and the Life
Saint Theodore the Sykeote,
Bishop of Anastasioúpolis
Theodore was born in the village of Sykeon in Galatia for which he was surnamed, the Sykeote. As a child of ten years, he surrendered himself to strict fasting and in all-night vigils after the model of Stephen, an elder who lived in his house. His mother Maria was a wealthy widow and intended to dedicate her son to the military profession. St. George appeared to her in a dream and informed her that Theodore was destined for the service of the King of Heaven and not a king of the earth.
St. George appeared to Theodore many times either to instruct him or to save him from certain dangers in which the evil demons placed him. He had several visions of the All-Holy Mother of God. Theodore's life of mortification, by his ascetical severity, surpassed the living ascetics of his time. He mortified his body through hunger, thirst, iron chains and by standing at prayer all night. He did all of this in order to bind his soul with love for God and to make his soul the complete master over his body. In response to Theodore's love, the merciful Lord responded with love. God bestowed upon him great power over evil spirits and over all diseases and afflictions of mankind. He was famous throughout as a wonder-working healer. Because of his purity and devotion, he was consecrated bishop of Anastasioupolis against his will. He remained for eleven years at his episcopal duty and then implored God to free him from this service in order to, again, dedicate himself to his beloved asceticism. After that, he returned to his monastery where, in his old age, he rendered his soul to his Lord, for Whom he willingly suffered much. He died at the beginning of the reign of Emperor Heraclius about the year 613 A.D.
Acts 6:8-15, 7:1-5, 7:47-60 KJV
8 And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.
9 Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen.
10 And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake.
11 Then they suborned men, which said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God.
12 And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the council,
13 And set up false witnesses, which said, This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law:
14 For we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us.
15 And all that sat in the council, looking stedfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel.
7 Then said the high priest, Are these things so?
2 And he said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran,
3 And said unto him, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall shew thee.
4 Then came he out of the land of the Chaldaeans, and dwelt in Charran: and from thence, when his father was dead, he removed him into this land, wherein ye now dwell.
5 And he gave him none inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on: yet he promised that he would give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him, when as yet he had no child.
47 But Solomon built him an house.
48 Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet,
49 Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest?
50 Hath not my hand made all these things?
51 Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.
52 Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers:
53 Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it.
54 When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.
55 But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,
56 And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.
57 Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord,
58 And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul.
59 And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.
60 And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
Saint John 4:46-54 KJV
46 So Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum.
47 When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judaea into Galilee, he went unto him, and besought him that he would come down, and heal his son: for he was at the point of death.
48 Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.
49 The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die.
50 Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way.
51 And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, Thy son liveth.
52 Then enquired he of them the hour when he began to amend. And they said unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.
53 So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his whole house.
54 This is again the second miracle that Jesus did, when he was come out of Judaea into Galilee.
Grudges
and how to overcome them
by Saint Maximos the Confessor
If you bear a grudge against anyone, pray for him and you will stop the passion in its tracks. By prayer you separate the hurt from the memory of the evil which he did you and in becoming loving and kind you completely obliterate passion from the soul.
On the other hand, if someone else bears you a grudge, be generous and humble with him, treat him fairly, and you will deliver him from the passion.
Akathistos to the Holy Great Martyr
and Trophy-Bearer George
{commemorated April 6/23 ns}
I tremble as I approach Thee in prayer. Wash me thoroughly with love and humility that I may dare to call Thee Father, fall down and worship Thee.
Kontakion 1
To thee, O Champion leader and trophy-bearer, Saint George,
do we offer a hymn of praise, as our intercessor
and speedy helper; do thou, O holy Great Martyr,
as one who hath boldness before the Lord,
deliver us from dangers of all kinds, that we may cry to thee:
Rejoice, Great Martyr
And trophy-bearer
Saint George
Ikos 1
The Creator of angels and Maker of all creation,
having revealed thee to His Church as a champion of the faith
and an unvanquished passion-bearer for the faith,
inspire us to lift up praises to thee for
the ascetic labors of thy sufferings, Saint George, in this manner:
Rejoice, thou who didst love to the end Jesus, the Son of God!
Rejoice, thou who didst lay down thy life with love for His Name!
Rejoice, confessor called forth by God!
Rejoice, spiritual athlete glorified by the Grace of God!
Rejoice, thou who dwellest with the angels!
Rejoice, thou who art the equal of the prophets!
Rejoice, Great Martyr
And trophy-bearer
Saint George
Beholding the wicked persecuting the Christians,
thou didst not fear their wiles and tortures,
O divinely wise one, but as a good soldier of Christ,
thou didst distribute all thy possessions to the poor,
and didst voluntarily run to that ungodly assembly,
singing unto Christ, thy Commander and God:
Alleluia!
Ikos 2
Mentally comprehending the one God,
divinely worshiped in three Persons,
with a firm mind thou didst confess Him
before the assembly of the ungodly,
and thus thou didst expose the foolish king’s
foolish worship of creation.
Therefore, for thy lofty love of wisdom, accept from us,
Saint George, these fervent praises:
Rejoice, preacher of the One True God!
Rejoice, faithful advocate of the All-Holy Trinity!
Rejoice, thou who didst manifest the great mystery of
Orthodoxy to the non-believers!
Rejoice, thou who didst expose the deception of idolatry!
Rejoice, rhetorician divine!
Rejoice, orator filled with wisdom!
Rejoice, Great Martyr
And trophy-bearer
Saint George
Kontakion 3
The power of God, which enlighteneth every man
that cometh into the world, didst visit thee also,
whilst thou wast suffering in prison, O George wise in humility;
for thou hadst despised all the corruptible things of this life as chaff,
and didst cling unto Christ alone, that after fighting the good fight
for His Name, thou mightest be granted eternally
to chant with the angels:
Alleluia!
Ikos 3
Possessing a mind and heart enlightened by the Holy Spirit,
by His inspiration thou wast fervent to struggle
for the Name of Christ, even unto blood;
for standing courageously in the faith,
thou didst expose the puffed-up pride
of the ungodly congregation. Therefore, we praise thee,
O most wise George, thus:
Rejoice, shield lifted for preservation of piety!
Rejoice, sword raised for the beheading of evil!
Rejoice, pillar of faith!
Rejoice, wall and confirmation of the Christian Church!
Rejoice, encouragement of the faithful!
Rejoice, fear and disgrace of the unbelievers!
Rejoice, Great Martyr
And trophy-bearer
Saint George
Kontakion 4
The mad persecutor, breathing murder against thee,
O passion-bearer George, longed for thy blood
like a thirsty dog,
ordering thy body stretched out on a wheel
and giving thee over to the most evil torments;
but thou, taking strength in the Lord, with hope in God didst cry aloud:
Alleluia!
Ikos 4
When Diocletian and the priest of the idols
heard words of wisdom from thee,
they were enraged with hatred for thee,
and even more so when thou didst say: O tormentor king!
Wherefore dost thou torture me in vain? For me to live is Christ
and to die is gain; but it is painful for thee
to kick against the goads.
Therefore, we cry to thee,
O George of great fame, in this way:
Rejoice, thou who didst shed thy blood on the wheel for thy courageous confession of the faith!
Rejoice, thou who didst magnify the triumph of the faith by thy blood!
Rejoice, zealot together with the Apostles!
Rejoice, imitator of the voluntary Passion of Christ!
Rejoice, unshakable champion of the faith!
Rejoice, passion-bearer harder than adamant!
Rejoice, Great Martyr
And trophy-bearer
Saint George
Thou wast as a star sent by God, O GM George,
for by thy miraculous healing and release from the wheel
by an angel before the eyes of all,
thou didst teach the unbelievers to believe
in the Trinity in One Essence, and to
sing to Him together with thee:
Alleluia!
Ikos 5
The people beheld the miracles of the power of God
so clearly taking place upon thee, and meekly accepted
the teaching of Christ from thee,
and they all cried aloud, saying:
Truly great is the God of the Christians!
Therefore, we also, singing praises to thee,
O George worthy of glory, cry out thus:
Rejoice, thou who didst disperse the darknessof unbelief by the radiant word of salvation!
Rejoice, thou who didst convert unbelievers to Christby thy martyr’s confession of faith!
Rejoice, thou who didst lead legions
of earthly soldiers to the heavenly army!
Rejoice, thou who does dwell with the
heavenly hosts as a soldier of Christ!
Rejoice, glory of soldiers!
Rejoice, beauty of the all-radiant choir of martyrs!
Rejoice, Great Martyr
And trophy-bearer
Saint George
Kontakion 6
Being zealous like unto those Spirit-bearing preachers of the faith, the Apostles, thou wast crucified unto the world, O passion-bearer; for as Jonah in the belly of the sea monster, so wast thou hurled headlong into the furnace of the lime pit, that for thy sake might be manifested the glory of the Lord Who is wondrous in His saints, to Whom thou, in the lime pit as in a temple of glory, didst noetically cry out:
Alleluia!
Ikos 6
Having shone forth in His resurrection from the tomb on the third day, Jesus, the Almighty Conqueror of Hades and death, didst save thee from the corruption of Hades, O passion-bearer George; for after three days thou wast found alive in the lime pit, with thy hands lifted and singing unto God; therefore, the ungodly were sore afraid and stricken with terror. But we, rejoicing, compose a hymn of victory to thee:
Rejoice, thou who didst cast down the puffed-up pride of the devil by thy being cast down in disgrace into the lime pit!
Rejoice, thou who didst overcome the persecutor’s bestiality by thy miraculous salvation from God!
Rejoice, for as one without guile, thou didst pray as for benefactors for those who worked evil against thee!
Rejoice, for thou wast zealous for their conversion as Paul was for the Jews!
Rejoice, man of spiritual desires!
Rejoice, chosen vessel!
Rejoice, Great Martyr
And trophy-bearer
Saint George
Kontakion 7
Desiring by any means to ensnare thy heart for the deception of the idols, the wicked persecutor contrived to deceive thee by magical spells; but thou, chosen of God, didst cry out with David: In God is my salvation and my glory, and didst faithfully chant unto Him:
Alleluia!
Ikos 7
That evil servant of Satan Diocletian revealed a new villany, when, in his insane zeal for the idols, he ordered thee given poison, O Saint George; but thou wast filled with faith and hope, and even though thou didst drink the deadly poison, yet thou didst remain unharmed, O praised-one of God. Therefore we also cry unto thee:
Rejoice, for thou wast not disgraced by hoping in the living God!
Rejoice, for thou didst count thy tormentor as nothing!
Rejoice, expeller of demons!
Rejoice, destroyer of the wiles of magicians!
Rejoice, for through thee God is shown to be wondrous in His saints!
Rejoice, for through thee the name of Christ is piously glorified!
Rejoice, Great Martyr
And trophy-bearer
Saint George
Kontakion 8
There came to the wicked king a strange and terrible counsel from a certain wizard, that he command thee, as proof of the truth of the Christian faith, by thy word to resurrect a dead man; but thou, O Saint George, having no doubt whatsoever, didst sing unto Him Who is not God of the dead but God of the living:
Alleluia!
Ikos 8
The All-Desirable and Sweetest Jesus, Whom thou didst love with all thy soul and heart, O most blessed George, attending to the fervent prayer of thy faith, speedily commanded the resurrection of the dead man at thy word, for the glorification of His Name and the confirmation of the faithful, that the unbelievers and blind might be astounded and come to the knowledge of God. For this reason, we dutifully cry unto thee:
Rejoice, for the Lord of Hosts manifested wonders through thee!
Rejoice, for through thee He resurrected a dead man from the tomb!
Rejoice, thou who didst grant the mental vision of faith to the blinded wizard!
Rejoice, thou who didst show the way to the Holy of Holies to many who suffered for Christ!
Rejoice, astonishment of Rome!
Rejoice, exaltation of the Christian race!
Rejoice, Great Martyr
And trophy-bearer
Saint George
Kontakion 9
All the angels rendered praise unto God, Who granted thee such courage, O Saint George, that even when locked up in prison thou didst not cease to keep vigil in prayer. Therefore, as a great communicant of the mystery of Divine Grace, thou wast vouchsafed to behold the Lord in a vision, as He crowned thy head with the crown of incorruption, that we might cry out with thee:
Alleluia!
Ikos 9
The learned orators are unable with their rhetorical tongues to render worthy praises to thee, O Saint George, for thy labors and sufferings which thou didst assume voluntarily for Christ and the Church! Therefore, we also, while at a loss as to how properly to praise thee, chant this hymn:
Rejoice, for by thy voluntary suffering for Christ and the Church thou didst crucify the old Adam in thyself!
Rejoice, for through thy courageous suffering thou didst receive a crown of righteousness from the Lord!
Rejoice, rule of pious zeal!
Rejoice, model of spiritual poverty!
Rejoice, for thou didst well please not thyself, but Christ alone!
Rejoice, for thou wast prepared for any form of death for the sake of Christ!
Rejoice, Great Martyr
And trophy-bearer
Saint George
Kontakion 10
Desiring to save the souls perishing in idolatry, O George, lover of God, thou wast zealous with zeal for God like Elijah; for entering into the temple of the idols, by the power of God thou didst drive out the demons, shattering the idols and putting the priests to shame, and as conqueror, not with men but with angels, thou didst chant unto God:
Alleluia!
Ikos 10
More unfeeling than a wall, thy hard-hearted tormentor, O Saint George, did not see God, Who so clearly worked miracles through thee, but to the end remained as an asp, stopping his ears. Therefore, he commanded thee to be executed as a criminal by beheading; but thou, through grieving over the loss of his soul, joyfully accepted thine end, for which we praise thee thus with love:
Rejoice, thou who didst keep faith, hope, and love to the end!
Rejoice, thou who didst work many great miracles at thy beheading!
Rejoice, thou who wast crowned by the instrument of God’s good will on the earth!
Rejoice, thou who was adorned with glory and majesty in Heaven!
Rejoice, man of God!
Rejoice, good soldier of Christ!
Rejoice, Great Martyr
And trophy-bearer
Saint George
Kontakion 11
Thou didst render a hymn to the Most Holy Trinity exceeding others, holy Great Martyr George, not in word and mind only, but by the living sacrifice of thy whole self; for imitating Him Who wast crucified for us, Christ, the Lamb without blemish, thou didst voluntarily lay down thy life for thy friends. Even though we are incapable of praising such courage as thine, for no man hath greater love than this, being grateful we sing unto Him Who is wondrous in the saints:
Alleluia!
Ikos 11
A light-receiving lamp of the true Light art thou to those on earth, O George chosen of God, for thou dost enlighten the hearts of the faithful and dost guide them all to divine understanding, instructing us also to joyfully cry aloud:
Rejoice, for thou dost dwell in the all-radiant angelic mansions!
Rejoice, for thou dost commune of the unwaning Light of the Trinity not in a mirror, but face to face!
Rejoice, provider for the needy and defender of the wronged!
Rejoice, healer of the infirm and champion of kings!
Rejoice, champion of Orthodox soldiers in battle!
Rejoice, fervent intercessor for the salvation of sinners!
Rejoice, Great Martyr
And trophy-bearer
Saint George
Kontakion 12
Knowing the Grace granted by God, we celebrate thy memory, O Great Martyr George, and running with fervent prayer to thy miraculous icon, we are protected by thine all-powerful help in the Lord as by an invincible wall. Therefore, praising thee, we fervently cry unto God:
Alleluia!
Ikos 12
Hymning thy glorious end, by which thou wast magnified as a good soldier of Christ, we pray thee, O passion-bearer George: be a helper in all good for us and hear us, as we fervently cry unto thee:
Rejoice, for by thee the Church of the faithful is enlightened!
Rejoice, for thy name is praised even among the infidels!
Rejoice, wondrous glory of the confessors!
Rejoice, lofty praise of the martyrs!
Rejoice, healer of our bodies!
Rejoice, intercessor for our souls!
Rejoice, Great Martyr
And trophy-bearer
Saint George
Kontakion 13
O most blessed and holy Great Martyr George, accept this our hymn of praise and deliver us from every evil by thy fervent intercession with God, that we may sing with thee:
Alleluia! {3x}
Ikos 1
The Creator of angels and Maker of all creation, having revealed thee to His Church as a champion of the faith and an unvanquished passion-bearer for the faith, inspireth us to lift up praises to thee for the ascetic labors of thy sufferings, Saint George, in this manner:
Rejoice, thou who didst love to the end Jesus, the Son of God!
Rejoice, thou who didst lay down thy life with love for His Name!
Rejoice, confessor called forth by God!
Rejoice, spiritual athlete glorified by the Grace of God!
Rejoice, thou who dwellest with the angels!
Rejoice, thou who art the equal of the prophets.
Rejoice, Great Martyr
And trophy-bearer
Saint George
Kontakion 1
To thee, O Champion leader and trophy-bearer, O Saint George, do we offer a hymn of praise, as to our intercessor and speedy helper; and do thou, O holy Great Martyr, as one who hath boldness before the Lord deliver us from dangers of all kinds, that we may cry to thee:
Rejoice, Great Martyr
And trophy-bearer
Saint George
A Prayer to the Holy Great Martyr George
O most praised and holy Great Martyr and Wonderworker, Saint George! Look down upon us with thy speedy help and implore the man-loving God that He not condemn us sinners according to our offenses, but that He treat us according to His great mercy. Despise not our prayer, but beseech for us of Christ our God a quiet life pleasing to God, health of body and soul, fertility of the earth and abundance in all, and that we not turn to evil purposes the good things granted by thee from the All Merciful God, but that they may be for the glory of His Holy Name, for the glorification of thy mighty intercession. May He grant God-loving soldiers victory over the enemy, and may He secure our land with unchanging peace and prosperity. Especially may He defend us by His holy angels at our departure from this life from the snares of the evil one and his grievous toll-houses of the air, that we may stand uncondemned before the throne of the Lord of Glory. Hear us, O passion-bearer of Christ, Saint George, and pray for us without ceasing unto the Master of All, God in three Persons, that by His Grace and love for mankind, and by thy help and intercession, we may find mercy and may stand with the angels and archangels before the All-glorious Judge, unceasingly praising Him together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
~ Paragon Archives ~
Do you believe the writings of the saints
serve to expedite the acquisition of the Holy Spirit?
Do you believe Christ quickens the saints with revelations about this life, the LIFE to come
and about His Nature?
Does Christ quicken you?
Have you acquired the Holy Spirit and no longer thirst, if not, be eager to not only read -
but emulate the saints!
but emulate the saints!
There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the Kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.
St. Luke 13:28 KJV
*
DISCOURSES
OF
SAINT DOROTHEOS OF GAZA
H U M I L I T Y
CONTEMPLATE AND ASK
OR LEAVE A COMMENT
at
fatherraphael@gmail.com
There are some types of trees which never produce any fruit as long as their branches are upright, but if stones are hung on the branches they bend down and begin to produce fruit. It is the same with the soul. When it is humbled it starts to produce fruit, and the more fruit it produces the lower it becomes. So too with the saints. The closer they get to God, the more they reckon themselves to be sinners.
I recall once we were conversing about humility and one of the great lights of Gaza, hearing us declare, "The closer a man is to God, the more he reckoned himself to be a sinner," was awestruck, and said, "how can this be?" He did not know, and desired to hear the answer. I said to him, "Lord of the First Rank, tell me, how do you consider yourself with regard to the other laymen here?" And he told me, "I consider myself as great, and the first among the men of this city." I said then, "If you should travel to Caesarea, how would you consider yourself then?" "I would think somewhat less of my greatness." Then I said, "If you were to travel to Antioch, what then?" And he answered, "I would consider myself as a member of the common folk." I said, "And if you went from Caesarea to stand before the Emperor, what would consider yourself then?" He answered, "I should consider myself as just one of the poor people." Then I told him, in the same manner, the saints, the closer they draw near to God, the more they regard themselves as sinners."
Abraham, when he beheld God, referred to himself as "dust and ashes." And Isaiah declared, "Woe to me, for my lips are polluted." Just the same when Daniel was in the den of the lion, and Habakkuk came to him with a meal and said to him, "Receive the food, which the Lord has sent to you." And Daniel answered, "For the Lord has remembered me." He had a very humble heart when he was in the lion's cave for they did not consume him once and for all, not even after that, and so with wonder he cried, "the Lord has remembered me."
the faith
of the
chosen people
by Saint Nicolai Velimirovitch
"I am the Lord your God, you shall have no other gods besides Me."
This was the first testimony of God concerning Himself, the first revelation to men on earth concerning God from God, and the first commandment of God. "You shall have no other gods besides Me," commands God; for if you will have other gods, you will bring two disasters upon yourself.
First: you will be believing in false, non-existent, imaginary, illusory gods. Second: you will be sharing reverent fear and love, which entirely belongs to Me, the One, Living, and True God, with these false gods. In this way you will darken your faith in Me, and weaken your reverent fear and love for Me. And I shall withdraw far from you, offended and insulted.
And you will be an atheist, no matter how much you imagine you are rich in piety on account of your belief in many gods. For in the final analysis a polytheist and an atheist are the same thing. Both the one and the other are without one God, without the One, Living, and True God.
Belief in one God, the One, Living, and True God, is the faith of the humble and the wise. This is not the faith of the proud, whom pride makes unwise. For they either deify themselves or some creature of the Creator, but not the Creator. The more humble a man is, the wiser he is; the more arrogant he is, the more foolish he is. God gives understanding to the humble, so that they may know and understand, but He opposes the proud. The more the humble are at peace with the Lord, the more the Lord endows them with understanding. And understanding is light that leads to the One, Living, and True God.
Blessed are they who have understanding, to see the transitoriness of this world and the nothingness of man.
Blessed are they who feel small and insignificant, for God will elevate them to the highest knowledge, to the knowledge of the existence and majesty of the Most High God.
This is your faith, Christ-bearers, and the faith of your most humble and most wise forefathers. Let this also be the faith of your children, from generation to generation, until the end of time. This is the salvation-bearing Orthodox Faith, which has never been put to shame. By this faith your fathers were saved. Truly, this is the faith of the chosen people, of those who bear the image of God in themselves. At the Fearful Judgment they shall not be put to shame before the faces of the angels and the righteous. Instead they shall receive glory, and shall be called blessed.
*
Read and understand why Christ Himself
warns us, now in this life!
 |
| Saint John of Damascus |
"All images reveal and make perceptible those things which are hidden. For example, a man does not have immediate knowledge of invisible things, since the soul is veiled by the body. Nor can man have immediate knowledge of things which are distant from each other or separated by place, because he himself is limited by place and time. Therefore the icon was devised that he might advance in knowledge, and that secret things might be revealed and made perceptible. Therefore, icons are a source of profit, help, and salvation for all, since they make things so obviously manifest, enabling us to perceive hidden things. Thus, we are encouraged to desire and imitate what is good and to shun and hate what is evil."
The Precious Pearl
"The enjoyment of this present life, though it seems to give delight and sweetness, is well thrust from us. At the very moment of its being it ceases to be, and for our joy repays us with sorrow sevenfold. Its happiness and its sorrow more frail than a shadow, and, like the traces of a ship passing over the sea, or a bird flying through the air, quickly disappear. But the hope of the life to come which the Christians preach is certain and quite sure; howbeit in this world it has tribulation, whereas our pleasures now are short-lived, and in the beyond they only win us correction and everlasting punishment without release. For the pleasures of life are temporary, but its pain eternal; while the Christians labors are temporary but their pleasure and gain immortal. Therefore, right it is to exchange the corruptible for the incorruptible."
A S C E T I C A L H O M I L I E S
by Saint Isaac the Syrian
Prayer offered up at night possesses a great power, more so than the prayer of the daytime. Therefore all the righteous prayed during the night, while combating the heaviness of the body and the sweetness of sleep and repelling corporeal nature.
There is nothing which even Satan fears so much as prayer that is offered during vigilance at night. And even if it is offered with distraction, it does not return empty, unless perhaps that which is asked for is unsuitable.
For unless those who travel on the road go forward day by day, shortening their journey -- and, on the contrary, should they stand in one place -- the road before them will never diminish and they will never arrive at their destination.
So it is with us also.
If we do not constrain ourselves little by little, we shall never have the strength to abstain from bodily things so as to gaze toward God.
A M U T U A L E X C H A N G E
by Saint Isaac the Syrian
And this is life eternal, that they might know thee
the only true God, and Jesus Christ,
whom thou hast sent.
St. John 17:3 KJV
the only true God, and Jesus Christ,
whom thou hast sent.
St. John 17:3 KJV
At the time of prayer, when a person's mind is collected and all the senses are brought into harmony, an encounter between God and the person praying takes place. This explains why all spiritual gifts and all mystical visions have been given to the saints at the time of prayer, It was during prayer that an angel appeared to Zacharias and announced the conception of John the Baptist; it was during prayer of the sixth hour that Peter beheld the divine vision; it was while Cornelius the Centurion prayed that an angel appeared to him.
Once a year, when the High Priest, during the dread time of prayer, entered the Holy of Holies and cast himself down upon his face . . . he heard the oracles of God through an awesome and ineffable revelation. O how awesome was the mystery which was ministered in this ceremony! So also at the time of prayer were all the visions and revelations made manifest to the saints. For what other time is so holy, and by its sanctity so apt for the reception of gifts, as the time of prayer, wherein a man converses with God? At this time, when we make our petitions and our supplications to God, and we speak with Him, a human being forcefully gathers together all the movements and deliberations of his soul and converses with God alone, and his heart is abundantly filled with God.
*
PRAYERS BY THE LAKE
A SOUL THAT LOVES GOD
by St. Nicolai Velimirovitch
You are the only event of my life, O lamp of my soul. When a child scurries to the arms of his mother, events do not exist for him. When a bride races to meet her bridegroom, she does not see the flowers in the meadow, nor does she hear the rumbling of the storm, nor does she smell the fragrance of the cypresses or sense the mood of the wild animals--she sees only the face of her bridegroom; she hears only the music from his lips; she smells only his soul.
When love goes to meet love, no events overtake it. Time and space make way for love. Aimless wanderers and loveless people have events and have history. Love has no history, and history has no love.
ARE YOU EAGER FOR CHRIST OR LUKEWARM?
{Ed.}
As the period of increased Prayer and Fasting brought us to the Resurrection, have we resurrected a little so we can gaze upon Christ, or are we back to the
"same old, same old" carnal, temporary pursuits?
So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot,
I will spue thee out of my mouth. Revelation 3:16 KJV
Are you are eager to have this or that, to go here and there, veracious for just about anything in Creation and yet minimally attentive (lukewarm) that the Creator of all things wants you to enjoy them with restraint but yet, at the same time, forsake this life entirely because He wants ALL OF YOUR YOUR BEING, ALL OF YOUR HEART? You can indeed gain much from this mortal, temporary life but for how long and at what cost? Are you willing to lose Jesus Christ, Who is Himself, Paradise without end?
There WILL be those who will hear from Christ:
"I never knew you!"
In fact, they never knew Him.
If our love for Christ, is confirmed in us by Him, then we need not fear.
*
Ask yourself: Do you believe Him when He says that all of the hairs of your head are numbered? Do you believe He knew every thought you would have before He made you? And, the same for all the people and all of Creation, who are and have gone before and will come after us?
Be honest, can any transient mind, a mind still inclined to hate, war, ambition, even begin to grasp such a God exists?
Furthermore, ask yourself, did He make this life a desert, void of joy etc.? No! Like a mother who pacifies and indulges her child while pushing it to walk on its own, our most merciful and loving God gives us innumerable delights in this brief life but is He not clear about what He expects from us in return?
Well, are you eager for Him? Or are you like those who live in a fantasy, a dream with little to no thought about your judgement date; the time of which you have no say.
Is this life anything more than ultra real tangible dream, confirmed when we wake from it after death? Yes, but only one thing needful!!
It is an opportunity to PLEASE CHRIST GOD! An opportunity to avoid suffering the consequences from DISPLEASING CHRIST GOD!
And lets ask ourselves: How hard was it for God to incarnate? How hard to resurrect from the dead? Was it something He "needed" to do? Did He not call all things into being without even breathing or a thought? Did He need help to do so and from where would it come?
As the Great Andrew of Crete calls: Arise my soul! Why are you sleeping? The Holy Trinity has NO needs. Nevertheless, we know with certainty that He did so in order for us to believe that we, WE, who are temporarily carnal, can live, die to this life, resurrect and our immortal souls ascend with Him into PARADISE/LIFE ETERNAL !
If we are not eager for Him with all our heart then what value a life of death? Many individuals, even "religions", fast just as strictly and some even more frequently for who? for what? for peace? for health? for a god who is not God? -Christ is the Prince of Peace, there is no peace without Him. He IS Truth, the Life and the Resurrection.
Who does the following describe?
This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
St Matthew 15:8 KJV
No comments:
Post a Comment