and thou art much purer
than the radiance of the sun
"
Wouldn't you say that it is easier to motivate yourself than to move a mountain?
Reflect! It only takes a mustard seed of genuine faith/love for God to move a mountain.
Reflect! Where does that leave our so-called love of God?
Reflect! What purpose does an ice cube serve once it has melted?
This LIFE is melting and for a purpose. Do you know why?
MY SOUL, MY SOUL, ARISE! WHY ARE YOU SLEEPING?
THE END IS DRAWING NEAR AND YOU WILL BE CONFOUNDED, AWAKE THEN, AND BE WATCHFULL, THAT CHRIST OUR GOD, WHO IS EVERYWHERE PRESENT FILLING ALL THIINGS, MAY SPARE YOU - St. Andrew of Crete
WHY ARE WE SLEEPING?On Wednesday, we will hear the Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete read in its entirety.
15 He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.St. Matthew 11:15 KJV
Great Lent
Fast Day
Holy Martyrs Codrátos of Corinth et al
When he was twelve years old, he entered into town and there some benevolent men took a liking to him and provided him with an education. He studied medicine and healed the sick, as much with natural cures and even more by the power of the spirit and prayer, which he was accustomed to since his childhood.
When a new persecution arose again under Decius, Codrátos was brought to trial and cast into prison. Five companions joined him and confessed the name of Christ. They were Cyprian, Dionysius, Anicetos, Paul and Crescens. They were all dragged through the streets by the pagans, especially by their children. They were beaten with rods and stoned until they were eventually dragged to the scaffold. There, the martyrs prayed to God and were beheaded. On this spot a source of water gushed out of the ground which is still called Codrátos even today and is a reminder of the heroic deaths of these six holy innocents for Christ. They honorably suffered for the truth in the year 250 A.D. in Corinth during the reign of Emperor Decius and his governor, Jason.
Holy Prophet Isaiah 37:33-38:6 KJV
33 Therefore thus saith the Lord concerning the king of Assyria, He shall not come into this city, nor shoot an arrow there, nor come before it with shields, nor cast a bank against it.
34 By the way that he came, by the same shall he return, and shall not come into this city, saith the Lord.
35 For I will defend this city to save it for mine own sake, and for my servant David's sake.
36 Then the angel of the Lord went forth, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians a hundred and fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses.
37 So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned, and dwelt at Nineveh.
38 And it came to pass, as he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons smote him with the sword; and they escaped into the land of Armenia: and Esarhaddon his son reigned in his stead.
38 In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came unto him, and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Set thine house in order: for thou shalt die, and not live.
2 Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed unto the Lord,
3 And said, Remember now, O Lord, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore.
4 Then came the word of the Lord to Isaiah, saying,
5 Go, and say to Hezekiah, Thus saith the Lord, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will add unto thy days fifteen years.
6 And I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria: and I will defend this city.
Genesis 13:12-18 KJV
12 Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom.
13 But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the Lord exceedingly.
14 And the Lord said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward:
15 For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.
16 And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered.
17 Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee.
18 Then Abram removed his tent, and came and dwelt in the plain of Mamre, which is in Hebron, and built there an altar unto the Lord.
Proverbs 14:27-15:4 KJV
27 The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.
28 In the multitude of people is the king's honour: but in the want of people is the destruction of the prince.
29 He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly.
30 A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones.
31 He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker: but he that honoureth him hath mercy on the poor.
32 The wicked is driven away in his wickedness: but the righteous hath hope in his death.
33 Wisdom resteth in the heart of him that hath understanding: but that which is in the midst of fools is made known.
34 Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.
35 The king's favour is toward a wise servant: but his wrath is against him that causeth shame.
15 A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.
2 The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness.
3 The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.
4 A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit.
ON THE LAW OF GOD
by St. Philaret of New York
Section 28
The Necessity of Prayer
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The knowledge of God is obviously based on faith. This faith is the first response of the human heart to the content of religious truths, an agreement with and acceptance of them. As it strengthens and becomes deeper, this faith eventually brings one's heart to peace in God, to a Christian hope on God. On the other hand, Orthodoxy teaches us that the Christian faith is inseparably bound to love for God. And love always demands a living, personal relationship with the one we love. In our relationship with God, this love is first of all made manifest in prayer.
One who does not pray is not a Christian. Prayer is the first and most essential element in our spiritual life. It is the breath of our soul, and without it, the soul dies, just as the body dies without air. All the vital functions of the body depend upon its breathing. In exactly the same way, one's spiritual life depends on prayer, and a person who does not pray to God is spiritually dead.
Prayer is the conversation of man with God. One who remembers, knows and loves God will unfailingly turn to Him in prayer. There is a seriously erroneous view of prayer now becoming wide spread. Some say, "One must not force oneself to pray. If I desire to pray, I will pray, if there is no desire, there is no need to pray."
This is a complete lack of understanding of the matter. What would one accomplish in one's worldly activity if one did not force oneself to do anything, but only did what was desired? More so in spiritual life, where everything that is precious and meaningful is acquired by force, by the struggle of work on oneself. Let us again recall that according to our Savior, the Kingdom of God (and everything pertaining to it) is attained by force. So, it is indispensable for a Christian to firmly accept in his heart that he must pray no matter what, regardless of his desire or lack of desire. If you have a good desire to pray, thank God from Whom everything good comes, and do not lose the chance to pray from the soul. If you do not have this desire, and the time for prayer arrives, then it is necessary to force yourself, encouraging your lethargic and lazy spirit by reminding it that prayer (like every good deed) is all the more precious in God's eyes when it is given with difficulty. The Lord does not disdain any prayer if one prays sincerely, as best he knows how, even though he has not developed the habit of praying fully and with unweakening fervor.
One who lives even a partial spiritual Christian life, will always find something about which to pray to Him, because for such a person, God is a loving Father, a Mighty Protector and an unending Spring of help and strength. The Christian hurries to Him in need and in woe, as a child to its parent.
In His conversation with the Samaritan woman, our Lord declared that, "True worshippers worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth." This is the basic principle of Christian prayer. It must be fulfilled in spirit and truth, and in praying, a Christian must gather all his spiritual strengths into one deep, concentrated effort in himself, in his soul and contemplate the words of the prayer. Obviously, when one has such a correct view of prayer one understands that it is impossible to give the name "prayer" to the act of merely being present at prayer, or reading it with the tongue while one's thoughts are far from it. St. John Chrysostom says of such "prayers," "Your body is inside the church, but your thoughts have flown to who knows where. The lips pronounce prayers, but the mind counts income, crops, real estate and friends ... You do not hear your own prayers - how do you expect that God will hear them?" A Christian must not pray in such a manner. He prays in "spirit and truth." He prays in spirit, concentrated in the depth of his "I," through profound experiences of the heart. He prays in truth - not hypocritically, but in a sincere frame of mind, in true supplication to the Incarnate Truth - to Christ the Savior.
Of course, this does not (in spite of Protestant error) abrogate the necessity of external prayer, but only requires its union with internal prayer. Man is not an angel; his soul does not live without the body, just as the body does not live without the soul. Apostle Paul says, "Glorify God in your bodies also, and in your souls, which are God's." Therefore, the most basic and complete view of prayer is that in which both the internal and external are present. They tightly unite with each other: both inner experience, man's supplication to God, and outer activity - prostrations, standing at prayer, crossing oneself and various acts in the Divine Services.
Ordinarily, there are three distinctive types of prayer: petitioning, glorifying and thanksgiving. In our prayerbooks and Divine Services, all these three types are applied, mutually complementing one another.
A person who prays to God must remember that prayer cannot go unheard if it is sincere and breathes of living faith. The Lord Himself said, "Everything is possible to one who believes." Apostle James, however, explains how destructive doubt is in prayer, saying that one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, tossed to and fro by the wind. Such a person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. In the Holy Gospel, moreover, we often read how the Lord, in healing those who came to Him, told them, "Let it be according to your faith...Your faith has made you whole." But firmly believing in God's strength, mercy and help, a Christian must not forget that every petition for his desires must submit to the all-good will of the Heavenly Father, Who knows what we need. In such a state of faith and dedication to God's will, one will thank God equally whether or not the Lord fulfils one's request. This is quite natural, since such a person believes absolutely that God's wisdom and love directs everything to the benefit and good of man. With good reason, we sing in the Church prayer:
"O Thou Who, with wisdom profound, mercifully order all things, and give that which is expedient unto all men."
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T O D A Y ' S
ANECDOTE
Arrogance: It doesn’t always claim to be more intelligent than everyone but rather treats everyone else as stupid.
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"The heart of an Orthodox Christian is filled with such divine love and radiates it everywhere and upon everyone." St. Philaret
Dear Orthodox Christian, Does the quote above quote from St. Philaret, describe you?
- What cannot be seen, can be revealed.
- I personally think that one reason all the planets are round is to send us a message, the message being that no matter where you go, you end up where you started. If you desire a destination, transcend "mammon" while you have "time".
- Being familiar with the immense power of desire, must we obey? On occasion, we wake from a dream thankful, thankful that it wasn’t real
- God gave woman a smile that is all her own
- God's love is so deep that He can endure and love all of His creation - past, present and future, men and women, who pay no attention to Him at all.
- Isn't it time to admit and show regret and sorrow? We have a lifetime to do so! How long is that?
- Only He Who is beyond male or female can Create male and female.
- Make no mistake, to put on Christ through Holy Baptist is a wedding garment. We can be no less than be married to our Lord Jesus Christ in order to be one with Him. The pearls, jewels and embroidery on this wedding garment are the jewels and ornaments of self-denial, the Cross lying across our shoulders, the same Cross of the same love and forgiveness Christ showed all mankind no matter how brutal, no matter how hateful, no matter how estranged from Him we are.
- Make no mistake, this is a garment that cannot be put on at the last moment when we meet our Creator Christ - it will not fit over the obesity of our attachments to the temporary life, to the attachments of our desire for material things, all of which must have been shed.
- Make no mistake !! This life, although only somewhat of a facsimile, since it is temporary, is not a life of continual fear but one that can blossom into the love of God and neighbor - our ticket to entry into the bridal chamber called Paradise Eternal. In unfailing love, we remain clothed in our baptismal garment throughout our lives and therefore found to radiantly beautiful in the image of Christ when we meet Him face to face.
- Our Lord inspired those who would hear Him with words and acts that would guard and protect, that would guide us and help us maintain our wedding garments. If you have no use for their words or example, what are you saying to Christ? Are you saying He inspired them in vain?
- En guarde! Satan never sleeps and never prays. He hates God and hates every one of us. He lurks in the shadows,; silently and relentlessly attacking. He doesn't want us to hear God but wants us to hear and obey only him. He knows Christ speaks to us continually but can only be heard in stillness.
- Why do you read what they saints say? Why do you believe what thy say? Simple: because you believe God speaks through the prophets! No? You claim you do! Reread the Nicene Creed!
- Love: Experienced, but has only one definition, obtained by revelation.
- Anyone who has fallen in love knows that once it happens, it needs no reminding, no prompting, no reasoning, no examination because it is unfathomably simple and constantly experienced/treasured and inexplicable. You wake in it, you sleep in it, it never wavers. And in many cases, it is mutual.
- Such it is with Christ. However, when we seek with all our heart to love Him, it tis the ecstasy of worship and is always mutual.
- If and again if desired, a taste is given and one is on the way.
- Christ gave you a head start didn’t He? How? In His love He gave you life didn’t He?
- Don't judge yourself by how well you follow the rules or how poorly others do, simply love God with all your heart and you will follow Him as you should because when you genuinely love Him, He will correct any failure you make, and, in addition He will confirm for you that you have pleased Him and that you really do love Him and all others! Do you want to feel you truly love God or would you rather than He, Himself confirm it for you directly? Can we ask for more?
Now wait just a minute!
Saint John 15:5 KJV
5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.- If we can do nothing without Christ why do we credit or glorify ourselves for our accomplishments? He quickens all of us and all things. Pleasing Him is a great form of gratitude.
- From where does fruit get its color, its sweetness, its nutrients? Is it not by accepting what comes from the vine that it becomes beautiful, delicious and nutritious! Are we who follow Christ, expected to be like Him. Did He not say that we are made in His image?
- We must stop giving ourselves credit. What we have, has been given as a gift otherwise why would our Lord say, "... for without me you can do nothing.". What we do with what He gives, is what's profitable because it glorifies the Giver who is Christ our Father Who in turn glorifies us because it is His pleasure.
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THE DEPARTURE OF THE SOUL ACCORDING TO ORTHODOX TEACHING
{References the Ladder of Divine Ascent by St. John Climacos}
https://stanthonysmonastery.org/products/the-departure-of-the-soul-readers-edition?srsltid=AfmBOooxtkV72GlaywZ6E8HrRZrMMMQYH_cSde-oc37EU0soN3QsxvI0
