Philanthropy has been given by God. God has allowed poverty, poor people, so that we can show our love for others through alms-giving. You should know that those we’ve helped and given to will be defence witnesses for us at the time of the judgement. Dimitrios Panagopoulos
For many people, the Church is identified with the parish and the actual building of the church. They think it’s a company, an association, an organization, a charity shop, a wonderful ideology which is financially sound and has very extensive property holdings. There are a good number who think of the Church as a powerful economic organization, a good business, which fools the naïve and the incompetent. Others again think that in church they’ll make friends, find company, a job, their metaphysical demands will be met quickly and in brief, their religious obligations will be sorted and they won’t have any problem with their conscience. The Church is a maternal embrace, it’s the body of the living Christ, it’s the assembly ...
The saints of God are beautiful, imperishable and fragrant flowers. Don’t touch them with lips stained with sin. This means that you have to pray to them with a pure heart and clean lips, not carelessly, not with rambling thoughts but with respect and tranquility. Saint John Kronstadtskij
People try with might and main to achieve perfection, even in their everyday activities. This is evidence of the abilities given to us by God so that we may achieve our own personal perfection and completion as psychosomatic entities and beings. But perfection isn’t a given in this life. Rather, it’s something we seek and which demands a struggle on our part, if we’re to attain it. Elder Efraim Vatopaidinos
In the Church we have research. The greatest researchers were the saints. The saints arrived at and tested all the various points. This was precisely where they started from. Is there really a God? If he exists, let’s test him, investigate him; if he doesn’t exist, let’s reject the idea. We’d have to be very stupid people and utterly wretched if we conducted our great struggle on the basis of a possibility, a probability that God might exist. If we’re not a hundred per cent, or a million per cent sure of the existence of God as experienced in our heart, then only a lunatic would follow the Gospel and Christ. Metropolitan Athanasios of Limassol
You’re attending the Divine Liturgy and, even though the royal table is prepared, even though the Lamb of God is being sacrificed for you, even though the priest is striving for your salvation, you’re indifferent. At the moment when the seven-winged seraphim cover their faces in awe, and all the heavenly powers, as well as the priest, entreat God on your behalf, at the moment when the fire of the Holy Spirit descends from heaven and Christ’s blood flows from his spotless side in the sacred chalice, don’t you feel at all chastened by your conscience? Saint John Chrysostom
The mere mention in our prayers of the all-holy name of God, of Our Most Holy Lady, the Mother of God, of the martyrs, the saints and the blessed brings great joy, indescribable comfort and peace to the heart. Elder Germanos Stavrovouniotis
Ill-founded views of Scripture within the Orthodox Church With reference to Biblical texts, the great theologian of our era, Elder Sophrony Sakharov, said that even if we were to lose all of them somehow or another, we’d still be able to re-write them. Perhaps not in exactly the same words, but certainly in the same spirit. It’s clear from this that there is no question of making idols of the letter and texts of the Scriptures. In any case, it’s obvious and well-known that the Church existed before the texts, which were nevertheless alive in its tradition. And it was the Church which determined which texts were canonical, with all that involves. So what exactly is Scripture? In simple terms, ...
3. The spiritual perspective of the Transfiguration Beyond being a historical event with the most profound theological significance, the Transfiguration is also projected as a proposal for an experience of life. This experience should not be associated solely with the person of the transfigured Lord, but rather references the personal life of us all. The divine experience is the fixed point of reference and model for us. It was precisely in this way, as a purely spiritual experience, that the Lord’s disciples and, thereafter, the whole of the people who were present at the miracle understood it as the continuation and consequence of the Transfiguration itself. Through his Transfiguration, Christ showed the world his true face and the mystery of his presence. ...
The Transfiguration of the Lord is one of the greatest of the feasts of Christianity. Until the 4th century, it was celebrated before Easter, but after the day of the inauguration of the church of the Transfiguration, which had been built by Saint Helen on Mount Tabor, it became customary to celebrate the event on 6 August. The Transfiguration is the most sublime initiation, the greatest lesson of mystical theology and every last detail is instructive. What did Jesus want to reveal through the Transfiguration; why did he take only three disciples; why did they need to ascend a mountain; why did the disciples have to fall asleep and what does this symbolize; what does the white light symbolize; why were ...
‘Have mercy upon us, Son of David’ Many miracles have been performed through the invocation of the name of Christ. The Lord himself, on his way to the Passion, said: ‘Whatsoever you ask in my name, I will do’ (Jn. 14, 13). And when he was being taken up into the heavens and giving his final instructions to his disciples, he again stressed: ‘In my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues…’ (Mark 16, 17). In the name of Jesus, the Apostles were to work wonders. And they did. The lame man who sat outside the Temple was healed by the Apostles Peter and John through the invocation of the name of Jesus Christ (Acts 3, ...
Breaking the commandment, construed as rebellion, caused the fall, desolation and death. Now, for us, the way back is practical recognition of this. Elder Joseph of Vatopaidi
The nub of the matter rests in faith. This is what brings us close to God and makes us his children. This is what introduces us to God. On the last day of this fleeting life and at the dawn of the eternal day, this is what will set us on the right of God’s throne, where we shall gaze on God for ever, rejoice with him for ever and reign with him for ever. Saint Ignatij Brianchaninov
When the mind is united to God and remains with him in prayer and love, it becomes wise, good, strong, caring, merciful and slow to anger. In a word, it has all the divine attributes. But when it removes itself from God and attaches itself to worldly things, it either becomes a monstrosity, wallowing in pleasures, or it becomes a wild beast, ravaging people over material things. Saint Maximos the Confessor
Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ handed down to us the perfect teaching on salvation. And he himself was the first to implement what he taught. It is he who ‘practices and teaches’ (Matth. 5, 19). He also gave us the parable of the Good Samaritan as an example of real love. But the most outstanding Good Samaritan is Christ himself, who took upon himself our nature tortured by robbers, that is the demons, the passions, and human wickedness, then raised it and gave it life through his death on the Cross and his resurrection. We all know now that perfect Christian love is universal; it’s love for everyone, even for our enemies. This is something we all know but find ...
Examine yourself continually in case you’ve sinned in thought, in case your tongue has erred by being hasty over something, in case your deeds aren’t in accordance with the will of God. And if this self-examination reveals that your sins are many- as it certainly will, because you’re human- then say the words of the tax-collector: ‘God, have mercy on me a sinner’ (Luke 18, 13). Elder Ilie Cleopa
You’re suffering from sadness? It doesn’t matter. A heart that’s full of gratitude, humility and wisdom- a heart that’s been filled with gratitude, humility and wisdom by its struggles and labors- will be richly comforted and blessed with the acquisition of serenity and joy. Saint Makarij of Optina
Holy Scripture tells us that the devil is ‘fallen Lucifer’. This is why the Lord says: ‘I saw Satan falling like lightning from heaven’ (Luke 10, 18). He’s the leader, the general of the order of angels who fell from heaven when they wanted to rebel against the divine will. Then they were automatically put to flight and fell from their office and position. At the same time, they lost the stunning, radiant beauty of their form. They became such grisly monsters that the mere recollection of them is repellent. In the diabolical hypostasis there’s nothing good, blessed, just, straightforward, rational or true. Through his rebellion against God, the devil, who was once the bearer of the light of righteousness, love ...
Are the recent crimes simply a matter of violence and oppression against women, or do they have to do with the fact that love* has lost its bearings? We live in a time when love is treated as enjoyment, as enthusiasm, and, if it doesn’t last long, well, never mind. A lot of people snicker when they hear the Church’s teaching that love is sanctified in marriage, in its sacramental dimension. Even in marriage, they start out from the perspective that they won’t need to sacrifice anything of themselves, their habits, that they won’t have to work on their character, but rather that the other person should provide them with whatever they want in the way they want it. How ...
Given the fallen state in which we find ourselves, we’re unable to judge our brothers and sisters properly. Don’t be too sure that they’re in error. Don’t judge them. Elder Sophrony, Essex
