Saint
Nektarios, the Bishop of Pentapolis and Wonderworker, remains today a
far-shining lighthouse and illuminates us with his many virtues,
important writings and innumerable miracles.
Among
other things, however, he was an excellent Educator and Teacher of the
youth, whom he considered the golden hope of the Church and the Nation,
as the "foundation of tomorrow". He describes adolescence as important
and hurried. "Important indeed is the great mission for which it is
allotted, hurried in its short duration, during which it must accomplish
many and great things," as he notes in his discourse titled "On the
Call of Teenagers in Society" delivered to the High School students of
Lamia.
He
called teenagers the "new generation" as well as the "successor
generation" to whom the Nation and State deliver "the deposits of the
ancestors and all the treasures of past generations." This is why he
wanted to encourage young people in their spiritual struggles and
strengthen them, by encouraging them in the exercise of virtue. He
taught them with much love that they had to guard their faith in Christ,
the true God, as a sacred deposit. They had to live a life in Christ,
connected with Him through the salvific Mysteries of the Church.
He
knew of the great difficulties they often had in their spiritual
struggles. And he recommended to them as a victorious weapon, alertness
and stability in their Christian life. To the students of the High
School in Lamia, he said the following in his homily: My beloved
children, your struggles require "a brave decision and unchanging morale
to acquire virtue. Because the undecided, those who with negligence and
indolence begin the struggle for virtue, are rapidly discouraged and
defeated, and very easily become cowards and flee."
He
recommended Holy Scripture as an indispensable guide for the knowledge
of truth, for illumination and their preparation for salvation. And he
stressed with all the strength of his soul that they had to combine
"piety and science", for in this way they will progress and prosper
throughout their lives. The central idea of his speeches to young
people was this truth, that "without the virtuous life, the ultimate
destination of man is unattainable."
The
Saint always taught the youth from words of Holy Scripture and the
Fathers of the Church, and often used the words of ancient writers.
Above all, his primary concern was to teach by example. And he
succeeded, through struggle and the grace of the Lord. In fact, one of
his students and spiritual children wrote in a letter to his friend in
1897: "Fortunately in our days there is the beautiful soul of our
Revered Director... You see him live in this world and yet feel him to
be a man not of this world... Without exaggeration he prays day and
night... being forbearing, loving everyone and disarming with his
innocent look... He consorts with various people, whom he calms and
directs to the incarnate Savior with unprecedented kindness and
gentleness... He is a man but lives like an angel."
Through the intercession of our great friend Saint Nektarios, let us walk according to his teachings.
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
