St. Paisios of Mount Athos: On the joy of accepting injustice

 There's nothing as sweet as being treated unjustly. The most beautiful moments of my life have been times I suffered injustice. Anyone who accepts injustice accepts into his heart Christ, Who was treated unjustly. People start arguing because everyone thinks of himself as being more justified that he really is. But someone with a lot of love takes injustice for himself and leaves justice for other people. Only Christ, lifting up the Cross for us, has accepted all injustice.

+St. Paisios of Mount Athos, from Saint Paisios of Mount Athos, He loved Righteousness

St. Paisios of Mount Athos: On overcoming bad habits

 Geronda, can a bad habit be broken immediately?

First of all, man must realize that such a habit is harmful to him, and then he must be willing to struggle to break the habit. One must have a lot of willpower in order to be able to break a bad habit al at once. Just as the rope rubs against the edge of the well and over the years forms a small groove that holds the rope in place, every habit forms a groove in the heart, making them difficult to get rid of. This is why we must be very careful not to develop bad habits, because it takes a lot of humility and great willpower to overcome them. Father Tychon on the Holy Mountain used to say, "my child, a good habit equals virtue; a bad habit equals passions."

In any case, I have found that when a man while struggling, continues to make the same mistakes and does not change, the reason is usually egoism, self-love and self-interest. Humility and love are missing, thus blocking divine intervention. The person himself does not allow God to help him. If, for example, God helps him overcome a particular passion, such a person will selfishly take credit for it and assume that it was his own achievement, without any help from God.

+St. Paisios of Mount Athos, from Spiritual Counsels volume 3, Spiritual Struggle, part 3 chapter 1.

St. Paisios of Mount Athos: If we are scandalized, the evil is within us.

 If we are scandalized, the evil is within us; not outside. When you feel scandalized, you should ask yourself, "How many do I scandalize? In God's name, shouldn't I tolerate my brother or sister? How does God tolerate me with all the things I do?" Think of Go, of Panaghia¹, the Angels, who look upon all the people of earth - as if standing on a balcony nd looking down on a plaza - they see some stealing, others fighting, still others sinning carnally, and so on. How does God tolerate them all? How is it that He can tolerate all the evil and all the sin on earth, and we cannot tolerate even one brother or sister?

+St. Paisios of Mount Athos, from Spiritual Counsels II Spiritual Awakening, Chapter 3, To the Pure All Things are Pure.
¹Literaly "all holy", a title for the Mother of God.

St. Paisios of Mount Athos: The Joy in Accepting Injustice

 Geronda, when I gladly accept a reprimand for a mistake I have made, is what I am feeling pure?

Look, if you cause damage, and people reprimand you and you do not complain but are rather happy, saying, "Glory be to God, I needed that reprimand," you have only half the joy. But if you do not do any damage, and are unjustly reprimanded and you accept it with good thoughts, then you will have complete joy. I am not saying that you should seek unfair reprimands, because then the devil will entangle you in the sin of pride, but rather that you should accept injustice when it come your way naturally, and be joyful in it.

There are four stages in confronting injustice. Let's say someone strikes you unjustly. If you are at the first stage, you strike back. If you are at the second stage, you feel very upset inside, but control yourself and do not speak. At the third stage you are not agitated by the injustice. But at the fourth stage, you experience great joy, extraordinary spiritual gladness.

+St. Paisios of Mount Athos, from Spiritual Counsels III, Righteousness and Injustice, The Joy in Accepting Injustice