In olden times, people used to respect something because it was their grandfather’s, and they used to safeguard it like an heirloom. I once met a very good lawyer. His house was very simply furnished, and it relaxed not only him, but his visitors also. He told me this, some time ago :
“A few years ago, Father, my acquaintances made fun of me because of the old, family furniture that I had. Now they come and admire them as valuable antiques. While I make daily use of them and enjoy them because they remind me of my father, my mother, my grandparents, and I am always emotionally touched, those acquaintances now go around collecting various old pieces of furniture, to the point that they have turned their lounges into curiosity shops, in an attempt to take their minds off their problems and forget their secular stress.”
In the past, one would hold on to a tiny little coin of insignificant value as though it were a vast fortune, only because it was given to him by his mother or his grandfather. Nowadays, if someone has an expensive coin – a gold Pound for example – that was given to him by his grandfather, and that coin’s value is slightly higher than its original value, he will give it away to be sold. He will not show any respect, nor will he be concerned about any mother or father. It’s that “European spirit” that is slowly creeping in and is sweeping us all away....
I recall the first time that I visited the Holy Mountain – in one of the retinues, the Elder was a little old man, who was very pious. Out of piety, he had preserved from generation to generation, not only the stoles of his (spiritual) grandfathers, his predecessors, but also the moulds that had been used to make the stoles. He also had several old books and various manuscripts that he kept beautifully wrapped in his book-case, which was carefully closed so that they wouldn’t collect dust. He never touched those books; he kept them wrapped up. “I am not worthy to read such books” he would say. “I will just read these simpler ones – the Gerontikon, the Ladder...”.
Then a young monk came along (he finally didn’t stay on the Mountain permanently) who had asked the elder: “Why do you keep all this junk here?” He made a move to take away the moulds and dispose of them – to burn them. The poor old man begged him with tears: “that was from my grandfather – why do you mind my keeping it? There are so many other rooms here – leave them be in a corner.” Out of the piety that he had, he not only held on to the books, the heirlooms, the stoles, but even the moulds!
When there is a respect for small things, there will be an even greater respect towards the bigger things. When there is no respect for small things, then neither will there be for the bigger ones. This is how the Fathers maintained Tradition.
ELDER PAISIOS OF MOUNT ATHOS
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