In English

The most frequently heard exhortation of the Church which the faithful who attend daily Services hear is, “Let us commend ourselves and one another, and our whole life to Christ our God.”  The Celebrant says this multiple times (as many as ten during Matins and the Divine Liturgy), and some may wonder:  Why is this repeated so much? The answer to this question is simple, in that its repetition shows how important it is for a person to entrust their whole life to our Lord and God Jesus Christ.   This desire to do so is also expressed elsewhere in the Divine Liturgy, in the Prayer just before the Lord’s Prayer:  “We entrust to You, loving Master, our whole life and hope…”  ...

Our religion is love, it’s burning love, it’s excitement, it’s madness, it’s longing for God. It’s all of this, within us. Our soul demands that we make these things our own. For lots of people, though, religion’s a struggle, a worry and an anxiety. This is why we think of many of the ‘religiously-minded’ as being unhappy, because we see the mess they’re in. And it really is like that. Because unless you understand the depth of religion and you actually experience it, then it ends up as an illness, and a terrible one at that. It’s so bad that people lose control of their actions, they become witless and weak, they suffer from worry and stress and behave ...

‘He called them’ In the Gospel reading for the 2nd Sunday of Matthew, Jesus invites the first four disciples to follow him. These were Peter, Andrew and the brothers, James and John. In the Gospels, it appears that Christ called these disciples twice: the first time was by nature of a trial and the second was definitive and occurred during the period after John the Baptist had been killed by Herod. The call described in this Gospel reading is the second, which, as we’ve said was conclusive. The Apostles’ standard of living Who were these fishermen whom the Lord called to be his disciples? They were humble, illiterate and socially insignificant. They didn’t belong to the class of the Scribes and Pharisees. Archbishop ...

Today’s apostolic reading (2nd Sunday of Matthew) speaks about the theme of judgment and conscience. Our God is a God that ‘trieth the hearts and reins’. The day of Judgment will come as a surprise because the Lord will judge the hidden intents of the heart. The judgment will not be the same for all. According to the word of the Lord, those to whom much is given, from them much will be required. And the Apostle confirms: ‘For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law.’ In other words, divine grace is an honour but at the same time a cross, ...

It’s painful and unfair that the Church should appear in the eyes of people today, particularly the young, to be a religion that imposesitself on the insecurities, weaknesses and illusions of people. Or even that it takes away the enjoyment of life, creates guilty feelings and encourages antagonism and division. It may be, of course, that this impression is, indeed, given to the outside world by some people who are in a position of responsibility in the Church but are unaware of the spirit of the Holy Fathers who interpreted the Scriptures correctly, because they had the grace of the Holy Spirit. One such Father is Saint Nektarios, who continues the tradition of the Church and teaches ‘right thinking’ (= Orthodoxy). ...

Let’s not believe that we’ll always have inner fervor and that we’ll continuously enjoy inner sweetness. Don’t hope for that. On the contrary, always expect sudden ups and downs. So when you’re under attack from sloth and depression, treat them as being normal in the spiritual life. Saint Theophan the Recluse

For those of us who’ve been fortunate enough to be baptized, good deeds aren’t offered to God in order to receive a reward, but so that we can preserve the purity of holy baptism. Saint Mark the Ascetic

Usually when people feel they’re in a small grouping, they don’t feel comfortable. They’d rather be with a larger entity, even if they’re all rushing over a cliff. Elder Georgios Kapsanis

In the Gospel readings, we often come across the Apostles invoking the authenticity of their personal witness in order to be convincing: ‘which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have touched’ (1 Jn. 1, 1). ‘We know that his witness is true’( Jn. 21, 24). The Samaritans and the Honorable Forerunner also have recourse to their personal experience . The authenticity of the experience is the most compelling argument in favor of what they’re saying. So let’s see what the meaning of authentic experience is in the life of a Christian. Peter is authentic, because, even when he falls, he’s spontaneous. He asks for proof and the Lord ...

It’s only in sorrows, in pain, in sickness and in abandonment that we have spiritual benefit. When everything’s running smoothly, it’s all a bed of roses. People have to be convinced by the events and sorrows of their lives to pray and to seek help from God. Dimitrios Panagopoulos

I’ll tell you another secret now. At night I speak on the telephone to a monk on the Holy Mountain. He studies the Fathers a lot and explains many things to me. We talk about spiritual matters. Crazy, what can I say? … This happened again early this morning, that’s to say three o’clock at night. The bells were ringing at the time we were talking. For half an hour we spoke about really wonderful things. Honestly, I felt great joy; greater than I can express. Glory to God. While we speaking about these spiritual matters, he said to me: ‘The bell’s ringing for church. I have to go’. I said to him: ‘Elder don’t leave me’. ‘Gladly’, he replied. ‘Come ...

God answers our prayers in many ways. Sometimes through events that we think are coincidences, whereas in fact they’re not that at all but acts of divine providence. At others times he’ll answer with an unexpected outcome of events. And he’ll answer with silence, if that’s what’s best for our souls. Elder Germanos Stavrovouniotis

God welcomes those prayers which are offered in an appropriate manner, that is with an awareness of our imperfections and unworthiness. But for this awareness to exist, what is required is complete rejection of our wicked self and submission to God’s commandments. What is required is humility and unceasing spiritual effort.

The question of whether Christianity, as a social creed, is conservative or radical makes me wonder if the terms ‘social creed’, ‘conservative’ and ‘radical’ have any meaning as regards Christianity and, if so, what this might be. These terms do have their specific meaning, when they express our social progress within the course of our history, but Christianity is another kind of history. It’s history because it has its historical events, those of the New Testament, on the one hand; but on the other there’s the life of the Church as the body of Christ. It is, at the same time, within history and outside it, in its essence, because it is revealed truth, eternal and absolute. It wants to guarantee ...

As Saint Silouan says and Saint Sophrony explains, the word of God can resound in the heart of man in unison with prayer. As a result of his fall, man is divided at all levels. He has one thing in his mind, another in his heart and desires yet another with his senses. He has no hypostasis. God, however, cannot speak to man for as long as his being is fragmented. Through the labour of repentance, his mortal nature is strengthened, his being is healed and gathered in one tight knot. Then God can give a word, because, when God speaks to man, He addresses Himself to his hypostasis, to his heart, that is, to the place where his whole ...

In its quality, love is the likeness of God, insofar as this is possible for us, of course. As regards its action, it is inebriation of the soul. As regards its properties, it is the source of faith, a deep well of forbearance and a sea of humility’. (Saint John of the Ladder). Love isn’t a priority for people today. Success, money, a share in the good things of civilization, the satisfaction of every desire, especially carnal ones, and recognition are the keys which interpret the dreams of many. Love requires an exodus from the self. Lives requires effort. Love requires an opening up to others and, at the same time, assistance from God, given that it’s an imitation of him. ...

Your soul becomes like the things you do; it takes the form and pattern of your actions. Your appearance, your attire, your walk, the way you sit and also your food, your bed, your house and furniture should all be simple. And your words, your song, your companionship with friends, all of these should also tend towards moderation, not to excess. Saint Basil the Great

Knowledge which precedes faith is natural knowledge. Knowledge which is subsequent to faith is spiritual knowledge. Natural knowledge, (the ability to tell good from bad) brings us to faith in God. Faith, to the fear of God. The fear of God, repentance and good works. Through good deeds we’re granted spiritual knowledge and the awareness of the mysteries, which engenders contemplation of God. Saint Isaac the Syrian

You’re to glorify only the Lord and Creator of the Universe as God. You’re to cling to him with love and repent to him day and night for your witting and unwitting sins. Because he’s compassionate and forgiving, slow to anger, rich in mercy and does good eternally. He has promised and bestows the heavenly and everlasting kingdom, painless and immortal life and the unwaning light, for the enjoyment of those who revere him, venerate him, love him and keep his commandments. Saint Gregory the Theologian

Those who truly love God consider themselves travelers and strangers on this earth. In their quest to unite with God in heart and mind they look only to him, at all times. Those who wish to live the inner life must first of all have fear of God, which is the beginning of wisdom. Saint Seraphim of Sarov