The Giver of Life is
meek and lowly
O our Resurrection and our Life
Glory to Thee
SPIRITUAL COUNSEL
Saint John of Kronstadt
Saint John of Kronstadt (1829-1908), when remarking on caring too much for the flesh, said, "It is remarkable that however much we trouble about our health, however much care we take of ourselves, whatever wholesome and pleasant food and drink we take, however much we walk in the fresh air, still, notwithstanding all this, in the end we sicken and corrupt; whilst the saints, who despise the flesh, and mortify it by continual abstinence and fasting, by lying on the bare earth, by watchfulness, labors, unceasing prayer, make both their souls and bodies immortal. Our well-fed bodies decay and after death emit an offensive odor, whilst theirs remain fragrant and flourishing both in life and after death.
"It is a remarkable thing: we, by building up our body, destroy it, whilst they, by destroying theirs, built it up-by caring only for the fragrance of their souls before God, they obtain fragrance of the body also."
The righteous Joachim and Anna were childless for fifty years of their married life. In their old age the Archangel Gabriel appeared to each one of them separately, telling them that God had heard their prayers and that they would give birth to a daughter, Mary. Then St. Anna conceived by her husband and after nine months bore a daughter blessed by God and by all generations of men: the Most-holy Virgin Mary, the Theotokos.
St. Joachim was of the lineage of Judah and a descendant of King David. Anna was the daughter of Matthan the priest, from the lineage of Levi, as was Aaron the high priest. Matthan had three daughters: Mary, Sophia and Anna. Mary married, lived in Bethlehem and gave birth to Salome; Sophia married, also lived in Bethlehem, and gave birth to Elizabeth, the mother of St. John the Forerunner; Anna married Joachim in Nazareth, and in old age gave birth to Mary, the Most-holy Theotokos.
Joachim and Anna had lived together in marriage for fifty years, and yet had remained barren. They lived devoutly and quietly, and of all their income they spent one third on themselves, distributed one third to the poor and gave the other third to the Temple, and they were well provided for. Once when in their old age they came to Jerusalem to offer a sacrifice to God, the high priest Issachar reprimanded Joachim, saying: ``You are not worthy that a gift be accepted from your hands, for you are childless.'' Others, who had children, pushed Joachim behind them as one unworthy. This greatly grieved these two aged souls and they returned home in great sorrow. Then the two of them fell down before God in prayer, that He work a miracle with them as He once had with Abraham and Sarah, and give them a child as a comfort in their old age. Then God sent His angel, who announced to them the birth of ``a daughter most-blessed, by whom all nations on earth will be blessed and through whom the salvation of the world will come.'' Anna straightway conceived, and in nine months gave birth to the Holy Virgin Mary. St. Joachim lived for eighty years and Anna lived for seventy-nine, at which time they reposed in the Lord.
Prayer to the Righteous and Holy Ancestors of God Joachim and Anna
The Father's Ineffable Love for His Creatures Revealed
O Ever Righteous Forbearers of Christ holy Joachim and Anna who stand before the heavenly throne of the great King and possess boldness before Him; He was well pleased to become incarnate of your all-blessed Daughter, the all-pure Birth-giver of God and Ever-virgin Mary.
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Galatians 4:22-27 King James Version
22 For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.
23 But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.
24 Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.
25 For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.
26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.
27 For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband.
22 For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.
23 But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.
24 Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.
25 For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.
26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.
27 For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband.
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Saint Luke 8:16-21 King James Version16 No man, when he hath lighted a candle, covereth it with a vessel, or putteth it under a bed; but setteth it on a candlestick, that they which enter in may see the light.
17 For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad.
18 Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have.
19 Then came to him his mother and his brethren, and could not come at him for the press.
20 And it was told him by certain which said, Thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to see thee.
21 And he answered and said unto them, My mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of God, and do it.
The Arena
On the Jesus Prayer by Saint Ignaty Brianchaninov
The following words of the same Saint have an identical meaning: “Devote the greater part of the night to prayer and only what is left to reading the Psalter.” That is how the meaning of the words prayer and psalmody is explained in St John of the Ladder’s work, The Ladder of Divine Ascent, and later by the great ascetics and guides of monasticism, St Symeon the New Theologian and St Gregory of Sinai.
The Jesus Prayer is divided into two forms: vocal and mental. The ascetic passes from vocal to mental prayer automatically on this condition: when vocal prayer is attentive. At first the Jesus Prayer should be practiced vocally. The Jesus Prayer is performed standing; but in the event of weakness or exhaustion it may be performed sitting, or even lying down. The essential properties of this prayer should be attention, the enclosure of the mind in the words of the prayer, extreme unhurriedness in pronouncing it, and contrition of spirit. Although these conditions are necessary for all prayer, they are more easily observed and more needed in the practice of the Jesus Prayer.
In psalmody, the diversity of thought in which prayer is clothed involuntarily attracts the attention of the mind and causes it some diversion. But in the case of the Jesus Prayer, the mind is concentrated on a single thought: the thought of the sinner’s forgiveness by Jesus. Outwardly this activity is the most dry, but in practice it proves to be the most fruitful of all the soul’s activities. Its power and value derive from the all-powerful, all-holy name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Prophesying about the God-Man, the Prophet Joel foretold, “Whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” The holy Apostle Paul repeats this prophet’s words. “If you confess with your mouth,” he says, “the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”
The holy Apostle Peter, after healing a man who had been lame from his birth by the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, bore witness before the Jewish Sanhedrin in the following words: “Rulers of the people and elders of Israel: If we [the holy Apostles Peter and John] this day are judged for good deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has been made well, let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole.
The use of the all-holy, divine name Jesus in prayer, and prayer in His name, was appointed by our Lord Jesus Christ Himself. We can be convinced of this from the most sublime and profound conversation recorded in the Gospel of St John which the Lord had with the holy apostles after the Mystical Supper, in that momentous hour that preceded the Lord’s voluntary departure to the place of His betrayal and agony, for the salvation of mankind. The teaching given by the Lord in that hour has the character of a final, deathbed instruction in which He gathered and expounded before His disciples, and in their persons before the whole of Christendom, the most soul-saving and final commandments, sure and infallible pledges of eternal life.
Among other pledges and spiritual gifts, there is given and ratified the command and permission to pray by the name of Jesus: “Whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.” “Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.” What is it that will be given to a person who prays in the name of the Lord Jesus that can fill him to overflowing with joy? He will be given—we reply in the words of our Lord—the Holy Spirit “Whom the Father will send in My name.” This knowledge, based on experience, belongs to the holy Fathers, and is their tradition.
“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner."
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