He who loves…
Upon him who labors God sheds mercy; but he who loves acquires consolation.
- Elder Ambrose of Optina
We have very little faith in the Lord
We have very little faith in the Lord, very little trust. If we trusted the Lord as much as we trust a friend when we ask him to do something for us, neither we as individuals nor our whole country would suffer so much.
- Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnica, “Our Thoughts Determine Our Lives: The Life and Teachings of Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnica”
When a man finally rejects God…
God and the devil are found at opposite poles. No one can turn his face to God who has not first turned his back on sin. When a man turns his face to God, all of his paths lead to God. When a man turns his face away from God, all of his paths lead to perdition. When a man finally rejects God by word and in his heart, he is no longer fit to do anything that does not serve for his complete destruction, both of his soul and of his body.
- St. Nicholas of Serbia, Thoughts on Good and Evil
When the mind and heart are united in prayer…
When the mind and heart are united in prayer and the soul’s thoughts are not dispersed, the heart is warmed by spiritual warmth in which the light of Christ shines, making the whole inner man peaceful and joyous.
- St. Seraphim of Sarov
Ramblings of an average human.: Pascha is coming.
jamesfromtaThis isn’t just because I’m Orthodox, but truly there is nothing else like the way we celebrate Pascha. Nothing compares.
The service begins at midnight with the Church in darkness before being lit up. Everyone standing, singing boldly and holding candles. Literally everyone is full of joy, brimming with happiness even until 3am when the Liturgy finishes. Then we start the feast, and by feast I mean literally feast. We gather as a community and basically stay up until 5am-6am.
It’s just amazing and I haven’t even mentioned God sending us the Holy Fire on Holy Saturday within the Tomb of the Holy Sepulchre.
Pascha is my favourite feast. It’s the victory against death and it’s awesome.
On the Fifth Sunday of Lent the Orthodox Church commemorates our Righteous Mother Mary of Egypt. The feast day of Saint Mary of Egypt is April 1, however, she is also commemorated on this Sunday due to her recognition by the Church as a model of repentance.
The feast day of Saint Mary of Egypt is April 1, the day of her repose, however the Orthodox Church also commemorates the Saint on the Fifth Sunday of Lent. As a Sunday of Great Lent, the commemoration is celebrated with the Divine Liturgy of Saint Basil the Great, which is preceded by a Matins (Orthros) service. A Great Vespers is conducted on Saturday evening.
Scripture readings for the Fifth Sunday of Lent are the following: At the Orthros (Matins): The prescribed weekly Gospel reading. At the Divine Liturgy: Hebrews 9:11-14; Mark 10:32-45.
Saint Mary of Egypt is also commemorated on the Thursday before the Fifth Sunday of Lent, when her life is read during the Great Canon of Saint Andrew of Crete. A canon in her honor is read at the end of each Ode. In parish churches the service and the canon is most often conducted on Wednesday evening.
Blessed Feast of Saint Mary of Egypt! May she intercedes for all of us, as we are coming closer to the Holy Week!
Having been a sinful woman,
You became through repentance a Bride of Christ.
Having attained angelic life,
You defeated the demons with the weapon of the Cross;
Therefore, O most glorious Mary you are a Bride of the Kingdom.
Turn your heart to the one God
If we want, Christian, to have our heart filled with divine love we must first empty them of the love of this world, its frivilous and sinful customs and then turn our hearts to the one God, our only good and happiness and eternal beatitude.
- Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk
Where there is no Orthodoxy…
There is no Orthodoxy in human teachings and philosophies; false reason reigns in themthe fruit of the fall. Orthodoxy is the teaching of the Holy Spirit given by God to man for his salvation. Where there is no Orthodoxy, there is no salvation.
- St. Ignatius Brianchaninov
This is Salvation
Holy Relics are the earthly remains of those who have been taught by none other than Christ Himself to love their enemies even unto death, the death of the Cross, which is His glory, and which by grace becomes their glory too. Love for enemies is not a moral injunction, it is the fundamental criterion for the Christian way of life. This is Salvation.
- St. Silouan the Athonite
The men who wrong us…
The men who wrong us, do not so by themselves, but by the extent of the allowance of God, because they are an instrument of God.
- St. Macarius of Optina
A message from Anonymous
Hello, I'm a greek Orthodox girl, living in Australia and my boyfriend is Roman Catholic. We've recently been discussing marriage/children and reached a gridlock when it comes to deciding which religion to baptise children. I'm not sure if I'm in a position to compromise and I don't think he is either, if you have any advice it would be great.
Hello my dear friend,
This is definatelly something you have to discuss with your spiritual father, he’s the one that can tell you how to handle this. So, ask his guidance before taking any decisions about this issue, as, under no circumstances the Orthodox faith of the children cannot be compromised, even if it is for the sake of the love for your future husband.
I hope this helps! I haven’t been in a situation like this, but if I was you, the first thing I’d do it would be to ask my spiritual father.
God bless you, blessed remain of the Lent!
———————————
slavicpride said: Its difficult problem, but you must know that Orthodox faith is one and only!That is all i can say to you.
Hail, full of grace…
Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you! Grant me and us, unworthy, the dew of Thy grace and reveal thy tender mercies.
- Akathist excerpt to Our Lady of the Sporitelnitsa Bread in Optina Monastery
