768 (THOUGHTS/ PRAYER/ GOOD AUDACITY/ JOY/ CHILDISH SIMPLICITY)

(PRAYER/ MERCY)
In saying the Jesus Prayer, “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me,” one must stress and emphasize the “have mercy on me”. For, indeed, we are in need of God’s mercy and when we ask for it with desire and faith we shall receive it.

(THOUGHTS (LOGISMOI)/ GOOD THOUGHTS)
I will again recall the word of Saint Paisius: “Try always to have a good thought – even in the worst case – and you will find out that you will not lose!”
Try it, my brethren, and you will see that it will work to your benefit…

(GOOD AUDACITY/ GOOD IMPUDENCE/ MERCY)
Let us have “good audacity”, “good impudence”.
These are gospel exhortations (of our Christ).
On what grounds do we say this?

Our enemy the devil is not shy to ask us (in fact to exhort us) to do every evil, every vile, every wicked, every blasphemous thing…
And are we ashamed (so the devil instructs us) to seek with good audacity and good impudence the mercy of God?

What is God’s mercy?
When we ask for God’s mercy, we are in essence asking for God to grant us His Holy Spirit and fill up whatever deficiencies we have…
And help us get rid of our passions.
To freely grant us the salvation of our souls (because, in truth, we do not deserve it).

(DIVINE ZEAL/ FERVOUR/ JOY)
Take care that you move in an atmosphere of divine zeal, spiritual fervour, always with a smile on your lips and joy!
These help greatly in our spiritual struggle!

(CHILDREN/ CHILDLIKE ATTITUDE/ SIMPLICITY)
Also take care to feel like a child, in simplicity, in sincerity and try to be care-free… Move with a feeling of trust (and not uncertainty) in our Heavenly Father in all aspects of your life…

Just like the little child, who moves at ease, unconcerned, because he knows that his good parents are watching and protecting him. And so, he worries about nothing!

Just as the infant sleeps carefree in his mother’s bosom, so we too can feel that we are in the arms of our heavenly Father and our Christ…