The sign of a Good deed is when the one who commits it falls in his own eyes, becomes subjectively not better, but worse. The sign of a Benefactor is continuous falling in his own eyes, staying in the action of a fundamental spiritual law, revealed to the holy fathers by the Holy Spirit: “Keep your mind in hell, and do not despair.” The first half of the spiritual life is a continuous descent into hell of one’s own godlessness. (But this means that I am moving correctly—the way to the Kingdom of Heaven lies through hell, the bottom of which is godforsakenness [entry or communion of Christ’s ultimate kenosis], as an example to follow Christ in everything, to become like Him in everything by grace, that is, to become deified). All saints saw themselves as heirs of hell, not of paradise (see for example St. Pimen the Great, St. Macarius the Great, St. Silouan the Athonite, St. Sisoes the Great, the good-thief…). This was their natural state, which they entered through correct spiritual life! Indeed, if I do nothing good (and even if I wanted to—I could not do it, as the saints knew well)—where is my place? In hell! If all my life I did evil (did nothing good, therefore only—evil! and he who does not gather—scatters)
—then what can I expect, or what do I rightfully deserve for my deeds?—only hell! The good-thief knew this well, hence he said: “according to my deeds” and “remember me, Lord, in Your Kingdom,” understanding that he would never be there—his place is in hell! All saints saw themselves there. And those who sincerely pursued holiness, seeking truth and somewhat did not understand—the Lord hinted to them: keep your mind in hell (be in the truth about yourself—that you are godless, nothing without God, and you do nothing good, and you cannot do anything) and do not despair (that is, hope not on your own strength, but on God, who alone is the Savior and brings out of hell; God saves not by deeds, which do not exist and cannot exist, but by Love, and only those who have stopped hoping on themselves and their “good”). Let’s look, for example, at Catholics and Protestants, whose “spiritual” life
is built on merits and “good” deeds—they all see themselves in Paradise. Protestants are already in Paradise, already saints, as they consider themselves, and only do what they “save” (not being saved! Because they are already “saved”!?) others and
“do good” (and not receiving benefactions from Christ!?) to everyone. Catholics know that they are sinful, and that for sins one can end up in hell, or purgatory (pagan fantasies, according to which those who did not endure torments on earth for sins in which they repented, endure them, proportionally to their sins, in purgatory)—a place of torment between hell and Paradise. But they are saved not by God’s mercy, not by grace, but by their good deeds and merits. If good deeds are not enough—there is the pope, who will add, there are indulgences, there are the super-merits of the saints, from whose treasury the pope can distribute and supplement what someone lacks… Let’s simplify the thought —if there is at least one good deed behind me, then I can hope for a small “plot” in Paradise, somewhere on the outskirts—but in Paradise!? Comments, I think, are unnecessary! (We are debtors of an unpayable debt, not laborers of the Kingdom of God, as the Lord testifies about us, but, unfortunately, almost no one accepts this testimony). You will say that almost everyone (only Christians do not think so—and this is always a small flock!) not only confessional Catholics and Protestants (about pagans there can be no talk) think and live this way, but also “Orthodox”!? Yes, not everyone who calls himself Orthodox is Orthodox! And not everything that bears the name “Orthodox(e)” is orthodox (see above).
And we, the “saints,” keep our mind in Paradise (for our “good” deeds—there is our place and dwelling) and only do what we stay in despair! And in this state, we undertake to save, heal, intercede—Woe! Woe! Woe! Such sincere
“benefactors,” “healers” appear from incorrect spiritual life, from “zeal not according to knowledge”—as the Apostle Paul says,—not according to the Mind of the Church!
If you want to pray for someone—go to Church, and in Christ pray for your relatives and for the whole world (great litany, triple…), that is, pray in Christ, by Christ, and for Christ. Teaching how to pray correctly, the Church calls on us to conclude all ascetic prayers: “ourselves, and one another, and all our life unto Christ our God we commit”—that is—
“Thy will be done, Father.” Such prayer can only be made in the Eucharist, when God serves man, and man in Christ, becomes Christ and in the Holy Spirit acts sacramentally—”Thine of Thine own, we offer unto Thee on behalf of all and for all,” taking into our depths these sanctified, revealed by the Holy Spirit Gifts! Here we meet Christ face to face, become one with Him—He in us, and we in Him! “For Thou art He who offereth and is offered, that accepteth and is distributed, O Christ our God”—thus the Holy Spirit teaches us to understand and know the mystery of hypostatic life in Christ, when the church gathers for the eucharist. Only in the context of liturgical, eucharistic existence, can we, being in the mystery of Christ (and actualizing it at the Eucharist at the Lord’s table in the Kingdom of God, which is revealed on earth in the Eucharist), perform Good deeds: by Christ and in Christ (Christ offers and is offered) and for Christ (You accept), and here we liken unto the Father in mercy, distributing Christ to the world (You are He who is distributed). There is only one Good deed (which the world eagerly awaits from Christians—the revelation of the sons of God, not various social programs and humanitarian [in the fleshly sense of the word] assistance)—to give the world Christ! The Heavenly Father gave the Son for the life of the world, and Christians in the eucharist (Liturgy) give Jesus Christ [receiving Him into their depths, becoming Christ by grace—the only-begotten son in the Only-Begotten Son Jesus Christ] for the life of all that exists, so that the world may reach perfection in the mystery of Trinitarian Hypostatic existence. Man needs only one help—to help her become capable of acquiring the Holy Spirit, to become a god by grace; to help her discover the image of God within herself and achieve likeness.