If you fill your soul with news, what will it be fragrant with?
‘Our mind is wandering all the time as it is, our thoughts are constantly far away and we are unable to focus on anything. It’s the wandering of the mind. We receive some news willy-nilly. Then we begin to turn it over in our minds. And next the well-known scheme works:
‘Provocation—coupling—assent—captivity—sin.'
All the points of the development of sin are present in us. Someone hears some news, begins to think about it, gets annoyed, angry, and starts to judge others. As a result, we find ourselves in a state when we are unable to pray. How can we pray if we are annoyed, angry and condemn others?
—Father Sergei Ermolaev, Church of St. John the Baptist, Vologda
‘Our mind is wandering all the time as it is, our thoughts are constantly far away and we are unable to focus on anything. It’s the wandering of the mind. We receive some news willy-nilly. Then we begin to turn it over in our minds. And next the well-known scheme works:
‘Provocation—coupling—assent—captivity—sin.'
All the points of the development of sin are present in us. Someone hears some news, begins to think about it, gets annoyed, angry, and starts to judge others. As a result, we find ourselves in a state when we are unable to pray. How can we pray if we are annoyed, angry and condemn others?
—Father Sergei Ermolaev, Church of St. John the Baptist, Vologda
"How mistaken are those people who seek happiness outside of themselves, in foreign lands and journeys, in riches and glory, in great possessions and pleasures, in diversions and vain things, which have a bitter end! In the same way, to construct the tower of happiness outside of ourselves as it is to build a house in a place that is consistently shaken by earthquakes. Happiness is found within ourselves, and blessed is the man who has understood this. Happiness is a pure heart, for such a heart becomes the throne of God. Thus says Christ of those who have pure hearts: 'I will visit them and will walk in them, and I will be a God to them, and they will be my people.' (2 Cor. 6:16) What can be lacking to them? Nothing, nothing at all! For they have the greatest good in their hearts: God Himself!"
✝️ St. Nektarios of Aegina, “Path to Happiness”
✝️ St. Nektarios of Aegina, “Path to Happiness”
While it is impossible to know God in His essence (God in Himself), it is possible to know God in his energies— that is, to know what God does, and who He is in relation to the creation and to man. This is the teaching of St. Gregory Palamas, Archbishop of Thessalonica. This is the Orthodox Faith. “Anyone fortunate enough to attain to the divine energy, and to undergo divine transformation, himself becomes completely like the light. He is with the light, and by means of it sees clearly things which, were it not for this great and inexpressible grace, would be invisible to all.” St. Gregory taught that when the Apostles Peter, James and John witnessed the Transfiguration of Jesus Christ on Mount Tabor, they were in fact seeing the uncreated light of God-- a light that can be seen by others with repentance, spiritual discipline and contemplative prayer.
"God both is and is said to be the nature of all things, in so far as all things partake of Him and subsist by means of this participation... In this sense He is the Being of all beings, the Form that is in all forms as the Author of form, the Wisdom of the wise and, simply, the All of all things. Yet He is not nature, because He transcends every nature; He is not a being because he transcends every being; and He is not nor does He possess a form, because He transcends every form...He is everywhere and nowhere; He has many names and He cannot be named; He is ever-moving and He is unmoved and, in short, He is everything and no-thing." ✝️ St. Gregory Palamas
"Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner."
The hesychastic life taught and lived by St Gregory Palamas calls us to move beyond our senses and withdraw inwards to pray the Jesus Prayer: "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner". Hesychasm involves acquiring an "inner stillness" in prayer-- an obedience to Christ's injunction in the Gospel of Matthew to "go into your closet to pray."
"O wonder-working Gregory, glory of Thessalonica and preacher of grace, always intercede before the Lord that our souls may be saved."
The hesychastic life taught and lived by St Gregory Palamas calls us to move beyond our senses and withdraw inwards to pray the Jesus Prayer: "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner". Hesychasm involves acquiring an "inner stillness" in prayer-- an obedience to Christ's injunction in the Gospel of Matthew to "go into your closet to pray."
"O wonder-working Gregory, glory of Thessalonica and preacher of grace, always intercede before the Lord that our souls may be saved."
☦️ St. Innocent, Enlightener of Siberia and Alaska (Mar 31):
“To take up your cross means to tolerate everything without complaining, regardless of how unpleasant things might become. For example, if someone has insulted you or laughed at you or provoked you, bear it all without anger or resentment. Similarly, if you helped someone and he, instead of showing gratitude, made up deceitful tales about you or if you wanted to do something good but were unable to accomplish it, bear it without despondency. Did some misfortune befall you? Did someone in your family become ill, or despite all your efforts and tireless labor did you repeatedly suffer failure? Has some other thing or person oppressed you? Bear all with patience in the name of Jesus Christ. Do not consider yourself punished unjustly, but accept everything as your cross.”
“To take up your cross means to tolerate everything without complaining, regardless of how unpleasant things might become. For example, if someone has insulted you or laughed at you or provoked you, bear it all without anger or resentment. Similarly, if you helped someone and he, instead of showing gratitude, made up deceitful tales about you or if you wanted to do something good but were unable to accomplish it, bear it without despondency. Did some misfortune befall you? Did someone in your family become ill, or despite all your efforts and tireless labor did you repeatedly suffer failure? Has some other thing or person oppressed you? Bear all with patience in the name of Jesus Christ. Do not consider yourself punished unjustly, but accept everything as your cross.”
One has to understand that even though the modern woman is poisoned by the idea of the equality between the sexes, this equality does not exist in nature. And what can understand that bitter truth better than a woman's heart? This means that the woman, trying to adapt to the world in exterior, deep inside still wants protection, she is afraid of shame and betrayal, and she is dreaming of a strong shoulder. She is prepared to say "get lost" to all these ideas of equality and democracy in 99 out of 100 times, if she gets simple family happiness. So this domestic harmony should be given to her. She should receive it. She should be given earned money, sincere kiss and soothing words of approval. Every woman should receive all that from her husband. And, my God, so much happiness and power, energy and devotion, so much endearment and care will the manly part of humanity receive! However, it is a pity that the majority of us are no longer Knights.
—Archpriest Andrew Tkachev
—Archpriest Andrew Tkachev
"I will enter Your house and worship toward your holy temple in the fear of You. Lead me, O Lord, in Your righteousness because of my enemies; make my way straight before You, that with a pure heart I may glorify You forever: one divine power worshipped in three Persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen."