The meaning of Spirtual Father

 

Icon of Spiritual Orthodox Father

To their great regret, today's Orthodox believers have almost forgotten what a clergyman means, i.e. what a spiritual life means, because nowadays there are almost no real clergymen. With them, at best, the term "confessor" has been retained, which most often means the competent parish priest, i.e. priest, to whom individuals occasionally go to confess their sins, usually before Holy Communion. But the concept of a priest is much broader than the concept of a confessor. The confessor can be any priest who listens to the sins and reads the prayer of absolution during the confession. And that's where his activity ends. And a priest is something completely different. According to the words of the Apostle Paul, a clergyman often gives birth to his spiritual children in labor pains, nurtures and raises them, leads and directs them until the image of Christ is formed in them:  My little child, whom I give birth to again in labor until Christ is formed in you  (Gal. 4,19).

  Considering that this is the situation regarding clergy, today's Orthodox Christians are completely decapitated and do not  serve their purpose, i.e. they are not  the salt of the earth  (Mt 5:13) nor  the light of the world  (Mt 5:14). Due to the lack of priests and spiritual training, they are not properly taught and do not know enough about their Orthodox faith, i.e. they are not properly and necessary formed as believers and therefore are not able to live it and testify before people. They are lukewarm or indifferent believers and as such completely unacceptable to the Lord because he says about them:  I know your works, you are neither cold nor hot. O that you were cold or hot! But because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth  (Revelation 3:15-16). 

  The question immediately arises here, who is to blame for such a state of today's Orthodox Christians?! The answer is completely clear, first of all, the pastors, i.e. clerics of the Holy Orthodox Church, to whom the faithful are entrusted, are to blame because they do not teach them enough, i.e. well, and do not take care of their Christian development. Right after the shepherds, of course the believers are also to blame because they themselves are not taught and perfected in the truths of the holy Orthodox faith. Remaining thus insufficiently instructed in the holy truths of salvation, they become lukewarm or indifferent believers and as such do not serve their purpose, i.e. they are not  the salt of the earth  or  the light of the world . 

  In Orthodox spiritual literature, priest is a word that is encountered very often, in fact under various synonyms: "Geronda" (Greek), "Old Man" (Russian), "Abba" (Old Arabic), "Priest", "Spiritual Father", etc. But all these terms mean more or less the very essence of the word spiritual. And, a clergyman is exactly that person, mostly in the rank of monk (most often a monk-priest), who is spiritually very strong, who is based on the Lord Jesus Christ, on the Holy Fathers and in the tradition (tradition) of Orthodox spirituality, and as such is able to help to other people, spiritually regenerates or gives birth to other persons. That is why he is a "spiritual father", and all those whom he leads on the path of salvation are his spiritual children.

  Therefore, a spiritual person not only gives birth to his spiritual children, but also constantly guides them on the path of spiritual life and growth. The priest does not choose his spiritual children, he is not the one from whom the initiative originates, but who, with his personality, his spiritual power, radiates spiritual light, with which he attracts to himself souls thirsty and longing for God and a sublime spiritual life. Just like a light bulb, shining in the darkness of the night, attracts various insects that squirm (fly) around it. 

  A priest, although he mostly lives in one place, often in the desert, as was St. Anthony the Great (Hermit) or as many priests on Mount Athos are today, he lives in his asceticism and asceticism, in prayer and fasting, in spiritual contemplation and insight into the depths of the divine, but it cannot remain hidden from the eyes of the world, like that city "on the mountain that stands", about which the Holy Scriptures speak.

  Therefore, the priest cannot hide even if he wanted to. It is found by all those who want progress in spiritual life and who strive to achieve and realize the goal and purpose of their existence. Therefore, the priest does not impose himself on anyone. He is like a clear mountain spring. He offers himself to all, is open to all, and anyone who wants can approach him to get drunk and quench his spiritual thirst. 

  The priest is above all a man of prayer and full of reason, i.e. he has the power of reasoning. That is why he never tries to force his way into our soul. He waits patiently for the soul of his spiritual child to open up to him in sincerity, confession and trust, because that is the only way he can act and help. Just as they often taught, and acted in practice, great spiritualists, who extremely valued and respected every personality, every human being, and said "that every human soul should be approached gently", not to hurt it, not to try to help it violently , i.e. only as much as the soul asks for.

  So, the spiritual man does not run around the world and the people to "search" and "collect" spiritual children for himself, to "save the world", as today many tend to ask of spiritual people. The priest lives his spiritual life and waits to be found by those who need him, whom God directs to him. To such he becomes a spiritual father, and they become his spiritual children.  Amen!