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In this recording, Metropolitan Neophytos of Morphou (Orthodox Church of Cyprus) gives us a few tips for living the Holy Week and the Resurrection period in the most profitable way for our souls.
Video source: RumOrthodox
“Lighting the lighter of the Saints: 15th Spiritual Meeting of Dialogue with Metropolitan of Morphou Neofytos.” The 15th Spiritual Meeting of Dialogue with Metropolitan of Morphou Neofytos, took place on the 7th of April 2021, in the Holy Chapel of St. Nikephoros the Leper in the community of Peristerona of the Metropolitan district of Morphou [Cyprus].
Metropolitan Neophytos:
“Do what you will, but make sure to experience the Holy Week!”
To his spiritual children who are married or workers, he [Elder Symeon] would say,
“Set aside ten days of your leave”
“so you can fully experience the ten days of Holy Week and Bright Week right after.”
Just as you say, “What a beautiful orange tree!”
Agreed, the orange tree is as beautiful, but you can’t eat its leaves …
The fruit of a year’s ecclesiastical life
is these ten days of Holy Week
and the Resurrection Liturgies of the Bright Week that follow.
That’s what he told us.
Just as you wait for the orange tree to bear fruit,
thinking, “Ah! The orange tree has blossomed and the fragrance is so beautiful.”
Yet the blossoms themselves are not for eating.
In time, the blossoms grow.
First comes the small orange fruit.
At most, You could pick it and make spoon sweets with it,
but how many spoon sweets can you actually eat?
Too much will send your sugar levels up.
The goal is to savor a fully ripened orange fruit.
At first, the fruit is green, then gradually turns red (golden). Right?
You realize that the fruit of the tree [of the ecclesiastical life]
[cultivated] all year long is [harvested in] these ten days.
[Yannis]: We talked about the place of the Psalter [in Church life] and its power.
A question has come in
which concerns another recommendation you had given to the faithful.
“Your Eminence, your blessing.”
“You’ve encouraged the faithful to read regularly”
“the first Gospel of Holy Thursday,”
“the one [written by] Saint John the Theologian and Evangelist [John 13:31-18:1].”
“Could you explain why?”
Sure. A great question.
Let’s clarify it,
especially now that we are approaching
the great feasts of Pascha, the Bright Week and then Pentecost.
I made this recommendation to “the devotees” of the spiritual life for two reasons.
Aside from the Psalter,
[I urge you to] study especially during this period of the Great Lent
as well as the weeks following Pascha up to the feast of Pentecost.
Lots of time, right?
George, when is Pentecost this year [2021]?
On June 20th.
Have you considered reading every day — or every other day —
the Gospel of John [John 13:31-18:1]?
Why did I make this recommendation?
Our elder in the monastery would say to us,
“I want you to experience Holy Week.”
That’s what he told us.
“Do what you will, but make sure to experience Holy Week!”
To his spiritual children who are married or workers,
he would say,
“Set aside ten days of your leave”
“so you can fully experience the ten days of Holy Week and the Bright Week right after.”
Morning, afternoon and night.
This is the fruit.
Just as you say, “What a beautiful orange tree!”
Agreed, the orange tree is as beautiful, but you can’t eat its leaves …
The fruit of a year’s ecclesiastical life
is these ten days of the Holy Week
and the Resurrection Liturgies of the Bright Week that follow.
That’s what he told us.
Just as you wait for the orange tree to bear fruit,
thinking, “Ah! The orange tree has blossomed and the fragrance is so beautiful.”
Yet the blossoms themselves are not for eating.
In time, the blossoms grow.
First comes the small orange fruit.
At most, you could pick it and make spoon sweets with it,
but how many spoon sweets can you actually eat?
Too much will send your sugar levels up.
The goal is to savor the fully ripened orange.
At first, the fruit is green, then gradually turns red (golden). Right?
You realize that the fruit of the tree [of the ecclesiastical life]
[cultivated] all year long is [harvested in] these ten days.
This is why we must train our senses.
How do you taste an orange?
By eating it.
By making orange juice.
[But to taste], you need good senses.
As we’ve often taught,
apart from the five senses of the body,
there are also the five senses (or powers) of the soul.
The nous, the noesis, the gnome, the imagination and the aesthesis
according to Saint John of Damascus the Mansour.
These senses of soul and body must be disciplined.
Fasting [during Lent] is [one such] form of “exercising” our senses.
Right?
Little by little, we get a taste of the services.
Our heart begins feeling the grace within.
Whenever we attend a Presanctified Liturgy,
a Compline,
the Akathist Hymn services,
whenever we pray,
read the Psalter at home,
do a prostration (metanoia),
[attend] an all-night vigil.
What are all these?
Tastes!
Just like you go to the ice cream vendor and say,
“A scoop of vanilla, prickly pear and chocolate.”
Not my favorites, but anyway …
I have two favorites. Kypros knows them.
It’s rose water.
Remember that rose water [ice cream] without milk? Right?
And Chios mastic.
These two.
Poor timing …
[Yannis]: During Lenten fasting …
Exactly …
But, you see, we speak of spiritual tastes.
Without these tastes, we would be dumb.
Why go to a sermon, why attend an all-night vigil and lose my sleep [if not for these tastes]?
The fact that the soul craves services, craves fasting …
it means that it’s tasting something
— through the senses we earlier described.
Our Elder used to say that a way to cultivate “perceptible sense” (spiritual perception) …
Saint Porphyrios would also tell me,
“Let your senses open.”
“When grace comes, the senses open.”
Meaning, you are able to grasp the smallest things.
You listen to the service, and you are able to understand it
which was not the case before.
You read the Psalter, and you are able to feel it.
What does this signify?
Your senses have opened!
You attend a homily, and your focus never wavers.
This is not just about the speaker.
It’s also because your senses have opened.
[Yannis]: Elder Nikolas …
(refers to an incident mentioned earlier in the homily)
Right! Elder Nikolas had awakened his senses.
He got to a point where he was able to see the marriage.
To bask in the Holy Light.
Thus, our Elder Symeon of Mavrovouni instructed us,
“My son, read every day starting from Clean Monday through Holy Thursday”
“Every day, [read] the first Gospel of the twelve that we hear on Holy Thursday.”
A great thing to do!
It’s the first Gospel [John 13:31-18:1] of the Holy Passion service.
and we usually read it inside empty churches …
The people only arrive later on …
Because Europe has turned people into lovers of spectacles.
Everyone comes to church to listen to,
“Today is Hung Upon the Tree …”
and watch [the reenactment] of the Crucifixion of Christ.
[Yannis]: Only then are we moved …
This is a sentimental approach.
Our elders disliked every such thing.
I’ve experienced not one, but many Pascha
with Saint Iakovos Tsalikis and Fr. Kyrillos.
Fr. Kyrillos was also a sanctified man (✝2012).
Not once did I see them swept up in emotion.
Not once!
Did Iakovos lack tears [of repentance to shed]?
Still, he kept them in secret, not for public display.
No theatrics, only steadfastness.
And all of them urged us to read the [first] Gospel of John.
So, the first reason I encouraged you to read it
was because of Fr. Symeon’s recommendation.
The “first gospel of John” [John 13:31-18:1] is the so-called “Gospel of the Testament.”
What does it say?
It speaks of the love that God the Father has for His Son, Christ.
And who reveals this love?
Christ Himself.
Christ speaks to His disciples shortly before His Crucifixion.
For the first time, he declares clearly,
[paraphrasing]: I am not alone — I was sent by My Father.
“He who has seen Me has seen the Father” [John 14:9]
That is: Whoever has seen Me, has also seen the Father.
The disciples begin to understand that Christ has a Father.
And that God is His Father.
What does He tell them next?
“A little while, and you will not see Me;”
“and again a little while, and you will see Me” [John 16:16].
Meaning: For a short time, you won’t see Me.
but then after a while, you will see Me again.
A disciple asks,
[paraphrasing]: What’s this ‘a little while’?
We don’t understand Your words.
The disciples didn’t have the Holy Spirit yet.
How could they understand?
Bubbleheads.
They were still living in their “illiteracy.”
The “letters” of God had not yet reached their hearts.
Which are the “letters of God?”
The [divine] information (divine knowledge), the Holy Light.
Just as Gerontissa [Galaktia] of Crete describes it.
“My son, I see a Light — one filled with [divine] information.”
The [same] Light that Elder Nicolas and all saintly people were seeing.
Yet this Light had not yet reached the disciples at the time.
They remained perplexed by His words.
Christ then goes on to say something more.
[paraphrasing]: “Are you going to leave?” [the disciples asked].
“Yes, I am leaving.”
The disciples began to worry.
“Where are You going?”
“I am going to My Father.”
“But don’t be afraid.”
“I won’t leave you orphans;” [John 14:18]
Behold what a God what we have!
Who loves us so much!
[paraphrasing]: “I will send Another.”
“[Another?] Who is the Other? Is there Another?”
“Yes, there is Another.”
“The Paraclete — the Spirit of Truth.”
“He will guide you into all truth” [John 16:13].
He will reveal to you who the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are.
Do you understand?
Christ had not revealed everything to them.
[paraphrasing]: “All truth shall be revealed to you by the Holy Spirit, My Apostles.”
This is why they all waited for the Holy Spirit to come after the Resurrection.
When was this fulfilled? On Pentecost.
As soon as the Holy Spirit came,
they began speaking [in tongues]
and the Hebrews thought they were drunk.
Peter the fisherman spoke
so that each heard him in their own language.
Greeks heard Greek,
Arabs heard Arabic,
Libyans heard Libyan,
Cretans heard Cretan.
This was the beginning of “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations,”
“[baptizing] them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” [Matthew 28:19].
Thus was the Church on earth established.
The relationship between Father and Son,
and between Son and Holy Spirit,
is revealed in this Gospel.
The “Gospel of the Testament.”
Why is it called “of the Testament”?
Because it’s the Gospel where Christ leaves His “belongings” to the disciples.
My Christina (some woman there),
tomorrow when you see your end approaching
and you, being a wealthy woman from Akaki,
with fields and gold sovereigns …
Shouldn’t you think: “I have three children. I must prepare my will for them”?
This is what Christ did.
He gave the riches of His Father, the riches of the Holy Spirit and His own riches to the disciples.
What else did He say?
[paraphrasing]: You will pass [these treasures] to those who believe you.
To us, that is.
All these tastes of “the heavenly ice cream” I told you about.
This is it.
But [Christ] tells them
to wait for the Holy Spirit.
You can’t do this alone.
“For without Me you can do nothing” [John 15:5].
This is “the Gospel of the Testament.”
[Fr. John] Romanides, the greatest modern Greek theologian, said,
“What is the Holy Trinity?”
It’s God — creator of all things.
It’s the truth, the way [John 14:6].
If we want to use modern language to describe:
“Who is this Triune God?”
These words are not mine; they are Romanides’.
Remember him in your prayers.
He says, “[The Triune God] is the unconditional love of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.”
These Three Divine Persons share perfect love between Them
— for we speak of the perfect God.
The only fitting word for this love … [is “unconditional”].
Again, [the truest expression is] in Greek.
That’s why I often say Greek is the language of theology.
What does “unconditional” mean here?
It has no conditions, no interest.
You see Christ referring to His Father and saying,
“I am nothing on My own.”
Pay attention to what love is.
[paraphrasing]: Christ says, “Whatever My Father tells me, that’s what I teach you.”
“I have come to give you My Father’s commandments.”
Then, you listen to the Father
— the few times that He speaks Himself [in the New Testament] —
“This is My beloved Son, [in whom I am well pleased].”
“Hear Him!” [Matthew 17:5].
At first, I fell in love with the Holy Spirit.
I realized that Neophytos’ heart would never be cleansed without the Holy Spirit.
His nous would remain confused.
His anger would never abate.
It [would only burn and erupt] like a volcano.
I understood that only the Holy Spirit purifies.
That’s why [we pray],
“Come and dwell in us and cleanse us from every stain” (from “the Heavenly King” prayer).
I began [collaborating with the Holy Spirit] in order to cleanse Neophytos.
[To purify] our heart, our nous, our reason, our imagination.
Right?
Where does the Holy Spirit lead you?
Rather than demanding love for Himself, what does He say?
“Love Christ.”
See what “unconditional love” is?
Has any wife,
when her husband says,
“You are my light,”
ever replied, “Love Anna also”?
Never.
At most, she might say, “Love your child also.”
Though some mothers grow jealous
when fathers love the children more.
What does the Holy Spirt say?
“I cleanse you solely for Christ can come [and dwell in you].”
Listen to what Saint Hesychios the Presbyter says in the Philokalia.
“If, with humble phronema (mindset)”
“and remembrance of death and self-accusation …”
— Accuse yourselves [for your sins], if you want to make progress
and not just look around for people to flatter and compliment us.
If you are looking for such flattery, you still have a long way to go.
Again, “If, with a humble phronema and remembrance of death and self-accusation”
“and by rejecting wicked thoughts.”
— That’s why it’s really important to tame our carnal sins. —
“and by invoking the name of Jesus Christ”
— the Jesus prayer, that is —
“you [manage to] dwell inside your heart.”
“And if you cross the narrow,”
“but pleasant and delightful path of the intellect (reason)”
“with the above weapons,”
“having nepsis”
— Nepsis is the purification —
“you’ll arrive at the holy theoria of saints.”
Here comes what I said earlier.
“You’ll feel that along with Jesus”
— through your ceaseless prayer: “Lord, Jesus Christ, have mercy on me” —
“the Holy Spirit jumps swiftly into your soul”
“and enlightens the soul of man to see with ‘his face revealed’ (clearly).”
“The Scripture says that no one is able to say,”
“‘Lord, Jesus Christ,’ without the strength of the Holy Spirit.”
Do you see?
The Gospel [of the Testament] I urged you to read reveals these.
The Holy Spirit confirms secretly that you carry
[points to his heart]
the living Lord within.
“The demons wage ceaseless warfare”
“to prevent our hearts from living in watchfulness.”
The demons labor to keep us distracted all the time
to have our nous wander here and there,
to prevent us from summoning (centering) the nous in the heart.
For if we succeed in this,
our hearts begin purification.
So what’s their tactic?
“Think about the stock market;”
“whether the Cypriot issue will be resolved;”
“does this person love me;”
“get jealous with this one, angry with the other one …”
all sorts of things.
Their goal is to prevent us from having an attentive nous.
This is why the saints say,
“Watchfulness surpasses prayer.”
Are you listening?
“Watchfulness surpasses prayer.”
The attentive one will also pray correctly.
[continuing reading]: “The demons wage ceaseless warfare”
“to prevent our hearts from living in watchfulness.”
“For they know the riches we gain,”
“by working on this task [i.e. summoning the nous into the heart] in our souls.”
The Gospel of John, I spoke about, is a pure treasure.
It’s Christ’s Testament to us.
He [Christ] says, “Occupy yourselves with me and the Holy Spirit will come.”
As soon as you say,
“Lord, Jesus Christ, have mercy on me,”
The Holy Spirit will rush — He will Himself ‘jump’ ahead of Christ.
He starts cleansing us.
See how humble the Holy Spirit is!
He [the Holy Spirit] says,
“Neophytos, Christ can’t dwell in your heart yet.”
“Anger still resides there.”
“[Impure] imagination still resides there.”
“Vanity still resides there.”
“Let me cleanse you a bit, so Christ may come and dwell.”
And then Christ [Himself] comes and says,
“Neophytos, I am the Son.”
Where there is a Son, there is [also] a Father.
“Give thanks to the Father.”
And then we begin,
“Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy Name …”
The “Our Father” prayer is offered to the Father — the Father of Christ, that is.
“Show us the Father,”
[said] the Apostles, the bubbleheads,
the illiterate ones [since] they didn’t have the Holy Spirit before Pentecost.
“Show us the Father” [John 14:8].
What does Christ respond?
“Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me.”
“He who has seen Me has seen the Father” [John 13:9].
Whoever has seen Me, has seen the Father.
I and My Father are one.
The only difference is that I have flesh while He doesn’t.
Right?
Yet, the Father does exist separately.
Same with Christ and the Holy Spirit.
Three hypostases (or Persons), one essence.
And [marvel at] God the Father’s [humility].
He keeps contracting, contracting, contracting
and what does He say?
He says, “Give glory to Christ.”
“I commit all judgment to Christ.”
Who will exercise the Final Judgment [on the Second Coming]?
The Father? No.
Christ will.
Of course, wherever the Son is, the Father is there too.
Wherever the Father is, the Holy Spirit is too.
They don’t separate.
Once, when I told Gerondissa [Galaktia] of Crete,
“Gerondissa, I very much like to pray to the Holy Spirit.”
She said to me, “My Bishop, these Three (Persons) are inseparable.”
Are you listening?
As if saying, “While they are distinct Persons, don’t divide Them.”
They dwell together in a perfect, unconditional love.
Now, why is this unconditional love so important?
The love of the Holy Trinity teaches us
little by little throughout the Holy Pascha
how to love one another.
Sacrificially!
You see Christ Himself washing His disciples’ feet.
He humbles Himself.
He is crucified.
He is mocked.
He is spat upon.
He dies.
A God dies … Lord, have mercy!
“In a grave they laid Thee, O my life and my Christ,” (Holy Friday Lamentations).
But He is resurrected!
He conquers death, He defeats the devil, He defeats our sin.
All this can be found in the first Gospel [of John read on Holy Thursday]
better than I explained it to you.
You will feel it.
Think about reading this Gospel [John 13:31-18:1] every day starting today or tomorrow.
Don’t stop on Holy Thursday.
When the Bright Week ends, return to reading it.
[Why?]
Because this Gospel speaks of the Holy Spirit.
“But when the Helper comes whom I shall send to you from the Father …” [John 15:26].
He came on Pentecost.
The entire theology [of the Church] is fulfilled not on Resurrection Day,
but on Pentecost.
Remember this!
This is why I suggest reading this Gospel daily until Pentecost.
Through this, you’ll get a small taste of the manner of existence of our God.
And His life will become our life.
This was the first reason for my recommendation.
The second reason concerns the catechumens and the Ancient Church.
(discusses with the audience about terminology.)
The catechumena was the area at the back [of the churches]
where the catechumens would gather [in the Ancient Church]
— like the narthex in Peristerona’s church [today].
The catechumens are those being catechized in order to be baptized.
They were baptized on Pascha night.
which is why during the Paschal service
we don’t chant, “Holy God, Holy Mighty ….”
but “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.”
This was the night of baptisms.
And it continued throughout the entire Bright Week.
Again, that’s why we chant, “For as many of you …”
instead of “Holy God, Holy Mighty ….”
as they gathered and baptized all together.
What a beautiful thing!
Today, however, convincing people to be baptized in groups today isn’t that easy …
Let’s not go there.
Let’s remain in these beautiful theological discussions.
May the beautiful truths inspire beautiful desires.
[Now consider:]
To which Evangelist
belongs the Gospel reading of the Paschal Divine Liturgy?
During this period we read from
[the other three Evangelists], Matthew, Mark and Luke.
As soon as the “Christ is risen” is heard
and we enter the church for the [Paschal] Liturgy …
Sadly, most people leave
and don’t stay to enjoy the feast
of the Resurrection of the Savior Christ.
When they hear,
“Let God arise and let His enemies be scattered,”
[they think], “Time for [magiritsa] soup now.”
As if we’ll miss our meal.
Do you understand what the tempter (devil) is doing?
All this comes from the tempter.
But if you stay,
you’ll hear the Gospel of John read.
Picture this: Me as a 20-year-old child …
[to someone in the audience]: How old are you, son?
“Nineteen.”
Now picture me next to Saint Iakovos Tsalikis
and Saint Evmenios
celebrating Pascha with them!
And hearing Iakovos reading the Gospel:
“In the beginning was the Word,”
“and the Word was with God,”
“and the Word was God” [John 1:1].
That’s how he would read it.
“All things were made through Him,”
“and without Him nothing was made that was made” [John 1:3].
What holy memories!
His voice [still] resides in my heart.
I even instruct my deacons,
“When you read this Gospel [reading],”
“don’t yell.”
I train them to chant it properly
— slowly … letting Saint Iakovos’ holiness enter our ears.
That is, the holiness of God [Himself].
For holiness is the [uncreated] energy of God.
The Gospel of John [we begin reading] on Pascha
continues until Pentecost.
Do you understand?
As Romanides says,
“‘The Gospel of the perfect’ is the Gospel of John.”
“The Gospel of the catechumens” are the three Gospels of Matthew, Mark and the Apostle Luke.
Therefore, my dear children, the Gospel I urge you to read
is “the Gospel of the perfect.”
You might ask,
“Are we perfect?”
“Do you think I am?” [Certainly not].
Still, let’s us strive for holiness.
Let’s seek that unconditional love.
And according to our seeking,
according to our yearning,
Christ will provide His mercies in riches.
I think we’ve said enough.
Thank you for your attention.
Today’s gathering had [some sort of] spontaneity.
May you have a blessed Pascha.
If we prepare ourselves by reading the Psalter and the Gospel of John,
then whatever restrictions
the numerous infectious disease experts decide “for your own good,”
whatever the New World Order [dictates] “for your own good,”
know this: no particle or nanoparticle
will enter your heart or your skin, [unintelligible].
Why?
Because you will [have opened] “the senses of the Holy Spirit.”
And wherever the Holy Spirit is
and where the faithful rejoices in Him,
[evil] spirits flee.
But, even if illness comes,
you’ll endure it for God’s glory.
As my mother used to say,
“In hard times, my son, ask for mercy”
“and in good times, give glory [to God].”
That’s it!
This is discipline, not punishment.
Discipline.
[By dealing with it] in this way,
whatever may come
— we won’t just get through it,
but we will also “enjoy” it as God’s pedagogy
in order to be able to inherit [our share in the] eternal life.
“And this is eternal life, that they may know You,”
“the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You sent” through the Holy Spirit [John 17:3].
Thank you very much!
