June 2012
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A rule for reading
Here is a rule for reading. Before reading you should empty your soul of everything. Arouse the desire to know about what is being read. Turn prayerfully to God. Follow what you are reading with attention and place everything in your heart. If something did not reach the heart, stay with it until it reaches. You should of course read quite slowly.
Stop reading when the soul no longer wants to...
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Watch Your Heart
Snow can never emit flame. Water can never issue fire. A thorn bush can never produce a fig. Just so, your heart can never be free from oppressive thoughts, words or actions until it has purified itself internally. Be eager, therefore, to walk this path. Watch your heart at all times; constantly say the prayer, ‘Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy upon me’. Be humble, and set your soul in quietude.
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Be always prepared
Strive to be always prepared for death, for death is near to both the elderly and young, to monks and laymen equally, and often it comes suddenly and unexpectedly. Let everyone consider what will happen with his soul.
- St. Barsanuphius of Optina
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A Time for Silence
When the soul’s incensive power is aroused against the passions, we should know that it is time for silence, as the hour of battle is at hand. But when this turbulence grows calm, whether through prayer or through acts of mercy, we may then be moved by a desire to proclaim God’s mysteries, restraining the wings of our intellect with the cords of humility. For unless a man sets himself at utterly...
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Praying for the Faithful Departed
In God and in His Church there is no distinction between the living and the departed, but all are one in the love of the Father. Whether we are alive or whether we are dead, as a member of the Church we still belong to the same family, and still have a duty to bear one another’s burdens. Therefore just as Orthodox Christians here on earth pray for one another and ask one another’s prayers, so...
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An example of Humility
Once, monks who had heard of his discernment came to St Agathon to see if they could make him lose his temper.
They asked him, “Are you Abba Agathon, a fornicator and a proud man?”
“Yes, that is true,” the monk replied.
“Are you the Agathon who is always talking nonsense?” the monks inquired.
“I am,” the Saint agreed.
“Are you Agathon the heretic?” the monks persisted.
St. Agathon said,...
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Become a Hearer
If sometime, then, in a serene night, you gaze up at the ineffable beauty of the stars, you can form an idea of the creator of the universe, who has embroidered the sky with these flowers, and how in what you see neccessity takes form of the delightful: again, during the day, if you consider the wonders of the day with sober thought, and from what you see form an idea of what is invisible, you...
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The sign of sincere love
The sign of sincere love is to forgive wrongs done to us. It was with such love that the Lord loved the world.
- Saint Kosmas Aitolos
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Podcasts on the Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul
Deliver Your Pizza and Go Home
Fr. Richard reminds us that the most significant thing that we can say about saints Peter and Paul is that they were apostles.
Keys to the Kingdom - St. Peter
Fr. Thomas discusses “the rock” upon whom Christ built His Church and St. Peter’s role in that early Church.
A Chosen Instrument of Mine - St. Paul
Fr. Thomas shows how, despite his...
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They that seek the Lord
Rich men have turned poor and gone hungry, but they that seek the Lord shall not be deprived of any good thing.
- Psalm 33
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If children live spiritually
Parents must use discernment to help their children draw near to Christ from their early years, and from their childhood to live the joy on high—spiritual joy. When they start school they should learn, little by little, to read spiritual books to help themselves live spiritually. In this way they will become little angels, and their prayers will have greater boldness before God. Such children...
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Best secrets
When asked, “What is the greatest virtue?”, Father Euthymius of Suzdal would reply, “That which is carried out in secret.”
- Saint Euthymius, monk of Suzdal
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Thoughts on fasting
Fasting is not optional. Neither are repentance, prayer, almsgiving, preparation, asceticism, ministering to the least among us, wisely managing our time and talents and treasures, struggling to overcome our passions, and so on. They’re all related, interconnected, essential. So fast we must—to the extent that we can—without comparing ourselves to others. Still less should we engage in endless...
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Simplicity
Endeavor to attain the simplicity of a child in your relation to people and in prayer to God. Simplicity is the greatest good and dignity of a person. God is completely simple, because He is perfectly spiritual and completely good. And let not your soul be divided into good and evil.
- Saint John of Kronstadt
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Nothing is hidden from You
Lord, You know my many errors, You know my sores and You behold my wounds; but You also know my faith, You behold my will and You hear my sighs. Nothing is hidden from You oh Lord, my God, my creator and deliverer, not a teardrop nor even part of a drop.
- Saint Symeon the New Theologian
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God's love
At all times God caresses the hearts of all the people with His love, but we are not aware of it because our hearts have gathered a crust. When man has cleansed his heart, he is deeply moved and madly excited, because he can then see the benefactions, the blessings of God, Who loves all people in the same way.
- Elder Paisios of Mount Athos
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Struggle against lust
A certain monk had a struggle against defiled lusts. He got up and night and went to the elder and confessed to him the thoughts that were drawing him to defilement. The elder calmed him and the brother, have benefited, returned to his cell. But the struggle rose up against him again, and again he went to the elder. He did this a few times. The elder did not grieve him, but said,...
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For the sake of Christ
Love hunger and thirst for the sake of Christ. Insofar as you pacify your body, so much much will you do make your soul virtuous. God, who rewards thoughts, words, and deeds, will give good in return for even a small thing which you gladly suffer for His sake.
- St. Gennadius of Constantinople
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If there is no love in you
If you find that there is no love in you, but you want to have it, then do deeds of love, even though you do them without love in the beginning. The Lord will see you desire and striving and will put love in your heart.
- St. Ambrose of Optina
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If you want the Lord to hide your sins...
If you want the Lord to hide your sins, then don’t talk to people about what kind of virtues you have. For as we relate to our virtues, so God relates to our sins.
- St. Mark the Ascetic
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Do not despair
Do not say: “I have sinned much, and therefore I am not bold enough to fall down before God.” Do not despair. Simply do not increase your sins in despair and, with the help of the All-merciful One, you will not be put to shame. For He said, “he who comes to Me I will not cast out.” (John. 6:37) And so, be bold and believe that He is pure and cleanses those who draw near...
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A messenger from God
We must receive the one who curses us as a messenger from God, rebuking our hidden evil thoughts, so that we, seeing our thoughts with exactness, might correct ourselves. For we do not know how many hidden evils we have; Only a perfect man can understand all of his own shortcomings.
- St. Mark the Ascetic, Homilies
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Tomorrow we commemorate St. Peter and St. Paul!
I have to say that I always used to have a special devotion to these to Saints, as well as all the Orthodox Christians, but especially I love Saint Paul because he’s the founder of the Church in Greece.
All the Churches here in Greece are getting ready for the great feast! The bells are ringing all day long..! Every Orthodox Church in every corner of the world has many special services to...
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If this mystery were revealed...
The Saints are like the Lord, but so are all people who keep the commandments of Christ; but those who live according to their own passions and do not repent are like the devil. I think that if this mystery were revealed to the world, then they would stop serving the devil, and every one would strive to serve the Lord with all his strength, and to be like Him.
- Saint Silouan the Athonite
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What God wants
Do not be always wanting everything to turn out as you think it should, but rather as God pleases; then you will be undisturbed and thankful in your prayer.
- Abba Nilus
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On Holy Communion
When a man partakes of Holy Communion he receives power and is enlightened, his horizons widen, and he feels joy. Each person experiences something different, analogous to his disposition and the flame of his soul. One person feels joy and rest, another peace, another a spirit of devotion and another an inexpressible sympathy towards all things. Personally I have often felt tire, but after Holy...
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A body subdued by fasting
The reason that fasting has an effect on the spirits of evil rests in its powerful effect on our own spirit. A body subdued by fasting brings the human spirit freedom, strength, sobriety, purity, and keen discernment.
- Holy Hierarch Ignaty Brianchaninov
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The fear of God
Always have the fear of God before your eyes. Remember Him who gives death and lives. Hate the world and all that is in it. Hate the peace that comes from the flesh. Renounce this life, so that you may be alive to God.
- St. Anthony the Great
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Fasts do not shorten a man's life!
Fasts do not shorten a man’s life. Venerable Symeon the Stylite lived for 103 years, Saint Cyril the Anchorite lived 108 years, Saint Alypius the Stylite 118, Venerable John the Silent 104 years, Anthony and Theodosius the Great for 105 years, Venerable Paul of Thebes 113, Paul of Komel 112, Venerable Macarius of Alexandria 100, Venerable Sergius of Radonezh 78, Venerable...
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On the traps of the demons
Do not desire to see with your bodily eyes the angels or powers or Christ, in case you might lose your mind completely and thus accept a wolf instead of a shepherd and worship the demon enemies. Guard yourself from the traps of the demons. For it happens that as you pray in peace and quiet, they may suddenly present you with a strange form, in order to lead you to pride, as you might suppose...
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Without sorrows there is no salvation
Without sorrows there is no salvation. On the other hand, the Kingdom of God awaits those who have patiently endured. And all the glory of the world is nothing in comparison.
- Saint Seraphim of Sarov
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A man may seem to be silent...
A man may seem to be silent, but if his heart is condemning others, he is babbling ceaselessly. But there may be another who talks from morning till night and yet he is truly silent, that is, he says nothing that is not profitable.
- Abba Pimen
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He's everything to you...
Firmly believe that the Lord is at all times everything to you. During prayer He is the power and the fulfillment in the Holy Spirit of each of your words. During pious conversation He is your living water, the ardent flow of your words at all times ? He is everything to you. Be free from care in the presence of your Lord. He has enclosed you with Himself upon all sides. He penetrates you...
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Anonymous asked: How does the Orthodox church view eating disorders and self-harm?
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My ask box is always open!
Dear friends,
I currently follow more than 1.700 blogs (simply because there are so many awesome people on tumblr!) so I apologize because I can’t visit all the blogs on a daily basis. Also, I am sorry if I don’t reply always in your messages, because I receive more than twenty every day, and some questions are very complicated for me.
However, my ask box is always open if anyone...
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Fight always with your thoughts
Fight always with your thoughts and call them back when they wander away. God does not demand of those under obedience that their thoughts be totally undistracted when they pray. And do not lose heart when your thoughts are stolen away. Just remain calm, and constantly call your mind back.
- St. John Climacus
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Why I'm an Orthodox Christian, Or: How I can prove... →
jamesfromta:
This is a really good and informative article at Pious Fabrications (run by David Withun) on why he became Orthodox; the Orthodox Church is the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church.
“I’m naturally a very skeptical person; I question everything — there’s hardly a thing I read or hear that I don’t source-check — and then source-check the sources. My incredulous nature has...
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When God erases sins...
When God erases sins, He does not even leave a scar, not even allowing a mark to remain, for together with the healing He grants also beauty.
- St. John Chrysostom
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