Γέρων Αἰμιλιανὸς Σιμωνοπετρίτης: Διάβαζε Ψαλμοὺς καὶ θὰ δεῖς ὅτι θὰ ἀναστηθεῖς κι ἐσύ!

+ Γέρων Αἰμιλιανὸς Σιμωνοπετρίτης

Ὅταν κάποιος ἁμαρτήσει, λόγω τοῦ ἐγωισμοῦ του, εἶναι βαρύς. Δὲν μπορεῖ νὰ διαβάσει, οὔτε νὰ προσευχηθεῖ, διότι τοῦ φαίνεται βουνὸ ἡ προσευχή, οὔτε νὰ γονατίσει, διότι τοῦ φαίνεται ὅτι θὰ σπάσουν τὰ πλευρά του! Ἀφοῦ, λοιπόν, δὲν μπορεῖς νὰ προσευχηθεῖς, οὔτε νὰ ἀγρυπνήσεις, τοὐλάχιστον ἀνάγκασε τὸν ἑαυτό σου νὰ μελετᾷ τοὺς Ψαλμούς. Οἱ Ψαλμοὶ ἐκφράζουν ἱκεσία, μετάνοια, δοξολογία, εὐχαριστία, περιέχουν αἰσθήματα καὶ βιώματα ποὺ ἀνασταίνουν καὶ τὸν πιὸ ἀδύνατο ἄνθρωπο. Ὅπως, ὅταν ὁ ἄλλος χάσει τὶς αἰσθήσεις του, τοῦ δίνεις λίγο ρακὶ καὶ ἀνασταίνεται, ἔτσι ἀκριβῶς ἀνασταίνεται κανείς καὶ μὲ τοὺς ψαλμούς. Διάβαζε, λοιπόν, Ψαλμοὺς καὶ θὰ δεῖς ὅτι θὰ ἀναστηθεῖς κι ἐσύ.

 
When a person falls into sin out of egoism, the soul becomes heavy. He cannot read, nor can he pray; prayer feels like a mountain, and even kneeling seems unbearable, as if his very body would break.
Therefore, if you are unable to pray or to keep vigil, at least compel yourself to read the Psalms.
The Psalms contain supplication, repentance, glorification, and thanksgiving; they express deep feelings and spiritual experiences that can revive even the weakest person.
Just as when someone loses consciousness you give them a little strong drink and they come to, so too the soul is revived through the reading of the Psalms.
So, read the Psalms, and you will see that, little by little, your own soul will be restored.

+ Elder Aimilianos of Simonopetra

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