When the old man rules within, even the Holy Mysteries become a snare.

There are indeed many Christians—countless in number—who strive along the path of ascetic struggle, who partake of the Holy Mysteries, who pray earnestly, and who read diligently from spiritual writings. And yet, despite all this, they find no true peace, no abiding joy in their lives. Instead, they complain, and complain, and complain unceasingly, never tasting the beauty of life in Christ. Without even realizing it, they awaken within themselves the old man of sin, and their whole existence turns around him.

Beloved, beware! If within your heart you harbor self-love and selfishness, then your prayers, your fasts, and even your offerings will not only be without meaning—they will be harmful to your soul. For sooner or later you will begin to imagine that God withholds from you the “reward you deserve,” and you will accuse Him of injustice. Thus, be vigilant. For a man may twist anything to serve his ego—prayer, church attendance, the reading of spiritual works, and even the Mysteries themselves—turning them into food for his pride and self-centeredness.

_Protopresbyter Stefanos Anagnostopoulos_