Conclusion ~ Humility - Part VI Each of these four principles that we have discussed Respect, Gratitude, Sacrifice, and Patience, are characteristics of love that lead to a healthy marriage. Each of them require a key ingredient: humility. In order to practice respect, gratitude, sacrificial acts, and patience in our marriages, we must humble ourselves. One sure way to humility is through the active avoidance of negative thoughts, something that Saint Paisios spoke about often! One ... [Read more]
About Fr. Vasili Hillhouse
The Teachings of St. Paisios on Marriage Part V ~ PATIENCE
Part V - Patience In the previous article we discussed the need for sacrifice in a healthy marriage. One of the ways that we can make sacrifices in our marriage is by practicing patience, and this is the fourth principle of a healthy marriage according to Saint Paisios the Athonite. He uses very strong language when discussing the importance of practicing patience in our marriage: “God has hung the salvation of man on the hook of patience”.[1] When he speaks about patience, he is ... [Read more]
The Teachings of St. Paisios on Marriage – Part IV SACRIFICE
Sacrifice The third principle of a healthy marriage according to Saint Paisios the Athonite is Sacrifice. The Elder often uses the terms “love” and “sacrifice” together - where one is, there the other will be. In a marriage, as with any relationship, the bond between the two persons is stronger the more that each person is able to see the viewpoint and perspective of the other. We can learn to do this by making sacrifices for the other person, learning to lay our will aside for ... [Read more]
The Teachings of St. Paisios on Marriage – Part III GRATITUDE
Gratitude The second principle of a healthy marriage according to Saint Paisios the Athonite is Gratitude. Someone once asked the Elder, “What is it that most unites a husband and wife”? His one word answer was “gratitude”.[1] The Elder teaches that gratitude cultivates a positive disposition and fondness towards our spouse, and is the antidote to the grumbling and negative thoughts that can slowly eat away at a couple’s marital bond. The Elder encourages married couples to have ... [Read more]
The Teachings of St. Paisios on Marriage – Part II – Respect
The first principle of a healthy marriage according to St Paisios the Athonite is Respect. In the Orthodox Christian Marriage service, the epistle reading is taken from Saint Paul’s letter to the Ephesians.[1] Strong language is used in this Epistle - women are told to “fear” their husbands, and husbands are commanded to “love” their wives; headship of the couple is given to the husband, while the two become “one flesh”. The Elder reminds us that “fear” really means “respect”, and respect ... [Read more]
The Teachings of St. Paisios on Marriage – Part 1
Introduction: The Teachings of Saint Paisios on Marriage (Part 1) This is the first in a series of articles in which we will explore the pastoral advice given to married couples by St Paisios the Athonite, one of the more beloved saints of our Church. The Elder was given the gift of discernment by God, and in turn he has blessed us with his simple and poignant counsels that touch the heart in a powerful way. Most of the quotations that I will use in this series are taken from The ... [Read more]
