In this profound discourse, Fr. Rafail Noica reassures us that the pursuit of virtues like humility and love for enemies is not just difficult – it’s completely impossible by human standards. Fr. Rafail challenges us to expect nothing less than the miraculous from our Creator. Embrace the wisdom that while we may never reach these virtues on our own, through God’s grace, the impossible becomes possible. Let’s embark on a quest for the ‘impossible’ virtues with the confidence that, through God’s grace, we can overcome the seemingly insurmountable.
Video source: Conference “Pentru ce ne pregateste Filocalia”, Bucharest, Romania, Nov 19th, 2002 Watch the full lecture here (in Romanian).
Fr. Rafail:
When we think about Christian virtues, we often feel a sense of despair within us, it seems so difficult to us. “How can I ever humble myself? How could I ever love my enemies? How could I…?” It seems so difficult to us and “almost impossible”. I said this to others, and I say it now: it is not difficult, and it is not nearly impossible. It is completely impossible! So this is why we feel it is difficult and we feel that kind of stress: “How could I ever…?” You will never reach [that level]. This is the first part of the phrase: “Keep thy mind in hell and despair not!” Second part follows: from our God we expect nothing less than the impossible! And this level that can never be reached [humanly], it will be reached [by God’s grace]. By whom? By you, who are listening to me now. And I personally add this: Grant this, O, Lord! This is my part, my contribution for you, for everyone.