‘‘An angel is giving answers!’’
An interesting conversation between Abba Macarius and an angel of the Lord
One day Abba Macarius was walking in the desert, when an angel of the Lord came up behind him and said:
‘‘Your blessing, Holy Father.’’
‘‘Your blessing, Holy Father.’’
Abba Macarius took him to be a hermit and said:
‘‘May the Lord forgive you my child.’’
‘‘May the Lord forgive you my child.’’
As they walked along together, Abba Macarius noticed the figure and appearance of the monk and said to him:
‘‘My child, I see you and marvel! How beautiful you are! I have never seen such beauty in a human face. Perhaps you aren’t a man? In the name of God in Heaven tell me the truth.’’
Then the angel bowed to the elder and said:
‘‘Bless me father, as you can see I’m an angel and have come to teach you the hidden mysteries which you want to know.’’
‘‘Bless me father, as you can see I’m an angel and have come to teach you the hidden mysteries which you want to know.’’
The elder bowed too and prayed:
‘‘Lord, I thank you, because you’ve sent me such a guide to teach me about things unknown and mysteries which I desire to learn.’’
‘‘Lord, I thank you, because you’ve sent me such a guide to teach me about things unknown and mysteries which I desire to learn.’’
The angel said to him softly:
‘‘Tell me what it is you wish to know.’’
‘‘Tell me what it is you wish to know.’’
* * *
ABBA: ‘‘Holy angel tell me, do people recognize one another in the life to come?’’
ANGEL:‘‘Just like this life, when people go to sleep and then wake up, they still recognize the people they knew before going to sleep; so it is in the life to come. People will recognize one another and speak to each other and be joyous together. This is the fate of the righteous, but sinners aren’t so lucky and are deprived of this ability.’’
ANGEL:‘‘Just like this life, when people go to sleep and then wake up, they still recognize the people they knew before going to sleep; so it is in the life to come. People will recognize one another and speak to each other and be joyous together. This is the fate of the righteous, but sinners aren’t so lucky and are deprived of this ability.’’
* * *
ABBA:‘‘Tell me, what happens after the soul leaves the body; and why are memorial services held for the dead?’’
ANGEL: ‘‘On the third day after the soul has been separated from the body, a holy angel takes this soul and ascends to heaven, so that the soul can worship our Lord, Jesus Christ.
Between heaven and earth, there’s a big ladder and on each step a host of demons stand, acting like gate keepers. The demons hold a list of our bad deeds and recount them for us, saying, ‘on a certain day you stole, fornicated, or committed such and such a sin ...’ Then the angels reveal the good deeds, such as prayer, charity, liturgies, fasting, and any other such actions that the soul has performed. The angels and demons then weigh these deeds. If there is a surplus of good deeds, the angels take the soul and ascend to the next step.
This happens from one step to another as the soul ascends to heaven. Each step up is responsible for a specific type of sin. On each level, the demons are fiercer than the previous ones. Finally there’s a fierce battle and unimaginable struggle over the miserable soul.
The demons reproach and terrorize the soul, saying: ‘Where are you going? Wasn’t it you who fornicated and soiled Holy Baptism? Where are you going now? Turn back. Return. Go to hell, the outer darkness. Go back to the hellfire. Enter where the worm doesn’t die and the fire isn’t quenched.’
Then if that soul is condemned, the demons take it below the earth where darkness, anguish and woe await. Woe on the day that this man was born.
Who could recount for you, father, what the condemned souls suffer in that place! But if the soul is found clean, it ascends joyfully to heaven and is welcomed by the angels, with candles and incense. They then escort the soul to the judgement throne and worship our Lord, Jesus Christ. Then they see the Holy Disciples, Holy Martyrs, the ranks of the Holy Fathers, and the nine hierarchies of the Holy Angels.’’
ANGEL: ‘‘On the third day after the soul has been separated from the body, a holy angel takes this soul and ascends to heaven, so that the soul can worship our Lord, Jesus Christ.
Between heaven and earth, there’s a big ladder and on each step a host of demons stand, acting like gate keepers. The demons hold a list of our bad deeds and recount them for us, saying, ‘on a certain day you stole, fornicated, or committed such and such a sin ...’ Then the angels reveal the good deeds, such as prayer, charity, liturgies, fasting, and any other such actions that the soul has performed. The angels and demons then weigh these deeds. If there is a surplus of good deeds, the angels take the soul and ascend to the next step.
This happens from one step to another as the soul ascends to heaven. Each step up is responsible for a specific type of sin. On each level, the demons are fiercer than the previous ones. Finally there’s a fierce battle and unimaginable struggle over the miserable soul.
The demons reproach and terrorize the soul, saying: ‘Where are you going? Wasn’t it you who fornicated and soiled Holy Baptism? Where are you going now? Turn back. Return. Go to hell, the outer darkness. Go back to the hellfire. Enter where the worm doesn’t die and the fire isn’t quenched.’
Then if that soul is condemned, the demons take it below the earth where darkness, anguish and woe await. Woe on the day that this man was born.
Who could recount for you, father, what the condemned souls suffer in that place! But if the soul is found clean, it ascends joyfully to heaven and is welcomed by the angels, with candles and incense. They then escort the soul to the judgement throne and worship our Lord, Jesus Christ. Then they see the Holy Disciples, Holy Martyrs, the ranks of the Holy Fathers, and the nine hierarchies of the Holy Angels.’’
* * *
ABBA: ‘‘Why and how the memorial services are celebrated?’’
ANGEL: ‘‘Well listen, Holy Father. The first memorial service is held on the third day after death. As we’ve said, the soul does not ascend to worship the Lord until the third day. This memorial service is offered to the Lord for the sake of the soul of the departed. After worshipping the Lord, the soul of the departed, with its escorting angels, returns to this earthly realm. There it is shown the various places it dwelled during this earthly life. It’s reminded of its earthly deeds, both the good and evil ones.
The angels say: ‘Here you stole, forni-cated, masturbated, censured, murdered, committed perjury, loaned money at ex-orbitantly, became intoxicated, quarrelled and scandalized.’
Afterwards the good deeds are shown. ‘Here you have given in charity, there fasted, repented, partook in the Divine Liturgy, prayed, held vigil, gave suppli-cations, kneeled in humility, remained standing during church services, showed self-restraint.’ So it continues, until the ninth day.
On the ninth day, they again ascend to heaven to worship, as during the third day. The memorial services held on the ninth day are to help secure the Lord’s leniency towards this soul. It is for this reason that it has been written that these intercessions are of the outmost importance.
Hence prayer, charity, liturgies, and memorial services aid the souls of the departed. These actions even have the ability of returning souls from hell.
After the soul has worshipped the Lord a second time, the angels again escort the soul back to the earthly realm. The angels show the soul God’s mercy, paradise, the rest of the righteous, ‘God’s tabernacle’ and ‘the bosom of Abraham’. When it sees this unutterable happiness it is consoled and overjoyed, and beseeches the angels that it may stay here with the righteous.
Then it’s shown the hell of the wicked. The angels say: ‘This is the river of hellfire, the worm that doesn’t die. This is the outer and inner darkness where one will gnash one’s teeth. Afterwards it’s shown the torments of the sinners. Holy father, there is nothing worse or more frightening than the torments of those who fornicate or steal, especially the fornication of priests and monks.
When all this has been shown to the soul, it’s escorted again on the fortieth day to worship the Lord. For this reason memorial services for the dead are held then. The most merciful God will decide on this day where the soul is to reside. This outcome is dependant on one’s deeds and actions, whilst on earth. Thus, the soul sets off and will stay there until the resurrection to come, so that the body also may be resurrected and receive its just rewards.’’
ANGEL: ‘‘Well listen, Holy Father. The first memorial service is held on the third day after death. As we’ve said, the soul does not ascend to worship the Lord until the third day. This memorial service is offered to the Lord for the sake of the soul of the departed. After worshipping the Lord, the soul of the departed, with its escorting angels, returns to this earthly realm. There it is shown the various places it dwelled during this earthly life. It’s reminded of its earthly deeds, both the good and evil ones.
The angels say: ‘Here you stole, forni-cated, masturbated, censured, murdered, committed perjury, loaned money at ex-orbitantly, became intoxicated, quarrelled and scandalized.’
Afterwards the good deeds are shown. ‘Here you have given in charity, there fasted, repented, partook in the Divine Liturgy, prayed, held vigil, gave suppli-cations, kneeled in humility, remained standing during church services, showed self-restraint.’ So it continues, until the ninth day.
On the ninth day, they again ascend to heaven to worship, as during the third day. The memorial services held on the ninth day are to help secure the Lord’s leniency towards this soul. It is for this reason that it has been written that these intercessions are of the outmost importance.
Hence prayer, charity, liturgies, and memorial services aid the souls of the departed. These actions even have the ability of returning souls from hell.
After the soul has worshipped the Lord a second time, the angels again escort the soul back to the earthly realm. The angels show the soul God’s mercy, paradise, the rest of the righteous, ‘God’s tabernacle’ and ‘the bosom of Abraham’. When it sees this unutterable happiness it is consoled and overjoyed, and beseeches the angels that it may stay here with the righteous.
Then it’s shown the hell of the wicked. The angels say: ‘This is the river of hellfire, the worm that doesn’t die. This is the outer and inner darkness where one will gnash one’s teeth. Afterwards it’s shown the torments of the sinners. Holy father, there is nothing worse or more frightening than the torments of those who fornicate or steal, especially the fornication of priests and monks.
When all this has been shown to the soul, it’s escorted again on the fortieth day to worship the Lord. For this reason memorial services for the dead are held then. The most merciful God will decide on this day where the soul is to reside. This outcome is dependant on one’s deeds and actions, whilst on earth. Thus, the soul sets off and will stay there until the resurrection to come, so that the body also may be resurrected and receive its just rewards.’’
* * *
ABBA: ‘‘Can you please answer me this? Is there any rest or end for the torments of the sinner?’’
ANGEL: ‘‘No Holy Father. Neither the kingdom of the righteous, nor that of the sinner will come to an end. Even if one were to remove a grain of sand every thousand years from the sea, you might still one day finish, but the hell of the wicked has no end.’’
ANGEL: ‘‘No Holy Father. Neither the kingdom of the righteous, nor that of the sinner will come to an end. Even if one were to remove a grain of sand every thousand years from the sea, you might still one day finish, but the hell of the wicked has no end.’’
* * *
ABBA: ‘‘Please answer me this too: which saints are most merciful towards men, so that they can beseech them for their wretchedness!’’
ANGEL: ‘‘All the saints are merciful towards men and have a good disposition. Men are thankless and ungrateful, and it makes them angry towards you. The holy angels are also merciful towards men, because they’ve seen the extraordinary acts performed by God, for their salvation. Apart from the saints and angels, our All Holy and Blessed Lady, the Virgin Mary takes care of the humanity above all others. Everybody, Holy father, should have her name on their lips constantly, glorifying her name. It is due to her interventions and supplications that men still exist. But the devil has deceived humans, and made them ungrateful. Men have contempt for God and the saints, and so God and the saints show contempt for the fallen nature of man.’’
ANGEL: ‘‘All the saints are merciful towards men and have a good disposition. Men are thankless and ungrateful, and it makes them angry towards you. The holy angels are also merciful towards men, because they’ve seen the extraordinary acts performed by God, for their salvation. Apart from the saints and angels, our All Holy and Blessed Lady, the Virgin Mary takes care of the humanity above all others. Everybody, Holy father, should have her name on their lips constantly, glorifying her name. It is due to her interventions and supplications that men still exist. But the devil has deceived humans, and made them ungrateful. Men have contempt for God and the saints, and so God and the saints show contempt for the fallen nature of man.’’
* * *
ABBA: ‘‘Holy Angel, what is the most sinful of all evils?’’
ANGEL: ‘‘Every sin, worthy Elder, severs man from God. But resentment and blasphemy stand above all other sins. This is because these two have the ability to throw man into the depths of hell, into the internal depths of the earth and sea.’’
ANGEL: ‘‘Every sin, worthy Elder, severs man from God. But resentment and blasphemy stand above all other sins. This is because these two have the ability to throw man into the depths of hell, into the internal depths of the earth and sea.’’
* * *
ABBA: ‘‘Which sin does God despise above all other sins?’’
ANGEL: ‘‘God despises above all other sins, the vanity of selfconceit, which is pride. This alone has destroyed all mankind. Adam, the first man, was exiled from paradise because of this. With this, the Pharisee lost the fruits of all his labour. When man falls into this sin, it is very difficult for him to recover his senses.’’
ANGEL: ‘‘God despises above all other sins, the vanity of selfconceit, which is pride. This alone has destroyed all mankind. Adam, the first man, was exiled from paradise because of this. With this, the Pharisee lost the fruits of all his labour. When man falls into this sin, it is very difficult for him to recover his senses.’’
* * *
ABBA: ‘‘Which people are tormented the most?’’
ANGEL: ‘‘I have told you, the fornicator and the blasphemer. But I will tell you this also, below all of the other depths of hell there exists a level which is frightful, merciless and cruel, and is known as oblivion. It’s there that priests and monks that have committed fornication are punished. These perverse and wicked individuals will suffer great punishment and dishonour. For this reason honourable elder, the order of angels that fell, will be replaced by the good priests and monks, and they will be elevated to a position of great honor.
This also applies to priests who break the law of God. Such priests are those that accept bribery, or are corrupt and deviate from God’s law, who disdain the Holy Services, and their liturgical obliga-tions for secular and worldly cares, even if only a single liturgy. They’ll be obliged to answer for their actions before God. What then can I say about those priests who become intoxicated? Woe to them be-cause frightful punishments await them!’’
ANGEL: ‘‘I have told you, the fornicator and the blasphemer. But I will tell you this also, below all of the other depths of hell there exists a level which is frightful, merciless and cruel, and is known as oblivion. It’s there that priests and monks that have committed fornication are punished. These perverse and wicked individuals will suffer great punishment and dishonour. For this reason honourable elder, the order of angels that fell, will be replaced by the good priests and monks, and they will be elevated to a position of great honor.
This also applies to priests who break the law of God. Such priests are those that accept bribery, or are corrupt and deviate from God’s law, who disdain the Holy Services, and their liturgical obliga-tions for secular and worldly cares, even if only a single liturgy. They’ll be obliged to answer for their actions before God. What then can I say about those priests who become intoxicated? Woe to them be-cause frightful punishments await them!’’
* * *
ABBA: ‘‘Please can you also tell me about what awaits those who treat Sunday with contempt? Have they any repose in the life to come?’’
ANGEL: ‘‘Woe to them, Holy Father, because a frightful punishment awaits them. Whoever treats Sunday, the holy day of our Lord with contempt, holds the Lord in contempt and the Lord will hold him in contempt. Sunday celebrates the day that our Lord was resurrected, and whoever honours this day honours our Lord. Whoever honours and celebrates the saint’s days will find that saints will help them. The saints have great boldness before the Lord, and if they ask anything of Him, He won’t refuse them.
Men have estranged themselves from a holy fear of God and in doing so, neither have God nor any of the saints as their friend. They’re preoccupied with worldly and secular pursuits, which are transitory and perishable. Woe to them. Recognise worthy elder, that every person, be he a priest or monk or layman, if he doesn’t honour Sunday as our Lord’s Day, he won’t see the face of the Lord, nor have hope of salvation.
Now, Holy Father, if you would like anything else, please, ask me. For now it’s time for me to go to heaven and present myself before the Lord, and worship Him.’’
ANGEL: ‘‘Woe to them, Holy Father, because a frightful punishment awaits them. Whoever treats Sunday, the holy day of our Lord with contempt, holds the Lord in contempt and the Lord will hold him in contempt. Sunday celebrates the day that our Lord was resurrected, and whoever honours this day honours our Lord. Whoever honours and celebrates the saint’s days will find that saints will help them. The saints have great boldness before the Lord, and if they ask anything of Him, He won’t refuse them.
Men have estranged themselves from a holy fear of God and in doing so, neither have God nor any of the saints as their friend. They’re preoccupied with worldly and secular pursuits, which are transitory and perishable. Woe to them. Recognise worthy elder, that every person, be he a priest or monk or layman, if he doesn’t honour Sunday as our Lord’s Day, he won’t see the face of the Lord, nor have hope of salvation.
Now, Holy Father, if you would like anything else, please, ask me. For now it’s time for me to go to heaven and present myself before the Lord, and worship Him.’’
* * *
ABBA: ‘‘I beg you, tell me, which prayer is most suitable for a monk?’’
ANGEL: ‘‘If he is educated, the psalms of David; if not, the prayer ‘Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy upon me a sinner’ will do! This prayer is the easiest and most effective. Many learned people have renounced their knowledge, and by clinging onto this prayer, have been saved. It may be used by everyone: by those advanced in prayer and those who are starting out and inexperienced. Whoever wishes to be saved should hold on to this prayer day and night, whether in his cell or outside walking, it is this prayer which should relied on with willingness and desire, because this prayer is capable of helping anyone who wishes to be saved.’’
ANGEL: ‘‘If he is educated, the psalms of David; if not, the prayer ‘Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy upon me a sinner’ will do! This prayer is the easiest and most effective. Many learned people have renounced their knowledge, and by clinging onto this prayer, have been saved. It may be used by everyone: by those advanced in prayer and those who are starting out and inexperienced. Whoever wishes to be saved should hold on to this prayer day and night, whether in his cell or outside walking, it is this prayer which should relied on with willingness and desire, because this prayer is capable of helping anyone who wishes to be saved.’’
* * *
ABBA: ‘‘As you have come to teach me a sinner, I beg you please tell me this also: if a man who is still a sinner teaches another, and in doing so, he sets him free from the sin and shows him the true path, has he any reward?’’
ANGEL:‘‘Whoever teaches another and re-moves him from sins by showing him the proper path saves himself and the other soul. In a similar way, whoever directs someone towards evil, not only destroys the other person, but also hands his own soul over to the devil. There is no worse sin than to direct another person towards evil deeds. Similarly, there is no better action than to direct someone towards good deeds.’’
ANGEL:‘‘Whoever teaches another and re-moves him from sins by showing him the proper path saves himself and the other soul. In a similar way, whoever directs someone towards evil, not only destroys the other person, but also hands his own soul over to the devil. There is no worse sin than to direct another person towards evil deeds. Similarly, there is no better action than to direct someone towards good deeds.’’
* * *
When the angel had finished these words of counsel he lowered his head towards the elder and said:
‘‘Bless me Holy father, and please forgive me.’’
Then the elder fell on his knees and venerated the angel saying:
‘‘Go in peace, appear before the Holy Trinity and intercede for me.’’
When the angel left, ascending towards heaven, Abba Macarius gave thanks to God and went to his cell, where he gave an account of these events to a certain brother of good faith, for the glory of our Lord unto all ages. Amen.
