Abba Ischyrion said, "The men of that generation will not accomplish any works at all and temptation will come upon them; and those who will persevere in that day will be greater than either us or our fathers".
My ancestors were idealists. The first one to come on the maternal side was a missionary priest, who then wrote back for the rest of the family to come to set up schools, a monastery, printing press, publishing house and so on.
The first one to come on the paternal side wanted a better life in the wonderful land of Iowa, creating new wealth from dairy farming and those who went on to Oregon, in raising cattle.
Idealists all.
I am one as well, which is why I stick out like a sore thumb in the no longer land of ideals.
The idealists are the minority here. We are surrounded by consumerists and materialists.
We are confused with ideologues.
We have no breathing space anymore.
We cannot build or renew or conquer.
We can only persevere.
But, I want to persevere in Europe.
The holy Fathers were making predictions about the last generation. They said
'What have we ourselves done?'
One of them, the great abba Ischyrion replied,
'We ourselves have fulfilled the commandments of God.'
The others replied,
'And those who come after us, what will they do?' He said, 'They will struggle
to achieve half our works.'
They said, 'And to those who come after them, what
will happen?'
He said, 'THE MEN OF THAT GENERATION WILL NOT ACCOMPLISH ANY
WORKS AT ALL AND TEMPTATION WILL COME UPON THEM;
AND THOSE WHO WILL BEAPPROVED IN THAT DAY WILL BE GREATER THAN EITHER US OR OUR FATHERS.'