Therefore
what shall we have?” And He replied: “Assuredly I say to you, that you shall
receive a hundredfold, and shall be with me in the Heavenly kingdom forever”
(Matthew 19:27-29).
This is the purpose of our life and what we are striving for. This is why, my dear children, I am
so delighted with you and so glad that you desire to say, “Lord, let it all be
as You wish” and follow Him. And I am especially glad because I have found that
you have a spiritual father, a leader. You do not follow this path blindly, but
you have a person who leads you by hand and guides you. It is so important to
have a spiritual father! We should not think about our own will and do what we
want to do. We should obey because it is what our spiritual life is based on. A
monk who does not obey is like a bird without the wings – the wind blows and throws
it from side to side. The same is with the monk, for he cannot do anything
without obedience.
I think that
the greatest gift which you can get from the Lord is to have a spiritual father
and a mother superior whom you also should obey because she is in charge of
you all. The Lord showed us the example of obedience when He obeyed His father.
Christ said. “For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the
will of him that sent me” (John 6:38). We come to monastery and become monks
not to do our own will, but the will of God, which we hear through the spiritual
father and mother superior. The one who is listening to his own thoughts is
listening to temptations, which will seize him then. At the same time, the one
who obeys is listening to God.
Remember Apostle
Paul. When Christ appeared to him and revealed the mysteries of the Heavenly
Kingdom, He said: “Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?” And Paul asked: “Lord,
what wilt thou have me to do?” (Acts 9:4-6). You see, Christ did not tell him
what he should do but sent him to Ananias: “Arise, and go into the city, and it
shall be told thee what thou must do.” The Lord could tell him everything
himself, but He humbled Paul in such a way so that the Apostle could grow in
his humility. The same concerns the monk, my dear children, for through
obedience he receives blessing. This is why our main goal if to obey
relentlessly.
When Elder
Ephraim of Katounaki came to our monastery in 1974, we asked him (I was young back
then): “Heronda, what should we do for salvation?” The answer of the wise elder
was the following: “Reject your own will and obey”. “And what else?” – we
asked. He said: “Obedience”. One of us said then: “Heronda, you said nothing
about prayer, fasting, ascetics and other feats”. The elder replied: “Obey and thus
all the rest will come with that.”
It is said in
the Scripture, “The Lord hates your prayers and your fasts.” Why? Because there
is no love, no humilty and patience in us. Because we do not forgive and
there is no understanding between us. Then the Lord will say, “What should I do
with your prayers if your hearts are full of dirt? There is no Holy Spirit in
them, which you get through with humility”. This is why we can put an equal sign
between obedience and humility.
My dear
children, as I have an opportunity to stand here in front of you and have a 60-years-long
experience of the monastic life, I would like to share with you the words of Fr.
Ephraim: the foundation of the monastic life is humbleness of mind
and obedience. I do not want you to feel yourself abused inferior in your
place. It is a great honor and blessing that you have become nuns. We will
be saved if we strive for it, and we will help others to reach their salvation.
I have a lot to
say to you, but I do not want to tire you out. I believe, I have mentioned the main
things I wanted to say. I pray that we never forget about the calling entrusted
to us by the Lord. May the Lord be always with you and may the Mother of God
bless your work.
June 21, 2017
St. Elisabeth
Convent
CONVERSATION