The Catalog of Good Deeds

More than two hundred homeless or alcohol-addicted men gather on a farm 19 miles from Minsk during the winter, where they are supervised by just a couple of sisters from St. Elisabeth Convent.

“I feel I can’t cope with all that,” Sister Joanna, one of the nuns of St. Elisabeth Convent, admits. She is entrusted with an obedience at Lysaja Hara, the rehabilitation center run by St. Elisabeth Convent and located 19 miles from Minsk. It is a place where men who found themselves in a difficult situation—the homeless, drug and alcohol addicts, or generally those who lost their path in life—can come and stay.

Currently, there are more than 200 residents at Lysaja Hara, with five sisters who look after them. There are few rules: the patients must go to church and work. They must abstain from alcohol, drugs, and foul language. It isn’t an easy task for the brothers who come to the rehabilitation center to comply with these apparently simple rules, though.

Many people come to the rehabilitation center and leave, only to return later—and they are accepted back no matter how many times they’ve left.

“I work really hard to do what the Lord blesses me to do. Unfortunately, I see that I cannot cope with all that. I’m weak and ill. I’m angry and impatient sometimes. I feel especially bad when I have to tell someone what and how they should do and God knows that I don’t mean to sound rude or patronizing but they still feel offended. It’s really painful…” Sister Joanna complains.

“The sisters hold the reins quite tight, believe me,” Maksim, one of the residents of the rehabilitation center—a “brother”, as they call them here—chimes in. Maksim is 33, and he has spent about 14 years in prison.

The Old-Timers

Valery has spent about thirteen years in the rehabilitation center at Lysaja Hara. He remembers how the sisters kicked off this project in an old wooden house without any amenities, including running water. There were 25-30 men in the rehab at that time.

Valery works as a librarian: ⅓ of his visitors read spiritual books, ⅓ prefer classical works, and the rest like to read adventure and science fiction novels.

“Of course, life is easier here nowadays, although sometimes it seems that it was easier in the beginning. There used to be fewer people and we were closer. Of course, it was a little worse comfort-wise: bathing was a non-trivial task. We didn’t have a wash stand and had to use a cup to wash hands. Life was harder but simpler. It was like a student construction team: in spite of lack of comfort, the atmosphere was awesome… We worked more because there were fewer people. You was always easy to spot,” Valery recounts.

He was an engineer in the past. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, he tried to start a business but he failed and started drinking… Finally, he found himself at Lysaja Hara. He used to work in greenhouses, on a farm, in the candle workshop, and in the refectory… Now he works in the library.

There are few old-timers at Lysaja Hara: only Valery and another brother who works as a tractor driver. There are a couple of other people who have been in and out of the rehabilitation center for years. Only about a third of the current residents are those who really want to break free from the bonds of their passions. The rest simply come in search of a warm place to spend the winter. There are more than 200 brothers in the rehabilitation center in winters but their number drops to about 100 in summertime.

The main occupation in the rehabilitation center is labor, to each according to their talent.

They come and go and then come back. They are given new chances all over again.

“It’s important that we give them that chance. They are probably waiting for us to reject them but we don’t. And they are hooked by this attitude. They start climbing out of the abyss. Sure, there are issues with us as humans, as living beings, and there are spiritual aspects, too. The spiritual is at the core of everything here, for sure. That’s the main thing. Otherwise, how are we different from other organizations?” Sister Joanna reckons.

The Nursery School

The rehabilitation center has changed significantly in the thirteen years of Brother Valery’s life here. There are new solid living quarters, a refectory, a church, and a detached workshops building.

The brothers live in cells: the more trustworthy ones in a room for two or three persons, while the newcomers live in larger cells for up to twelve persons.

“This is intended as a way for us to look after each other and not to fall into a temptation. If there are few people around, they will be able to hide in a private place and use the forbidden substances. Work makes us more responsible. When the sister in charge sees that one has enough self-control and is willing to change, then she’ll permit more comfortable terms,” Maksim says.

The newcomers go through the so-called nursery school. They have separate prayer times. There is a brother in charge of them. He talks with them and determines their labor duties on a daily basis.

“If the person pulls through the initial stage, he gets an assignment where he can earn some money as a way of encouragement. We’re not talking about wages here. It’s just an encouragement so that the brothers could buy tea or cigarettes, because most of them smoke. Without the money, they cannot buy anything. Well, and it makes them work harder,” Sister Joanna explains.

The most difficult types to deal with are homeless by choice, in other words, vagrants, and those who suffer from drug dependency.

“Drugs are a disaster! They warp one’s head and soul to such an extent… They even jump on trees and sit there like birds. There was a young man who was helping in the church. A boy, rather. He was possessed by demons due to drugs. He would talk in a strange voice in church and collapse. He would even bang his head against the floor and injure himself. It’s scary… As far as the tramps are concerned, they are used to living in the street. Here they get everything one may possibly need: a warm bed, food, and work… But they still prefer to wander around,” Sister Joanna sounds puzzled.

You won’t be able to stay away from work in the rehabilitation center. Both the newcomers and the old-timers work six days a week. Aside from numerous workshops (carpentry, locksmith’s, and candle workshops), there is a vegetable farm, a dairy farm, and greenhouses.

Every day begins with prayer, breakfast, and work. The brothers have lunch at around midday, and continue working until evening prayer. They work half a day on Saturday. Sunday is the day off. The brothers can leave the rehabilitation center at any time with the sisters’ blessing. Sisters emphasize that they don’t force anyone to stay in the rehabilitation center.

Maksim works in the carpentry shop and makes genuine masterpieces out of wood.

Life Stories

Maksim (who, as we’ve mentioned, spent 14 out of his 33 years of life in prison) has spent a year at Lysaja Hara, although he had planned to stay for one month. His friend had asked him to help the Convent to make church furniture.

“I’ve spent thirteen and a half years in prison. I went behind bars when I was 14. I’ve been in jail for as long as I remember myself. I didn’t suffer from any drug or alcohol-related issues. I just… I was empty inside. I had money and a place to live but I was empty inside,” Maksim says.

He doesn’t feel empty any longer. He carries out his obedience in the carpentry workshop and dreams of getting married.

“I’m not opposed to family life. I would like to get married. And I would like to continue working in the Convent, too,” Maksim admits.

Sister Joanna says that she would easily let Maksim leave the rehabilitation center. She says that she’s been asking God to send him a good and faithful wife. Unlike Maksim, Brother Alexei is clearly unable to live on his own, she feels. He’ll go on drinking until he dies.

Alexei is a young man, a professional actor, who came from Moscow Region following the advice of his parish priest. He had expected to spend three months here due to his alcohol abuse issues. Instead, he has been living here for two years already. At first, he attempted to run away. Now he doesn’t, he says.

“I just can’t stop. You know, as it often happens: I’m late for a bus, I’m late for a train, but I’ll always come to the liquor store in time,” Alexei jokes.

“Do you think that we’d prevent him from leaving the rehab if he had a good wife and if he could control himself?” Sister Joanna adds.

“Some people simply cannot control themselves. The Lord uses this place to make some people strong enough to live in the outside world. We have another Alexei, a construction worker from Russia, who comes to us from time to time. He has been married and his wife is great. Unfortunately, our Alexei will hardly do on his own in this world. We talked with Nun Martha, who is in charge of the rehabilitation center, and she doesn’t want to let him go. Honestly, he’ll end his life in a ditch or on a road. That’s so appalling…” the novice explains.

Alexei came to the rehabilitation center from Moscow Region, following the advice of his parish priest. Sister Joanna adopted this dog and named it Malysh.

It seems that Igor from Brest will also remain in the rehabilitation center. He came here to pull through the winter. He used to be in charge of a cafe. Now he looks after goats.

“If someone had told me a year ago that I was going to work on an animal farm like a pro, I’d have burst out laughing. I saw goats only on TV. When I came here, I saw lambing and calving. It was a revelation for me,” Igor doesn’t hide his feelings.

He came here in an attempt to escape alcoholism, emptiness, and loneliness. It was here that he went to the church and confessed his sins for the first time. He says he feels the urge to start reading the Gospel now. When asked about his plans, he replies, “I’ll stay and work here.”

The Mission

In addition to the brothers, there are about 30 dogs and 40 cats at Lysaja Hara. They have troubled fates, too. They were abandoned, crippled, and left to die…

For example, the cat named Kutuzov has only one eye. In fact, it was the reason why he got this name. However, he is brave like the famous general, too. At one point, he rushed to the defence of Sister Joanna when one of the brothers yelled at her.

In spite of all difficulties and the seemingly insufficient percentage of those brothers who return to normal life, Sister Joanna insists that their work is effective.

“Even if there is one person who gets saved and finds God after his stay here; if someone finds a family and gets reintegrated into the society; if there is a person who works and understands the true meaning of life—for the sake of others and for the sake of God—it’s already worth the effort,” Sister Joanna explains.

Anyway, all misunderstandings will certainly be forgotten on Sunday. It’s Easter time. The brothers are looking for the festive meal, lots of friendly conversations, and a solemn service in St. Elisabeth Convent. Easter is the great holiday that encourages everyone to hope for salvation.

Pictures by Victor Tolochko

Source: https://sputnik.by/society/20180405/1034653985/kak-na-lysoj-gore-spasayut-poteryannyh-lyudej.html

The older I get, the more I struggle with the inner dialogue of “I have to do something about ____” and “but I’m just one person…what can I do, really?” As a Millennial (which Microsoft Word says is synonymous with utopian, idealistic, and visionary), I’m annoyingly optimistic. But there’s only so much one person can handle on their own, there’s only so much of the world’s pain, anxieties, and fears that one person (aside from Christ) can try to solve.

I try to balance the desire to “do something” about the world’s problems – to offer a voice, to be the hands and feet of Christ, to serve – while also allowing myself to sit at the feet of Christ and listen. Ora et labora, pray and work, has been something Christians have struggled to balance for centuries.

But who likes listening when the world is shouting at you to speak, to act, to do something, anything, to fix the world’s problems that just seem to be getting worse?

So when I read the Gospel passage from the Feast of the Dormition (the same as for the apodosis or leavetaking of the feast) from Luke 10:38-42, 11:27-28, I could certainly identify with both Mary and Martha. Mary sat listening to Christ while Martha took care of offering hospitality to her guests. Martha was upset at Mary’s inaction, and Jesus tells Martha that she is anxious and worried about many things but one thing (being with Jesus) was needful.

What we need is to find some balance. Here are three things to keep in mind.

1. Acknowledge anxieties and worries

Most of my own confusion with answering the “what can I do?” question comes from the seemingly oppressive list of problems that need solving. In our heads, all mixed up and confused, these problems really seem unsolvable. What we need is to pause and acknowledge the various things in our lives that we’re anxious and worried about.

Are we struggling with grief and sadness over the loss of a loved one? Maybe we’re battling all the lies we tell ourselves.

Then there’s the general political tone in our country today. Regardless of where we fall on the political spectrum, life after the election is certainly different. There’s a lot of uncertainty for many people who struggle to find hope and give thanks in such a divisive political climate. We don’t want to get stuck in our worries, but it’s easier to deal with them if we have cleaned up the clutter of our thoughts.

After we are aware of what problems we’re personally struggling with, then we can turn them over to Christ.

2. The One Thing that’s needful

In the Gospel reading about Mary and Martha, Mary was perfectly content with sitting at the feet of Christ and listening to Him. I’m guessing Martha would have wanted to sit and listen to Jesus too, she just had SO much to do! Sound familiar? We’d love to be at church, we’d love to read the Bible, we’d love to spend some alone time with God…but…look at this LIST!

We need to commit ourselves to Christ and see that He is the one thing that’s needful.

But what if we just feel burnt out? What if that urge to sit at the feet of Christ, that urge to pray and grow in our faith is just not as strong as it once was?

I am so very good at distracting myself from prayer. I can fill my free time with so many things until it comes down to growing in my faith – and then suddenly there’s just not enough time. Time seems to stop as I stare blankly at my to do list or at the daily news in shock, but what I really need is to break out of this inaction and turn to Christ.

You see, behind all of the world’s problems and the problems I might face, I am only one person. But One Person is also the solution to all of the world’s brokenness – Jesus Christ – and He can and will be present with us if we have the faith to let Him work. From a position of trust in Him, He will direct us to the right course of action.

3. The role of action

Once we’re centered and letting Christ direct us, we’ll have the better vantage point to see what we can do. But there are different types of action.

If I’m inclined towards selfishness and laziness, doing something physical might be exactly what I need to do. After all, service changed my life and might change yours too. When we serve someone in need, we serve Christ Himself. And, that’s what Martha was doing wasn’t it?

They key to the issue might be what the Church connects to the story of Mary and Martha from the next chapter of Luke. Jesus calls blessed those who “hear the word of God and keep it” (Luke 11:28). Some of the Gospel requires action on our part, and this is our keeping of the word of God. But we have to hear it first.

If I’m inclined to worry and trying to do everything and anticipate all the possible problems that might come next, it will surely take work just to…stop. Action for me would be to slow down and listen to Christ. We have an opportunity for action – that work of the people of God – to serve together in prayer. Like Elder Sophrony of Essex reminds us, "The early church lived without a New Testament, but not without the Divine Liturgy."

Whether our action is by serving those in need, or speaking out when we need to, or stopping ourselves for a moment to listen to what Christ is trying to tell us, it takes work on our part.

***

We cannot ignore evil any more than we can ignore the anxieties in our own lives. So we have to slow down for a moment and acknowledge the fears and worries we have. We need to sit at the feet of Christ in prayer and study and listen to what He might have us do. And then we take action in the best way we can – following the lead of Martha who showed hospitality to Christ as best she could.

Are you a Mary or a Martha? If you’re feeling more anxious these days, how have you strengthened your personal prayer life? How is God calling you to action in your corner of the world?

By Sam Williams, Pastoral Assistant

at Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church

in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

Source: https://blogs.goarch.org/blog/-/blogs/balancing-our-inner-mary-and-martha

The Lord once said, Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me (John 5:39). The fact that not just the texts of the Holy Scriptures but even the very letters, the Hebrew alphabet used for writing of the Old Testament, testify of the Lord is something amazing that you wouldn’t expect.

Jesus Christ is known to have spoken in Aramaic, which was the most widespread language in Palestine in those times. That is why when the Son of God claims that He is Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending (Revelation 1:8), we should pay utmost attention to this expression from the perspective of Ancient Hebrew.

Alpha and Omega are the first and the last letters of the Greek alphabet. The first and the last letters of the Hebrew alphabet are, respectively, א (aleph) and ת (tav). The letter Aleph means “an ox” and symbolizes a sacrificial animal offered to God. The letter Tav means “a mark” and evokes even greater interest.

We read in the Book of Ezekiel, “And the Lord said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof.” (Ezekiel 9:4). What did that mark look like? We don’t find any explanation in most English translations and in the Septuagint but that’s what we read in Vulgate and in the Hebrew text: [S]et a Tav upon the foreheads of the men, since the letter Tav ת means “a mark”. St. Jerome noticed it while translating the Old Testament from Hebrew into Latin. He wrote about it in his commentary on the Book of Prophet Ezekiel. This mark was regarded as the seal and the sign of God of Israel since time immemorial. It was also associated with the Name of God. And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father’s name written in their foreheads. (Revelation 14:1). And: they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. (Revelation 22:4). Therefore, the seal or mark Tav was not only the sign of the Lord of Hosts but also represented the Name of God, the sacred Tetragrammaton, and thus served as a sign of His presence and His glory.

Additionally, we can’t help mentioning another surprising fact: the Ancient Hebrew alphabet used before the Exile and preserved by Samaritans, used a different variant of the letter Tav ת. It looked like a cross + (see Hebrew alphabet), the sign of Christ, His glory and victory. That is why when a priest anoints the believers’ foreheads during a Matins service, he does not only mark them with the sign of the Cross but also draws the Lord’s mark, which represents the Name of God to be written on the foreheads of Christians in the latter days.

It is worth noting that the letter Aleph appears as Ic in its cursive form (see Stylistic variants), identical to the abbreviated Greek form of the name Jesus.

That is why we can interpret the words of Lord Jesus I am Alpha and Omega, Aleph and Tav, as Ic +, i.e., “the sacrifice on the Cross”, or “the Lamb (Ic) of God (+).

That is the surprising information that we can learn from the Ancient Hebrew alphabet, in which even single letters foreshadow the coming of the Savior of the world. The Lord’s saying, filled with profound meaning, can be viewed both as a divine prophecy about His redemptive ministry as the Lamb of God who took upon himself the sins of the whole world, and the Messiah’s divinity, the mark of the One God and the symbol of His Holy Name that makes the earth tremble.

By John Nichiporuk,

a Bachelor of Theology,
specialized in Biblical Studies.

The Catalog Of Good Deeds, 2018

Archpriest Andrew Lemeshonok, the spiritual father of St. Elisabeth Convent, answers various questions of the parishioners.

It Seems to Me That I Don’t Grow Spiritually. What Should I Do?

Question: Dear Father, your blessing. I go to church every Sunday and I take communion. I read spiritual books and listen to lectures from time to time but nothing ever happens… I don’t seem to change spiritually at all. Sometimes I don’t want to do anything at all (but that must be common for most people). I feel that I don’t move forward. What should I do? Veronica

Answer: The Lord says, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you (Matthew 7: 7). It always happens that when an individual turns to the faith, everything blossoms and smells sweet. He feels as if he can fly. Then there’s a time when that person has to hit the ground. He does his best to change something but nothing changes. That person gets bored and uninspired. I believe that you need to hold on. Do what you have always done: go to church, confess, take communion, and ask God to help you to stand firm in your faith and to remain faithful forever.

The time that you’re going through is really crucial. When God carries you in his arms, it’s easy to believe that you are a hero and that everything is possible. However, when God nudges you to use your own legs for walking, you’ll invariably have problems. Now, you’ve got to learn to walk. A toddler walks down the path, and his feet ache. Don’t spare yourself; keep on walking. Of course, we won’t go very far but at least we’ll learn to be patient and humble, and that’s good enough.

I Can’t Piece My Life Together. Why?

Question: Hello, Father Andrew. I’m unable to piece my life together for some reason. I spent a year in a relationship with a man who turned out to be an alcoholic. He cheated on me, so I left him. I married another man, and he is an alcoholic, too. My dad was an alcoholic. I’ve shed so many tears because of alcohol. Why? What should I do? Veronica

Answer: When people live without the Church and construct their life temerariously using only their own reasoning, the enemy of the human race finds a way to break their life into pieces.

It isn’t God, it is man who chooses the sin. God is waiting for us to request his help. Therefore, the question “Why?” should not be pointed at God. God came into this world to save the sinner. It wasn’t God who concealed himself from us humans: it is us who hid from God. It wasn’t God who broke up with us, it is our own fault. That is why we suffer for our sins.

We were born into this world. Sin is the norm of our life. Only Jesus makes it possible for us to defeat our nature, our flesh and blood, and to start a journey towards a new life in the Heavenly Kingdom. Needless to say, this is a path full of struggle with ourselves, with the devil, and with the world. That is why we should not be asking why. Rather, we should pray, “Lord save me, save my family, make me strong enough to fight the sin and to believe that it will be vanquished in the end.” This is what we should be thinking.

Are Karate Classes Compatible with Orthodoxy?

Question: Father Andrew, your blessing. We’ve decided to enroll our son in karate classes. We met his coach, and the coach told us that he mostly pays attention to general physical agility and discipline during the first couple of years. Then he gradually begins to teach them techniques, etc.

He doesn’t do spiritual practices and doesn’t encourage his students to participate in religious practices or discuss religious matters. However, our friends told us that karate is a kind of Far Eastern martial arts, and therefore contradicts the tenets of Orthodoxy. They added that we shouldn’t let our child be entangled in it. We would like our son to grow into an honest, just, physically and spiritually robust boy and man. What do you think about it? Svetlana

Answer: You are right. You’ve talked with the coach and saw what kind of person he is, whether he is trustworthy or not. You’ve voiced your doubts with regard to the pseudo-spiritual Oriental practices. Your son will grow and develop. I don’t think it will inflict any spiritual harm on his soul—especially since you go to church with your child, and he takes communion. If anything bad happens, you’ll certainly notice it. You love your son and pay attention to him. Don’t hesitate. Children, especially boys, need to grow strong and powerful. Sometimes they need to be able to defend themselves, too.

The main influence on a child comes not from outside; it comes from within the family. That is why, if your family has love and peace, if you live with God, that’s the most important thing. All other things shall be added unto you.

November 15, 2018

St. Elisabeth Convent

By Fr. Andrew Lemeshonok

If we read memoirs of Father Sophrony about Elder Silouan where he recounts how that mighty ascetic fought spiritually until he finally, after several decades of that battle, which is already impenetrable for us, admitted that he simply couldn’t make God listen to his prayers no matter how hard he tried (and he tried really hard, he was a powerful man), do we think that we can do any better? We are lazy. We don’t wage that war.

And yet, every soul wants to live forever. That is why God allows us to face some troubles. We have to accept those troubles as a cross to carry till the end. He that endureth to the end shall be saved (Cf. Matthew 10: 22).

Our life goes on. We are in motion. I would like each soul not to hesitate and not to leave for an alien land (cf. Luke 15: 13), where it won’t find anything or anyone good…

Could youmove overa little, please? Yes, you can. See, there’s some free space for the people who’ve come. That’s so common! One person occupies the chair, and leaves others standing. That’s exactly how people act in our rehabilitation centre. That’s what Christianity begins with. Right? Greatness has humble beginnings.

We are discussing spiritual affairs, and that’s a great example. We can be boasting, “Look how we take communion and pray all the time.” However, we don’t even notice people and things around us… Spiritual life begins with small things. Our prayer begins with short but attentive and persistent prayer, which must later grow into the prayer for the entire world, according to Father Sophrony. He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much (Luke 16: 10).

Recently, we had nuns and schema-nuns together with their spiritual father as guests. We had a great back and forth, during which the priest said that devil hides in trivial things. For instance, a momentary negligence, or a temporary impatience, or a little bit of hurry. Bringing everything to a conclusion is extremely important. If you set out to do something, do it until you finish it. For example, I had been doing something great and worked really hard but then I grew tired of all that and thought to myself, “Nah, I don’t want to do this anymore. Does it matter if I don’t finish doing that?” There are people in our rehabilitation centre who have struggled with their passion for the devil’s water for a year or two. It’s evidently difficult. But then someone gives the man a glass of liquor and he drinks it, and that’s that. He loses several years of his streak! He has to start everything all over again. That is why we need to be vigilant, alert, and wakeful.

Of course, we have plenty of information available nowadays. If we read many books (or even if we read just one book), we can imagine a different world and find an imaginary spiritual life. There are people in our rehabilitation centre who pose as spiritually advanced already. They have long prayer ropes and they walk around with them as if they pray all the time. There comes a lorry with some goods, and they don’t go and help to unload them. They say, “I was doin’ my prayer!” “Listen, buddy, what prayer? The goods are heavy, people are exhausted, can’t you see?” “Oh no-no, I am obedient. I wasn’t blessed to do it.” That is how you can turn everything upside down. On the face of it, he’s right, he obeys orders. Where’s his soul, though? What does his conscience do?

There are inconsistencies like those in the Church. These inconsistencies are human. God is different. For Him, even the least one can become the greatest one. A postulant can please God more than a schema-monk if he lives for the sake of others, if he doesn’t think about himself, if he sacrifices everything, if his life is selfless ministry. When you start to grasp spiritual connections and spiritual values, then you see an outward person who can say whatever he wants and fantasise about lots of things, and then you see his inward self which doesn’t jibe with it completely. We spend our lives incoherently. We can’t avoid it, sure. Let’s at least own it.

November 8, 2018

St. Elisabeth Convent

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