St Arsenios 2/2
Why is it that you cannot endure the wrong acts of forty monastics, who are women, weak natures, and who did truly grieve you through their sins, but have now repented?" Then the young man showed both the light of heaven, and the stench and darkness of hell. He told Fr. Arsenios that if he did not return as the nuns' spiritual father, he would never see heaven. The young man's face flashed like lightning and he disappeared. At that very moment, Fr. Arsenios realized he had been talking to St George himself, and returned to the monastery. There he found the whole sisterhood on their knees in church, praying and crying to God that Elder Arsenios might return and forgive them.
Why is it that you cannot endure the wrong acts of forty monastics, who are women, weak natures, and who did truly grieve you through their sins, but have now repented?" Then the young man showed both the light of heaven, and the stench and darkness of hell. He told Fr. Arsenios that if he did not return as the nuns' spiritual father, he would never see heaven. The young man's face flashed like lightning and he disappeared. At that very moment, Fr. Arsenios realized he had been talking to St George himself, and returned to the monastery. There he found the whole sisterhood on their knees in church, praying and crying to God that Elder Arsenios might return and forgive them.
O Heavenly Father, make me a better parent. Teach me to to listen patiently to my children. Keep me from interrupting them or contradicting them. Forbid that I should laugh at their mistakes or ridicule them when they displease me. Help me, O Lord, to hold my tongue and keep me from being mean. Let me not tempt my children to lie or steal or break Your commandments. May I demonstrate humility and fairness to them granting them their reasonable requests and having the courage to deny them the things that I know will do them harm. Amen.
Orthodox Faith pinned «An annual miracle occurs on the Feast of the Transfiguration at Mt Tabor, where our Lord, God and Saviour Jesus Christ appeared in His divine glory before the Apostles Peter, James, and John (Mt 17:1-9, Mk 9:2-8, Lk 9:28-36). After the all night vigil, at…»
"Eve was seduced by the word of the [fallen] angel and transgressed God's word, so that she fled from him. In the same way, [Mary] was evangelized by the word of an angel and obeyed God's word, so that she carried him [within her].
And while the former was seduced into disobeying God, the latter was persuaded to obey God, so that the Virgin Mary became the advocate (advocata) of the virgin Eve." + St Irenaeus of Lyons (Aug 23)
And while the former was seduced into disobeying God, the latter was persuaded to obey God, so that the Virgin Mary became the advocate (advocata) of the virgin Eve." + St Irenaeus of Lyons (Aug 23)
Saint Gregory of Tours credits the preaching of St Irenaeus (130-202) (Aug 23), Bishop of Lugdunum, for transforming all of Lugdunum (Lyons) into a Christian city. Holy Hieromartyr St Irenaeus is the third link in an unbroken chain of the grace of succession which links, in backward order, to Saint Polycarp of Smyrna, to the Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian, to the Original Pastor, our Lord Jesus Christ Himself. Thus, he received his schooling from the best.
St Irenaeus recalled conversations that took place at the blessed Polycarp's house, where St Polycarp "spoke of the conversations which he had with John and others who had seen the Lord, how he remembered their words, and what he heard from them about the Lord ... I listened eagerly to these things, by the mercy of God, and wrote them, not on paper, but in my heart.”
St Irenaeus recalled conversations that took place at the blessed Polycarp's house, where St Polycarp "spoke of the conversations which he had with John and others who had seen the Lord, how he remembered their words, and what he heard from them about the Lord ... I listened eagerly to these things, by the mercy of God, and wrote them, not on paper, but in my heart.”
St Irenaeus (Aug 23) was a lion in his refutations of the gnostic heresy which was influencing the Church during his time. In doing so, he leaves us with the Orthodox teaching of salvation through the Incarnation. “Jesus Christ the Son of God, through exceedingly great love for His creation, condescended to be born of a Virgin, having united mankind with God in His own Self.” Through the Incarnation of God, creation becomes co-imaged and co-bodied to the Son of God. Salvation consists in the “Sonship” and “Theosis” (“Divinization”) of mankind. "By sharing in the ways of the Apostles, you became a successor to their throne. Through the practice of virtue, you found the way to divine contemplation, O inspired one of God; by teaching the word of truth without error, you defended the Faith, even to the shedding of your blood. Hieromartyr Irenaeus, entreat Christ God to save our souls.”
Quotes from His Eminence Metropolitan Kallistos (Ware) of Diokleia, reposed in the Lord, August 24, 2022. May his memory be eternal!
"When I pray the Jesus prayer it is like an experience of the rising sun. That then is one way in which the Jesus Prayer is all embracing, glory and forgiveness." - Discovering the Inner Kingdom
“In the Christian context, we do not mean by a 'mystery' merely that which is baffling and mysterious, an enigma or insoluble problem. A mystery is, on the contrary, something that is revealed for our understanding, but which we never understand exhaustively because it leads into the depth or the darkness of God. The eyes are closed—but they are also opened.” - The Orthodox Way
“Tradition is not only a protective, conservative principle; it is, primarily, the principle of growth and regeneration… Tradition is the constant abiding of the Spirit and not only the memory of words.” - The Orthodox Church
"When I pray the Jesus prayer it is like an experience of the rising sun. That then is one way in which the Jesus Prayer is all embracing, glory and forgiveness." - Discovering the Inner Kingdom
“In the Christian context, we do not mean by a 'mystery' merely that which is baffling and mysterious, an enigma or insoluble problem. A mystery is, on the contrary, something that is revealed for our understanding, but which we never understand exhaustively because it leads into the depth or the darkness of God. The eyes are closed—but they are also opened.” - The Orthodox Way
“Tradition is not only a protective, conservative principle; it is, primarily, the principle of growth and regeneration… Tradition is the constant abiding of the Spirit and not only the memory of words.” - The Orthodox Church
An Iconographer by Miracle
A diving accident left Sergei Kozlov critically injured and under water more 20 minutes before he was rescued. That alone should have left him dead. Even in the emergency room of the hospital, doctors gave him little hope. Miraculously, Sergei survived, paralyzed-- but with an amazing talent for writing icons.
Today from his bed in Voronezh, Russia, he writes beautiful icons with a barely moveable hand and the help of digital technology. Watch the full video and view Sergei's icons at http://gitie.ru/Napisanie-ikon.html.
A diving accident left Sergei Kozlov critically injured and under water more 20 minutes before he was rescued. That alone should have left him dead. Even in the emergency room of the hospital, doctors gave him little hope. Miraculously, Sergei survived, paralyzed-- but with an amazing talent for writing icons.
Today from his bed in Voronezh, Russia, he writes beautiful icons with a barely moveable hand and the help of digital technology. Watch the full video and view Sergei's icons at http://gitie.ru/Napisanie-ikon.html.
"Expel every evil thought with anger and fervent prayer." Fr. Kosta Kaltsidis reads Elder Ephraim's writings on prayer and watchfulness.
—from Fr. Kosta's Homily on Matthew 19 (Marriage, Divorce and Celibacy) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9K3dQEI17EU
—from Fr. Kosta's Homily on Matthew 19 (Marriage, Divorce and Celibacy) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9K3dQEI17EU