Words from the Time of Illness

Saint Callinicus of Edessa († August 8) speaks to us

It is one thing to be prepared, and another to be prepared for anything.

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We might as well be physically blind. What matters is to have the Light of God in our soul, to have spiritual eyes.

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„For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell. For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. Nevertheless, to remain in the flesh is more needful for you” (Philippians 1:21-24).

The Apostle says this. It is not for us, it is above us. But God's will be done.

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My son, I am a sinful bishop, but I fear God and love the Church and its glory. You are to say this when I die.

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For so long I have spoken of patience... Now I must fulfill what I have said.

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If we haven't reached the cross, we've done nothing. We are nothing.

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Climb the bell tower and shout from there that the happiest man is the man of God!

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Speak of joy and say that we must rejoice even in the hospital, in sickness!

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Since God loves us, there's no way we cannot love our brother, our neighbor.

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All people are good.

- God gave me good relatives, collaborators, and spiritual children.

- Your Eminence, you are good, that's why you see everything as good.

- I am a Pharisee. Perhaps my face, a few outward gifts made me seem so. In reality, I am an impostor. What I know about myself, no one else knows.

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When he awoke from his coma, Saint Callinicus said with tears: „God left me alive so that I might repent”.

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I am a rag. I am dead. I deceived the world with this appearance of mine, that's why God allows me to suffer now. The snakes will eat me.

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I know very well that I have this illness because of my sins.

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My son, do not condemn anyone. Do not ask me to condemn either, for I am being judged at this hour. I await judgment and must not condemn anyone.

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If I live on, I will no longer condemn anyone. If God deems me worthy and I go out to preach again, I will say nothing but: „Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner!”

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Better for physical death to come than spiritual death!

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Perhaps God, with this illness, wants to tell me: „Enough! I no longer need you!”. We must be obedient.

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If I could be born again, I would simply become a disciple to an abbot. I very much like to be obedient.

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I don't care about the illness. I would like to be a saint even with just one leg and one eye!

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If I were offered a golden miter and told that it cost only one drachma, I still wouldn't spend the drachma on it.

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- Do you remember, Your Eminence, that in the words spoken at the ordinations of deacons and priests you often said: „May you too hear the blessed voice: Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your Lord?

- Will I too hear this blessed voice, my son?...

From „Saint Callinicus of Edessa. A Man of God” by Metropolitan Hierotheos of Nafpaktos, Bonifaciu Publishing House 2023

Translated by Diaconești Monastery

Icon by Diaconești Monastery

In the photo: Saint Callinicus on his sickbed, cared for by his disciple, the young Archimandrite Hierotheos Vlachos