The Household and the Spiritual Life of the Mother - St. Paisios the Athonite

A reading from the Spiritual Counsels of St. Paisios the Athonite: Family Life (Vol. 4)
0:09 Geronda, how can a housewife make time for prayer?
2:30 Geronda, a mother told me “I get very tired. I barely have enough time to finish chores let alone say my prayers properly.”
5:07 Geronda, what if a mother has a lot of children and a lot of work to do?
-BUY the book here: www.holycross....
-FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: orthodoxyiname...
_______
St. Paisios says:
“The more a woman distances her heart from material things, the closer she comes to Christ. And when her heart is given to Christ, then she acquires great strength.”
“Once I had gone to visit the home of a large family. I was so pleased to see the children with their childish naughtiness spoiling the worldly order of things-which requires having everything in its place. That is the greater disorder which wearies contemporary man.”
“It's better for a mother to be involved with the nurturing of her children, rather than being overly involved with household chores and inanimate objects. A mother can speak to her children about Christ; she can read the Lives of the Saints to them. Thus, at the same time she will be occupying herself dusting off her own soul so that it will be spiritually shiny. The mother's spiritual life will then quietly help the souls of her children. Thus, her children will live happily, and she will be joyful because she will have Christ within her. If a mother doesn't find the time to even say a simple Trisagion, how can she expect her children to be sanctified?
But Geronda, what if a mother has a lot of children and a lot of work to do?
When she does her housework, can't she pray at the same time? It was my mother who taught me to say the Jesus Prayer. When we were children and had done some mischief, and my mother was about to get angry with us, I remember her saying, ‘Lord, Jesus Christ, have mercy on me.’ When she put the bread in the oven, she would say, ‘In the name of Christ and Panaghia.’ And whenever she was kneading or cooking, again, she constantly said the Jesus Prayer. In this manner, she herself was blessed, as were the bread and the food she was preparing, and so were those who partook of it later.”
“The mother's devotion has great significance. If the mother has humility and fear of God, then family life is smooth. I know young mothers whose faces shine, even though they have no one to help them. I can understand a mother's spiritual state by looking at the children.”
____
From “Saint Paisios the Athonite” by Hieromonk Isaac (p. 15-16), about the influence of his mother upon him:
“Blessed little Arsenios received an attitude of sincere reverence toward God at his mother's knee. Instead of telling stories, fables, and fairy-tales, they spoke to him of the life and miracles of Saint Arsenios. And so he was nurtured with love and admiration for Hatzefendis, as they called the Saint. From childhood, he wanted to become a monk so he could be like his Saint.
After Saint Arsenios, the person who most beneficially influenced his life was his mother, toward whom he felt a special love and to whom he offered a great deal of help. It was from her that he learned humility: she counseled him not to want to beat the other children at their games and brag about it, and not to try to be the first in line, since being first or last was the same thing. She likewise taught him abstinence by instructing him not to eat before it was mealtime and she considered the violation of this rule akin to fornication, in that it showed a lack of self-control. She helped him to become simple, diligent, tidy, and attentive to his behavior toward others, and she taught him never to refer to the name of the tempter.
Twice daily, the entire family prayed before the icon stand. His mother continued to pray throughout the day as she did her housework, saying the Jesus Prayer. It was characteristic of his parents' reverent spirit that, when they went to work on the threshing floor (a work that would keep them away from home for days), they would bring with them antidoron.
Little Arsenios, bright and eager, easily absorbed all the good words he heard from his parents. He learned to fast, pray, and spend time in church. He was the most beloved of all of the children of the family. ‘On the one hand,’ the Elder once remarked, ‘my father loved me because I was inclined to work with my hands and had some talent at it. My mother, on the other hand, loved me for the little bit of reverence I possessed.’
_______
Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

[@ellemnop123]

I took the day off of work to celebrate the feast of Sts Peter and Paul with my daughter. Upon waking, she diplomatically persuaded me to let her stay home today (time together we need). I played this wonderful recording in the midst of sweeping and mopping the kitchen -- with further plans to clean the inside of my car -- and my daughter emerged from her assigned task of cleaning the adjacent room and listened attentively to this. Her look said, "I told you so, Mom." Thank you for creating and posting this, and happy feast of St Paisios, whose wisdom is so gently offered and gratefully remembered.

[@OrthodoxWisdom]

What providential care our Lord shows us. Thank you for sharing. Can you clarify something for me? What did your daughter say "I told you so, Mom" about exactly? Are you saying she understood the words of St. Paisios to confirm that staying home and cleaning was the best choice? I'm not judging or assuming, just trying to understand better. Thank you.

[@ellemnop123]

​@@OrthodoxWisdom Forgive me for the ambiguity. She meant that St Paisios is correct about mothers focusing too much on cleaning, sometimes at the expense of other matters. She was particularly attentive to the Saint's suspicions about overly-tidy homes of families with very many young children. When the reading finished my daughter and I spoke briefly about it, mostly that we should pray while cooking so that the food is blessed and pray while cleaning so that our house is filled with love. We have plans to go kayaking this afternoon -- and should also definitively make plans to pray an akathist together between dinner and evening prayers. She'll be 8 next week.

[@OrthodoxWisdom]

Thank you. That’s very encouraging. I have two daughters, 2 years and 10 months, so I’m learning a lot as I go and while I’m not a mother, I can still get carried away with my to-do list. St. Paisios, pray for us.

[@ellemnop123]

@ What is your name? ❤️

[@simplykaley4540]

Such a wonderful saint that I love dearly. Pray for us, Saint Paisios!

[@dellchica2373]

Great advice for me as a single mom. Always doing, doing not enough praying.😢

[@thomas_m3092]

Why don't you try so say the Jesus-Prayer while doing things?

[@FoundSheep-AN]

You can do your chores while praying, you can put on a video with the Jesus Prayer or with the Marian Rule of Prayer (Orthodox Rosary) and repeat it while driving or while doing dishes laundry cleaning etc

[@dellchica2373]

Thank you❤❤

[@Valexia683]

Thank you for narrating this. it is a treasure unknown to many of us.

[@thattimestampguy]

0:08 How can a housewife regulate her housework? 1:33 + Distance your heart ♥️ from material things 2:33 My weak body. + Simplify Your Life. 3:07 - Some mothers damage children through asphyxiation of military style discipline in order to keep a home in order. 3:45 + Childish Naughtiness spoiling worldly orderliness is pleasing to St. Paisios. 4:24 Children are more important than Chores. 4:58 Say a Trisagion Prayer 🙏🏼 while you do housework. 5:39 Repeat The Jesus Prayer 🙏🏼 6:54 + Humilty + Fear of God Leads to a + Smooth Life 7:07 “I can understand a mother’s spiritual state by looking at the children.” 👩‍👧👩‍👦

[@SimpleAmadeus]

My mother has nearly understood this, but she is not a believer. Therefore, she cannot fill this opening in her heart with Christ. Instead, she has filled the opening with "minimalism". Now she is continuously preoccupied with material things in the opposite way. I pray that one day she will open up her heart to the true Cure.

[@arianemontemuro7901]

I know someone like this too!

[@natashakairinos5086]

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@Catmom2023Sciencenerd]

I would have narrated this a little more gracefully myself at rhe beginning of this talk... because being a home maker is tough... (See Film Original Mr. Mom.) But thank you for what kind words could get. Bless you.

[@John_Matthew153]

What does St Paisios say about Fathers

[@Yaz662]

This book is 50$ on Amazon 😢 do y’all have a link or discount code to get this book a little cheaper??

[@OrthodoxWisdom]

Unfortunately it is a more expensive book. I’d look around Orthodox bookstores online. I do not have an discount codes for you.

[@MarfaPavlovna]

These books are expensive. They're a treasure, so if you could borrow one from a friend or your parish priest, it would be wonderful!

[@kloebilic6568]

What Country are you located?

[@kloebilic6568]

Maybe if there is an Orthodox bookstore close to you they might have some in stock and you won't need to pay shipping. And if you are in need they may offer a discount, it is worth asking.

[@MarfaPavlovna]

@@kloebilic6568 there is an Orthodox bookstore at the monastery near us, even without shipping each book is $44.50.

[@iohannesfactotum]

Anywhere a woman weirs a vail is a good place

[@philotheasbliss]

❤❤❤