Healing through the spiritual father

When I was younger, I lived with my father. And it happened to me that after we ate, I would get up from the table and steal a piece of food, prompted by the devil, and eat it without the elder's knowledge. So, having persisted in this way for a while, I was overcome by this habit and could no longer resist it. My conscience rebuked me, but I was ashamed to tell the elder. However, it happened, through the care of the man-loving God, that some brothers came to the elder for spiritual benefit. They asked him about their thoughts. And the elder answered:

– Nothing harms the monks and delights the devils more than the concealment of thoughts by the spiritual Fathers.

Then he spoke to them about abstinence. When he said this, I came to my senses and, thinking that God had revealed my mistakes to the elder, I humbled myself and began to cry. Then I took out the rosary from my bosom, which I had been stealing according to my evil habit, and throwing myself on the ground I asked for forgiveness for the past and a prayer of strength for the future. Then the elder said:

– Oh, son, your confession has saved you, even though I was silent. By telling your mistake, you have stabbed the devil, who was hurting you through silence. Until now you have allowed him to dominate you, because you have not spoken against him and have not brought him to light. From now on he will have no place in you, because you have brought him to light from your heart.

And the elder did not finish speaking, and behold, the devil's work appeared like a firebrand, coming out of my breast, and the cell was filled with a stench, as those brothers thought that much brimstone had been ignited. So then the elder said:

- Behold, by the sign that was done, the Lord has confirmed my words and your liberation.

Thus, through confession, the passion of the greed of the belly and the devil's work left me, so that this kind of desire no longer came to my mind.

Avva Serapion

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