The Science of Salvation

Fasting and Moderation

2012-03-01T06:18:00.000-08:00

We must then so moderate our rightful use of food that our other desires may be subject to the same rule. For this is also a time for gentleness and patience, a time of peace and serenity, in which having put away all stains of evil doing we strive after steadfastness in what is good. Now is the time when generous Christian souls forgive offenses, pay no heed to insults, and wipe out the memory of past injuries. Now let the Christian soul exercise itself in the armor of justice, on the right hand and on the left, so that amid honor and dishonor, evil report and good, the praise of men will not make proud the virtue that is well rooted, the conscience that has peace, nor dishonor cast it down. The moderation of those who worship God is not melancholy, but blameless.

St. Leo the Great

"Lent the Season of Purification"

Fasting and Self-Control

2012-03-01T06:17:00.000-08:00

Sensual pleasure causes ungodliness as well as sin, but fasting and self-control result in the fear of God as well as virtue. Fasting must be accompanied by self-control. Why? Because eating our fill, even of humble foods, is a hindrance to the purifying mourning, godly sorrow and contrition in our souls, which bring about unswerving repentance leading to salvation. For without a contrite heart we cannot really lay hold of repentance. It is the restriction of self-indulgence, sleep and the senses according to God's will that crushes our hearts and makes us mourn for our sins.

St. Gregory Palamas

"Homily Five: To Encourage Fasting"

Prayer and Fasting

2012-03-01T06:16:00.000-08:00

When the Lord had fasted for forty days in the wilderness, He at last became hungry, showing His human nature. Do not be despondent my soul, if the enemy attacks you, but let him be beaten off by prayer and fasting.

St. Andrew of Crete

"The Great Canon" (Song 9)

Care For The Soul

2012-03-01T06:15:00.000-08:00

Man, as far as his body is concerned, is like a lighted candle. A candle must be consumed; thus also the body must die. But the soul is immortal, and so our care also must be more for the soul than for the body: For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? (Mk. 8:36).

St. Seraphim of Sarov

"Care for the Soul"

(Little Russian Philokalia)

Fasting

2012-03-01T06:13:00.002-08:00

...Fasting was of no benefit to that Pharisee in the Gospel, even though he always fasted two days a week, because he adulterated it with pride and condemnation of his neighbour (Luke 18:11-12). Not that this means fasting is unprofitable. Moses, Elijah, and the Lord Himself showed how beneficial it is for those who fast properly in a way pleasing to God.

St. Gregory Palamas

"Homily Six: To Encourage Fasting"

Hand of God

2012-03-01T06:12:00.002-08:00

Ponder how you were molded. Consider the workshop of nature. The hand that received you is God's. May what is molded by God not be defiled by evil, not be altered by sin; may you not fall from the hand of God. You are a vessel divinely molded, having come into being from God. Glorify your Creator. For you came to be for the sake of no other thing except that you be an instrument fit for the glory of God. And for you this whole world is as it were a book that proclaims the glory of God, announcing through itself the hidden and invisible greatness of God to you who have a mind for the apprehension of truth.

St. Basil the Great

"On the Origin of Humanity"

Salvation

2012-03-01T06:11:00.000-08:00

God's actions are not like those of us men. With all patience, He gradually works out the salvation of all those who want to be saved.

Elder Joseph the Hesychast

"Monastic Wisdom" (Thirty-first Letter)

Shelter

2012-03-01T06:10:00.000-08:00

Those upon whom the light of faith has dawned are no longer so audacious as to pray for themselves; nor do they entreat God, saying, 'Give this to us,' or 'Take that from us'; nor do they in any wise take care for themselves. For at every moment, with the noetic eyes of faith, they see the fatherly providence which comes of the true Father to shelter them: He Who in His great and immeasurable love surpasses all paternal affection and Who, more than all, has the power and might to help us exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask, or think, or conceive.

St. Isaac the Syrian

"Ascetical Homilies" (Homily Fifty-Two)

Distortion in Darkness

2012-03-01T06:06:00.000-08:00

...When night comes and all is dark, one often sees a rope, but thinks it is a snake; one flees an approaching friend thinking he's an enemy; one is greatly frightened at any noise. None of this happens during the day, as everything is just as it appears. So it is with our soul. When divine grace comes, it drives away our darkness, and we recognize things for what they are, contemptuous of our former fears. We no longer fear death, for we have learned in these holy rites of initiation that death is not death, but a sleep and temporary rest. We do not fear poverty, or sickness, or any such thing because we know we are on our way to a better life, pure and incorruptible, and free from all such contingencies.

St. John Chrysostom

"How Darkness Distorts Reality"

(Daily Readings from the Writings of

St. John Chrysostom)

Finding Strength

2012-03-01T06:05:00.000-08:00

We are weak indeed, but we must nevertheless follow, according to the measure of our strength, the example of the blessed and venerable fathers, even though we are unable to become their equals.

St. Nilus of Sora

"A Treasury of Russian Spirituality"

To Truly Be One

2012-03-01T06:03:00.000-08:00

When He brought us to new birth through Himself, He did not separate us from Himself, for He was borne according to the Spirit and not according to the flesh. And just as in His divine nature He was begotten of the Father before all ages, and continues undivided from His Father and His Spirit, so too does He will that we who have been brought to birth by grace in the last ages should be inseparable both from one another and from Himself. The Lord gave proof of this by saying of His disciples to the Father, "Grant that they all may be one; as I, Father, am in Thee, and thou in me, that they also may truly be one" (cf. John 17:21).

St. Gregory Palamas

"Homily Fifty-Four: On the Last Judgment"

Love One's Neighbor

2012-03-01T05:53:00.000-08:00

With one's neighbor one should behave kindly, giving not even the appearance of offending. When we turn away from a man or offend him, it is as though a stone were laid on the heart.

The spirit of a disturbed or despondent man one must strive to encourage by a word of love.

If a brother has sinned, cover him, as St. Isaac the Syrian advises (Homily 89): Stretch out your garment upon the one who has sinned and cover him.

St. Seraphim of Sarov

"Little Russian Philokalia"

Forgiveness

2012-03-01T05:51:00.000-08:00

God has commanded us to put an end to our quarrels and strife and to forgive insults not because He needs these things, but because they are beneficial to us. Whoever forgives his neighbor's sins will himself receive pardon from God according to the promise of the Saviour, and how many sins we have before God!

Archimandrite Seraphim Aleksiev

"Strife and Reconciliation"

Undoubting

2012-03-01T05:45:00.000-08:00

Undoubting faith, undoubting hope, undoubting love. Implant these words in your heart, and show them in your life.

St. John of Kronstadt

"My Life in Christ"

Direct Your Spirit Towards God

2012-03-01T05:38:00.000-08:00

I wish that all of you who celebrate the Meeting of the Lord be vouchsafed this blessing. If anyone complains that he would like the fruit but the labor it takes to get it is too hard, the answer is: Good. There is an easier method, a method simpler than the one laid out. Here it is! Repent; then, with zeal for keeping all of God's commandments, walk unfailingly in the Lord's presence, striving for Him with all your mind's attention, all your heart's feelings, and all your will's desires. If you thus dispose yourself, you will soon meet the Lord. He will come down to you and abide in you, as in the embrace of Righteous Simeon. There is no other way to lighten the labor needed to seek a meeting with the Lord. The Jesus Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, is powerful and strong to help in this work. Again, however, not by itself; but under the condition that all the strength of our spirit be directed toward the Lord! Be sober, be vigilant (1 Pet. 5:8). Seek those things which are above … and your life is hid with Christ in God (Col. 3:1, 3). Then, having become one in spirit with the Lord (cf. 1 Cor. 6:17), you will behold and embrace the Lord, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you (Jn 16:22), neither in this age, nor in the age to come.

St. Theophan the Recluse

"Homily on the Meeting of the Lord"

Repentance and Humility

2012-03-01T05:37:00.000-08:00

Repentance raises the fallen, mourning knocks at the gate of Heaven, and holy humility opens it...

St. John Climacus

"The Ladder of Divine Ascent" (Step 25)

Nearer to God

2012-03-01T05:35:00.002-08:00

The greatest and most perfect thing a man may desire to attain is to come near to God and dwell in union with Him.

"Unseen Warfare"

(by Lorenzo Scupoli, edited by Nicodemus of the Holy Mountain

and revised by Theophan the Recluse)

Pleasures and Separation

2012-03-01T05:34:00.002-08:00

Blessed is the man who makes himself deaf to every pleasure that separates him from his Creator...

St. Isaac the Syrian

"Ascetical Homilies" (Homily Fifteen)

Grace for the Lowly

2012-03-01T05:33:00.002-08:00

Why does humility lead up to the heights of righteousness, whereas self-conceit leads down to the depths of sin? Because anybody who thinks he is something great, even before God, is rightly abandoned by God, as one who thinks that he does not need His help. Anybody who despises himself, on the other hand, and relies on mercy from above, wins God's sympathy, help and grace. As it says, "The Lord resisteth the proud: but he giveth grace unto the lowly" (Prov. 3:34 Lxx).

St. Gregory Palamas

"Homily Two: On the Parable of the Publican and the Pharisee"

The Riches We All Share

2012-03-01T05:27:00.000-08:00

...As long as we are faithful to the ways of salvation, our mind is at one with itself and with God, the first and the highest Mind. Whenever we open the door to the passions, immediately it is dispersed, wandering continually among fleshly and earthly things, all kinds of pleasures and passionate thoughts about them. The wealth of the mind is prudence, which stays with it, discerning between what is better and what is worse, for as long as the mind itself stays obedient to the commandments and counsels of the heavenly Father. Once the mind rebels, prudence is dispersed in fornication and foolishness, shared between both evils.

You will see the same happening with all our virtues and faculties, which are truly our wealth. Evil is always near at hand, and if they turn aside to it they are dispersed. Our mind itself stretches out in longing towards the one God Who Is, the only Good, the only Desired, the only Bestower of pleasure unmixed with pain. But once the mind has been enfeebled, the soul's ability for real love falls away from what is truly desired, and, scattered among various longings for sensual pleasures, is dispersed, pulled this way or that by desires for superfluous foods, dishonorable bodies, useless objects, and empty, inglorious glory. So the wretched man is cut to pieces and tortured by the cares these things bring, and cannot even enjoy breathing the air or seeing the sun, the riches we all share.

St. Gregory Palamas

"Homily Three: On the Lord's Parable Of the Prodigal

who was Saved"

Sufferings and Humility

2012-03-01T05:25:00.000-08:00

The truly humble man never ceases to reproach himself, even when the whole world attacks and insults him. He acts in this way, not simply in order to attain salvation as it were passively by enduring with patience whatever befalls him, but in order to press forward actively and deliberately to embrace the sufferings of Christ. From these sufferings he learns the greatest of all virtues, humility: the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit, the gateway to the kingdom of heaven, that is to say, to dispassion. He who passes through this gateway comes to God; but without humility his road is full of pain and his effort useless. Humility bestows complete repose upon whoever possesses it in his heart, because he has Christ dwelling within him. Through it grace remains with him and God's gifts are preserved.

St. Peter of Damascus

"A Treasury of Divine Knowledge"

(The Philokalia)

Christianity

2012-03-01T05:24:00.000-08:00

One cannot say that Christianity is a religion. Christianity is a revelation of eternity and life. The angels rejoice greatly because God has revealed Himself to His creature, man. Our human nature has become part of the mystery of the Holy Trinity, and that is a great gift which we do not even appreciate; instead, we have cleaved to the things of this world. We have been given the opportunity to prepare ourselves for eternity, to vanquish evil, and to always be with our Heavenly Father.

Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnica

"Our Thoughts Determine Our Lives"

Enduring the Temptations

2012-03-01T05:20:00.000-08:00

There is nothing else that can help appease anger and all the passions as much as love for God and for every fellow man. It is with love rather than with other struggles that you can win easily. In addition, when love reigns in your nous you feel no pain while struggling. For this reason, "love never faileth" (1 Cor. 13:8), as long as you constantly steer the soul's rudder towards it. And no matter what happens, you shout your maxim: "For the sake of Thy love, Jesus, my sweet love, I will endure curses, disgraces, injustices, toils, and all afflictions that I might encounter!" And at once, while you are pondering these words, the burden of pain is lightened, and the demons' bitterness ceases.

Let me tell you a true story. Once, because of my continual and frightful temptations, I was overcome with sadness and faintheartedness, and I presented my case to God as if I had been treated unjustly. I was complaining because He kept allowing so many temptations to befall me without curbing them even a little, that I couldn't even catch my breath. In this time of bitterness, I heard a very sweet and clear voice within me say with extreme compassion, "Will you not endure everything for My love?" As soon as I heard that voice, I broke out with many tears and repented for being overcome with faintheartedness. I shall never forget that voice, which was so sweet that the temptation and all my faintheartedness immediately disappeared.

"Will you not endure everything for my love?"

"O truly sweet Love! For Thy love, we are crucified and endure everything!"

Elder Joseph the Hesychast

"Monastic Wisdom: Eighth Letter"

Finding a Restful Mind

2012-03-01T05:13:00.000-08:00

A man who has dedicated himself once and for all to God goes through life with a restful mind. Without non-possessiveness the soul cannot be freed from the turmoil of thoughts; and without stillness of the senses she will not perceive peace of mind. Without entering into temptations, no man will ever gain the wisdom of the Spirit; and without assiduous reading, he will know no refinement of thoughts. Without tranquility of thoughts, the mind will not be moved in hidden mysteries; and without the confidence that comes through faith, the soul cannot dare to withstand temptations with boldness. Moreover, without actual experience of God's protection, the heart cannot hope in Him; and if the soul does not taste Christ's sufferings consciously, she will never have communion with Him.

St. Isaac the Syrian

"Ascetical Homilies" (Homily Five)

Being Thankful

2012-03-01T05:09:00.000-08:00

We should give thanks to God for the good things He gives us, and not bear it with bad grace that He measures His giving. Should He grant us to be in union with Him: this we shall receive as a most perfect and joyful gift; should He delay this, let us suffer the loss in patience. For He disposes of our lives more perfectly than we could order them.

The halcyon is a sea bird which nests by the shore, laying its eggs in the sand, and bringing forth its young in the middle of the winter; when the sea beats against the land in violent and frequent storms. But during the seven days while the halcyon broods: for it takes seven days to hatch its young: all winds sink to rest, and the sea grows calm. And as it then is in need of food for its young ones, the most bountiful God grants this little creature another seven days of calm: that it may feed its young. Since all sailors know of this, they give this time the name of the halcyon days.

These things are ordered by the Providence of God for the creatures that are without reason, that you may be led to seek of God the things you need for your salvation. And when for this small bird He holds back the great and fearful sea, and bids it be calm in the winter, what will He not do for you made in His own image? And if He should so tenderly cherish the halcyon, how much more will He not give you, when you call upon Him with all your heart?

St. Basil the Great

"On Prayer"

Against Sin

2012-03-01T05:06:00.000-08:00

How many times have I set boundariers for myself and built walls between myself and sin! But my thoughts trangressed the boundaries and my will tore down the walls, for the boundaries were not secured by the fear of God, and the walls were not founded on sincere repentance.

St. Ephraim the Syrian

"A Spiritual Psalter"

Sacraments

2012-02-04T05:14:00.000-08:00

Having a soul and body like ours, which He assumed from us for our sake, by means of this body He underwent the passion, death and burial for us, and showed forth the resurrection from the tomb that this same body might become immortal. He taught us to accomplish the bloodless sacrifice in remembrance of these events, that through it we might reap salvation. With His soul He went down to Hades and returned, making us all partakers in eternal light and life, and in token of this He handed on to us the practice of Holy Baptism, that through it we might harvest salvation; and indeed that through each of these two mysteries and through both elements, soul and body, we might be initiated into and receive the seeds of incorruptible life. For our whole salvation depends on these two sacraments, as the entire dispensation whereby God became man is summed up in them.

St. Gregory Palamas

Homily Sixty: "On the Feast of Theophany"

On Pleasing God Not Men

2012-02-04T05:13:00.000-08:00

When I was driven from the city, I felt no anxiety, but said to myself: If the empress wishes to banish me, let her do so; the earth is the Lord's. If she wants to have me sawn in sunder, I have Isaiah for an example. If she wants me to be drowned in the ocean, I think of Jonah. If I am to be thrown into the fire, the three men in the furnace suffered the same. If cast before wild beasts, I remember Daniel in the Lion's den. If she wants me stoned, I have before me Stephen, the first martyr. If she demands my head, let her do so; John the Baptist shines before me. Naked I came from my mother's womb, naked shall I leave this world. Paul reminds me, "If I still pleased men, I would not be the servant of Christ."

St. John Chrysostom

"On Pleasing God not Men"

Doing Good and the Spirit of Love

2012-02-04T05:11:00.000-08:00

Not to envy, not to be angry, not to bear malice against one who offends does not yet mean to have love for him; for even without love a man can refrain from returning evil for evil, according to the commandment. But it is not so easy to return good for evil without forcing oneself, for spontaneously to do good to those that hate you belongs to perfect spiritual love alone.

St. Maximus the Confessor

"Second Century on Love"

(Early Fathers from the Philokalia)

The Narrow Way

2012-02-04T05:10:00.000-08:00

Why is it that only the narrow way and narrow gate lead to life? Who makes the way of the chosen narrow? The world oppresses the chosen, the flesh oppresses them, the devil oppresses them; it is these that make our way to the kingdom of heaven narrow.

St. John of Kronstadt

"My Life in Christ"

A Peaceful Heart

2012-02-04T05:06:00.000-08:00

St. Basil the Great says: One cannot approach the knowledge of the truth with a disturbed heart. Therefore we must try to avoid everything that disturbs our heart, that causes forgetfulness, excitement or passion, or that awakens unrest. We must free ourselves as much as possible from all fuss and flutter and ado over vain things. Yes, when we serve the Lord we shall not be troubled about many things, but always keep in mind that one thing needful (Luke 10:41).

Tito Colliander

"Way of the Ascetics"

Humility

2012-02-04T05:03:00.000-08:00

...The humble never fails. Whence indeed could he fall, being lower than all? A proud mind is a great humiliation; a humble mind is a great exaltation and honor and dignity. Let us therefore force and compel ourselves to humility, though our heart may dislike it, and to meekness, and to charity, praying and beseeching God in faith, hope, and charity incessantly with such an expectancy and aim, that He would send His Spirit into our hearts.

St. Macarius the Great

"Spiritual Homilies" (Homily 19)

The Saints

2012-02-04T05:02:00.000-08:00

In the Kingdom of Heaven the holy Saints look upon the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ; but through the Holy Spirit they see too the sufferings of men on earth. The Lord gave them such great grace that they embrace the whole world with their love. They see and know how we languish in affliction, how our hearts have withered within us, how despondency has fettered our souls, and they never cease to intercede for us with God.

Staretz Silouan

"Wisdom from Mount Athos"

His Righteousness

2012-02-04T05:00:00.000-08:00

I come to take upon Myself all the iniquities and impurities of humanity, without being defiled by them, in order to make payment for them, thereby satisfying the justice of My Father in heaven, and to offer Myself as a redemptive Sacrifice, in order to immerse them all in the waters of the Jordan.

I, of Myself, as the sinless God-man, desire to wash away all human iniquities and to give to My Church a cleansing bath of eternal life in baptism by water and the Spirit; I Myself, having fulfilled all righteousness, desire to teach people Divine righteousness, giving them the power and the grace to fulfill it. That is the significance of the Lord's words to John: "Let it be, for now, for thus doth it behoove us to fulfill all righteousness".

St. John of Kronstadt

Theophany

2012-02-04T04:58:00.000-08:00

St. Gregory Palamas

Homily Sixty: "On the Feast of Theophany"

Humility

2012-01-29T13:09:00.000-08:00

God dwells in the humble, but departs from the proud.

Abbot Nazarius of Valaam

"Indications of the Most Essential

Dispositions and Virtues"

(Little Russian Philokalia)

The Spiritual Path

2012-01-16T18:25:00.001-08:00

To be on the spiritual path means seeking the Lord in your heart through fulfilling the commandments. For when you listen to John the Baptist crying in the wilderness, 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make His paths straight' (Matt 3:3), you must understand that he is referring to the commandments and their fulfillment both in the heart and in actions. It is impossible to 'make straight' the path of the commandments and to act rightly unless your heart too is straight and upright.

St. Gregory of Sinai

"On Commandments and Doctrine"

(The Philokalia)

Read the Holy Scriptures

2012-01-16T06:27:00.001-08:00

A humble and spiritually active man, when he reads the Holy Scriptures, will refer everything to himself and not to another.

St. Mark the Ascetic

Open Your Heart

2012-01-16T06:26:00.001-08:00

One should always endure any trial for the sake of God with gratitude. Our life is a single minute in comparison with eternity; and therefore, according to the Apostle, the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us (Rom. 8:18).

Bear it in silence when an enemy offends you, and open your heart to the Lord.

St. Seraphim of Sarov

"Little Russian Philokalia"

Sin and Repentance

2012-01-16T06:25:00.000-08:00

A man who falls into sin is different from the way he was meant to be. Man renounces himself when he becomes a different person through repentance. He leaves a corrupted man, which he had become through sin, and becomes such as he once was created, through mercy.

St. John Maximovitch of Chernigov

"The Royal Way of the Cross of Our Lord

Leading to Eternal Life"

Foundation of Prayer

2012-01-16T06:24:00.001-08:00

The foundation of prayer is the yearning of the image towards its prototype, as of like to like.

St. John of Kronstadt

"My Life in Christ"

"Lose Our Lives"

2012-01-16T06:23:00.000-08:00

The one who knows God will follow the Lord's footsteps, bearing the cross of the Saviour. It is said, "the world is crucified to him, and he to the world." (Gal. 6:14) The Lord says, "He who loses his life will save it." (Matt. 10:39) We can "lose our lives" in one of two ways. First, we can risk our lives, just as the Lord did for us. Secondly, we can separate our lives from the customary things of this world. Bearing the cross means to separate our souls from the delights and pleasures of this life. If you do this, you will find your life again - resting in the hope of what is to come. Dying to ourselves means being content with the necessities of life. When we want more than these necessities, it is easy to sin.

St. Clement of Alexandria

"The One Who Knows God"

The Soul and the Will of God

2012-01-16T06:21:00.000-08:00

You see, when the soul is humbled, when it submits to the will of God, the spirits of evil no longer have power over it, for it is protected by the Grace of the Holy Spirit and hidden by the Divine flame.

Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnica

"Our Thoughts Determine Our Lives"

Prayer and the Heart

2012-01-16T06:20:00.000-08:00

It is necessary to rouse the heart to pray, otherwise it will become dry.

St. John of Kronstadt

"My Life in Christ"

The Nativity

2012-01-16T06:19:00.000-08:00

However great the heaven of heavens may be, or the upper waters which form a roof over the celestial regions, or any heavenly place, state or order, they are no more marvelous or honorable than the cave, the manger, the water sprinkled on the infant and His swaddling clothes. For nothing done by God from the beginning of time was more beneficial to all and more divine than Christ's Nativity...

St. Gregory Palamas

"Homily 58: On the Saving Nativity of Christ"

Dream Big

2012-01-08T04:42:00.000-08:00

"When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it."

Melchizedek to Santiago, The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, 1988

The Pilgrim's Prayer

2012-01-08T04:20:00.000-08:00

"Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, Have mercy on me."

The Pilgrim
Way of a Pilgrim

Christ's Birth

2012-01-08T04:18:00.000-08:00

The Birth of Christ is the greatest gift of the goodness of God - the gift of God to man . . . Who is that Infant whom the Most Holy Virgin is holding in her most pure arms? asks St. John of Kronstadt, and he himself answers: It is God in person, the One Wno Is, Who brought to existence everything from non-existence, Who in His power sustains all creation and by His disposition builds the whole world. The Saviour of the world was born - assumed the nature of man and became similar to us in everything except sin, without ceasing to be God. Who can measure the depth of that inscrutable and dreadful mystery?

St. Philaret the New Confessor of New York

(Nativity Epistle)

Christ is Born! Glorify Him!

2012-01-08T04:16:00.001-08:00

"For the Life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us" (1 John, 1,2). This new life is our Lord Jesus Christ, Who is now born in Bethlehem, as He Himself said during the last days of His earthly life: "I am the way, and the truth, and the life" (John 14:6).

Metropolitan Anthony Khrapovitski

Nativity Sermon, 1906

Christ is Born! Glorify Him!

Son of God

2012-01-08T04:15:00.000-08:00

...For it was to Him no lowering to put on what He Himself had made. Let that handiwork be forever glorified, which became the cloak of its own Creator. For as in the first creation of flesh, man could not be made before the clay had come into His hand, so neither could this corruptible body be glorified, until it had first become the garment of its Maker.

St. John Chysostom

"Sermon on the Nativity"

Source of Salvation

2012-01-08T04:13:00.001-08:00

The very incarnation of the Son of God and His coming into the world encourages sinners to repentance. For whose sake did Christ come into the world? For the sake of sinners. To what end? For the sake of their salvation. O how dear to God was our salvation! He Himself came into the world, O sinners, for the sake of our salvation.

Listen, sinners, and understand! God Himself came into the world for the sake of our salvation, and He came in our image. O truly great is the mystery of piety! God appeared in the flesh...

St. Tikhon of Zadonsk

"Journey to Heaven"

For Sinners' Sake

2012-01-05T16:20:00.000-08:00

Listen, sinners, and understand! God Himself came into the world for the sake of our salvation, and He came in our image. O truly great is the mystery of piety! God appeared in the flesh...

St. Tikhon of Zadonsk

"Journey to Heaven"

Mary, Mother of God

2012-01-05T16:19:00.000-08:00

In the womb of Mary, God and man were joined. She was the One Who served as it were as the ladder for the Son of God, Who descended from heaven.

St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco

"The Orthodox Veneration of Mary The Birthgiver of God"

Beware of False Piety

2012-01-05T16:18:00.000-08:00

For as many as are of God and Jesus Christ, these are with the bishop. And as many as repent and enter the unity of the Church, they also shall belong to God, that they may be living according to Jesus Christ. Be not deceived, my brethren. If any one follow a man that causes schism, he does not inherit God's kingdom. (cf. 1 Cor. 6:9). If any man walks in strange opinions, he has no part in the passion.

St. Ignatius the God-bearer

"Epistle to the Philadelphians"

Poor in Spirit

2012-01-05T16:13:00.000-08:00

Spiritual poverty, or meekness, is the virtue of the greatest minds that the world ever had. It is a self-consciousness of one's nothingness before God's magnificence, of one's filthiness before the Creator's purity, of one's complete dependence on the Lord's infinite power.

King David said of himself, "I am a worm and not a man". And he was not of a slow wit. He was a genius of a great mind. His son, the most wise Solomon said, "Trust in the Lord with your whole heart, but in your own reason, do not trust". This is what it means to be poor in spirit - to turn oneself over completely to God, and not trust oneself.

Blessed is he who can honestly say, "My strength is nothing, my reason is weak, my will is wavering - Lord help me!"

Bishop Nikolai Velimirovic

"Missionary Letters"

(To a Student Who Asks, "Who are the Poor in Spirit?")

Temple of God

2012-01-05T16:11:00.000-08:00

I'm happy for you and for everyone whom the Lord is preserving. Thank Him that you have a place of tranquility of soul, a place for prayer, and, the main thing - a place for repentance, for the cleansing of your sins, and for salvation: this is God's holy temple. Strive and struggle, that all of you might be vouchsafed, in the words of the holy Apostle Paul, to be temples of the Most High God - for the Holy Spirit lives in you (cf. 1 Cor. 3:16).

New Hiero-Confessor Raphael of Optina

(from a letter to child Lyubov)

Pride before a Fall

2012-01-05T16:09:00.001-08:00

When a fall has overtaken us, there pride has already pitched its tent; because a fall is an indication of pride.

St. John Climacus

"The Ladder of Divine Ascent" (Step 23)

Practice Patience

2012-01-05T16:08:00.000-08:00

...And what shall I say of anger, of discord, of strife: things which should have no place in the Christian heart? Let there be patience in the breast, and these things will have no place there! And should they try to enter they will speedily be excluded, and will depart, so that God may continue to have a peaceful abode in the heart where it pleases Him to dwell.

St. Cyprian of Carthage

"On Patience"

Purification

2012-01-05T16:06:00.001-08:00

Peace is the beginning of the purification of the soul, the tongue freed from speaking of the things of men, the eyes no longer dwelling on the beauty of bodies and the elegance of our surroundings, the hearing not undoing the strength of the soul through listening to melodies that were composed for pleasure, nor through the talk of clever and frivolous men, which more than anything else has power to undo the purpose of the soul. For the mind, when not wasted on outward things, or led astray by the world of the senses, turns inwards on itself, and through this ascends to the thought of God, and lit by that inward beauty becomes unmindful even of nature, and no more troubled by anxiety for its food, or with concern for clothing; at rest from earth's cares, all its zeal is given to gaining the things that are good forever.

St. Basil the Great

"On Prayer"

A Son of God

2012-01-05T16:05:00.000-08:00

The person who puts to death by the Spirit the deeds of our sinful nature will live, says the Apostle. This is not surprising since one who has the Spirit of God becomes a child of God. So true is it that he is a child of God that he receives not a spirit that enslaves but the Spirit that makes us sons. So much so that the Holy Spirit bears witness to our spirit that we are sons of God.

St. Ambrose of Milan

Self-Examination

2012-01-05T16:04:00.000-08:00

...Examine what sort of being you are. Know your own nature, that your body is mortal but your soul is immortal, and that our life is twofold in kind. One kind is proper to the flesh, quickly passing by, while the other is akin to the soul, not admitting of circumscription. Therefore be attentive to yourself, neither remaining in mortal things as if they were eternal, nor despising eternal things as if they were passing. Look down on the flesh, for it is passing away; take care of the soul, for it is something immortal. Understand yourself with all exactness, that you may know what gift to apportion to each - for the flesh nourishment and coverings, and for the soul doctrines of piety, education in courtesy, training in virtue, correction of passions. Do not fatten the body excessively and do not seek a lot of flesh. For since "the flesh lusts against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh" (Gal 5-17), and these are opposite to each other, see that you do not add to the flesh and grant great power to what is inferior. For as in the turning of scales, if you weigh down one side you truly make the opposite lighter, so also with the body and the soul, the increase of one necessarily produces a decrease in the other.

St. Basil the Great

Homily on the Words "Be Attentive to Yourself"

(On the Human Condition)

Pray Without Ceasing

2012-01-05T16:02:00.001-08:00

...Why do you pray to God only in the time of trouble? You thus humiliate yourself and you offend God. Our Creator expects us to always feel that we are in His presence, and that we always talk to Him in prayer. "Pray without ceasing." By praying to God only in times of trouble, you make yourself a mere beggar and you shame God because you call on Him like one calls on a fireman only when the house is burning. Christ gave us the right to call on His Father as our Father. What is sweeter than this? What is sweeter for children than being in the presence of their parents? Let us strive, therefore, to stand always in the presence of our heavenly Father, with our heart and thoughts and prayers. Our prayer in the time of progress and joy is like a prayerful investment which is of more use in the days of trouble and torment than the prayer which we pour forth when such days already begin.

Bishop Nikolai Velimirovic

"Missionary Letters; Vol. 2"

(To a Merchant S.T. Whom 'God Does Not Hear')

The Church and Prayer

2012-01-05T16:01:00.000-08:00

I love to pray in God's temple, especially within the holy altar, before the Holy Table or the Prothesis, for by God's grace I become wonderfully changed in the temple. During the prayer of repentance and devotion, the thorns, the bonds of the passions, fall from my soul, and I feel so light: all the enticement of the passions vanish, and I seem to die to the world; and the world , with all it blessings, dies for me. I live in God and for God, for God alone. I am wholly penetrated by Him. I become like a child soothed on its mother's knee. Then my heart is full of most heavenly, sweet peace. My soul is enlightened by the light of heaven. At such times we see everything clearly; we look upon everything rightly; we feel friendship and love towards everyone, even towards our enemies, readily excusing and forgiving everyone. O, how blessed is the soul when it is with God! Truly the Church is an earthly paradise.

St. John of Kronstadt

"My Life in Christ"

To Know God

2012-01-05T15:59:00.000-08:00

He who has been granted knowledge of God and has truly tasted its sweetness scorns all pleasures born of the desiring power.

St. Maximus the Confessor

"Third Century on Love"

(Early Fathers from the Philokalia)

Look for a Cure

2012-01-05T15:58:00.000-08:00

The empty years of these desires separate us from our heavenly homeland, and our Love for these desires and our habits clothe us, as it were, in an odious dress; it is called by the Apostle 'the external (earthly) man.' (I Cor. 15:47). We who are wanderers in the journey of this life call to God for aid. We must divest ourselves of this repulsiveness, and put on new desires, and a new love for the coming age. Thus, through this we will know either an attraction or a repulsion for the heavenly homeland. ...We must follow the example of the sick, who wishing for desired health, do not stop searching for means of curing themselves.

St. Herman of Alaska

The Holy Spirit

2012-01-05T15:53:00.001-08:00

"And in fact the Lord has frequently demonstrated before many witnesses how the grace of the Holy Spirit acts on people whom He has sanctified and illumined by His great inspirations. Remember Moses after his talk with God on Mount Sinai. He so shone with an extraordinary light that people were unable to look at him. He was even forced to wear a veil when he appeared in public. Remember the Transfiguration of the Lord on Mount Tabor. A great light encircled Him, and his raiment became shining, exceedingly white like snow (Mk. 9:3), and His disciples fell on their faces from fear. But when Moses and Elijah appeared to Him in that light, a cloud overshadowed them in order to hide the radiance of the light of the divine grace which blinded the eyes of the disciples. Thus the grace of the All-Holy Spirit of God appears in an ineffable light to all to whom God reveals its action."

"But how," I asked Father Seraphim, "can I know that I am in the grace of the Holy Spirit?"

"It is very simple, your Godliness," he replied. "That is why the Lord says: All things are plain to those who find knowledge. The trouble is that we do not seek this divine knowledge which does not puff up or breed conceit, for it is not of this world. This knowledge which is full of the love of God and for our neighbor builds up every man for his salvation. Of this knowledge the Lord said that God wills all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Tim. 2:4). And of the lack of this knowledge He said to His Apostles: Are you also yet without understanding (Matt. 15:16)? Concerning this understanding it is said of the Apostles in the Gospel: Then He opened their understanding (Luke 24:25), and the Apostles always perceived whether the Spirit of God was dwelling in them or not; and being filled with understanding, they saw the presence of the Holy Spirit with them and declared positively that their work was holy and entirely pleasing to the Lord God. That explains why in their epistles they write: It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us (Acts 15:26). Only on these grounds did they offer their epistles as immutable truth for the benefit of all the faithful. Thus the holy Apostles were consciously aware of the presence in themselves of the Spirit of God. And so you see, your Godliness, how simple it is!"

St. Seraphim of Sarov

"A Wonderful Revelation to the World"

(A Conversation with N.A. Motovilov)

Our Insignificance

2012-01-05T15:52:00.000-08:00

To him whom the Lord desires to bring to Himself, to the knowledge of Him, He sends unceasing afflictions, especially when in that soul there is at least the leaven of the Christian virtues. But such a soul, drawn by every kind of weakness, is attracted to the earth, and is infected with "love for the world." From heaven God sees who needs what! The fact that we are all transitory wanderers on the earth is a tangible truth. All of our existence on earth is less than an instant, more insignificant than a dewdrop compared to the waters of the ocean - that is how insignificant our life is compared to eternity. That we pay so little attention to that eternity, that we forget it, is a sure sign of our fall, not only of the body, but even more so of the mind, of the heart. The knowledge of God, the knowledge of oneself, is true wisdom, a true treasure, man's true happiness on earth.

New Hiero-Confessor Raphael of Optina

(from a letter to Tatiana)

Temptations and Humility

2012-01-05T13:07:00.000-08:00

In order for one to realize his weak nature, he must encounter many great temptations. And then, through many trials he is humbled and learns true humility. But it takes time.

Elder Joseph the Hesychast

"Monastic Wisdom" (Sixty-third Letter)

Prayer and Solitude

2012-01-05T12:54:00.001-08:00

An indescribable benefit flows from solitude, but prayer must be inseparable from it.

Staretz Parfeny of Kiev-Caves Lavra

Live to Fulfill the Commandments

2012-01-05T12:53:00.000-08:00

The great hierarch, Metropolitan Philaret of Moscow once wrote: "Christian, be what you are and do not pretend!" In our miserable days people seek to present themselves as being better, prettier, more clever or brighter than they really are. This is an attitude foreign to the spirit of Christianity which requires honesty and a sincere attempt to conform one's life to the ideal of Christ. Live not to impress others, but to fulfill our Lord's commandments in all ways.

St. Philaret the New Confessor of New York

"Sermon on the Woman Bent 18 years" (1972)

Repentance and Sin

2012-01-05T12:51:00.000-08:00

A certain monk, after falling into a serious sin and terrified by the approaching anger of God, exclaimed: "O Lord, punish me however Thou wishest, only deprive me not of faith and repentance." Sin covered by repentance will not drive the warmth of prayer from the heart unless we have become enamored of this sin to the degree of complete impenitence. The parables of the publican and of the prodigal son and of the good thief who obtained mercy, assure us of this.

Metropolitan Anthony Khrapovitsky

"A Letter to a Priest about Prayer"

(Orthodox Life Sept.-Oct., 1977)

Avoid Feelings of Glory

2012-01-05T12:49:00.000-08:00

No matter what color the object is, its shadow is always dark. No matter how renowned the deeds are, the human glory which follows them is insignificant and empty.

St. John Maximovitch of Chernigov

"The Royal Way of the Cross of Our Lord

Leading to Eternal Life"

Flee from Praise

2012-01-05T12:48:00.000-08:00

True Christians flee the praise of men. They not only flee it; they have a real fear of it. St. Sava of Pskov left his abbacy, the monastery and the good brethren in it, and went to a barren region, only to escape the praise of men. For the praise of men steals our hearts.

Bishop Nikolai Velimirovic

"The Prologue from Ochrid"

How to Confirm and Strengthen Christian Hope

2012-01-05T12:46:00.000-08:00

The means for confirming and strengthening Christian hope in us are - prayer, especially frequent sincere prayer, the confession of our sins, the frequent reading of the Word of God, and, above all, the frequent communion of the Holy Life-giving Mysteries of the Body and Blood of Christ.

St. John of Kronstadt

"My Life in Christ"

Meekness

2012-01-05T12:44:00.000-08:00

Meekness is an immovable state of soul which remains unaffected, whether in evil report or in good report, in dishonor or in praise.

St. John Climacus

"The Ladder of Divine Ascent" (Step 8)

Faith's Meaning

2011-12-11T14:26:00.000-08:00

To hold the faith does not only mean that we believe God to be our Creator. It also means that we recognize His unceasing and detailed attention to our good.

Staretz Macarius of Optina

"Russian Letters of direction"

Fasting

2011-12-11T03:54:00.001-08:00

Fasting is beneficial when it is undertaken for quelling desire, humbling the soul, transforming hatred, extinguishing anger, erasing rememberance of wrongs, and for the purity of the understanding and the practice of prayer.

St. Gregory Palamas

"Homily Thirteen: On the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus"

Living in Unity

2011-12-11T03:53:00.000-08:00

...It is fitting for you to set yourselves in harmony with the mind of the bishop, as indeed you do. For your noble presbytery, worthy of God, is fitted to the bishop, as the strings to a harp. And thus by means of your accord and harmonious love Jesus Christ is sung. Form yourselves one and all into a choir, that blending in concord, taking the key-note of God, you may sing in unison with one voice through Jesus Christ to the Father, that He may hear you and recognize by means of your well-doing that you are members of His Son. Therefore it is profitable for you to live in unblameable unity, that you may be also partakers of God continually.

St. Ignatius

"The Epistle to the Ephesians"

Wealth

2011-12-11T03:51:00.001-08:00

It would be difficult to find anyone who does not seek to establish and secure himself materially and provide for his needs in some way. Nothing is wrong with this. But one must be vigilant lest the pursuit of wealth possesses one's soul, remembering the Lord's warning that one could not "serve both God and Mammon", the idol of riches. If God sends wealth, it is to be shared with others in a Christian manner as did God's saints.

St. Philaret, The New Confessor of New York

"Sermon on Luke 12:16-21" (12-1/14-70)

Communion

2011-12-11T03:50:00.000-08:00

When the Christian communes, what mind could understand the gifts and graces he enjoys after Divine Communion? How can our feeble tongue express it?

Anyone who does not commune frequently is following the opposite way, for he is not sealed with the precious Blood of the Lord, as St. Gregory the Theologian states.

And so, my brethren, if we do as our Holy Fathers direct and receive frequently, we have not only the cooperation and help of divine grace during this temporal life, we also have the assistance of the angels of God and of Him who is the Lord of the angels.

This Blood of the Lord is salvation for our souls; with it the soul rejoices, with it, it is beautified, it is warmed; this Blood makes the mind shine more brightly than the light; it makes the soul more beautiful than gold. Those who partake of the Body stand with the angels and archangels and the powers above; with it they are adorned with royal robes and the weapons of the Spirit. Those who receive Communion receive the very King Himself.

Do you see what graces you receive if you commune frequently? Do you see how the mind becomes radiant, thoughts shine, and all the powers of the soul are purified with frequent Communion? If you love mortifying the fleshly passions, commune frequently and you will delight.

Without frequent Communion we will not be able to free ourselves from the passions nor raise ourselves to the heights of sobriety.

St. Nicodemus of the Holy Mountain

"On Holy Communion, the Purifying Treasure"

(Orthodox Life, Sept.-Oct., 1983)

Directions on Humility and Faith

2011-12-11T03:48:00.000-08:00

And so your good intentions have been frustrated by forces entirely outside your control. In the hard days to come, keep constantly in mind that God knows well how firm was your resolution, how keen your eagerness to act; and He may record your intention as having the value of an accomplished fact. He is particularly likely to do so if your humility remains quick, if it does not wither under the winds of adversity. Remember, too, that your careful tending of your humility can alone bring you consolation and peace.

And mind you do not let your faith grow dull. For even these great servants of God, the prophets, could do nought for them who lacked in faith.

Staretz Macarius of Optina

"Russian Letters of Direction"

(On Failure)

To Know God

2011-12-11T03:46:00.000-08:00

The most grievous disease of the soul, the worst calamity and disaster, is not to know God, who has created all for man and has given him mind and word, by which, rising on high, he can enter into communion with God, contemplating and glorifying Him.

St. Antony the Great

"170 Texts on Saintly Life"

(Early Fathers from the Philokalia)

Perils of Drawing Near to God

2011-12-11T03:42:00.000-08:00

The more you draw near to God, the more mightily the enemy pursues you. Therefore, if you come to work for the Lord, prepare your soul for temptation.

Staretz Parfeny Of Kiev Caves

Thank God

2011-12-02T04:53:00.000-08:00

There is no holier tongue than the one which thanks God during misfortune.

St. John Maximovitch of Chernigov

"The Royal Way of the Cross of our Lord

Leading to Eternal Life"

Work of the Word

2011-12-02T04:49:00.000-08:00

Those who hear the word ought to give proof of the work of the word in their own souls.

St. Macarius the Great

"Homily 30"

Prayer from the Heart

2011-12-02T04:47:00.001-08:00

How can we teach ourselves to speak the truth from our heart during prayer? We must bring every word of the prayer down to our heart, lay it to heart, feel its truth in our heart, be convinced of our need of that for which we ask, or of the need of heartfelt gratitude for God's great and innumerable benefits to us.

St. John of Kronstadt

"My Life in Christ"

Sin

2011-12-02T04:46:00.000-08:00

Sin has always existed among the descendants of Adam, but never before has it enjoyed such freedom and open justification as in our days.

Protopresbyter George Grabbe

"The Dogma of the Church in the Modern World"

(Orthodox Life May-June, 1975)

Man's Duty

2011-12-02T04:44:00.001-08:00

To lead a good life, to do good, to think good - this is not a sacrifice to God, but man's duty to Him.

Staretz Parfeny

(Orthodox Life; Sept. - Oct. 1977)

The Lamp

2011-12-02T04:43:00.001-08:00

Our soul is like a lamp with good works for oil. Instead of a wick it holds love, upon which rests, not light, but the grace of the divine Spirit.

St. Gregory Palamas

"On Peace with One Another" (Homily One)

Compunction

2011-12-02T04:42:00.000-08:00

The Fathers speak thus: "The feeling of compunction is not your own, but a gift from God: what must be yours is the labor to receive it." What kind of labor? Above all else, the labor of a virtuous life in general, and that in relation to the podvig of prayer itself in particular.

Metropolitan Anthony Khrapovitsky

"A Letter to a Priest about Prayer"

(Orthodox Life 9-10/1977)

He is All to Us

2011-12-02T04:41:00.000-08:00

To the degree that we let go of our worldly cares, the Lord allows us to feel that He is with us. The Lord is peace, joy; He is father, mother, and friend to us. We have everything in Him. He is the One Who satisfies the needs of the soul.

Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnica

"Our Thoughts Determine Our Lives"

Rest Of Heart

2011-12-02T04:40:00.000-08:00

The greatest gift of God, which we mostly need and which we very often obtain from God, through our prayers, is peace or rest of heart. As the Lord Himself says: "Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matt. 11:28). Therefore, having obtained this rest, rejoice, and consider yourself as rich and possessing all things.

St. John of Kronstadt

"My Life in Christ"

Holy Scripture

2011-12-02T04:38:00.001-08:00

Holy Scripture enlightens the eyes of people who possess a well-disposed conscience and who search with sincerity.

St. Nectarios of Pentapolis

"Christology"

The Light of Truth

2011-12-02T04:37:00.000-08:00

Oh what gladsome tidings! What fortune! Man's burning desire has been fulfilled, eternal life has been granted to him, the truth has appeared, and the light of knowledge has illumined his noetic eyes. Already possessing a secure and certain hope of eternal life, man is able to await unburdened the completion of his toilsome life. Already with a peaceful spirit and a tranquil heart, he can view life's changes and philosophize about the things of the world. He can confront life's uphill and adverse changes full of spiritual tranquillity; he can endure all of life's trials courageously and bravely. Already knowing the only true God, Whose name was revealed to people by the Son of God, Who came down from heaven - the expectation of the nations and Israel, the Saviour of the world -, man, with his mind illuminated by the triune divine light, can view God's glory, ascend towards Him, approach His throne of glory, speak with Him, and be united with the eternal life through unbreakable divine bonds. Man already knows - because he has been assured - that he was created for eternity, and that at the completion of this earthly life, the stage of contest, immortality is being guarded for him. He already knows that through Jesus Christ he has become a friend of God and has been honored with sonship: "But as many as received Him, to them He gave power to become the sons of God, even to those who believe in His name" (Jn. 1:12). Oh what a wondrous change! How greatly has man's situation been altered! Behold, everything is already new! A new heaven and new earth! Faith, hope, love, these three heavenly virtues came and drove away doubt, despair, and hatred from the hearts of people. Worship in spirit and truth has been realized. It has replaced the bloody sacrifices and worship of the law - as well as the rest of the holy rites -, and has put an end to the lie and deception. Man now believes in God the Saviour, he knows the truth, and he is enlightened by the immense light of truth.

St. Nectarios, Bishop of Pentapolis

"Christology"

(Man's Burning Desire Has Been Fulfilled)

Presence of God

2011-12-02T04:35:00.000-08:00

Love and self-control free the soul from passions; spiritual reading and contemplation deliver the intellect from ignorance; and the state of prayer brings it into the presence of God Himself.

St. Maximos the Confessor

"The Philokalia"

(Fourth Century on Love)

Spirituality

2011-12-02T04:34:00.000-08:00

An elder said: "the more spiritual a person is, the fewer rights he wants in his life."

An Athonite Gerontikon

(Sayings of the Holy Fathers of Mount Athos)

Word of God

2011-12-02T04:32:00.000-08:00

...For those who are bearers of the Spirit of God are led to the Word, that is, to the Son; but the Son takes them and presents them to the Father; and the Father confers incorruptibility. So without the Spirit there is no seeing the Word of God, and without the Son there is no approaching the Father; for the Son is knowledge of the Father, and knowledge of the Son is through the Holy Spirit. But the Son, according to the Father's good-pleasure, administers the Spirit charismatically as the Father will, to those to whom He will.

St. Irenaeus

"Proof of the Apostolic Preaching"

Repentance

2011-12-02T04:30:00.001-08:00

Repentance is a ceaseless necessity for Christians until their last breath.

Bishop Nikolai Velimirovic

"The Prologue from Ochrid"