If you want to serve God, prepare your heart not for food, not for drink, not for rest, not for ease, but for suffering, so that you may endure all temptations, trouble and sorrow.
Perhaps you are saying, “Why are the wicked joyful? Why do they live in luxury? Why do they not toil with me?”
We struggle to learn various things and slowly try to understand their meanings in order to gain knowledge.
Some people, especially when they feel very down or hopeless, mentally look during prayer at an image of Our Lord on the cross or some other images.
We should unceasingly pray especially during the services, even if we do something concrete during them because the prayer should help us to be more aware, more attentive if we, also, want this.
When Scripture says ‘He will reward every man according to his works’ (Mt 16:27), do not imagine that works in themselves merit either hell or the kingdom. On the contrary, Christ rewards each man according to whether his works are done with faith or without faith in Him; and He is not a dealer bound by contract, but God our Creator and Redeemer.
The demons of vainglory prophesy in dreams. Being unscrupulous, they guess the future and foretell it to us. When these visions come true, we are amazed; and we are indeed
In order for you to have time for prayer you must not concern yourself with things that other people can do. Let’s take an example.
The Church exists to save souls. To make saints. If you take saints out of its life, its theology and its worship, it ceases to be the Church. You could call it what you like, but it wouldn’t be the Church. And Christ Himself indicates that the Orthodox Church is His Church, the one of which He is the Head, and it holds the treasure of the Grace of the Holy Spirit, Who leads it to ‘all the truth’. He does so, in accordance with His incontrovertible promise, by granting Grace, by manifesting and glorifying His saints in this Church […]
People who offer ‘your own from your own, in all things and for all things’ serve God truly and pleasingly. That is, people who recognize that whatever they have is a gift from God. They believe that they’ve got nothing of their own to offer. Everything’s from God and they take from that and offer it to God, together with themselves, their world and their relations with the world. They keep nothing selfishly for themselves. They offer themselves without reservation. They give everything in order to receive everything. They die in order to live. And they offer everything in Christ […]
No fasting from food is of any benefit to those who don’t fast from their other feelings,
An the word of Lord came to Elijah: “What are you doing here, Elijah?” He replied,…
View of a typical monastic settlement on Mount Athos. It is hidden away in a dense forest, in a peaceful area conducive to prayer and spiritual development. A person must live like an exile from this world in order to…
The self-controlled refrain from gluttony; those who have renounced possessions, from greed; the tranquil, from loquacity; the pure, from…
A disciple asked an elder, “Elder, why are you happy all day long?” The elder replied,…
World War III: why and when? A pilgrim asked a monk, “When will the Third World War happen, and why?” The monk replied,…
For the whole array of passions: wrath, fear, cowardice, impudence, depression as well as pleasure, hatred, strife and merciless cruelty, envy as well as flattery, brutality together with brooding over injuries — they are all many despotic masters…
The first group of angels consists of those who are in God’s presence and are said to be directly and immediately one with Him: the…
A person who strives for a long time but doesn’t see spiritual progress has pride and egotism. Spiritual progress is found where there is…
Please read on: This poem has more than 1300 years. This Nativity 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…
First of all you cannot stop the wandering of the mind. But you can fight to…