Saint Ephraim Katounakiotis - The Theologian and Teacher of the Desert (Greek)

Spiritual Counsels, Volume I: With Pain and Love for Contemporary Man 

By Saint Paisios the Athonite

Size: 6" x 9" (15.2  x 23cm) 

Pages: 428

Binding: Softcover 

From the Preface: When the Blessed Elder Paisios fell asleep in the Lord on 12 July 1994, he left behind a spiritual legacy: his teachings, his deeds, his life itself. Never more than a simple monk, with only an elementary school education but rich in the wisdom of God, the Elder emptied himself for the sake of others. His teaching was neither instruction nor catechism: he lived the Gospel, and everything he taught flowed naturally from is way of life, a life that was characterized overwhelmingly by love. He had formed himself according to the Gospel, and for this reason, it was his presence that taught first, and then his evangelical love and enlightened words. People of all kinds came to him; and when he received them, he did not simply listen patiently to the problems they confided in him, but with his holy simplicity and discernment, he entered deeply into their hearts and made their pains, anxieties and troubles his own. And then, gradually, a miracle would take place: people would be transformed. "God" he used to say, "performs a miracle when we wholeheartedly participate in the pain of others." 

We saw with great joy the interest generated by the first book that circulated on the life and teachings of Elder Paisios. Many spoke with admiration about the answers they found there to their many questions, the solutions to their problems and solace in their grief. Our joy was even greater when people who had distanced themselves from our Mother the Church became rightly concerned and changed their way of life. We often thought of the words of a hymn dedicated to Saint Basil the Great: He lives, though he lies asleep in the Lord; he lives even among us, as one who speaks through his writings. We also felt compelled to offer the very beneficial words of Elder Paisios (which we recorded with reverence from the very first steps of our Sisterhood, because they were so helpful to us) to our brothers and sisters in Christ who were so persistently.....

From the Contents: 

- Biographical Note

- Preface

- Introductory Remarks to the Elder's Counsels 

- Part One: Sin and the Devil

- Part Two: Modern Civilization

- Part Three: The Spirit of God and the Spirit of the World 

- Part Four: The Church in our Times

Other books in this series: Spiritual Awakening, Spiritual Struggle, Family Life, Passions and Virtues, and On Prayer.

Spiritual Counsels, Volume II: Spiritual Awakening

By Saint Paisios the Athonite 

Size: 6" x 9" (15.3  x 23 cm) 

Pages: 410

Binding: Softcover 

From the Introduction to the Elder's Counsels:

"- Geronda, how do you see things going?

 - How do you see things going?

- What can we say, Geronda? You tell us.  

- The present calm worries me. Something is up. We haven't quite understood what times we're living in and we don't even consider that we will die someday. I don't know what will happen; the situation is very difficult! The world's fate is in the hands of a few, but God is still holding the brakes. We need to do a lot of praying with pain and love for God to intervene. We need to take matters seriously and live spiritually. These are very difficult times. Much ash and trash has fallen, there is great indifference. A very strong wind is needed to blow them away. The old timers used to say that the time will come when people will start kicking. All barriers are discarded and nothing is respected. It's terrible! Everything has become Babylon. We must pray for people to come out of this Babylonian captivity. Read the Prayer of the Three Young Men, to see how humbly they prayed; read Psalm eighty three: O God, who shall be compared to Thee? Be not silent, neither be still, O God... We have to do this, otherwise we struggle in vain. We need divine intervention. 

Now, certain European sicknesses have come into the mix and they keep getting worse. A Cypriot family man who lived in England once told me "We are in spiritual danger; I must take my family away from England." Over there you can see a father taking is daughter, a mother her son. Everyone is "crowned" in marriage, everyone is "blessed". I am ashamed to even mention some of the things that are going on. But we don't lose any sleep over it. Now, I'm not saying that we ought to take up banners and marching in protest, but we should turn our attention to the great danger ahead of us and raise our hand to God in prayer. We must defend ourselves against evil. We must put on the brakes because..."

From the Contents:

- Prologue 

- An Introduction to the Elder's Counsels 

- Part One: The Responsibility of Love

- Part Two: Struggle and Devoutness

- Part Three: Spiritual Bravery 

- Part Four: Dependence Upon Heaven

- Part Five: Spiritual Weapons 

Other books in this series: With Pain and Love for Contemporary Man, Spiritual Struggle, Family Life, Passions and Virtues, and On Prayer.

Spiritual Counsels, Volume III: Spiritual Struggle

By Saint Paisios the Athonite

Size: 6" x 9" (15.3  x 23 cm) 

Pages: 326

Binding: Softcover 

From Part One, The War of Thoughts:

"Good and Evil Thoughts - The Power of Good Thought 

- Geronda, in the Old Testament, in the book Maccabees IV, it is written: For devout thought does not uproot the passions but is their antagonist. What does this mean? 

- The passions are deeply rooted in us, but the good, devout thought helps us to not become enslaved to them. When man brings only good thoughts to mind and establishes a strong and healthy spiritual state, then the passions lie dormant, and it is as if they did not exist. In other words, devout thoughts do not uproot the passions altogether, but combat them and can defeat them. I think the author is describing what the Holy Seven Young Men, their mother Saint Solomone and their teacher Saint Eleazar were able to endure by having good and devout thoughts, and thus is indicating precisely the extent of the power of good thoughts. 

One good thought is equal to a very long vigil! It is very powerful. Similar to how certain new weapons can intercept a missile at its base by using laser beams and prevent it from being fired, so good thoughts can also anticipate and immobilize evil thoughts at the devil's "airport", where they are launched from. This is why you must struggle as much as you can - before the tempter devil has a chance to plant evil thoughts in your mind - to plant good thoughts and transform your heart into a flower garden, so that your prayer will be enriched..."

From the Contents:

- Preface

- Part One: The War of Thoughts 

- Part Two: Righteousness and Injustice 

- Part Three: Sin and Repentance 

- Part Four: The Evil Forces of Darkness

- Part Five: The Power of Confession 

Other books in this series: With Pain and Love for Contemporary Man, Spiritual Awakening, Family Life, Passions and Virtues, and On Prayer.

Spiritual Counsels, Volume IV: Family Life

By Saint Paisios the Athonite

Size: 6" x 9" (15.3 x 23 cm) 

Pages: 307

Binding: Softcover 

From The Young Facing the Two Roads of Life:

"Married life and Monastic life are both blessed

- Geronda, what should one say to young people who ask if monastic life is superior to married life? 

- To begin with, one must help them understand what the destiny of man is and what the meaning of life is. Then one can explain to them that both roads indicated by our Church are blessed, because each can lead them to Paradise if they abide by the will of God. Let's say that two people start out on a pilgrimage. One takes the bus using the public road and the other goes on foot along some trail. Both have the same goal. God rejoices in the one and marvels at the other just the same. It would be bad if he who goes on foot criticizes the other who takes the bus, or vice versa. 

Those young people who may be thinking about monasticism should know that the mission of the monk or the nun is a very high calling; it is to become an angel. In the next life, in Heaven, we will live like angels, Jesus Christ had tod the Sadducees. This is why some very philotimo-filled young people become monks or nuns and embark on their angelic life from this present life. 

But let no one think that those who go to the monastery will be saved simply because they became monks or nuns. Each person will account to God about whether he sanctified..."

From the Contents:

- Preface 

- The Young Facing the Two Roads of Life 

- Part One: Supporting the Family

- Part Two: Parents and their Obligations

- Part Three: Children and their Obligations

- Part Four: Spiritual Life

- Part Five: The Trials in our Life

- Part Six: The Death and the Future Life 

Spiritual Counsels, Volume V: Passions and Virtues

By Saint Paisios the Athonite

Size: 6" x 9" (15.3 x 23 cm) 

Pages: 283

Binding: Softcover 

From Chapter One, Self-Love and Its Consequences:

"All the passions are borne of self-love

- Geronda, what is self-love? 

- Self-love is to do the will of the old man within you, that is, to love that old man within. Gluttony and egoism, obstinacy and envy - all have self-love as their source. And so you see that one person seeks to accommodate only himself out of self-love, without any regard for others. Another person makes meticulous arrangements for his food, his sleep, so that nothing disturbs his well-being. Another desires to be taken into account, to be held in esteem; if he is slighted in the very least, if he doesn't get his way, he reacts badly. He thinks "Why aren't they taking me into consideration? I'll show them!" Indeed, self-love is a terrible thing!

- Geronda, how can anyone say, "For Thy sake we are killed all the day long? 

- If he sacrifices his will for the other's sake. The will contains our self within it; it has self-love. Whoever doesn't investigate whether that which comforts him also comforts someone else, but instead, starts by making demands like: " I want this; I want that," or "Why didn't you do this for me? Why didn't you give that to me?" will, in the end, be found to have directed by the devil. 

- There are some people, Geronda, who cannot be at peace unless they get their way. 

- How can they ever find peace since they place their self in what they want? If one places his self in all the things he wants, can he also have room for Christ? When he does not have his own self, and has, instead, the One, the most important that is, Christ, then he has everything. One who doesn't have Christ has nothing. If a person throws away his own self, God will give him everything in.."

From the Contents:

 - Preface

- Section One: The Passion

- Part One: Self Love: The Source of Passions

- Part Two: Pride the Root of Evil

- Part Three: Condemnation, the Great Injustice 

- Part Four: The Children of Self-Love and Pride

- Section Two: The Virtues 

- Part One: Humility the Singular Virtue

- Part Two: Spiritual Love 

- Part Three: Nobility and Philotimo

- Part Four: Children of Love and Humility 

- Epilogue: The Good Restlenssness

- Index 

Other books in this series: With Pain and Love for Contemporary Man, Spiritual Awakening, Spiritual Struggle, Family Life, and On Prayer.