It doesn't take much

People think that it takes much to be a true follower of Jesus, to be a saint. They paint pictures of this in their imaginations so that they don't have to face the challenges they have set up for themselves. Not reading the Word of God, not hearing the voice of Jesus say, “Come unto Me and rest,” they fill their spiritual lives with a kind of fretful business, being Marthas instead of Marys, until they have no real spiritual lives at all, just this fretful treadmill of “I wish” and “I want,” and their souls wither for lack of the Living Water.

I read a short post about Elder Paisius of Sihăstria at Mystagogy blog this morning. The elder was a Romanian monastic who lived during the days of the Communist captivity of his country. He was a true follower of Jesus, a saint. Here are some of the details of his life…

Fr. Paisius was born on June 20, 1897 in the Romanian village of Stroesti and was baptized with the name Peter.

Writing about him in his book Tradition and Liberty, Bishop Antonie Plămădeală says, “One cannot say precisely what the specific gift of Fr. Paisius is. He does not work miracles. He does not preach; no one has heard him preach in church. Neither is he a good chanter; as a celebrant he is not gifted…. And yet, he has something which captivates. He has grace.”

During the day he carried out his obediences in the monastery— working in the church, the vineyard, and the garden—and at night he withdrew to his place of solitude.

According to Elder Cleopa (Ilie), “The monks loved him greatly because he took care of all the sick and the elderly with complete love—visiting their cells, taking them food, bringing the priest to commune them, and staying by their side at the hour of death. .…Next to silence, he greatly loved his spiritual children, whom he would receive for Confession at any hour of the day or night, and for whose salvation he took great care. He was not very harsh in applying the canons, for he kept account of the spiritual state of each one.… With his forgiveness, his patience, and his meekness, he won many thousands of souls, sacrificing himself for others.”

At dawn, on October 18, 1990 at the age of ninety-three, Fr. Paisius reposed in the Lord, and on October 20 he was buried in the cemetery at Sihăstria.

Not very much between the dates of his birth into this world and his repose, not very much by earthly standards. Some people might think, “What did he do? He was just a monk! That's nothing to speak of!” They can't believe he made it through this earthly life with such little effort, so little trouble, but they can't see those hidden things that only God sees but which He will reveal to all on the Last Day.

The point is not that Elder Paisius was a monk and took the ‘easy way out.’ No, the monastic life is not what people suppose. It's no easier than the life of the world, but it does afford one occasions for reflection that cannot be escaped. “Where could I go to escape Your Spirit? Where could I flee from Your Presence?” (Psalm 139:7 JB).

The point is rather that it doesn't take much to be a true follower of Jesus, to be a saint. It doesn't take much—it takes all.

On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” “What is written in the Law?” He replied. “How do you read it?” He answered: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and, Love your neighbor as yourself.” “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”

Luke 10:25-28 NIV