But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness...

“…and all these things shall be added to you.” This commandment of the Lord, which conveys a complete and total trust in Divine Providence, is the ascetic‚s slogan and living practice.

Elder Cherubim from St. Basil (on Mt. Athos) was a carefree ascetic, filled with faith and hope. He was also a little hard of hearing, and one time he was isolated by snow in his impoverished hermitage for over a week without food. One day a stranger with a loaded mule knocked at his door. It was almost night. He asked whether he had time to reach St. Peter‚s Cave before dark and then to return to St. Paul‚s Monastery.

Ascetic Cherubim said to him, “My brother, there is so much snow that you won’t be able to get to St. Peter’s Hermitage even if you had ahead of you a whole day. Stay here tonight and you can go early tomorrow morning.”

The stranger replied, “Geronda, I have brought some food supplies which I would like to sell and then return to my work tonight. If you like, keep them, and give me a little money.”

“Since you are in a hurry, leave them here in this corner and I will give you the money which was given to me by a pilgrim.” He went to his room while the stranger was unloading the goods, but when he returned he was not there. He had disappeared. Father Cherubim looked outside and called, but there were neither footprints nor animal tracks in the snow. Then he realized that it had all been the visible energies of the invisible Divine Providence, which looks after everything. He entered his little chapel and thanked the Lord. With gratitude he placed food supplies in his small storage space. They lasted him the whole winter.

from An Athonite Gerontikon