This paper discusses chapter summaries from four chapters of the book "The Diary of a Russian Priest" by Alexander Elchaninov. The priest who wrote this text was concerned with the modern period and the ways in which current people turn away from the church. They become too concerned with their own selves and their venial desires and behave in unChristian manners.
¶ … Diary of a Russian Priest
Fragments of a Diary
Elchaninov says that being a priest allowed him a type of vocal ability that he had never known within the secular world. This is just one way that the church and the teachings of the church have inspired him and expanded his life. God will have more understanding for the frailties of human beings than people ever could have for one another. Few people truly understand this because they are too focused on their individual unhappiness and the unpleasant aspects of their own lives. Those who complain about bad things that happened to them do not realize that each of these events was allowed to happen, not because there is no God and not because God does not care, but because God cares so much. Each experience teaches people about life; experienced teaches far more than a simple lesson ever could. Sickness for example is when a lot of people feel sad and question God and beg for help. However, sickness makes us appreciate when we are well and also makes it so that we can better empathize with others when they are ill. People who look at the negative parts of their life not only fail to learn, but also are seeing things in a very short-handed way because they do not realize that the suffering is only further preparing the person for the afterlife and eternal salvation, tranquility and peace in Heaven. Being a priest has allowed Yelchaninov many experiences which he could not have had if he had chosen any other vocation. He has cried with people who are mourning and listens to confessions in order to give people absolution for which they are very grateful. Nothing that a person does is so evil that it cannot be forgiven provided that they atone for their sins because God is all-forgiving.
Advice to Young Priests
The job of the priest is to instill faith and encourage each person to find God within their individual life. There is a concern that most people in the modern period do not have time for religion or, if they do, they do not consider it to be a priority in their lives. These people seem to outnumber those who are devoted to their religion. He sees that many people of that period had too much pride in themselves and their abilities as opposed to seeing them as gifts. He also saw that people were too concerned about their current life and that they were not enough concerned about the consequences of sin. All these things had to be understood by young priests because it would be very easy to become frustrated with all these things and to become despondent, believing that their serving of God was too difficult a task in a world which was unwilling to behave as Christians. The priest must not give in to his own negative views of sinners, but must try to keep in mind the attitudes of Jesus Christ and of the almighty God. A priest must always present a positive image, one that is filled with hope both for living people to behave as Christians and a hope that lost souls will find their way back to Christianity. Priests must help these lost souls return to the flock and must do their utmost to prevent people from giving in to their desires for sin and venial pleasure. Sometimes this job might seem insurmountable, but it is not. They have the strength of God to help them fight against sin and they must be devoted and determined.
A Talk before Confession
The purpose of confession is for the sinner to confess his sin and to be absolved through some form of remuneration to God. Further, the one confessing must have a firm purpose to sin no more. Many people misunderstand the nature of confession. They come to think that it is a sort of a blank check where they can do whatever they wish for six days out of the week, provided they go to Church on Sunday and apologize to God for those actions. They do not really intent to stop sinning, but believe that by performing the act of confession that they are performing their duty as a Christian. It is not just that they are lazy, but perhaps they might even truly misunderstand how confession works and what its purpose is. So, not only must the confessor listen and then absolve, it is also his duty to make the parishioner understand what it means to confess and to instill in that person what it is required of them to truly be called a Christian.
The Devil's Stronghold
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