Us, God, and the World Today – Fr. Pimen Vlad

Listen to an edifying message from Father Pimen Vlad, delivered at Prodromița Monastery—a message in which the Father gives us advice on improving our relationship with God in the context of the contemporary world we live in.

Enjoy!

First of all, let us thank the Mother of God for bringing us here again, for gathering us a little bit. We take a breather, as they say, taking a moment away from certain activities. Maybe if we were somewhere else, we’d be doing other things. Here, at least, we can draw in some fresh air, see a church and venerate, make the sign of the cross, remember the Mother of God, ask for her help and in this way we take a break from all the rest.

We see that we are weak as humans, if not in deed, at least in thought. Thoughts are always coming and everything around us tempts us. We keep seeing in the media how evil is elevated to a place of honor. Forty years ago, certain things were condemned by law, sometimes even punishable by imprisonment. Now, it’s the opposite. Those same things are recognized by the state, praised and celebrated. If you dare to speak against them, you’re the one that gets locked away. See how things have turned upside down. It’s a clear sign of how far we’ve fallen as people. The bad things, that should be cast aside, are now held in high regard. The Holy Scripture says somewhere: “For when men of no account are raised high, the wicked swarm everywhere.” When those in leadership are men of no account, the laws bend to allow their wrongdoings, no matter how vile.

We now look at these issues through a material lens, but mostly driven by our passions. It’s reminiscent of the Roman Empire when Christianity began. What was offered to keep people occupied? Bread and circus! They were given bread to fill their bellies and entertainment [to distract them]. Today, it’s the same. We have our bread, and we have our distractions—hundreds of TV channels, the internet and everything we want. All of this to keep people busy, and not thinking about God and our neighbors in need. So that everyone becomes selfish, each focused only on their wellbeing. When we reach that point, we become… as a holy father of old was once asked, “When will the world end?” He replied, “When love no longer exists among people, when there are no paths between neighbors.”

Today, we see people living in the same building who don’t know each other or even greet one another. You see your neighbor and you look the other way, pretending not to see them, and they do the same. Did this happen before? In the villages of old, as a child, if you left home and didn’t say “Good day” to someone, by the time you returned, the word would have spread, “Look at that poorly raised child. He didn’t even know to greet people!” So, there was respect among people. It’s said, “Give respect, get respect.” What does that mean? It means you care about others. You pass by and say, “Have a good day, Christian brother! Lord, help us!” If one was working in the field, you’d shout, “Lord, help us!” And the reply was “May God help you!” So, everything began and ended with God. All things were for the glory of God and then man was joyful: he worked, he stopped, made the sign of the cross, thanked God, greeted someone, exchanged a few words and he went on. There was a communion between all. People respected one another.

Now, [there are] good cars, speeding at 200 km/h, and we are blind to the world around us. It’s not just that you don’t see the people, you no longer see a tree, you no longer see a flower. Now there are people who commute every day. If you ask them what they see on their journey, they’ll say “nothing.”

“But you’ve been commuting for a year, haven’t you seen anything?”

“I didn’t see because I was in a hurry!”

The man spent a whole year rushing. Where? Toward death. With each passing year, we grow older, inching closer to death. We just rush and run. Behold, this blooming flower, we pass by and do not see it. A bird has nested, perhaps the neighbor is welcoming a new child… you have no time to notice these. And these are the things that truly matter: taking a moment in life to breathe, to thank God for still being alive, for still being healthy.

Around you, you see that many are passing. You see how cancer and other illnesses are trending, and people depart and depart, and you are healthy. Or perhaps you are ill, and God keeps you alive for a year or ten, while others with lesser afflictions depart. We should always look at the part of the glass that is full. Often, it is nearly full, yet we fixate on the centimeter that is empty, grumbling, “If only my glass were full, I would be happy!” In fact, even if it were full, I would still be unhappy. Why is that? Because I don’t have God in my life and without God in our life, we have nothing! Let that be clear.

They are trying now, through all these ideas, to push God aside. It is in vain! I have spoken with wealthy people who had everything and yet were utterly unhappy. Why? Because they placed all their hope in material things or science, which can only take you so far. Inside, you’re empty. Spiritually, you are at the bottom, because peace and joy come from God, through the grace of the Holy Spirit. Without God, we lack the Grace of the Holy Spirit, and without it, we cannot find inner peace. If you have no peace within, you cannot share it with others. You may have money and power, but can’t give peace. Peace starts from within and flows towards the other’s inner being.

An elder once spoke to a crowd, and as he did, people wept. Someone asked him, “Father, why do people cry?” “Because what comes from the heart reaches the heart.” A person feels what springs from your heart, not merely what you tell him. You may look him in the eye and declare, “I love you, I respect you,” but inside, you might think, “I’ve fooled this one too!” No! He feels your thoughts, not what you say. That’s why sometimes someone walks by and brings you peace without uttering a word. This person possesses inner peace. That’s why we should be careful to limit the material side to what is necessary, and to care a little for our souls. Nobody is saying that the material things are bad, but they should not be in the lead while the soul is forsaken somewhere, because then we end up not enjoying anything. Then we [just] live to eat, to drink, to have fun, to take vacations, and that’s what our lives are limited to. But life’s more than that.

Let us not forget that we leave for eternity, not for a day, a month, or even a hundred years, but forever. What do we take with us? We find those things that we have sent ahead. All the material possessions we gather remain here. You can have as many palaces and everything you desire, they all stay behind, perhaps fought over by others. An earthquake or some calamity can come and everything is lost. But what you have sent beyond cannot be lost. That’s why [Scripture] says, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven” for no one can take them from you. How is that done? Through alms. Do good to those around you! In doing so, all these ascend to God, and you will find them waiting for you there. It says, “He who has pity on the poor lends to the Lord” Do you know what that means? God is the richest and He never leaves a debt unpaid. You give one, and He returns a hundred. As you continue to do good, you will find that you lack nothing. The more you give, the more God gives back, that means that God never leaves a debt unpaid. And let’s not do harm, for there too, God leaves no debt unpaid.

When we wrong someone, that wrong may return to us multiplied. Perhaps a year later, or ten, when you see that they come back to you, you might look back at your life and see the roots of what you’ve sown. What you have done will come back to you. Do not then ask, “Oh, what have I done?” Long ago, you did something, and now God repays you with interest. The same goes for good deeds; they’re never lost. We find them waiting for us beyond, but God also repays them to us here on earth. That is why we are told to work with great love and compassion, for these are gifts from God. It is said that there are three virtues: hope, faith, and love, and the greatest of all is love, which never fails.

Love is not to be confused with selfishness. It is written, “Love does not seek its own.” This means that true love does not focus on oneself but rather cares for the well-being of others. Then love truly flows to others, and God helps you too, because God sees that you care not for yourself, but for the wellbeing of others — and He Himself cares for you. And who is more powerful than God? Surrender yourself to Him, and let Him look after you. Pray, “Lord, watch over my little ones. We can manage, but look at that family with ten children, I’m going to help those!” You will see that God ensures those two or three little children have what they need. We must always think beyond ourselves, not being selfish, content with our own wellbeing and the wellbeing of our family [while] the rest is a disaster. No. Let’s always care for others, because then God will care for us.

It is written, “With the measure that you use, it will be measured to you.” If we work with mercy, with love, with forbearance, likewise God will work with us. You see here, the Prodromița Monastery, some of you may be visiting for the first time, while others come from Hârșova… the Prodromița Icon. Icons have been given various names, yet they all are of the Mother of God. Prodromița, Paramythia , or Quick to Hear, all represent the Mother of God, only certain names were given because of the place. Prodromița was given because it is located at the Skete of Prodromos on Mount Athos. Each icon has been given a particular name and perhaps a particular grace, but they all represent the Mother of God. What does that mean? We see wonderworking icons of the Theotokos everywhere, the world is filled with them. Through this, the Savior shows us how much He honors the Mother of God. He granted these icons the grace to work miracles and help us: you approach with faith, and they help you!

Many of these icons also exude myrrh. It shows the honor the Savior gives her, while we, as humans, often blaspheme against the Mother of God and then turn around and say, “Lord, help me!” God will respond, “How can I help you if, a day ago, you were swearing at My Mother?” Let’s be mindful of our words when we’re angry. In those moments, we could say something else, like words of blessing; why swear? I mean, do we only cool down by swearing? Go ahead and slap yourself twice, take the hammer and bang your fingers if you want to use up the energy and you’re mad at yourself for being stupid! That’s what it is, actually: you’re either doing something to yourself or you’ve hurt yourself and you lash out at someone else. Who hurt you? You did it yourself, so go ahead and take a couple more hits. You deserve it, if you’re stupid, why swear at someone else? Why is the other person at fault when you are the limited one?

Do you see how quickly we seek an escape, trying to pin the blame on others when we hurt ourselves? Let’s own our mistakes in life. I’ve erred, and I accept it. I don’t rush to find others to blame around me. That’s why we need to be mindful with our life and live it well, because life is short. It may feel long, but each day, we lose acquaintances, friends, and relatives. How do we know tomorrow isn’t our turn? We might not even make it to tonight. So, let’s not think life is ahead of us, waiting for us to enjoy it for another ten years before we repent. No! We’d better try to reconcile with those around us, go to confession, because God has given us this grace for free. No matter the filth you’ve done in this life, every wrong, you confess under the epitrachelion, you are absolved, and everything is erased.. Can you grasp the [magnitude of] the gift God has given us? Yet we neglect it, “Am I really going to confess to the priest what I’ve done? Am I foolish? Am I …” It’s all right! No, you’re not foolish. You’re so smart, you are going to go to the next place and you’ll be at your wits end about all those crazy things, because you’re taking them with you. And what does it say, “Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” You go and no one can loose you after you leave. But if you are loosed here, even if you haven’t had time to repent, the prayers of those here, the almsgiving and the commemoration at the Divine Liturgy can take you out [of hell]. You have that chance, because you left your sins here. But if you carry them with you… handle it if you can. You can’t say, “Lord, I didn’t know, I couldn’t.” Anyone knows. Oh, you don’t like it, thinking “What am I going to tell the other one? Who I am?” This is where pride and foolishness begin, they are intertwined. You can’t tell someone they’re proud without also hinting they might be a bit, let’s say, foolish. That’s where it all starts. A person who truly thinks clearly is humble. They recognize God’s greatness and see how small they really are.

What do you pride yourself on? Can you do something on this earth? Can you create even a single hair or an ant? Can we make these things so that we may compare ourselves with the greatness of God, so that we may think that we are something? We are nothing. Yet, we have the godly spark within us. Let’s not forget this. God has given us this honor, the godly breath, the godly spark that resides in us and goes to God, is immortal. You see, the body comes from the earth and returns to it, consumed by worms. But the soul, which comes from God, returns to Him. And God will ask, “I sent you pure! What happened to you? Why are you filled with wounds?” If we don’t confess, we carry all of these and God no longer recognizes the soul. “You don’t belong here, you don’t correspond, look at yourself.” And whether we like it or not, we find ourselves on the other side. That’s why I say, let’s not postpone confession.

Remember, confession is the most fundamental part of our lives. After that, as long as the spiritual father allows, we should receive Holy Communion and do good deeds to the best of our ability, never missing from the Divine Liturgy on Sunday. Do you know what that means? Some say, “I pray at home; I have faith in my heart.” No! You go to God’s house to talk to Him. You can talk to God wherever and whenever you want to, but then pay God a visit. It’s like you’re honoring Him, but actually it’s an honor for you to be there. We say, “I go to God’s house and I talk to Him.” It’s totally different. You meet God on the street and wherever you go, but when you visit Him at His home, He welcomes you as a guest and offers you grace and joy. Of course, if you go to the House of the Lord, you don’t start rearranging things, elbowing others, or showing off your style. No! You go to the House of the Lord and you honor the Master of the House, you respect Him and He respects you. You conduct yourself well, He treats you well. You go there with love, bring a flower, contribute in some way, and you receive grace from God. If you go there with different thoughts, then the host invites you out: “You didn’t come here to talk, to rejoice in each other.” That’s why we should always go to church with piety, with respect, as much as possible, piously dressed. We set aside fashion, whether it’s hot outside…

You see we are always dressed in black, it attracts the sun, if it’s 40°C it’s hot you can’t touch it, and we have enough clothes, and we never complain about the heat. I used to remind some who came to church in short sleeves, “Listen, we’ve set some rules, be respectful and wear long sleeves in church.” “But father, it’s hot!” “Really? Let me give you a couple more of my own, and then you can complain.” No! If we can’t bear two hours in church when it’s hot… that’s about convenience, it’s not about the heat. When you immerse yourself in prayer and focus on your own connection with God, you won’t be hot, you’ll stop noticing others and you’ll see yourself before God, realizing how small you are before His greatness. And then you melt when you see how much love God gives you. God doesn’t need us, our love. He has billions of angels to glorify Him if He wants, yet, we see how much love and sacrifice He has offered us. He sent His own Son for us. He has lifted us to a place of honor, and yet we turn our backs on all of it.

We must have love and respect for the House of God, as through this we are showing respect to God and especially to the Mother of God, whom we will see at the Judgment at the right hand of the Savior. Imagine going to the judgment and seeing the Savior frowning as He looks over your list. Then glancing to your right, to see the Mother of God with her head bowed. How would that feel? But what if you saw her smiling and heard her say, “Don’t worry because you called me everyday, no matter how the Savior looks at you,” as a mother she will always take Him by the hand, “Lord, please, this person is mine; they called on me every day. Please, for my love!”. And then the Savior will say, “Alright, take him wherever you wish!” Imagine the joy we’ll feel in that moment. And what does this mean? It reminds us to never forget the Mother of God, to ask for her help daily. Keep an icon in your pocket, and whenever you pass a church, say, “Mother of God, help me!” We leave home with the Mother of God and return with her as well. And then the Mother of God will never abandon us, everything depends on us. I won’t make it longer, I’ve told you enough. I hope a little bit of all this stays with you…

[Indistinct question]

F. P: What’s that?

Fr. Abbot: [Indistinct talking] So the people know you’re here at the Prodromița Monastery.

Fr. P: You tell them that… look Fr. Abbot from here in Orșova… he comes to us on the Holy Mountain.

People: Hârșova.

Fr. P: Hârșova, right, Hârșova, I get those two mixed up. Father Eufrosin has visited us several times on the Holy Mountain. He’s been at this monastery for a few years. Before him, there was another father who, as I’ve heard, made some missteps here, and people were left with the impression that Hârșova had a “so and so” abbot. Meanwhile, that abbot was changed, the father came, but the people were still left with the idea that “Ah, at Hârșova, we know that abbot and what he was doing.”

Now I told the father that based on his life, he would cleanse the place of that stain as they say, because “man sanctifies the place.” It takes time and, above all, love for the Mother of God, since the Mother of God Prodromița is here. With love for everyone that is coming, with mercy and kindness. Now I am telling you what you have to do: welcome each man that comes here with love.

Fr. Abbot: The people should confirm.

Fr. P: Making people feel that they have come home is what matters most. And one more thing, you know what else you should do? I am saying this publicly too… Every time you get the chance, tell your friends or people who come to bring candy and non-perishable items. It would be nice to have something sweet at the entrance, no matter how small, for everyone. Since so many of you are gathered here, why not each bring a bag of candy or something else when you come back here? It would be a kind gesture for the father, especially since this place is remote, and not many people come to help. And then let there always be something! Why do I say that? The more you give, the more God gives you. When someone takes from here and says “Thank you,” God multiplies that gift, and the monastery will have what it needs. That’s up to you.

Fr. Abbot: Now could you also tell them about the monthly contribution? That we also need to build a church.

Fr. P: Oh, what is the father saying? His Eminence Theodosius said a big church should be built. That’s his business, I won’t meddle.

Fr. Abbot: Father Pimen has power in his word, and that’s why I let him speak.

Fr. P: Now he must build a church. That’s their business, I’m not getting involved. He’s been digging somewhere around here, I don’t know where.

Fr. Abbot: We have already consecrated the place, there where the cross is.

Fr. P: Oh, the cross! Then it’s nearly finished! When the cross is placed atop a church, it means the church is complete; it just needs to rise above the ground.

Fr. Abbot: The message isn’t just for those present here. The video will be shared online, reaching a wider audience, and His Eminence said, “If everyone contributes 10 lei each month, we can lay the foundation.”

Fr. P: That’s all at God’s mercy, the will of the Mother of God, and the goodwill of people… Beyond that, I don’t know. I won’t intrude on that ground…

Fr. Abbot: But you can offer advice without getting involved.

Fr. P: Agreed. About a week ago, I took parts of the relics of Saints George and Saint Martyr Photini to a church in Bucharest. I believe it was also shared online and on Trinitas. I’ve also told them there, they’re building a church there, but it’s tougher due to limited resources. The priest is struggling there the same as here and everywhere. So, when you hear of a church being built somewhere, no one is asking you to bring a sack of money. Just 10 lei, 50 lei, or whatever you can give—do you understand what that means? Those who attend church know that during the Divine Liturgy, “the founders of this holy church” are commemorated three times. This means anyone who has contributed a brick to that church is commemorated by angels and taken to God. As long as that church stands, they and their family are always remembered. So, whenever you have the chance, wherever you are in the world, if a church is being built, contribute a brick, because you’ll be counted among “the founders of this holy church.” Each one as he thinks, as he can, no one is obligated. These aren’t laws like the ones the Jews had, demanding a ten percent. It’s up to everyone’s love and goodwill. And remember this: God, as I’ve said before, does not remain indebted. Anything you add to the house of God… Because that church is built in the name of the Savior, the Mother of God, or a saint.

They will never remain indebted. “This man came and put a brick in my church,” that saint, the Mother of God, as she is here, Prodromița, will say, “I’ll take care of him.” Everything we do comes back to us. Every good deed flows back to us, to our children, to our families, and to those around us. So, do good while you can, and from there on, may it be as the Lord wills. I’ll let the father say a couple more words.

Fr. Abbot: I just wanted to encourage you with a story or a parable. In a certain village, they wanted to build a monastery, a church, and sent someone to collect a penny from each one. He approached a man who didn’t believe in such things, a wicked man who had no connection to the church, and said, “You’re always begging for money. Here’s 1 leu; it’s only enough for a brick. Let’s see if you can build a church with that.” The man took the leu and actually bought a brick. That brick was put in the church and the man was considered among the founders. Whenever the Memorial Service was held, he would be taken out of hell and placed there next to that brick. And think that it was just one brick. I share this to encourage you, for only what we do for the soul lasts. As the father said, we take nothing with us—only our good deeds, “Store for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consume.” These are the real treasures.

We thank you for being here and I extend my gratitude to Fr. Pimen for joining us. This is his second visit, the second year. We are grateful to have him among us. Many have called him, yet he chose to be with us, and we feel privileged.

Fr. P: I’ll jump in here. I came because I couldn’t escape the father’s urging. For a whole year, he’d remind me if I didn’t show up. He visits us about five times a year there on Mount Athos.

Fr. Abbot: We thank you from the bottom of our hearts. May the Mother of God grant you health and strength in words and all that is good.

Fr. P: As the Mother of God wills. You see, before I spoke, I was exhausted. Now I’ve found strength and spoke for an hour. I’ve had moments like this before—feeling worn out, unable because of my heart, yet being in situations where I talked for two hours, and afterward, I realized I felt no pain. I had more strength than before I began. It becomes clear to me that these words are not from me. Even when Mihai Morar came to Athos over a year ago, my heart was in pieces. He had announced ahead of time he was coming, I asked him to choose the spot for our podcast, and he picked a beautiful sunny place in the orchard. I was wearing black…. As I waited a quarter of an hour for them to set up the sun blazed down, everything was hot from the sun, and my heart was aching and I asked him how long he would like to talk for, he said “About two hours.”

“Be happy if we manage half an hour considering the state I am in!”

We started talking, and the filming stretched over two hours. When I finally stood up, he asked me, “How are you?”

“If you want, let’s start over because I feel great!” Suddenly, I felt no pain, while he looked exhausted, red eyed, even though he had mostly listened. I realized that when the Mother of God wills, regardless of my condition, everything is set aside, and I see that my pain fades. Even when I feel I can’t go on, I say, “Mother of God, if it’s for good, please give me something for these people who came with love!” And then the Mother of God takes care of the rest. She puts the words in my mouth as she sees fit and takes away my pain, nothing hurts anymore, and then I realize, maybe I’m tired, maybe I can’t do it anymore, yet, nevertheless, all these things disappear because, we know well, that when God works, all that is human falls away. So, let us have great faith in the Mother of God! That’s about it, it’s enough. May the Mother of God help us, may she watch over us and may we never forget her.

People: Come visit us again sometime.

Fr. P: Because we are the happiest people to have her in our lives. We don’t realize what it means to have the Queen of Heaven and earth as our mother, who is never denied. How much power she has! It is a great honor to have the Mother of God, let us respect her and ask for her help!

May the Mother of God help us and take care of us!

People: Thank you, father!

Fr. P: May the Lord help us!

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