Those in Heaven those in Hell | Metropolitan Neophytos of Morphou | Podcast

When we lose someone we love, we often wonder: Can they still see us? Are they listening? In this episode, Metropolitan Neophytos of Morphou answers these heavy questions by explaining the “five powers of the soul.” He reveals how these powers don’t die with the body—they actually become more active once they are released from the physical world. His Eminence shares how the righteous find joy in a “continuous communion” with the Saints and their loved ones, while those in hell struggle with multiplied malice and isolation. He also shares a very personal testimony on how to handle people who have wronged us—showing how a simple candle and a prayer can lead to a miracle of reconciliation through Christ. This English translation of the sermon of His Eminence Metropolitan Neophytos of Morphou was presented for otelders.org by Porphyrios.

Original video on the official channel of Holy Metropolis of Morphou: hhttps://youtu.be/kDMftC3bluw [1:07:29 – 1:17:33]
Translated video on English Morphou channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4xOWjD81GU

🔊 Listen to an English narration of this talk on Spotify and Apple Podcasts: https://open.spotify.com/show/02BTr4socgg9gwLbRZPPLE?si=78f8f270eb3c41e7

Met. Neophytos:

[reading sent question]: “Does the fallen asleep take with him the five powers of the soul?” “Is the reposed listening? Is he seeing?…” asks the question.

[His Eminence Metropolitan Neophytos]: Of course, and he does. Excuse me, are you not listening when you are asleep? You are. And you see perfectly fine.

The fallen asleep might have died, but what is it that [actually] dies? The body. The five senses, the five powers of the soul are very much alive. As a matter of fact, when the body dies, the five powers of the soul have even greater power, because they have been released from the matter of the body. The fallen asleep is able to hear, to see and to feel.

If he is among the righteous, his joy is multiplied. He sees his reposed friends in paradise. Right? Let alone the fact that many new meetings take place there. If I end up in heaven, I’ll go look for Saint Iakovos, Saint Eumenios, I’ll go find my father, my mother, my grandmother Myrofora.

And after I am done catching up with my close relations, how many are they — fifty, one hundred, two hundred? Then, off to meet Apostle Andrew, off to meet Apostle Philip, off to meet Apostle Luke [the Evangelist], who painted the holy icon of our Most Holy Theotokos, [Off to meet] Saint Lazarus, whose feast I celebrated at his church in Larnaca, during my years there. [Off to meet] Saint Neophytos, whom I was named after. Is it not so?

Father Constanitnos, all these people you’ve been commemorating throughout your life, if they are in eternal life, in paradise, they’ll come find you. “My Father Constantinos, thank you for commemorating me!” “Who are you?” “I am such and such from Akaki, [Cyprus].” Do you understand?

Thus, it’s a continuous communion and communication [taking place there]. Between both the reposed themselves, who dwell within the light of Christ, but also [a communion that takes place between them]. It is Christ Himself who celebrates the Divine Liturgy continuously, and we reside inside His light which is full of information, full of knowledge.

Thus, it’s a life much, much more “active” than the one we live here. Here, we have our suspicions, our wickedness, our self-interests. There is always a second or a third [selfish] thought in the back of our head. Over there, in paradise, we are simple! We are simple!

Because our God is simple! That’s right! It’s a really dynamic relationship [developing there]. Don’t believe that we remain “fallen asleep”… No, not at all!

What I said so far applies for the righteous who reside in paradise, in eternal life. As concern the damned ones …. They too have the powers of their soul multiplied. If they have “five units of guilt” and “five units of malice” here [on earth], the “five units of guilt” become fifty-five there, the “five units of malice” become fifty-five.

Gerondissa Galaktia who saw these things with her own eyes says that the damned ones in hell have their conscience and their powers of the soul so highly “developed”… — “The binoculars” [as she called them] are “the eyes of one’s soul.” One’s nous, that is — So, [the damned ones] are watching the righteous having a good time and they are bursting with jealousy, they are bursting with their malice! What a terrible thing! Get the book [on Holy Gerontissa Galaktia] and read [exactly] how she describes it.

She saw these things with her own eyes! They cannot take pleasure in the joy of others. Their guilt, their malice, their sorrows multiply.

They don’t want to associate with anyone. “Go, leave me alone, I’ll keep company with my pain!” [as the song goes]. Such malice, such loneliness!

If we think of these things, the good and the bad I mentioned of paradise and of hell, do you realize what a great gift is Christ’s Resurrection? How do all services of Bright Week end? The Bright Week is the week between the Sunday of Pascha up until the Sunday of Thomas. “Jesus, having risen from the grave as He foretold, “has given us eternal life and great mercy.” That’s it!

To have eternal life! Life that isn’t limited to forty, fifty, eighty or a hundred years. Right? That’s it! But we must learn to receive Holy Communion.

And the primary condition on regular communion is forgiving. It’s reconciliation. When we face a difficulty [with forgiving someone], we start by lighting a candle for him. We write his name [for commemoration] at the prothesis of our priests. In this way, our will [to forgive him] is strengthened, too.

[Yannis the moderator intervenes]: My bishop, let me point out one thing. One of the sent questions concerning forgiveness, asks: “What if there is no reconciliation from the other side? “Are we allowed to receive Holy Communion then?”

[His Eminence]: Thank you, Yannis. You did good to point it out. Reconciliation is an inner state. The other person might not be willing [to reconcile]. Charalambos might not want to reconcile with me under any circumstance.

However, my heart might have softened. I now love him. I go to the Divine Liturgy and the first person I pray for is Charalampos. You are allowed to receive communion in this case. Understand now?

Moreover, while you are in line to commune, you can commemorate the first names of the people you have a problem with. This is very beautiful! Really beautiful! If you do this with strength of soul, you’ll see Charalampos call you, come to meet you. You’ll experience this miracle!

People tell me, “Your Eminence, you have a strong faith!” “It’s the result of experience,” I answer them. It’s not merely because I inherited my faith from my grandmother, Myrofora, and my mother, Milia. Certainly, heredity is a reason, too — as we’ve said many times. But I cultivated this gift of faith I received.

How did I cultivate it? I who am short-tempered, who am abrupt — how many people have I saddened with my words? Many have saddened me by reciprocating. I gave two, they returned twenty-two. Both to my face and behind my back.

What did I do? I started to pray by mentioning their name in my prayers. What followed?

Charalampos, for whom I had said one and he returned twenty-one, called me on the phone and said, “My bishop, how are you? “We haven’t talked in a while…” “If I’ve said something more than I should, forgive me.”

Then, I realized that it’s not my power, it’s not my prayer that achieves reconciliation. It’s my Christ who did the job. But I had to take the first step. I had to show willingness to forgive.

A prayer, “a burning candle.” That’s it!