The Unburnt Bush is the Bush which the Holy Prophet and Godseer Moses (Sept 4/ Sept 17) saw on Mount Horeb. It burned, yet was not consumed (Exodus 3:2).
The Unburnt Bush Icon of the Mother of God is also commemorated on the Feast Day the Prophet Moses. The Unburnt Bush signifies the Holy Virgin's sinless conception of Christ when the Holy Spirit came upon her and she was overshadowed by the power of the Most High (Luke 1:35), revealing the Holy Trinity by naming the Holy Spirit, the Power which is the Son, and the Most High which is the Father" (Saint Theophylact).
"As the Bush burned and was not consumed, so the Virgin gave birth to Thee yet remained a Virgin" (Octoechos, Dogmatikon Tone 2, "The shadow of the Law").
The Unburnt Bush Icon of the Mother of God is also commemorated on the Feast Day the Prophet Moses. The Unburnt Bush signifies the Holy Virgin's sinless conception of Christ when the Holy Spirit came upon her and she was overshadowed by the power of the Most High (Luke 1:35), revealing the Holy Trinity by naming the Holy Spirit, the Power which is the Son, and the Most High which is the Father" (Saint Theophylact).
"As the Bush burned and was not consumed, so the Virgin gave birth to Thee yet remained a Virgin" (Octoechos, Dogmatikon Tone 2, "The shadow of the Law").
"Geronda, I worry because I have many health problems… I do not sense Heaven within me now.”
“You do not sense Heaven because you do not glorify God. When one moves within the realm of doxology, he rejoices about everything. There are lay people in the world who will judge us monastics. You should see how the Bedouins suffer, and yet are thankful to God and happy. Instead of cleaning the wheat entirely to remove every little stone, they grind it into flour as it is, with the little stones - and their bread is rock-hard! And, apparently, their food does not contain the necessary nutrients, such as calcium, and so their teeth are entirely destroyed. And, yet, one sees Bedouins with one single tooth, who rejoice as if that single tooth was made of pearl. And here, if one has one tooth missing, he feels deficient. With all that you hear, you should constantly be moving within the realm of praise and doxology; praise God for His benefactions day and night."
✝️ St Paisios the Athonite, Spiritual counsels, V
“You do not sense Heaven because you do not glorify God. When one moves within the realm of doxology, he rejoices about everything. There are lay people in the world who will judge us monastics. You should see how the Bedouins suffer, and yet are thankful to God and happy. Instead of cleaning the wheat entirely to remove every little stone, they grind it into flour as it is, with the little stones - and their bread is rock-hard! And, apparently, their food does not contain the necessary nutrients, such as calcium, and so their teeth are entirely destroyed. And, yet, one sees Bedouins with one single tooth, who rejoice as if that single tooth was made of pearl. And here, if one has one tooth missing, he feels deficient. With all that you hear, you should constantly be moving within the realm of praise and doxology; praise God for His benefactions day and night."
✝️ St Paisios the Athonite, Spiritual counsels, V
The devil appeared to three monks and said to them: if I gave you power to change something from the past, what would you change?
The first of them, with great apostolic fervor, replied: "I would prevent you from making Adam and Eve fall into sin so that humanity could not turn away from God."
The second, a man full of mercy, said to him: "I would prevent you from God and you will condemn yourself eternally.”
The third of them was the simplest and, instead of responding to the tempter, he got on his knees, made the sign of the cross and prayed saying: "Lord, free me from the temptation of what could be and was not".
The devil, giving a raucous cry and shuddering with pain, vanished.
The other two, surprised, said to him: "Brother, why have you responded like this?"
The first of them, with great apostolic fervor, replied: "I would prevent you from making Adam and Eve fall into sin so that humanity could not turn away from God."
The second, a man full of mercy, said to him: "I would prevent you from God and you will condemn yourself eternally.”
The third of them was the simplest and, instead of responding to the tempter, he got on his knees, made the sign of the cross and prayed saying: "Lord, free me from the temptation of what could be and was not".
The devil, giving a raucous cry and shuddering with pain, vanished.
The other two, surprised, said to him: "Brother, why have you responded like this?"
He replied: "First: we must never dialogue with the devil . Second: No one in the world has the power to change the past. Third: Satan's goal was not to prove our virtue, but to trap us in the past, so that we neglect the present, the only time God gives us His grace and we can cooperate with Him to fulfill His will."
Of all the demons, the one that catches the most men and prevents them from being happy is that of "What could have been and was not".
The past is left to the mercy of God and the future to his Providence. Only the present is in our hands. "Live in the moment"
Of all the demons, the one that catches the most men and prevents them from being happy is that of "What could have been and was not".
The past is left to the mercy of God and the future to his Providence. Only the present is in our hands. "Live in the moment"
Open Unto Us the Doors of Mercy: A Homily on the Nativity of the Theotokos (Sept 8/ Sept 21) ✝️ Elder Cleopa (Ilie)
Beloved faithful!
This present day has come to us with spiritual light, with holy joy, for today is born the Mother of light and joy.
Today is proclaimed to mankind grace and deliverance, for the Mother of grace and mercy is born. We celebrate today not the birth of a saint, but the birth of Her Who is holier than all the saints. It is not a gathering of angels that is honored today, but the Nativity of the Queen of the angels—not the birth of the mother of an earthly king, but the very Mother of the Lord and God of glory.
Today the Queen of all and Mistress of the world has from a barren and withered womb shone forth. And who will be able to worthily sing Her Nativity? The Church of Christ itself shows that it is impossible, saying: “Verily, all tongues are at a loss to praise thee properly; and every mind, even though transcending the world, is distracted in thy praise, O Theotokos.
Beloved faithful!
This present day has come to us with spiritual light, with holy joy, for today is born the Mother of light and joy.
Today is proclaimed to mankind grace and deliverance, for the Mother of grace and mercy is born. We celebrate today not the birth of a saint, but the birth of Her Who is holier than all the saints. It is not a gathering of angels that is honored today, but the Nativity of the Queen of the angels—not the birth of the mother of an earthly king, but the very Mother of the Lord and God of glory.
Today the Queen of all and Mistress of the world has from a barren and withered womb shone forth. And who will be able to worthily sing Her Nativity? The Church of Christ itself shows that it is impossible, saying: “Verily, all tongues are at a loss to praise thee properly; and every mind, even though transcending the world, is distracted in thy praise, O Theotokos.
Truly today the All-Good and Most-Generous God has visited in His mercy His creation and called to rejoicing with a great joy not only the king and prophet David, but also the ancestors of God Joachim and Anna, with so many tears and lamentations having prayed to God to grant them fruit of the womb. All of human creation rejoiced, for the entire human race awaited the coming into the world of the Holy Virgin Who in time would bear Emmanuel, which is translated as “God with us” (Is. 7:14).
Today we celebrate the Nativity of the Queen of heaven and earth—the fruit of prayer, mercy and good deeds, received from God by the holy parents Joachim and Anna. How ought we today to celebrate; with what honor and reverence; with what holiness and purity?
Today may the barren and childless be comforted by the hope that through their alms and good deeds, fasting and prayers they too will be found worthy of children from God.
Today may the young remain in abstinence and may they celebrate in purity and honor the Nativity of the Mother of God.
Today may virgins and children exult in joy, for into the world for us has come the Mother of virginity.
Today may the old and the sick rejoice, for the staff of old age and comfort of the ailing has appeared to the world.
Today may those fallen into grievous sins and despairing of their salvation be comforted by hope, for the restoration of the fallen and the hope of the hopeless has been born on earth.
Each of you present, think about how many podvigs and acts of mercy were performed and how many tears the ancestors of God Joachim and Anna shed that God might grant them a Child. Then, for such zeal and such prayers from the depths of their souls they received a Daughter—the All-Pure Virgin Mary, of Whose birth the heavens and earth rejoiced!
Today may the barren and childless be comforted by the hope that through their alms and good deeds, fasting and prayers they too will be found worthy of children from God.
Today may the young remain in abstinence and may they celebrate in purity and honor the Nativity of the Mother of God.
Today may virgins and children exult in joy, for into the world for us has come the Mother of virginity.
Today may the old and the sick rejoice, for the staff of old age and comfort of the ailing has appeared to the world.
Today may those fallen into grievous sins and despairing of their salvation be comforted by hope, for the restoration of the fallen and the hope of the hopeless has been born on earth.
Each of you present, think about how many podvigs and acts of mercy were performed and how many tears the ancestors of God Joachim and Anna shed that God might grant them a Child. Then, for such zeal and such prayers from the depths of their souls they received a Daughter—the All-Pure Virgin Mary, of Whose birth the heavens and earth rejoiced!
The Feast of the Natvity of the Theotokos is for us the beginning of feastdays. Serving as boundary limit to the law and to foretypes, it at the same time serves as a doorway to grace and truth.” “[L]et all together keep the feast in honour of the Maiden, the Mother of God and the Prophetess: from Her hath issued forth the Prophet, foretold of by Moses, Christ God and Truth (Deut. 18: 15). Amen.”
✝️ St Andrew of Crete
✝️ St Andrew of Crete