May 2013
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Humble your own will
In the measure to which a man cuts off and humbles his own will, he proceeds toward success. But insofar as he stubbornly guards his own will, so much does he brings harm to himself.
- St. Ephraim the Syrian, Counsels to a Novice Monk
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It is vital to continue in prayer
It is vital to continue in prayer for as long as we can, so that his invincible strength may penetrate and enable us to resist every destructive influence. And with the increase of this strength in us comes the joy of hope in final victory.
- Archimandrite Sophrony
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All those who work for the Church are Myrrhbearers
… And myrrhbearing is not only participating in the sacraments, preaching the Gospel and confessing the Faith, it is also doing that myriad of things which are so difficult because they require our sacrifice. For:
Those who sing in church are myrrhbearers.
Those who clean the church are myrrhbearers.
Those who prepare the flowers for the services are myrrhbearers.
Those who look after...
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Anonymous asked: Christ is risen! I just wanted to say thank you for your blog, it has always been a wonderful inspiration and a reminder of the treasures of the faith. I have been a catechumen over the past year and at Pentecost this year I will be received into the Serbian Orthodox jurisdiction in my country. The things you post have definitely helped to encourage me on my journey, so don't underestimate...
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Concentrate...
If we would concentrate on divine truth as seen in Christ, all need for a stream of words disappears, until finally the mind enters the realm of profound silence.
- Archimandrite Sophrony
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Please pray for me!
Christ is Risen! <3
If you could please keep me in your prayers tonight (or this morning/midday/afternoon - it depends on your country!) it could be really amazing. I know you all have your personal life and problems, but if you could spend some seconds to pray for me it could be so great!
In the past have witnessed how many miracles our prayers can do if we pray united, as one, so even a...
thesahel asked: When I open up your blog, my heart fills with warmth and my mind stops racing and my soul is happy. Thank you. Love, Christiana - a struggling Orthodox Christian in California
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This is the alpha and the omega
This is the alpha and the omega. This is the beginning and the end–an indescribable beginning and an incomprehensible end. This is the Christ. This is the king. This is Jesus. This is the general. This is the Lord. This is the one who rose up from the dead. This is the one who sits at the right hand of the Father. He bears the Father and is borne by the Father, to whom be the glory and the...
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On reading the Bible simply as a set of...
The Scripture is nothing other than instruction on how to receive Heavenly Grace. But if we simply read a set of instructions and do not try to, let us say, put a bookcase together or use a computer program, the set of instructions will remain unmastered and will be soon forgotten… And vice versa, those who attend the Sunday Divine Liturgy and then read the Scripture at home will...
Anonymous asked: Greetings again from your Macedonian Orthodox sister down under! I would like to share that I so happily lite a candle in church for you. For health & wisdom to serve you well, for your sins to be forgiven & your salvation. I don't wish for this message to be taken as me requesting praise or to be rewarded, merely because I want you to know that you are in my thoughts & prayers!...
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Have mercy on me!
When bad thoughts are planted in you, then cry to God: “Lord, my Maker and Creator. You see that my soul is in agony from bad thoughts. Have mercy on me.” Teach yourself to root out thoughts immediately. But when you forget and don’t root them out immediately, then offer repentance. Work on this, so that you get a habit.
- St. Silouan
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Whoever has known the love of God...
Whoever has known the love of God loves the whole world and never murmurs against his fate, for the burden of sorrow for the sake of God gains eternal joy.
- St. Silouan the Athonite
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No earthly pleasures...
No earthly pleasures, no kingdoms of this world can benefit me in any way. I prefer death in Christ Jesus to power over the farthest limits of the earth. He who died in place of us is the one object of my quest. He who rose for our sakes is my one desire.
-Saint Ignatius of Antioch
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Don't be deceived...
Don’t be deceived regarding the knowledge of what will be after your death: what you sow here, you will reap there. After leaving here, no one can make progress. Here is the work, there the reward; here the struggle, there the crowns.
- St. Barsanuphius the Great, Instructions
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Memory Eternal!
My dear friend rpeeze informed me that Fr. Michael Rosco passed into eternal life this morning. Please continue to keep Pani Susan, Vlad, and the rest of the family in your prayers to give them strength during this trying time.
Thank you all for praying for Fr. Michael Rosco. Please continue keep him in your prayers, that God will rest his soul where there is no pain, nor sorrow, nor...
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The only thing that I have is my Savior
Will I be saved or not? Am I living in a way that is pleasing to God, or not? Am I acting according to God’s righteousness? I do not know. God alone knows whether He forgives my sins, or not; whether He will call me to be with Him and will write my name in the Book of Life, or not. What can I say, a wretched sinner who has nothing? The only thing that I have is my Savior, my God, my Joy; I have...
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A splinter…
You wish, or rather, have decided, to remove a splinter from someone? Very well, but do not go after it with a stick instead of a lancet for you will only drive it deeper. Rough speech and harsh gestures are the stick, while even-tempered instruction and patient reprimand are the lancet. ‘Reprove, rebuke, exhort,’ says the Apostle (II Tim. 4:2), not ‘batter’.
- From St. John Climacus, “The...
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This is my God, Whom I will glorify
A Helper and a Protector has become salvation to me. This is my God, Whom I will glorify. God of my fathers I will exalt Him for in glory was He glorified. Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.
- Canon of St. Andrew of Crete, excerpt
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Correct your own sins
Do not lose your temper with those who sin. Do not have a passion for noticing every sin in your neighbor and judging it, as we usually do. Everyone will give an answer for himself before God. Especially, do not look with evil intention on the sins of those older than you, with whom you have no business. But correct your own sins, your own heart.
- St. John of Kronstadt, “My Life in...
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Please pray for Fr. Michael!
A prayer request send by my friend rpeeze:
On Friday evening, my family was informed that another priest in our diocese, Fr. Michael Rosco was involved in a terrible car accident while he was leaving Johnstown, PA after a diocesan trustee meeting to return home to New Jersey. After swerving and bumping into another car while he was on the southbound side of Rt. 219, Fr. Michael’s car struck...
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When we do not experience warfare...
When we do not experience warfare, we ought so much the more to humiliate ourselves. For God seeing our weakness, protects us; when we glorify ourselves, He withdraws His protection and we are lost.
- From the Desert Fathers
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Please pray for the safety of our Ecumenical...
Please keep in your prayers Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, as according to the media, there was an alleged plot to be assassinated on May 29, the 560th anniversary of the fall of Constantinople to the Ottomans.
Please everyone, pray for his safety! May God protect him!
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Important prayer request
An Orthodox Christian friend just shared with me a prayer request, however I am not sure if he wants to stay anonymous, so I post it without mentioning his name. Please pray a lot, as miracles happen all the time…
I ask for prayers. I’m facing a difficult time right now. I am finding it exceedingly difficult to find a job, it’s left me without food, and without money for...
Anonymous asked: Hello my Orthodox sister in faith! Greetings from a Macedonian soul in Australia. When I read your followers requests for prayers, I pray for them. We all need prayers. The prayer that I request from you & your readers, EVEN THOUGH ME THE SINNER ARE NOT WORTHY OF THEM, is to have my sins forgiven. All the other things I need prayers for, I need not pray for them as The Lord knows what I need...
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YOCAMA Mission Service Trip - Greek Orthodox... →
“This year the Metropolis of Boston will be participating in the annual mission trip to New Mexico through the YOCAMA organization.”
“Our ministry will take us to New Mexico where we will have the opportunity to spend our time together focusing on helping to improve the lives and to serve the Navajo Indians.”
Mission
We will be serving the people on the Navajo Indian...
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On hatred
If we detect any trace of hatred in our hearts against any man whatsoever for committing any fault, we are utterly estranged from love for God, since love for God absolutely precludes us from hating any man.
- St. Maximus the Confessor
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Get up again!
A young monk said to Abba Sisoes: “Abba, what should I do? I fell.” The elder answered: “Get up!” The monk said: “I got up and I fell again!” The elder replied: “Get up again!” But the young monk asked: “For how long should I get up when I fall?” “Until your death,” answered Abba Sisoes. “For a man heads to his judgment either fallen or getting back up again.”
- Taken from “Confession: Dooway...
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Anonymous asked: Hello, I've been Orthodox for about 10 years. I was baptized Greek Orthodox, though I'm not Greek. One thing that's been hard about going to an Orthodox Church is that if you're not Greek, or Russian, etc. parishioners remind you that you're an outsider-- an xeno. Not with words, but with actions. So I am still Orthodox, I love the faith, but I don't attend Church...
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Anonymous asked: Could I ask for Your prayers? I am becoming orthodox quite soo and I suffer a lot from fear for my girlfriend, all my relatives and friends who are non-orthodox non-active churchgoing lutherans. I ask for Your prayers that God would show me in His mercy the way to repentance. Thank You for the blog(s)!
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Everything is possible to Thee!
Often during the day I have been a great sinner, and at night, after prayer, I have gone to rest, justified and whiter than snow by the grace of the Holy Spirit, with the deepest peace and joy in my heart! How easy it will be for the Lord to save us too in the evening of our life, at the decline of our days! O save, save, save me, most gracious Lord; receive me in Thy heavenly Kingdom!...
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Prayer is grace
Prayer is grace. God gives it when there exists zeal and humility… Let Christ not be missing from your heart.
- Elder Amphilochios of Patmos
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