Damaskenos of Aetolia: "Not a single day without prayer, without study, without the remembrance of God"

Damaskenos of Aetolia: "Not a single day without prayer, without study, without the remembrance of God" Festive Sermons - Holy Ambo 29.09.2026 Metropolitan of Aetolia and Acarnania Damaskenos The Fathers of the Church advise us, amid the toil and activities of everyday life, to maintain daily contact with the word of the Gospel, the teaching of our faith, and the example of the Saints. Heartfelt prayer, the study of biblical and patristic texts, and frequent participation in the liturgical life of the Church help us to remain oriented toward God and not to allow our soul to drift away from the source of its life and joy. The Saints particularly insist on regularity: Not a single day without prayer, without study, without the remembrance of God. And this because they know from their spiritual experience how easily the human soul changes and how quickly, when it is not nourished by Grace, it cools and is carried away. Then man seeks substitutes in fleeting joys and habits which, while promising to satisfy him, leave him constantly thirsty and gradually bind him. Then the faculties of the soul lose their orientation and the soul is enslaved to the passions. In today's Epistle reading, the Apostle Paul addresses the Corinthians with paternal love and concern. He calls them not to take for granted the great gift of Grace they received and not to allow it to remain inactive within them: "As fellow workers of God, then, I urge you not to let the grace of God go to waste" (2 Cor. 6:1). Paul knows that the Grace of God does not abolish the freedom of man. God offers, but man is called to respond. That is why the Apostle does not rest with merely pointing out the danger. He calls the Corinthians to distance themselves from anything worldly that may alienate them from God: "What fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what communion has light with darkness? Can the temple of God and the temple of idols exist in the same place? You are the temple of the true God." And then he reminds them of the promise of God: "Do not touch anything unclean, and I will receive you. I will be to you a Father, and you will be my sons and daughters" (2 Cor. 6:14-18). The destination of man is the embrace of God the Father. There are found all that is true and genuine, all that the human soul deeply desires. Outside of this embrace are the false substitutes, the vain joys, and the habits that bind us and degrade our existence, depriving it of the freedom and the greatness for which it was created. That is why the reading concludes with the characteristic exhortation of the Apostle: "Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God" (2 Cor. 7:1). In every age there are traps that threaten the freedom of man. Passions that begin with deceptive promises of joy and end in chains, gradually depriving him of his freedom and dignity. Man, many times, does not realize from the beginning that something he freely chooses may, with time, become that which dominates him. Perhaps, hearing these words, our mind goes exclusively to the great and manifest passions: to the addictions to narcotics, alcohol, or to other conditions that afflict our society and especially the young. There are, however, other addictions, much more subtle, that we do not even consider addictions: Such as our inability to part from the screen, the need for continuous affirmation, the comparison with others, the consumption without real need, the inability to endure silence. Small habits, which seem insignificant, but little by little can take up within us space that does not belong to them. There are, of course, also the deeper passions that the ascetic tradition of the Church highlights, which have as their foundation human selfishness and alienation from the God of love and humility: such as anger, jealousy, malice, the need to always be right, attachment to comfort, the egocentrism that prevents us from loving. All of these are so common that they pass almost unnoticed. They are, however, real and persistent. And precisely because we often consider them self-evident and given of the human character, we may not perceive that they have become bonds and defile us. This is precisely what the word of the Apostle Paul calls us to examine: not only our great and manifest passions, but also those small ones that nestle silently in our everyday life. The spiritual life is not simply the effort to avoid the "great sins." It is a struggle to be freed from all those things that occupy within us more space than they are entitled to. To be able to let go, to be silent, to wait, to say: "I do not need it." To be able to let go even of something that we like, when we realize that it no longer leaves us free. Perhaps, in the end, this is also what "let us cleanse ourselves" means: to make room within us for God and to remove not only what is great and manifest, but also what, small and everyday, has gradually taken over our heart. This freedom is what the life of the Church comes to offer us. Attachment to God and to His most holy will becomes at the same time our liberation from all that binds us. It is not a simple effort of self-improvement. It is a struggle in which man does not remain alone. When he turns toward God, His Grace becomes a renewing power and God Himself hastens to walk alongside, to comfort and to strengthen His child. Then the soul begins again to breathe. Then man discovers that true joy is not found in all that enslaves him, but in Him who frees him and calls him to live with Him a life full of meaning and love. Then we become worthy of the Grace we have received. Faith and the spiritual struggle constitute the powerful weapons of the Christian, in order to continually leave behind whatever degrades and defiles him. These two keep open the road of encounter with Him, who is the inexhaustible source of sanctification "of soul and body," from which each one of us is in a position to continually draw waters of joy and gladness. Amen.

Αιτωλίας Δαμασκηνός: «Οὔτε μία ἡμέρα χωρὶς προσευχή, χωρὶς μελέτη, χωρὶς μνήμη Θεοῦ» Εορταστικοί λόγοι - Ιερός Άμβων 29.09.2026 Μητροπολίτης Αιτωλίας και Ακαρνανίας Δαμασκηνός Οἱ Πατέρες τῆς Ἐκκλησίας μᾶς συμβουλεύουν, μέσα στὸν μόχθο καὶ τὶς δραστηριότητες τῆς καθημερινότητος, νὰ διατηροῦμε καθημερινὴ ἐπαφὴ μὲ τὸν λόγο τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου, τὴν διδασκαλία τῆς πίστεώς μας καὶ τὸ παράδειγμα τῶν Ἁγίων. Ἡ καρδιακὴ προσευχή, ἡ μελέτη τῶν βιβλικῶν καὶ πατερικῶν κειμένων καὶ ἡ συχνὴ συμμετοχὴ στὴν λατρευτικὴ ζωὴ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας μᾶς βοηθοῦν νὰ παραμένουμε στραμμένοι πρὸς τὸν Θεὸ καὶ νὰ μὴν ἀφήνουμε τὴν ψυχή μας νὰ ἀπομακρύνεται ἀπὸ τὴν πηγὴ τῆς ζωῆς καὶ τῆς χαρᾶς της. Ἰδιαιτέρως ἐπιμένουν οἱ Ἅγιοι στὴν συστηματικότητα: Οὔτε μία ἡμέρα χωρὶς προσευχή, χωρὶς μελέτη, χωρὶς μνήμη Θεοῦ. Καὶ αὐτὸ διότι γνωρίζουν ἀπὸ τὴν πνευματική τους ἐμπειρία πόσο εὔκολα μεταβάλλεται ἡ ἀνθρώπινη ψυχὴ καὶ πόσο γρήγορα, ὅταν δὲν τροφοδοτεῖται ἀπὸ τὴν Χάρη, ψυχραίνεται καὶ παρασύρεται. Τότε ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἀναζητᾶ ὑποκατάστατα σὲ πρόσκαιρες χαρὲς καὶ συνήθειες πού, ἐνῷ ὑπόσχονται νὰ τὸν χορτάσουν, τὸν ἀφήνουν διαρκῶς διψασμένο καὶ σταδιακὰ τὸν δεσμεύουν. Τότε οἱ δυνάμεις τῆς ψυχῆς χάνουν τὸν προσανατολισμό τους καὶ ἡ ψυχὴ ὑποδουλώνεται στὰ πάθη. Στὴν σημερινὴ Ἀποστολικὴ περικοπή, ὁ Ἀπόστολος Παῦλος ἀπευθύνεται στοὺς Κορινθίους μὲ πατρικὴ ἀγάπη καὶ ἀνησυχία. Τοὺς καλεῖ νὰ μὴν θεωρήσουν δεδομένη τὴν μεγάλη δωρεὰ τῆς Χάριτος ποὺ ἔλαβαν καὶ νὰ μὴν ἐπιτρέψουν νὰ μείνει ἀνενεργὴ μέσα τους: «Ὡς συνεργάτης τοῦ Θεοῦ, λοιπόν, σᾶς παρακαλῶ νὰ μὴν ἀφήσετε νὰ πάει χαμένη ἡ χάρη τοῦ Θεοῦ ποὺ δεχθήκατε» (Β΄ Κορ. 6,1). Ὁ Παῦλος γνωρίζει ὅτι ἡ Χάρη τοῦ Θεοῦ δὲν καταργεῖ τὴν ἐλευθερία τοῦ ἀνθρώπου. Ὁ Θεὸς προσφέρει, ἀλλὰ ὁ ἄνθρωπος καλεῖται νὰ ἀνταποκριθεῖ. Γι’ αὐτὸ καὶ ὁ Ἀπόστολος δὲν ἀρκεῖται στὴν ἐπισήμανση τοῦ κινδύνου. Καλεῖ του Κορινθίους νὰ ἀπομακρυνθοῦν ἀπὸ καθετὶ τὸ κοσμικὸ ποὺ μπορεῖ νὰ τοὺς ἀποξενώσει ἀπὸ τὸν Θεό: «Ποιά σχέση μπορεῖ νὰ ἔχει ἡ δικαιοσύνη μὲ τὴν ἀνομία; Ἢ τί κοινὸ ὑπάρχει ἀνάμεσα στὸ φῶς καὶ στὸ σκοτάδι; Μπορεῖ νὰ ὑπάρχουν στὸν ἴδιο τόπο ὁ ναὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ ὁ ναὸς τῶν εἰδώλων; Ἐσεῖς εἶστε ναὸς τοῦ ἀληθινοῦ Θεοῦ». Καὶ στὴν συνέχεια θυμίζει τὴν ὑπόσχεση τοῦ Θεοῦ: «Μὴν ἀγγίζετε ἀκάθαρτο πρᾶγμα, κι ἐγὼ θὰ σᾶς δεχθῶ. Θὰ εἶμαι γιὰ σᾶς ὁ Πατέρας, κι ἐσεῖς θὰ εἶστε γιοὶ καὶ θυγατέρες μοῦ» (Β΄ Κορ. 6,14-18). Ὁ προορισμὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου εἶναι ἡ ἀγκαλιὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ Πατέρα. Ἐκεῖ βρίσκονται ὅλα τὰ ἀληθινὰ καὶ γνήσια, ὅλα ὅσα ποθεῖ βαθιὰ ἡ ἀνθρώπινη ψυχή. Ἐκτός ἀπὸ αὐτὴν τὴν ἀγκαλιὰ βρίσκονται τὰ ψεύτικα ὑποκατάστατα, οἱ μάταιες χαρὲς καὶ οἱ συνήθειες ποὺ μᾶς δεσμεύουν καὶ ὑποβιβάζουν τὴν ὕπαρξή μας, στερῶντας της τὴν ἐλευθερία καὶ τὸ μεγαλεῖο γιὰ τὰ ὁποῖα δημιουργήθηκε. Γι’ αὐτὸ καὶ ἡ περικοπὴ καταλήγει μὲ τὴ χαρακτηριστικὴ προτροπὴ τοῦ Ἀποστόλου: «Ἀφοῦ λοιπόν, ἀγαπητοί μου, ἔχουμε αὐτὲς τὶς ὑποσχέσεις, ἂς καθαρίσουμε τοὺς ἑαυτούς μας ἀπὸ καθετὶ ποὺ μολύνει τὸ σῶμα καὶ τὴν ψυχή. Ἂς ζήσουμε μιὰ ἅγια ζωὴ μὲ φόβο Θεοῦ» (Β΄ Κορ. 7,1). Σὲ κάθε ἐποχὴ ὑπάρχουν παγίδες ποὺ ἀπειλοῦν τὴν ἐλευθερία τοῦ ἀνθρώπου. Πάθη ποὺ ἀρχίζουν μὲ ἀπατηλὲς ὑποσχέσεις χαρᾶς καὶ καταλήγουν σὲ δεσμά, στερῶντας σταδιακὰ τὴν ἐλευθερία καὶ τὴν ἀξιοπρέπειά του. Ὁ ἄνθρωπος, πολλὲς φορές, δὲν ἀντιλαμβάνεται ἀπὸ τὴν ἀρχὴ ὅτι κάτι ποὺ ἐπιλέγει ἐλεύθερα μπορεῖ, μὲ τὸν χρόνο, νὰ γίνει ἐκεῖνο ποὺ τὸν ἐξουσιάζει. Ἴσως, ἀκούγοντας αὐτὰ τὰ λόγια, ὁ νοῦς μας νὰ πηγαίνει ἀποκλειστικὰ στὰ μεγάλα καὶ φανερὰ πάθη: στὶς ἐξαρτήσεις ἀπὸ τὰ ναρκωτικά, τὸ ἀλκοὸλ ἢ σὲ ἄλλες καταστάσεις ποὺ ταλαιπωροῦν τὴν κοινωνία μας καὶ ἰδιαίτερα τὰ νέα παιδιά. Ὑπάρχουν, ὅμως, καὶ ἄλλες ἐξαρτήσεις, πολὺ πιὸ διακριτικές, ποὺ δὲν τὶς θεωροῦμε κἂν ἐξαρτήσεις: Ὅπως εἶναι ἡ ἀδυναμία μας νὰ ἀποχωριστοῦμε τὴν ὀθόνη, ἡ ἀνάγκη συνεχοῦς ἐπιβεβαιώσεως, ἡ σύγκριση μὲ τοὺς ἄλλους, ἡ κατανάλωση χωρὶς πραγματικὴ ἀνάγκη, ἡ ἀδυναμία νὰ ἀντέξουμε τὴν σιωπή. Μικρὲς συνήθειες, ποὺ μοιάζουν ἀσήμαντες, σιγά σιγά ὅμως μποροῦν νὰ καταλάβουν μέσα μας χῶρο ποὺ δὲν τοὺς ἀνήκει. Ὑπάρχουν, βεβαίως, καὶ τὰ βαθύτερα πάθη ποὺ ἐπισημαίνει ἡ ἀσκητικὴ παράδοση τῆς Ἐκκλησίας καὶ ἔχουν ὡς θεμέλιο τὸν ἀνθρώπινο ἐγωισμὸ καὶ τὴν ἀποξένωση ἀπὸ τὸν Θεὸ τῆς ἀγάπης καὶ τῆς ταπεινοφροσύνης: Ὅπως εἶναι ὁ θυμός, ἡ ζήλια, ἡ κακία, ἡ ἀνάγκη νὰ ἔχουμε πάντα δίκιο, ἡ προσκόλληση στὴν ἄνεση, ὁ ἐγωκεντρισμὸς ποὺ μᾶς ἐμποδίζει νὰ ἀγαπήσουμε. Εἶναι τόσο συνηθισμένα ὅλα αὐτά, ὥστε νὰ περνοῦν σχεδὸν ἀπαρατήρητα. Εἶναι, ὅμως ὑπαρκτὰ καὶ ἐπίμονα. Καὶ ἀκριβῶς ἐπειδὴ συχνὰ τὰ θεωροῦμε αὐτονόητα καὶ δεδομένα τοῦ ἀνθρώπινου χαρακτῆρος, μπορεῖ νὰ μὴν ἀντιλαμβανόμαστε ὅτι ἔχουν γίνει δεσμὰ καὶ μᾶς μολύνουν. Αὐτὸ ἀκριβῶς μᾶς καλεῖ νὰ ἐξετάσουμε ὁ λόγος τοῦ Ἀποστόλου Παύλου: ὄχι μόνο τὰ μεγάλα καὶ φανερὰ πάθη μας, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐκεῖνα τὰ μικρὰ ποὺ φωλιάζουν ἀθόρυβα στὴν καθημερινότητά μας. Ἡ πνευματικὴ ζωὴ δὲν εἶναι ἁπλῶς ἡ προσπάθεια νὰ ἀποφύγουμε τὰ «μεγάλα ἁμαρτήματα». Εἶναι ἕνας ἀγῶνας νὰ ἐλευθερωθοῦμε ἀπὸ ὅλα ἐκεῖνα ποὺ καταλαμβάνουν μέσα μας περισσότερο χῶρο ἀπὸ ὅσο τοὺς ἀνήκει. Νὰ μποροῦμε νὰ ἀποχωριζόμαστε, νὰ σιωποῦμε, νὰ περιμένουμε, νὰ λέμε: «Δὲν τὸ χρειάζομαι». Νὰ μποροῦμε νὰ ἀφήνουμε ἀκόμη καὶ κάτι ποὺ μᾶς ἀρέσει, ὅταν διαπιστώνουμε ὅτι ἐκεῖνο δὲν μᾶς ἀφήνει πλέον ἐλεύθερους. Ἴσως, τελικά, αὐτὸ νὰ σημαίνει καὶ τὸ «καθαρίσωμεν ἑαυτούς»: νὰ ἀνοίξουμε χῶρο μέσα μας γιὰ τὸν Θεὸ καὶ νὰ ἀπομακρύνουμε ὄχι μόνο ὅσα εἶναι μεγάλα καὶ φανερά, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὅσα, μικρὰ καὶ καθημερινά, ἔχουν καταλάβει σιγά σιγά τὴν καρδιά μας. Αὐτὴ τὴν ἐλευθερία ἔρχεται νὰ μᾶς προσφέρει ἡ ζωὴ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας. Ἡ προσκόλληση στὸν Θεὸ καὶ στὸ πανάγιο θέλημά Του γίνεται συγχρόνως ἡ ἀπεξάρτησή μας ἀπὸ ὅσα μᾶς δεσμεύουν. Δὲν πρόκειται γιὰ μιὰ ἁπλῆ προσπάθεια αὐτοβελτιώσεως. Εἶναι ἕνας ἀγῶνας στὸν ὁποῖο ὁ ἄνθρωπος δὲν μένει μόνος. Ὅταν στρέφεται πρὸς τὸν Θεό, ἡ Χάρη Του γίνεται δύναμη ἀνακαινιστικὴ καὶ ὁ ἴδιος ὁ Θεὸς σπεύδει νὰ συμπορευθεῖ, νὰ παρηγορήσει καὶ νὰ ἐνδυναμώσει τὸ παιδί Του. Τότε ἡ ψυχὴ ἀρχίζει καὶ πάλι νὰ ἀνασαίνει. Τότε ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἀνακαλύπτει ὅτι ἡ ἀληθινὴ χαρὰ δὲν βρίσκεται σὲ ὅσα τὸν ὑποδουλώνουν, ἀλλὰ σὲ Ἐκεῖνον ποὺ τὸν ἐλευθερώνει καὶ τὸν καλεῖ νὰ ζήσει μαζὶ Του μιὰ ζωὴ γεμάτη νόημα καὶ ἀγάπη. Τότε γινόμαστε ἄξιοι τῆς Χάριτος ποὺ λάβαμε. Ἡ πίστη καὶ ὁ πνευματικὸς ἀγῶνας ἀποτελοῦν τὰ ἰσχυρὰ ὅπλα τοῦ Χριστιανοῦ, προκειμένου νὰ ἀφήνει διαρκῶς πίσω του ὅ,τι τὸν ὑποβιβάζει καὶ τὸν μολύνει. Αὐτὰ τὰ δύο διατηροῦν ἀνοιχτὸ τὸν δρόμο συναντήσεως μὲ Ἐκεῖνον, ὁ Ὁποῖος ἀποτελεῖ τὴν ἀδαπάνητη πηγὴ ἁγιασμοῦ «ψυχῆς τε καὶ σώματος», ἀπὸ τὴν ὁποία, ὁ καθένας ἀπὸ ἐμᾶς, εἶναι σὲ θέση νὰ ἀντλεῖ διαρκῶς νάματα χαρᾶς καὶ εὐφροσύνης. Ἀμήν.