A Christmas Prayer

Holy Nativity Icon

This Christmas night bestowed peace on the whole 

world;

So let no one threaten;

This is the night of the Most Gentle One -

Let no one be cruel;

This is the night of the Humble One -

Let no one be proud.

Now is the day of joy -

Let us not revenge;

Now is the day of Good Will -

Let us not be mean.

In this Day of Peace -

Let us not be conquered by anger.

Today the Bountiful impoverished Himself for our 

sake;

So, rich one, invite the poor to your table.

Today we receive a Gift for which we did not ask;

So let us give alms to those who implore and beg us.

This present Day cast open the heavenly doors to our 

prayers;

Let us open our door to those who ask our 

forgiveness.

Today the DIVINE BEING took upon Himself the seal of 

our humanity,

In order for humanity to be decorated by the Seal of 

DIVINITY.

(St. Isaac the Syrian)

On Passions and Virtue

  If you have ought against any, or any against you, make peace. If you do not do this, anything that you bring to God will not be accepted (Mark 11:25, Matt. 5:23-24). If you fulfill this commandment of the Lord, then you can pray to Him boldly, saying "Lord, forgive me my debts, as I forgive my brother’s, fulfilling Your commandment! And the Lover of Mankind will answer: "If you have released him, I will release you: if you have forgiven, I forgive your debts."

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   Do not think, that you alone carry more sorrows than anyone else. As no one living on earth can avoid its air, thus a person, living in this world, cannot avoid being tempted by sorrows and illnesses. He who is occupied with the earthly, will feel earthly sorrow; he who strives for the spiritual, will suffer about the spiritual. But the latter will be blessed, because their fruit is plentiful in the Lord.

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   God does not permit the soul hoping in Him and patient, to be tried in such measure that it comes to despair, that is to fall into such temptations and sorrows, that it cannot bear them (1 Cor. 10:13). And the evil one cannot tempt the soul and burden it with sorrow as he will, but only as much as permitted by God. Let the soul only bear it courageously, holding on to hope in faith and awaiting God’s help and hope; and it is impossible for it to be abandoned.

Ven. Ephraim of Syria

What is it like encountering a holy man?

This excerpt is taken directly from another blog I frequent, Orthodox Way of Life. This particular story recounts a young man's first visit to Elder Paisios' hermitage on Mt. Athos. The sanctity encountered there is definitely something to strive for. I challange anyone to read the life and counsels of Elder Paisios and not be affected. A true image of Christ.


"  by Dionysios Farasiotis
When I arrived at the elder's cell, I pulled on the cord attached to the bell.  Shortly, the elder stuck his head out the window and called out, "What do you want, my boy?"  I drew near the fence and asked him, "won't you let me in, elder?" He put the keys on a wire that ran down to where I was and told me to relock the gate, and started to walk up to his dwelling.  When I reached the front of his cell underneath the balcony where he was standing, the elder asked me to hand him a jacket that had fallen to the ground.  I picked up the jacket and stretched to hand it up to him.  When the elder bent down to take it from me, our eyes met for the first time.  there was something about his eyes, large and penetrating, that nearly blinded me.  His sweet gaze was powerful and sacred, transcending the limits of human nature as I knew it.  In a flash, I lowered my head, in awe of the spiritual radiance that was before me.  I felt very small.  By the time I had walked the thirty yards around the house, I felt as though a mystery concerning the capabilities of human nature had been revealed to me. 


When we met again a few seconds later, I saw a dear old monk with quite normal eyes.  He now appeared to be merely an average human being, without a trace of the spiritual splendor that I had seen earlier.  We sat down and began to speak.  In a little while, I told him, "Elder, I don't kiss the hands of priests, because I am not a believer."
"Since you are not a believer, you're doing the right thing."

We discussed various topics.  He was so good and kind to me that within a few minutes our souls were quite united. On account of his virtues and discretion, I felt the immense joy of finally getting to know someone I could trust.  At one point, he laughed cheerfully and asked me if he had permission to help me spiritually. "Can I take a walk around inside you?" he asked.


I trusted him so much that I said yes right away.  I couldn't help smiling when he added, "My feet smell, though," since he was clearly as pure as snow with the goodness of Christ.  I answered, "It doesn't bother me."  Then, with great gentleness and courtesy, he stepped into my soul. I felt a luminous and healing presence being united to my soul and illuminating it with a gladsome light.  It was like the joy and peace of returning home after years of cruel exile.  I didn't even know that in this life you could feel such a rejuvenating peace in the embrace of God.  The elder shared my joy.


I learned later that ancient Christians used the term "watchful intoxication" to describe the way those under the influence of the Spirit soar to great, even ecstatic, spiritual heights while nevertheless remaining calm and sober––and that is how I felt as I entered this increasingly luminous, intense state, calm and watchful all the while.


After this, I returned to the monastery a changed man, spiritually and psychologically.  the monks I encountered on the way back would cheerfully ask me if I was coming from Elder Paisios.  It was almost a conspiracy.  The elder's gifts  could be so easily discerned on my countenance that they could all see it  And since I, a neophyte, felt as though I had been bathed in a noetic light, I joyfully told these old-timers, "Yes."  Indeed, I had come into contact with something extraordinary, mysterious, and divine."

From  The Gurus, The Young Man, And The Elder Paisios, by Dionysios Farasiotis  pp54-58

Miracles

Resurrection Icon

   Ever since Christianity became something close to my heart and that I took seriously I've been fascinated with miracles and the miraculous. I understand also, that we all need to be careful with how much we attach ourselves to such things and that balance is necessary (John 20:29). However, I do believe that God may use miracles to draw us closer to him (see Apostle Paul, Moses, and countless other bible characters). 


  One of the (MANY) things that drew me to Orthodox Christianity (besides it's genuine claim to being the historical church) was the unending stream of miracles and miraculous stories that flow from it. I had never before encountered such a huge amount of God-breathed occurrences. From myrrh-streaming icons, to health-restoring relics, to eucharistic transformations, to incorrupt and fragrant saints. 


   Ill just post a few of my favorite miraculous stories.


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 The Snakes of Kefalonia, Greece

"The phenomenon of the Holy Snakes of the Virgin Mary has been occurring for centuries during the festivities to the Theotokos between August 5 and August 15 in the village of Markopoulo on the island of Kefalonia, Greece. The small black snakes appear at the church of Panagia of Langouvarda on the site of a monastery, established as a nunnery and dedicated to Our Lady of Langouvarda.

The myth about these snakes is attached to the year the monastery was attacked by pirates in 1705. The nuns prayed fervently to the Virgin Mary for protection and were subsequently transformed into the snakes to avoid being taken as prisoners.

The snakes have a small cross on their head and their tongues are also in the shape of a cross. They are known to belong to the Telescopus fallax species, also known as the European Cat Snake, and they appear in and around the courtyard of the church, on the walls and on the bell tower. The snakes show no fear while the services are held and are harmless during the festivities. As soon as the Liturgy concludes on the 15th of August, they become hostile and aggressive and disappear back into the wilderness of the area. The snakes cannot be found until the following year.

The inhabitants of the villages consider them to be holy, collecting them and setting them on the silver icon of the Virgin of the Snakes (Panagia Fidoussa). It has been documented by the locals that during World War II and the year of the island's destructive 1953 earthquake in August, the snakes failed to appear. The locals now use this as a sign that if the snakes do not show just before the 15th of August that something bad is imminent."

Youtube Part 1
Youtube Part 2 
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The first miracle attributed to St. Nectarios

"During the last days of his life, the Saint was in the room for the incurables of the hospital, among many poor patients who were at the point of death. Beside the bed of St. Nectarios was a patient that had been paralyzed for years. As soon as the Saint gave up his spirit, a nurse of the hospital, together with a nun who had accompanied the Saint, began to prepare the holy body for transportation to Aegina for burial. They removed an old sweater from the Saint, and placed it for convenience on the bed of the paralytic and continued to prepare the body. Suddenly, the paralytic patient became well and rose from his bed, praising the Lord. This was the first miracle after the repose of St. Nectarios, through which the Lord confirmed the sainthood of Nectarios."      This one reminds me of God working miracles through the Apostle Paul  (Acts 19:11) ----------------     Holy Fire   From wikipedia:           "The Holy Fire (Greek Ἃγιον Φῶς, "Holy Light") is described by Christians as a miracle that occurs every year at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre inJerusalem on Holy Saturday, the day preceding Orthodox Easter. It is considered by many to be the longest-attested annual miracle in the Christian world. It has only been consecutively documented since 1106 A.D., previous references being sporadic. The ceremony is broadcasted live in Greece,Russia, Romania, Belarus, Bulgaria, Georgia, Cyprus, Lebanon and other Orthodox countries like Egypt. Furthermore, the Holy Fire is brought to certainOrthodox countries, such as in Russia, Belarus, Greece, Cyprus, Serbia, Georgia, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Syria, Lebanon and Armenia, every year by special flights, being received with honors by state leaders at the respective airports." "On the appointed day at noon, the Greek Orthodox patriarch, followed by the Armenian archbishop, march in grand and solemn procession with their own clergies, while singing hymns. They march three times round the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Once the procession has ended, the Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem or another Orthodox Archbishop recites a specific prayer, removes his robes and enters alone into the sepulchre. Before entering the Tomb of Christ, the patriarch is examined by Jewish Israeli authorities to prove that he does not carry technical means to light the fire. This investigation used to be carried out by Muslim Turkish Ottoman soldiers. The Armenian archbishops remain in the antechamber, where the angel was sitting when he appeared to Mary Magdalene after the Resurrection of Jesus.[2] The congregation subsequently chants Kyrie eleison ("Lord, have mercy" in Greek) until the Holy Fire spontaneously descends on 33 white candles tied together by the Patriarch while he is alone inside the tomb chamber of Jesus. The patriarch then reveals himself from the tomb chamber and recites some prayers, before he lights either 33 or 12 candles and distributes them to the congregation. The fire is considered by believers to be the flame of the Resurrection power, as well as the fire of the Burning Bush of Mount Sinai. Pilgrims claim the Holy Fire does not burn their hair, faces, clothes or anything else during the first 33 minutes of its appearance. One web site offers videos claiming to show worshipers having prolonged contact with the flames without discomfort or damage to skin or hair. Patriarch Diodoros of Jerusalem has described the process of the coming down of the fire as follows: I find my way through the darkness towards the inner chamber in which I fall on my knees. Here I say certain prayers that have been handed down to us through the centuries and, having said them, I wait. Sometimes I may wait a few minutes, but normally the miracle happens immediately after I have said the prayers. From the core of the very stone on which Jesus lay an indefinable light pours forth. It usually has a blue tint, but the color may change and take many different hues. It cannot be described in human terms. The light rises out of the stone as mist may rise out of a lake it almost looks as if the stone is covered by a moist cloud, but it is light. This light each year behaves differently. Sometimes it covers just the stone, while other times it gives light to the whole sepulchre, so that people who stand outside the tomb and look into it will see it filled with light. The light does not burn. I have never had my beard burnt in all the 16 years I have been Patriarch in Jerusalem and have received the Holy Fire. The light is of a different consistency than normal fire that burns in an oil lamp. At a certain point the light rises and forms a column in which the fire is of a different nature, so that I am able to light my candles from it. When I thus have received the flame on my candles, I go out and give the fire first to the Armenian Patriarch and then to the Coptic. Hereafter I give the flame to all people present in the Church."  Video  http://www.holyfire.org/eng/

Some humor.

  When I actually laugh out loud by myself at a joke its a good indicator that I should share it. Enjoy.


  A Priest, a Southern Baptist preacher, and a Rabbi all served as chaplains to the students at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville . They would get together two or three times a week for coffee and to talk shop. 

One day, someone made the comment that preaching to people isn't really all that hard. A real challenge would be to preach to a bear. One thing led to another, and they decided to do an experiment. They would all go up to Gatlinburg & back into the woods, find a bear, preach to it, and attempt to convert it.
 

Seven days later, they all came together to discuss their experiences.
 

Father Flannery, who had his arm in a sling, was on crutches, and had various bandages on his body and limbs, went first.  "Well," he said, "I went into the woods to find me a bear. And when I found him, I began to read to him from the Catechism. Well, that bear wanted nothing to do with me and began to slap me around. So I quickly grabbed my holy water, sprinkled him and, Holy Mary, Mother of God, he became as gentle as a lamb. The Bishop is coming out next week to give him first communion and confirmation."
 

Reverend Billy Bob spoke next. He was in a wheelchair, had one arm and both legs in casts, and had an IV drip. In his best fire-and-brimstone oratory, he claimed, "WELL, brothers, you KNOW that we don't sprinkle! I went out and I FOUND me a bear. And then I began to read to my bear from God's HOLY WORD! But that bear wanted nothing to do with me. So I took HOLD of him and we began to wrestle. We wrestled down one hill, UP another and DOWN another until we came to a creek. So I quickly DUNKED him and BAPTIZED his hairy soul. And just like you said, he became as gentle as a lamb. We spent the rest of the day praising Jesus."
 

The Priest and the Reverend both looked down at Rabbi Goldberg, who was lying in a hospital bed. He was in a body cast and traction with IVs and monitors running in and out of him. He was in really bad shape.
 

The Rabbi looked up and said, "Looking back on it, circumcision may not have been the best way to start." 

Wisdom from St. John of Kronstadt

Taken from Orthowiki:

"When you are praying alone, and your spirit is dejected, and you are wearied and oppressed by your loneliness, remember then, as always, that God the Trinity looks upon you with eyes brighter than the sun; also all the angels, your own Guardian Angel, and all the Saints of God. Truly they do; for they are all one in God, and where God is, there are they also. Where the sun is, thither also are directed all its rays. Try to understand what this means."

"There is nothing impossible unto those who believe; lively and unshaken faith can accomplish great miracles in the twinkling of an eye. Besides, even without our sincere and firm faith, miracles are accomplished, such as the miracles of the sacraments; for God's Mystery is always accomplished, even though we were incredulous or unbelieving at the time of its celebration. "Shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?" (Rom. 3:3). Our wickedness shall not overpower the unspeakable goodness and mercy of God; our dullness shall not overpower God's wisdom, nor our infirmity God's omnipotence." — My Life in Christ

"Oh, what great happiness and bliss, what exaltation it is to address oneself to the Eternal Father. Always, without fail, value this joy which has been accorded to you by God's infinite grace and do not forget it during your prayers; God, the angels and God's holy men listen to you."

"The enemy of our salvation especially strives to draw our heart and mind away from God when we are about to serve Him, and endeavours to adulterously attach our heart to something irrelevant. Be always, every moment, with God, especially when you pray to Him. If you are inconstant, you will fall away from life, and will cast yourself into sorrow and straitness."

"Do not be despondent when fighting against the incorporeal enemy, but even in the midst of your afflictions and oppression praise the Lord, Who has found you worthy to suffer for Him, by struggling against the subtlety of the serpent, and to be wounded for Him at every hour; for had you not lived piously, and endeavored to become united to God, the enemy would not have attacked and tormented you."

"Do not fear the conflict, and do not flee from it; where there is no struggle, there is no virtue. Our faith, trust, and love are proved and revealed in adversities, that is, in difficult and grievous outward and inward circumstances, during sickness, sorrow, and privations."

"Prayer for others is very beneficial to the man himself who prays; it purifies the heart, strengthens faith and hope in God, and arouses love for God and our neighbor."

Eastern Orthodoxy and Mysticism: The Transformation of the Senses

  
      This is a three part series/lecture via Ancient Faith Radio on what has been more modernly called 'Christian Mysticism' given by Hieromonk Irenei Steenberg. It was a really easy listen for me and I can only hope it will be for you as well. I found it quite deep yet still pretty accessible (theological talk can tend to go straight over my head). Enjoy.

Part 1
Part 1 Q&A

Part 2
Part 2 Q&A

Part 3
Part 3 Q&A

....but to steal, kill, and destroy.

The Ladder of Divine Ascent Icon

                                                                    

    I've heard it mentioned that the best trick of the devil is having us believe that he doesn't even exist. I think its a brilliant strategy. What better way to corrupt a soul. If i'm in a war (and really we are) and the enemy for whatever reason has not gotten the 'memo' it would be so extremely easy to walk straight out into the open towards him, draw my gun, and fire. He wouldn't even see it coming (in a sense). Obviously the devil is a bit more cunning and subtle about it in this situation but he can still get away with much more overt sinful enticements when he is dealing with someone who thinks he is just a myth.

    It seems that the demons really focus their power on the saints truly striving in prayer and fasting. Simply reading through the lives of the Desert Fathers or someone like St. Anthony the Great show us this. I guess the weaker of us, like myself, don't require so much attention. Maybe its that the 'cares of the world' have us occupied. Maybe worldly pleasures have us blinded. I don't really know forsure.

  I came across this excerpt from 'The Gurus, the Young Man, and Elder Paisios' by Dionysios Farasiotis and found it very interesting. Essentially its speaking about the many physical manifestations and attacks of demons that are common and even daily occurrences on Mt. Athos:

    ... I went to the Monastery of Koutloumousiou, because I wanted to speak with Father Athanasios again. I admired him because he was a good and intelligent man who was very knowledgeable about the occult. That afternoon, when he had finished his chores, we sat on the balcony and had a discussion.
    
    "Look, Father, I can accept the existence of evil as an inclination in the human soul, but when you start talking to me about the devil as a person I find it pretty farfetched."


   " Farfetched or not, it's a reality, and I can only talk to you about reality."


   " And how do you know it? Have you seen him personally?"


 He laughed. " Only once, but I'm not the only father in the monastery who's seen him and fought with him."


   "What do you mean that you've seen him?"


   "Well, once he came and ruined all the vegetable gardens in the monastery."


   "How did he ruin them?"


   "By breaking the stakes, uprooting the plants, and putting everything in disarray." I looked at him incredulously, but he met my gaze with a smile and continued.  "Once he came into my cell and struck me so hard that I still hurt the next day."


  This made me recall the inexplicable thrashing I received when I was with that girl, and I asked him with renewed interest, "So, did you see him with your own eyes?"


  "Sometimes you can see him, sometimes you can't. Once I saw three demons that were trying to play a joke on me."


  "And what did you do?"


  " I laughed --- what else was I supposed to do? After all, they were pretty funny."


  I continued to look at him in disbelief, but also with a lot of interest, because I was reflecting upon my own experiences. Perhaps this explained the banging, the slamming of doors, and that thrashing.


  "Do they also make noise?" I asked.


  " Do they ever! Around this time last year, one of the novices was going to be made a monk. At three o'clock in the morning, we were supposed to gather in the monastery church before daybreak for his tonsure, but that night all hell broke loose. They (the demons) didn't leave a cell untouched. They banged on the doors, knocked on the windows, and howled and barked like beasts. We all met in the main church around midnight for mutual support -- we younger monks were especially frightened."


  I continued to listen, but I made it clear that I found all of this astonishing and hard to believe.


  "Look," he said, "the devil doesn't want people to know that he exists, because it's easier for him to fight them if they're unaware of his existence. You don't protect yourself from an enemy unless you realize he exists. But once you've detected him, there's no reason for him to hide, so he then fights you out in the open."


  

  

 

The Saint

Elder Paisios of Holy Mountain

     "In the saint there exists nothing that is trivial, nothing coarse, nothing base, nothing affected (fake), nothing insincere. In him is the culmination of delicacy, sensibility, transparency, purity, reverence, attention before the mystery of his fellow men…comes into actual being, for he brings this forth from his communication with the supreme Person (God). The saint grasps the various conditions of the soul in others and avoids all that would upset them, although he does not avoid helping them overcome their weaknesses. He reads the least articulate needs of others and fulfills it promptly, just as he reads their impurities also, however skillfully hidden and through the delicate power of his own purity, exercising upon them a purifying action. From the saint there continually radiates a spirit of self-giving and of sacrifice for the sake of all, with no concern for himself, a spirit that gives warmth to others and assures them that they are not alone. … And yet there is no one more humble, more simple, no one more less artificial, less theatrical or hypocritical, no one more “natural” in his behavior, accepting all that is truly human and creating an atmosphere that is pure and familiar. The saint has overcome any duality within himself as St. Maximos the Confessor puts it. He has overcome the struggle between soul and body, the divergence between good intentions and deeds that do not correspond to them, between deceptive appearance and hidden thoughts, between what claims to be the case and what is the case. He has become simple, therefore, because he has surrendered himself entirely to God. That is why he can surrender himself entirely in communication with others.
  
     The saint always lends courage; at times, through a humor marked by this same delicacy, he shrinks the delusions created by fears or pride or the passions. He smiles, but does not laugh sarcastically; he is serious but not frightened. He finds value in the most humble persons, considering them to be great mysteries created by God and destined to eternal communion with Him. Through humility the saint makes himself almost unobserved, but he appears when there is need for consolation, for encouragement or help. For him no difficulty is insurmountable, because he believes firmly in the help of God sought through prayer. He is the most human and humble of beings, yet at the same time of an appearance that is unusual and amazing and gives rise in others to the sense of discovering in him, and in themselves too, what is truly human. He is a presence simultaneously most dear, and unintentionally, most impressing, the one who draws the most attention. For you he becomes the most intimate one of all and the most understanding; you never feel more at ease than near him, yet at the same time he forces you into a corner and makes you see your moral inadequacies and failings. He overwhelms you with the simple greatness of his purity and with the warmth of his goodness and makes you ashamed of how far you have fallen away from what is truly human, of how far you have sunk in your impurity, artificiality, superficiality, and duplicity, for these appear in sharp relief in the comparison you make unwillingly between yourself and him. He exercises no worldly power, he gives no harsh commands, but you feel in him an unyielding firmness in his convictions, his life, in the advice he gives, and so his opinion about what you should do, expressed with delicacy or by a discreet look, becomes for you a command and to fulfill that command you find yourself capable of any effort or sacrifice…

     Who ever approaches a saint discovers in him the peak of goodness, purity, and spiritual power covered over by the veil of humility. He is the illustration of the greatness and power of kenosis. From the saint there radiates an imperturbable quiet or peace and simultaneously a participation in the pain of others that reaches the point of tears. He is rooted in the loving and suffering stability of God Incarnate and rest in the eternity of the power and goodness of God…."


-Dimitru Staniloae from his book "The Experience of God” -

Prayer

"As many times as the enemy attacks you either through
passion or through sadness or despondency or despair,
immediately grab the weapon of prayer, and you shall see
how much it disappears and not even a trace of it
remains."
--Father Philotheos Zervakos

Why People Become Orthodox.

                                


 This is partially a plug for Father Stephen's blog 'Glory to God for All Things' but also a link to a wonderful post and, subsequently, an even better discussion following. It essentially touches on people's own journeys to the faith. Many (especially those in North America) waded through the vast seas of protestantism, others through atheism, eastern religion, and various other situations and backgrounds. I just find it so touching and amazing that the Holy Spirit can lead even the most cold-hearted, doubtful, and apathetic souls to Christ's church.
   I used to, as my excuse for not looking into Orthodox Christianity, ask 'Why don't I ever hear or see people converting?' 'It's just full of Greeks and Russians...its cultural...dead religion.'.   I made all these assumptions without ever once exploring the history of Orthodoxy.....that is.....of Christianity itself.  I somehow looked past 1500 years of Christianity (the Reformation was where Christianity really started right?). I looked past nations like Serbia, Bulgaria, Greece, Russia, Georgia, Albania, Romania, Egypt, Ethiopia, and Ukraine, all who have a very solid foundation of Orthodoxy and have produced innumerable holy and spirit-filled Saints as examples for us. I had to pull my mind out of the idea that the only Christian nation that was still 'living' was america and realize that Christianity started over 'there'. The fact is, the Church has been evangelizing and people have been converting for 2000 years. I was wrong.

   These are of course my own thoughts and shortcomings. I don't assume it's everyone's experience.  

    Anyways I may expand on my experience at another time but for now I will pass on Father Stephen's blog entry. I hope it edifies at least a few.

    'Why People Become Orthodox.'

The Last Anchorite

St. Antony's Coptic Monastery

                                  

  I came across this two part documentary on youtube and I found it very well put together. I gives you a nice compact glance into coptic monasticism and life as a hermit. Father Lazarus is from the Coptic church which it must be noted, is not a canonical orthodox church, but none the less God shines forth from him. Its always beautiful to witness an atheist conversion to christianity. His story is quite touching and he speaks with such love that it can almost bring you to tears. Enjoy.

Part 1

Part 2

The Desert Fathers on Humility

         Saint Macarius the Great

An old man was asked, “What is humility?” and he said in reply, “Humility is a great work, and a work of God. The way of humility is to undertake bodily labour and believe yourself a sinner and make yourself subject to all.” Then a brother said, “What does it mean, to be subject to all?” The old man answered, “To be subject to all is not to give your attention to the sins of others but always to give your attention to your own sins and to pray without ceasing to God.”

An old man said, “Every time a thought of superiority or vanity moves you, examine your conscience to see if you have kept all the commandments, whether you love your enemies, whether you consider yourself to be an unprofitable servant and the greatest sinner of all. Even so, do not pretend to great ideas as though you were perfectly right, for that thought destroys everything.”

As abba Macarius was returning to his cell from the marsh carrying palm-leaves, the devil met him with a sharp sickle and would have struck him but he could not. He cried out, “Great is the violence I suffer from you, Macarius, for when I want to hurt you, I cannot. But whatever you do, I do and more also. You fast now and then, but I am never refreshed by any food; you often keep vigil, but I never fall asleep. Only in one thing are you better than I am and I acknowledge that.” Macarius said to him, “What is that?” and he replied, “It is because of your humility alone that I cannot overcome you.”

The old men used to say, “When we do not experience warfare, we ought so much the more to humiliate ourselves. For God seeing our weakness, protects us; when we glorify ourselves, he withdraws his protection and we are lost.”

The Lord's Prayer (A Devout Interpretation) Part 1-3

    I read this poetic interpretation of the Lord's Prayer a little while ago and was struck by how closely it seemed to resemble many of the Psalms. St Nicholai Velimirovic was its author and although I don't do terribly well with reading old english it seemed fitting none the less.

Our Father...

   When the clouds are thundering and the oceans roaring, they call to Thee: "Our Lord!"

   When meteors fall, and fire springs up from the earth, they speak to Thee: "Our Creator!"

   When the flowers are opening their buds in the spring, and the swallows are picking up pieces 

      of dry hay with which to make their nests for their young, they sing to Thee: "Our Master!"

   And when I lift my eyes up to The throne I am whispering to Thee: "Our Father!"

There was a time, a long and fearful time, when man too spake to Thee and called Thee: Lord, or Creator, or Master!

Yea, when man felt himself to be only a thing among things. But now by merit of They First-born and Best Son we learned Thy right name. Therefore, I too, with Christ, dare to call Thee: "Father!"

If I address Thee as "Lord," I bow in fear before Thee as a slave amongst an army of slaves, If I call Thee "Creator," I separate myself from Thee as night is apart from day or as a leaf from its tree.

If I look to Thee and say "Master," I am as a stone among stones, and as a camel among camels.

But if I open my mouth and whisper "Father," love takes the place of fear, earth seems lifted nearer to Heaven, and I walk with Thee, as with my companions in the garden of this world and share Thy glory, and sorrows and strength.

 Our Father! Thou art the Father of us all, and I would lessen both Thee and me if I call Thee: My Father!

Our Father! Thou dost not care so much about me, a single individual, as about the whole world. Thy Kingdom is Thy aim, and not a single man. Selfishness cries to Thee: My Father! But Love cries: Our Father!

In the name of all men, my brothers, I pray: Our Father!

In the name of all things which surround me and with which Thou has woven me, I pray to Thee, Our Father!

I pray to Thee, Father of the universe, for one thing only I pray to Thee:let soon dawn the great day when all men, the living and the dead, in harmony with the Angels and stars, and the animals and things, call to Thee by Thy true name: Our Father!

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Which Art in Heaven....

 We always lift up our eyes to Heaven when calling to Thee and cast them down to the earth when remembering our sins. We are always in the depths on account of our weakness and our sins. Thou abidest always in the heights, as befits The magnitude and Thy holiness.

Thou art always in Heaven when we are unworthy to receive Thee; but gladly Thou descendest to us, to our earthly housing, when we are longing and opening the door for Thee. 

Yet even when Thou descendest to us, still Thou abidest in Heaven, in Heaven Thou livest, over the Heavens walkest, and with the Heavens together dost Thou bow down to our valley.

Heaven is far, too far, for the man whose mind and heart are turned from Thee, or who laughs when Thy name is spoken. But Heaven is near, so near, for the man who always keeps open the door of his soul and waits for Thy coming, our dearest Guest.

If the most just man is compared with Thee, Thou towerest over him as the firmament of Heaven over the valley of the earth; as everlasting life over the realm of death.

We are of destructible and perishable material; how could we stand on the same height with Thee, Immortal Youth and Strength!

Our Father which art always above us, bow down to us and lift us up to Thee. What are we but tongues constructed from the dust for the sake of Thy glory? The dust would be silent for ever and could not proclaim Thy name without us, O Lord. How could the dust know Thee but through us? How could Thou do miracles with the dead dust but through us?

O, Our Father!

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...Hallowed be Thy Name

  Thou wouldest not be holier by our hallowing Thee, but in hallowing Thy Name we make ourselves holy. Thy Name is wondrous. The people quarrel on this earth about names: whose name is great? It is good that sometimes Thy Name is mentioned in these quarrels, because all the loquacious tongues become at once slow and hesitating, and all the great human names melted together cannot compare with Thy Name, Holy, All-Holy!

  When men want to hallow Thy Name they ask Nature for help. They take stone and wood to make the temples; they aadorn the altars with pearls and flowers, and make fire of plants, their sisters; and take scent of the cedars, their brothers; and strengthen their voices by the voice of the bells; and call the animals for help, to hallow Thy Name. Nature is as pure as Thy stars, and as innocent as Thine angels, O Lord. Be merciful with us for the sake of the pure and innocent Nature which hallows Thy Name, together with us, Holy, All-Holy! 

 In what way should we hallow Thy name?

 Is it by innocent joy? -- then be merciful with us for the sake of our innocent children.

 Is it by suffering? -- then look at our cemeteries.

 Or is it by self-sacrifice? -- then remember our mothers, O Lord!

 Thy name is stronger than steel and clearer than light. Blessed be the man who depends upon and enlightens himself by Thy Name!

  The fools say: "We are armed with steel; who can resist us?"  And Thou destroyest kingdoms by invisible insects!

 Terrible is Thy Name, O Lord! It illuminates and it consumes like a great fire-cloud. Nothing is holy and nothing terrible that is not bound with Thy Name. Give me, O Holy, give me as friends those in whose hearts Thy Name is engraved, and as enemies those who do not wish to know anything about Thee. For such friends will be my friends to the death, and such enemies will kneels and surrender to me as soon as their steel is broken.

  Holy and terrible is Thy Name, Holy, All-Holy! Let us remember Thy Name in every moment of our joy and of our abasement in life, as we remember it in the hour of death, yea, our heavenly Father, our Holy Father!

Elder Ephraim on Salvation and Paradise

   I've had the privilege of meeting Elder Ephraim where he resides down at Saint Anthony's Monastery in Arizona and found him to be a truly humble man full of the wisdom of Christ. As with most saintly people in the history if the Church he has his fair share of critics. I like to judge by fruit (Galations 5:22) and i've seen every one of them in this man.

  ....he is a wonderful writer too.... pretty good for a guy who didn't really take any school. Oh how God's ways are so different from our own.

Taken from his book 'Counsels from the Holy Mountain' :

"Now in the springtime, when nature is wearing its most beautiful apparel, one feels inexpressible joy when this natural beauty is accompanied by a sublime spiritual state. Truly, our holy God has made all things in wisdom! [(cf. Ps. 103:26 (All quotes from the Old Testament are from the Septuagint )]. The soul cannot get enough of beholding the beauty of nature. Oh, if man would only lift his mind above thiw earthly realm to the heavenly Jerusalem, to the inconceivable beauty of paradise where the finite, earthly mind ceases to operate! If here in exile, in this accursed land of weeping, our holy God has given us so much beauty to enjoy, I wonder how much there will be in the place where God Himself dwells! Truly, “the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the coming glory and bliss.” (cf. Rom. 8:18 ). Theosis in the heavens, my child! There the Lord our God will remove every tear from our eyes, and do away with all sorrow and pain and sighing, for there the angelic way of life reins, and the only work is to chant hymns and spiritual odes! An eternal Sabbath is prepared for us where we shall live in joy with our Father, God, Who is waiting for us to be ready so that He may call us to Him forever! There every saved soul will live in an ocean of love, sweetness, joy, amazement, and wonder!"


"A time will come, the hour will strike, the moment will arrive for these eyes to close and for the soul’s eyes to open. Then we shall see a new world, new beings, a new creation, a new life without end. Its title is: “Infinite Immortality,” the great homeland, incorruptible and everlasting—the heavenly Jerusalem, the mother of the firstborn, where redeemed souls, which have been washed of their impurity by the blood of the innocent Lamb, will dwell!
Who is able to express in words or with a pen the joy, the exaltation, the bliss of those blessed saved souls? Blessed are they who have died in the Lord, for the riches of God’s goodness awaits them. Blessed is he who wins the “lottery” for the heavenly festival, for riches that cannot be taken away, for the glory that God Himself has described: “sons of the Most High, children of God, heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ.” Before the Passion, the Lord entreated His heavenly Father on behalf of His disciples and those who would believe through them: “Father, I desire that they also whom Thou hast given Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which Thou hast given Me; for Thou didst love Me before the foundation of the world.” (Jn. 17:24 ).
How great is Jesus’ love for us! He took on human nature and was hanged upon the Cross, giving us freedom and paying off our debt to His heavenly Father. And as a dear brother, He makes us worthy of jointly inheriting the infinite wealth of His heavenly Father! Oh, what love for us! Oh, how cold we are to Him! Oh, how ungrateful Iam towards my Benefactor! My God, my God, have pity on me, and do not condemn me as I deserve because of my deeds!"