For people to go to sweet Paradise, they have to eat a lot of things bitter here below, so that they’ve got their passport of trials to hand. » Venerable Païsios the Athonite
In the parable of the “Prodigal Son,” which we heard from the Holy Gospel (Luke 15:11-32), we saw a situation where a man embraces “prodigal living.” He was a free man who became a slave, and grazed with the “pigs” of his fleshly passions. This is what the Apostolic Reading is also talking about. The Apostle Paul does not hesitate to characterize sin and call it by its name. This is a contrast to what we observe in our days, in that the most obscene and unnatural acts are promoted and displayed for imitation; and that modern people cannot be held captive by the ideas of ancient times! The Apostle Paul clearly states: “The body is not for sexual immorality, but ...
From the Kyriakodromion of Monk Agapios God is always good and kind to everyone, more than patient with us. But He manifests His great goodness in particular towards those who are sinning. It looks as though He burdens the righteous on all sides and doesn’t give them any respite, yet He’s much more compassionate towards sinners and more easily moved to sympathy for them. He pulls them out from the cadaver of sin and brings them to repentance. The Lord says: ‘As I live, I do not desire the death of sinners, but that they should turn and live. Should the fallen not be raised? Should those who have turned away not turn back? Turn to me and I shall turn ...
Are you fasting? Prove it through your works. What works? If you see somebody poor, give alms. If you see an enemy, reconcile. If you see a beautiful woman, pay her no heed. Don’t fast only with the mouth, but with your eyes, your hearing, your hands and feet and all the members of your body.
Christianity is radical. Where it isn’t radical, it isn’t authentic. The radicalism of Christianity affects everything that links it to the world. This is due to the fact that the roots of Christianity don’t come from the world, nor are they nourished by its spirit. The absolute nature of Christianity is what imposes its radicalism at the level of the relative. But radicalism at the level of the relative can’t occur without a relationship to the absolute and without reference to it. The truth of Christianity comes into the world as ‘fire’. All worldly truths are conventional and have relative value, depending on the degree to which they’re objective. All these truths function at the level of the relative. The error ...
No fasting from food is of any benefit to those who don’t fast from their other feelings, because those who really struggle show restraint in all things. » Saint Isidore of Pelusium
In the narrative of the event of the baptism of Christ, the Forerunner is hesitant and in awe at the prospect of baptizing Jesus: ‘I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?’ Jesus insisted, however, and replied, ‘Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfil all righteousness’ (Matth. 3, 14-16). Time has to be completed, the past has to be completed, a long period of preparation has to be completed for the way to appear between the baptism in water and the baptism of fire (Matth. 3, 11). I believe that the baptism of fire involves an encounter with the powers of darkness. The battle is fought not against ...
Watch Fr Jonah’s from Taiwan sermon on the parable of the publican and the pharisee (Luke 18, 10-14).
There are many ways of praying. They’re all good, if people don’t know how to pray with simplicity. But if somebody else is leading them, and they disobey, then their prayer turns and becomes deception. >Blessed Joseph the Hesychast
Let’s not be overwhelmed, then, by that fear which has to do with the things and conditions of this vain world. In other words, let’s not fear where there’s nothing to fear (I Jn. 4, 18). What human fear can compare with the fear of God? And what passing human glory can be compared to the majesty, the inexpressible power and the imperishable glory of God? But since earthly matters distract us, we can’t- even with the power of faith and the enlightenment of knowledge- focus our mind on the things invisible. If, merely through the sight of visible things, we’re brought to an understanding of the inexpressible power of immortal God, let’s stand before Him in awe and infinite respect. If ...
Patience in trials is a sure way of uniting ourselves to God. Complaining separates us from God, so patience forges our union with Him. So if you suffer all your trials with patience and gratitude, for His sake, He will reward you with eternal bliss. Through sorrows and patience, you enter the realm of real knowledge and are cleansed of the multitude of your sins. ‘I waited patiently for the Lord and He attended me and hearkened’ (Ps 39, 1). The Lord accepts intrepid patience as a pleasing sacrifice, though He turns His face from timidity. People who are patient follow faithfully in His steps, but the weak and the timid distance themselves from Him. ‘After this, many of His disciples turned back ...
We Orthodox don’t worship icons, or the saints, the angels or even Our Most Holy Lady the Mother of God. We worship only God in the Trinity, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We honour and glorify the saints, the angels and, even more the Ever-Virgin and All-Holy Mother of our Saviour, who is ‘more honourable than the Cherubim and incomparably more glorious than the Seraphim’, but we don’t worship either these persons or their icons. Honour and respect are one thing; worship’s another. Many Orthodox people consider certain icons to be ‘wonder-working’, but is this the case? Are there really wonder-working icons? Or rather, is it possible that there should be icons that perform miracles? Many Orthodox theologians attribute the miracles of ...
The heart is the eye of human existence. The clearer it is, the quicker, farther and more clearly it sees. In the saints of God, however, even in this life, the eye is calibrated to the highest degree of clarity, which is why they see clearly, far and wide. » Saint John of Kronstadt
Today’s Gospel reading presents us with two typical kinds of people: a Pharisee and a Publican, who were praying in the Temple. They were the two opposite poles of society at that time. One was pious and righteous in the eyes of others, an expert on the Law who belonged to the group of the Pharisees, the leading religious class. The other was a representative of the class of sinners, of people whose profession was associated with extortion, violence and siphoning off the property of the people. In the view of the whole of society at that time, a publican was the worst of sinners. What did these two people say in their prayers? Let’s look first at the prayer of ...
Give something to God as a “thank you” present, for the fact that you’re one of those who can give charity rather than someone who has to live off it. For the fact that you don’t expect help from the hands of others, but that others hope for it from yours. Bestow not only possessions on people, but also respect, not only gold, but also virtue, or even better, only virtue. » Saint Gregory the Theologian
Another phenomenon which many who visit monastics have observed is the gift of far-sight which some of these people have. Often the Elders know names and situations regarding their visitors without the latter having mentioned the issue they’ve come to raise. Many such instances have been recorded, including some by people still alive who met some of the saints of our own day. The relationship between these Elders and wild animals is also well known. There are numerous references to Orthodox ascetics who consorted with snakes, lions and so on, with the animals obeying as if they were tame. Of course, we’ve all seen wild animals which have been tamed, but it should be noted that this is achieved only after ...
Strive to remain unflinchingly in a state of spiritual vigilance, patience and boldness, because only then will you sense the spiritual Amalek who covets your soul. You’ll be freed from the passions and gain the eternal good things, when the Lord returns to judge the world. Who has ever been wounded and then been cured without first undergoing the pain and then the treatment regime of the doctor? Who can follow Christ without shouldering the cross of patience? No-one. All of those who followed Him in the past and do so now were and are prepared to face with patience the trials which will certainly come their way, as the wise Sirach says: ‘Child, if you come to serve the Lord God, prepare ...
From the Kyriakodromion of Monk Agapios The Holy Fathers of the Church have commanded us to sing and read today about the case and parable of the Publican and the Pharisee, in order that we might prepare for the spiritual struggles and warfare of Holy Lent, which is approaching. This is why they called this week a ‘warning order’, because it forewarns and reminds us of the time of fasting and repentance which is almost upon us, so that we may prepare accordingly, to fight bravely and fairly, and not be defeated by any passion and lose the kingdom of heaven. Let each of us then examine which sin defeats us, so that we conquer it boldly in these holy days; ...
The indolent, the idle and the lazy are not all right with God. Laziness isn’t a good thing at all. Indolence is a sickness, it’s a sin. God doesn’t want us to be indolent. Great effort, movement, labour and action are a virtue. » Venerable Porphyrios of Kavsokalyvia
Excerpt (2) from Instruction 1 What harm pride does, my brethren. If only you knew what humility can achieve. Why did we need to go through all these tribulations? If, from the beginning had humbled himself, obeyed God and kept His commandment, he wouldn’t have fallen. And again, after the sin, he was afforded the chance to repent and be shown mercy, but his neck remained stiff. God came and asked him: ‘Adam, where are you?’. He didn’t say: ‘From what glory have you fallen into such shame?’. Then He asks him: ‘Why did you sin? Why did you break the commandment?’, giving him every opportunity to ask for forgiveness. But where was the ‘Forgive me’? No sign of humility, ...
