THE SPIRITUAL FATHER
The image that the world had formed of the Apostles and preachers of the Gospel is described by the Apostle Paul in today’s Epistle reading, addressed to the Corinthians. For the world, they appeared as dying men and fools, worthy of mockery and humiliation, weak and insignificant, persecuted and despised. These were the badges of honor acquired by those who, disregarding their personal image, comfort, and self- interest, devoted themselves entirely to the work of evangelizing souls, fully conscious that they were destined to be sacrificed for the love of Christ. This image characterizes the honorable and devoted laborers of the Gospel in every age, those who pour themselves out in the work of missionary service and spiritual guidance of people, often becoming targets of worldly powers.
Paul, bearing the marks of worldly contempt, then turns to his spiritual children, urging them to avoid those who self-identify as spiritual fathers and educators. He himself was their spiritual father, for he had begotten them through the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
The gifts of the spiritual father
We will now speak of the sacred and pivotal figure of the spiritual father in our spiritual life, after presenting the characteristics that make one genuine and authentic in undertaking the profound work of spiritual fatherhood within the Church. Basil the Great teaches that the spiritual father must be “tested and proven in guiding those who journey toward God, full of virtues, with his love for God testified by his own deeds. He must know the Holy Scriptures, be undistracted in his spiritual work, free from greed, without unnecessary concerns, peaceful, beloved by God, compassionate toward the poor, slow to anger, free from resentment, capable of building up his spiritual children, not vain, not proud, and not fickle. He must not delight in flattery, nor prefer anything above God.”
The work of the spiritual father is that of a safe and experienced guide in the spiritual life, for the pathways of this life are many and complex. We cannot walk the spiritual path alone, as we lack both the experience and the knowledge of life in Christ – making the danger of falling and being lost a visible threat. The spiritual father is the living presence of Christ, the unwavering spiritual guide who labors for our rebirth, the seasoned introspector who can see within us and contribute to the cleansing and whitening of our soul. For this reason, it is vitally important that we have a spiritual father and guide, so that we may safely live the life of Christ within the Church. We must cultivate with him a relationship of healthy contact and communication, avoiding the harmful and destructive trap of idolizing his person.
The role of the spiritual father
The role of the spiritual father is not to keep us bound to himself, but to Christ, who is the central and foundational element of our spiritual relationship. As the late Metropolitan pointed out, “In reality, the (spiritual) relationship is not two- sided, but triangular, because beyond the Elder and his disciple, there is a third member: God.” The Lord tells us that we should not call anyone “father,” for we have only one Father, “the One in heaven.” The Elder is not an infallible judge or a court of final appeal, but a fellow servant of the living God. He is not a dictator, but a guide and companion on the journey. The only infallible “spiritual guide,” in the full sense of the word, is the Holy Spirit.”
An ecclesiastical life and a safe path toward salvation cannot exist without the presence of a spiritual father in our lives. Let us seek him out, and place our trust in him. He is the only one who can keep our relationship and communion with God alive. Amen!
Archimandrite E. Oik.
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A weekly pamphlet of Orthodox faith and life of the "Apostolic Ministry of the Church of Greece"
