Who killed Jesus? Many would say “the Jews” – however, if we look closely at the Gospels we will see that the answer isn’t correct and besides that, such forms of judgment of people based on their ethnic or cultural appurtenance of a certain group have dire consequences, as we saw in history.
We often conceive of worldly life as merely a kind of default existence that anyone who is not specially called to monasticism or ordination simply ends up leading. We assume that it is only the monk, nun or priest who has a special call, while the married woman, for instance, has merely been passed by.
If you love the good disciples, no one owes you any thanks on that account. But instead, try to subdue the more troublesome ones with your meekness.
Simonopetra Monastery or Simonos Petra (Greek: Σιμωνόπετρα or Σίμωνος Πέτρα) is one of the many monasteries that occupy the peninsula of Mount Athos and it is dedicated to the Nativity of Christ. It is ranked thirteenth in the hierarchical order of the Mount Athos monasteries located on the peninsula.
Birds are fooled, and the animals of the forest, by the very charms that bring their destruction. Caves as well as food deceive them. They do not know how to avoid evil, and they are not restrained by the law.
Blessed is the man who knows his own weakness, because this knowledge becomes to him the foundation, root and beginning of all goodness.
A disciple once asked an elder: Well then, if a good man does not only suffer no evil by being killed, but actually gains a reward from his suffering, how can we accuse the man who has done him no harm but good by killing him?
Many times we yell at our children “do this” or “don’t do that” – but unfortunately the end results are not what we expected.
Orthodoxy is a divine-human co-operation in which the Lord Himself will settle any crisis within His Body – the Church – and the most common way is the following one:
The devil says, “Your spiritual father is a sinner, so, don’t listen to him.”
The Holy Monastery of Koutloumousiou (Greek: Κουτλουμούσι) is one of twenty monasteries on the Mount Athos peninsula and is located on the northeastern side of the peninsula, near Karyes. It is sixth in hierarchical rank among the monasteries.
Dispassion is the total cure of the soul, the experience of the heavenly state of total liberty, power and happiness. The correct way to be.
Let us now speak in particular about the interior man. A wheel, as you know, rests upon the ground with a very slight base. Nor does it merely rest; it rolls along; it does not stand still but barely touches the ground and passes on.
The position in which man was created by God is the standing position. This is our natural position, the position in which our person is fulfilled and behaves as it should. That’s why we see the saints in most icons standing.
Perhaps the greatest trial of Saint Paisios of Mount Athos happened when he was still a child.
Man is created in the image of God and he must reach His likeness. This is, I could say, the final aim and the mystical entelechy of man. As long as this yearning is not satisfied and man remains far from God, he suffers all the more.
Do not fall into despair because of stumbling. I do not mean that you should not feel contrition for them, but that you should not think them incurable. For it is more expedient to be bruised than dead. There is, indeed, a Healer for the man who has stumbled, even He Who on the Cross asked that mercy be shown to His crucifiers, He Who pardoned His murders while He hung on the Cross. ‘All manner of sin,’ He said, ‘and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men,’ that is, through repentance.”
The Dochiariou Monastery (Greek: Δοχειαρίου) is located on the southwestern coast of the Athos Peninsula in northern Greece. It is ranked tenth in the hierarchical order of the twenty monasteries located on the peninsula. As is case of the other institutions on Mount Athos, life at Dochiariou is coenobitic.
Narrow is the way of life, and broad the way of torment; prayer is able to bring a man to the house of the Kingdom. This is the perfect work: prayer that is pure from iniquity.
The demons cannot know our thoughts but they conclude on what we think. They have a lot of experience and they can sense the presence God’s grace. In fact this is what burns them.
It is worth noticing that, after acquiring spiritual understanding, the defects and faults of one’s neighbor begin to seem very slight and insignificant, as redeemed by the Savior and easily cured by repentance—
Great Schema Monks on Mount Athos have learnt a great deal from the Holy Fathers and their experiences. Likewise, they have learnt a lot from the humble mules which are used to carry loads of wood from the forests.
We all sin and the effect of any sin is the increase of demonic energy upon us. Devils, like any angel, are spirits – noetic existences – so our minds can communicate with them but because the demons are very good “theologians” and very intelligent – even if their intelligence is distorted – that’s why we cannot escape from them when we are under their influence by using logic. We will just tangle more in their nets.
The Monastery of the Great Lavra, (Greek: Μεγίστη Λαύρα, Megísti Lávra) is located on the Athos Peninsula in northern Greece. The Great Lavra was founded in 963 by St. Athanasius the Athonite. It is ranked first in the hierarchical order of the Mount Athos monasteries located on the peninsula. It is considered the mother monastery of Mount Athos.
The question of forgiveness is not a moral issue. We do not forgive because it is the “correct” thing to do. We forgive because it is the true nature of the life in Christ.
With Christ, the truth is no longer hidden. Now people are hiding from truth.
Now, it’s true that most people who don’t have much sense expect to be content with avoiding hell. But I say it’s a far worse punishment than hell to be excluded from the glory of the other world. I think that someone who has failed to reach it should be sorry, not so much because of the miseries of hell, but because of his rejection from heaven. For that by itself is more dreadful than any other kind of punishment.
A humble person never behaves like a teacher; he will listen, and, whenever his opinion is requested, he responds humbly. In other words, he replies like a student. He who believes that he is capable of correcting others is filled with egotism.
Elder Joseph of Vatopaidi (+2009) was a very pious monk and we honor his memory each year with much devotion and dedication. His holiness was acquired through his great ascetical feats along with good deeds which he performed throughout his entire life, and in most cases in discretion, just like any other spiritual person.
According to the blameless Christian faith, of the One, Holy Apostolic and Catholic Church, which comes to us as a revelation from God, I confess and hold that I believe in one God, the Father Almighty: God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit. I adore and worship one God, the Holy Trinity.