A Lesson in Holy Simplicity
In I965, our country was visited by an important Anglican delegation, led by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Michael Ramsey. They also visited Cernica Monastery.
Special preparations were, of course, made: general cleaning and so on. Among other things, an extremely simple monk, with little education, always dressed in an old cassock and with an unkempt appearance, was removed and sent all the way to the cemetery, so that the guests wouldn't see him and God forbid!-the monastery would be embarrassed.
But God had other plans. The delegation also visited the cemetery. There they came across the respective father, crouched in a corner, reading the Psalter with tears in his eyes. Everyone noticed him, photographed him, filmed him, so much so that his image even reached albroad, being used on various occasions to illustrate the authentic face of an Orthodox monk. [1/2]
In I965, our country was visited by an important Anglican delegation, led by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Michael Ramsey. They also visited Cernica Monastery.
Special preparations were, of course, made: general cleaning and so on. Among other things, an extremely simple monk, with little education, always dressed in an old cassock and with an unkempt appearance, was removed and sent all the way to the cemetery, so that the guests wouldn't see him and God forbid!-the monastery would be embarrassed.
But God had other plans. The delegation also visited the cemetery. There they came across the respective father, crouched in a corner, reading the Psalter with tears in his eyes. Everyone noticed him, photographed him, filmed him, so much so that his image even reached albroad, being used on various occasions to illustrate the authentic face of an Orthodox monk. [1/2]
[2/2] This is how God glorified that holy-living ascetic. We were wrong back then. —Father Nicodim Bujor
Source: Basilica New Agency
Source: Basilica New Agency
"We should never fear to be a minority in society. The days of the great Christian empires are over, and now we are becoming once again a minority like the Apostolic Church. We shouldn't fear being a minority, as long as we are a minority inspired by God, filled with His Holy Spirit. A Spirit-filled minority can change the world."
Archbishop Anastasios of Albania
Archbishop Anastasios of Albania
God, dogs, and us
"By their very nature and need, dogs draw us out of ourselves: they root us in nature, making us more conscious of the mystery of God inherent in all things. We cannot but delight in recognizing God’s mystery in the length and breadth of our daily life." - from the Monks of New Skete monastery (Cambridge, NY) website, newskete.org
"By their very nature and need, dogs draw us out of ourselves: they root us in nature, making us more conscious of the mystery of God inherent in all things. We cannot but delight in recognizing God’s mystery in the length and breadth of our daily life." - from the Monks of New Skete monastery (Cambridge, NY) website, newskete.org
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
Christ our God, take from us the strange laziness of sloth. Deliver us from passivity.
"The basic disease" addressed in the Lenten Prayer of St Ephriam the Syrian "is sloth. It is that strange laziness and passivity of our entire being which always pushes us "down" rather than "up" -- which constantly convinces us that no change is possible and therefore desirable. It is in fact a deeply rooted cynicism which to every spiritual challenge responds "what for?" and makes our life one tremendous spiritual waste. It is the root of all sin because it poisons the spiritual energy at its very source." - Protopresbyter Alexander Schmemann
"The basic disease" addressed in the Lenten Prayer of St Ephriam the Syrian "is sloth. It is that strange laziness and passivity of our entire being which always pushes us "down" rather than "up" -- which constantly convinces us that no change is possible and therefore desirable. It is in fact a deeply rooted cynicism which to every spiritual challenge responds "what for?" and makes our life one tremendous spiritual waste. It is the root of all sin because it poisons the spiritual energy at its very source." - Protopresbyter Alexander Schmemann
Troparion for Thursday
O holy Apostles intercede with our merciful God, that He may grant to our souls, the forgiveness of our sins!
Kontakion
Today Christ the Rock gladly glorifies the rock of faith, the chosen disciple Peter, together with Paul and the whole company of the Twelve, As we celebrate their memory, We glorify Him Who has glorified them!
O holy Apostles intercede with our merciful God, that He may grant to our souls, the forgiveness of our sins!
Kontakion
Today Christ the Rock gladly glorifies the rock of faith, the chosen disciple Peter, together with Paul and the whole company of the Twelve, As we celebrate their memory, We glorify Him Who has glorified them!
In this age of false teachers, in "only one place is there to be found the fount of true teaching, coming from God Himself, not diminished over the centuries... leading those who follow it to eternal salvation. This place is the Orthodox Church of Christ, the fount is the grace of the All-Holy Spirit, and the true teachers of the Divine doctrine that issues from this fount are the Holy Fathers of the Orthodox Church.”
+ Fr Seraphim Rose
+ Fr Seraphim Rose
If you left the Church to get away from hypocritical people, you should also quit your job, drop out of school, disconnect yourself from all your friends and family, and lock yourself in your room.
Or, you can see the Church for what she is: a hospital for wounded people, like you. There you are a patient as well as a practitioner. There are flaws wherever there are humans. Go for healing, but also to be a healer of messed up people who are sometimes rude, obnoxious and conniving in the throes of their diseases. Just like you.
Allow God's grace to transform you day by day, and to treat those who are yet being transformed with care, love and kindness.
Or, you can see the Church for what she is: a hospital for wounded people, like you. There you are a patient as well as a practitioner. There are flaws wherever there are humans. Go for healing, but also to be a healer of messed up people who are sometimes rude, obnoxious and conniving in the throes of their diseases. Just like you.
Allow God's grace to transform you day by day, and to treat those who are yet being transformed with care, love and kindness.
A contrast revealed in icons
St. Mary of Egypt: repented in tears, struggled valiantly against temptations and received the longed-for Mystical Supper, the Cup of Salvation, from the hand of St. Zozimas.
Judas Iscariot: left the Mystical Supper after betraying his Master, leaving behind an empty halo and a mere silhouette in the place of where he should have been had he not turned his back on Jesus Christ. He brought upon himself the despair of guilt without repentance.
St. Mary of Egypt: repented in tears, struggled valiantly against temptations and received the longed-for Mystical Supper, the Cup of Salvation, from the hand of St. Zozimas.
Judas Iscariot: left the Mystical Supper after betraying his Master, leaving behind an empty halo and a mere silhouette in the place of where he should have been had he not turned his back on Jesus Christ. He brought upon himself the despair of guilt without repentance.
St. Mary of Egypt and the Mother of God
St. Mary, telling of her struggle against the passions to Father Zosima :
“And how can I tell you about the thoughts which urged me on to fornication, how can I express them to you, Abba? A fire was kindled in my miserable heart which seemed to burn me up completely and to awake in me a thirst for embraces. As soon as this craving came to me, I flung myself on the earth and watered it with my tears, as if I saw before me my witness, who had appeared to me in my disobedience, and who seemed to threaten punishment for the crime. [1/2]
St. Mary, telling of her struggle against the passions to Father Zosima :
“And how can I tell you about the thoughts which urged me on to fornication, how can I express them to you, Abba? A fire was kindled in my miserable heart which seemed to burn me up completely and to awake in me a thirst for embraces. As soon as this craving came to me, I flung myself on the earth and watered it with my tears, as if I saw before me my witness, who had appeared to me in my disobedience, and who seemed to threaten punishment for the crime. [1/2]
[2/2] And I did not rise from the ground (sometimes I lay thus prostrate for a day and a night) until a calm and sweet light descended and enlightened me and chased away the thoughts that possessed me. But always I turned to the eyes of my mind to my Protectress, asking her to extend help to one who was sinking fast in the waves of the desert. And I always had her as my Helper. And thus I lived for seventeen years amid constant dangers. And since then even till now the Mother of God helps me in everything and leads me as it were by the hand.”
The icon before which St. Mary of Egypt turned to the Mother of God in repentance bears the name “Guarantor” or “Surety”. The icon resides in the Great Lavra of St. Athanasius on Mount Athos.
The icon before which St. Mary of Egypt turned to the Mother of God in repentance bears the name “Guarantor” or “Surety”. The icon resides in the Great Lavra of St. Athanasius on Mount Athos.
Our struggle is “not against flesh and blood, but against ... the rulers of the present darkness ... the hosts of wickedness in heavenly places ..." (Ephesians 6:12)
On the 4th Sunday of Great Lent, we commemorate St John Climacus (of the Ladder), abbot of St Catherine’s Monastery on Mount Sinai (6th century). His book “The Ladder Of Divine Ascent” is intended for monks and the spiritually advanced, and is perhaps most beneficial to laypeople when slowly and carefully read in small portions. [1/2]
On the 4th Sunday of Great Lent, we commemorate St John Climacus (of the Ladder), abbot of St Catherine’s Monastery on Mount Sinai (6th century). His book “The Ladder Of Divine Ascent” is intended for monks and the spiritually advanced, and is perhaps most beneficial to laypeople when slowly and carefully read in small portions. [1/2]