Merry Christmas!
10 December 2019
Veni Redemptor Gentium
Come manifest thy virgin birth:
All lands admire, all times applaud:
Such is the birth that fits our God.
Forth from his chamber goeth he,
That royal home of purity,
A giant in twofold substance one,
Rejoicing now his course to run.
The Virgin’s womb that glory gained,
Its virgin honor is still unstained.
The banners there of virtue glow;
God in his temple dwells below.
From God the Father he proceeds,
To God the Father back he speeds;
Runs out his course to death and hell,
Returns on God’s high throne to dwell.
O Equal to thy Father, thou!
Gird on thy fleshly mantle now;
The weakness of our mortal state
With deathless might invigorate.
Thy cradle here shall glitter bright,
And darkness breathe a newer light,
Where endless faith shall shine serene,
And twilight never intervene.
All laud, eternal Son, to thee
Whose advent sets thy people free,
Whom with the Father we adore,
And Holy Ghost, for evermore.
St. Ambrose
25 November 2019
On Repentance
To repent is not to look downwards at my own shortcomings,
but upwards at God’s love, it is not to look backwards with
self-reproach but forward with trustfulness, it is to see not
what I have failed to be, but what by the grace of Christ I might
yet become.
On Repentance
To repent is not to look downwards at my own shortcomings,
but upwards at God’s love, it is not to look backwards with
self-reproach but forward with trustfulness, it is to see not
what I have failed to be, but what by the grace of Christ I might
yet become.
St. John Climacus
20 November 2019
Confidence in God
Have confidence in the compassion of our Creator. Reflect well on
what you are now doing, and keep before you the things you have
done. Lift up your eyes to the overflowing compassion of heaven,
and while He waits for you, draw near in tears to our merciful Judge.
Having before your mind that He is a Just Judge, do not take your
sins lightly; and having also in mind that He is compassionate, do
not despair. The God-Man gives man confidence before God.
St. Gregory the Great
Confidence in God
Have confidence in the compassion of our Creator. Reflect well on
what you are now doing, and keep before you the things you have
done. Lift up your eyes to the overflowing compassion of heaven,
and while He waits for you, draw near in tears to our merciful Judge.
Having before your mind that He is a Just Judge, do not take your
sins lightly; and having also in mind that He is compassionate, do
not despair. The God-Man gives man confidence before God.
St. Gregory the Great
1 November 2019
Honoring the Saints
Honoring the Saints
The saints must
be honored as friends of Christ and children and heirs of
God. As John the theologian and evangelist says: ‘But
as many as received
Him, He gave them the power to be made sons of God….’ Let us carefully
observe the manner of life of all the apostles, martyrs, ascetics and just men
and women who announced the coming of the Lord. Let us emulate their faith,
charity, hope, zeal, life, patience under suffering, and their perseverance unto
death, so that we may also share their crowns of
glory.
Saint John of Damascus (679-749)
Exposition of the
Orthodox Faith, Book 4
24 October 2019
On What Young Husbands Should Say to Their Wives
I have taken you in my arms, and I love you, and I prefer you to my life itself.
For the present life is nothing, and my most ardent dream is to spend it with
you in such a way that we may be assured of not being separated in the life
reserved for us... I place your love above all things, and nothing would be more
bitter or painful to me than to be of a different mind than you.
― John Chrysostom
On What Young Husbands Should Say to Their Wives
I have taken you in my arms, and I love you, and I prefer you to my life itself.
For the present life is nothing, and my most ardent dream is to spend it with
you in such a way that we may be assured of not being separated in the life
reserved for us... I place your love above all things, and nothing would be more
bitter or painful to me than to be of a different mind than you.
― John Chrysostom
17 October 2019
Turn to the Lord with a Pure Heart
May our Lord Jesus Christ, who repays most generously, reward your labour. You must
flee from evil, and drive away dangers. We and all our brothers, although unworthy, pray
constantly to God the Father and to his Son Jesus Christ, as well as to Mary the Virgin
Mother, to be with you as you seek the salvation of your souls and your bodies.
Brothers, I most strongly urge you to work for the salvation of your souls with prudence and
diligence. Death is certain, and life is short and vanishes like smoke. Therefore you must fix
your minds on the passion of our Lord Jesus Christ who so burned with love for us that he
came down from heaven to redeem us. For our sakes he suffered all the agonies of body and
mind, and did not shrink from any torment. He gave us a perfect example of patience and
love. For our part, we too must be patient when things go against us.
Put aside hatred and hostility. See to it that you refrain from harsh words. But if you do
speak them, do not be ashamed to apply the remedy from the same lips that inflicted the
wounds. In this way you will show each other mercy and not keep alive the memories of past
wrongs. Remembering grievances works great damage. It is accompanied by anger, fosters
sin, and brings a hatred for justice. It is a rusty arrow spreading poison in the soul. It
destroys virtue and is a cancer in the mind. It thwarts prayer and mangles the petitions we
make to God. It drives out love and is a nail driven into the soul, an evil that never sleeps, a
sin that never fades away, a kind of daily death.
Be lovers of peace, the most precious treasure that anyone can desire. You are already aware
that our sins drive God to anger, so you must repent of them, that God in his mercy may
spare you. What men conceal is open to God. Turn to him with a sincere heart. Live in such a
way that you bring upon yourselves the blessing of God, and that the peace of God our
Father may be with you always.
A reading from the letters of St Francis of Paola, Hermit (Letter AD 1486)
Turn to the Lord with a Pure Heart
May our Lord Jesus Christ, who repays most generously, reward your labour. You must
flee from evil, and drive away dangers. We and all our brothers, although unworthy, pray
constantly to God the Father and to his Son Jesus Christ, as well as to Mary the Virgin
Mother, to be with you as you seek the salvation of your souls and your bodies.
Brothers, I most strongly urge you to work for the salvation of your souls with prudence and
diligence. Death is certain, and life is short and vanishes like smoke. Therefore you must fix
your minds on the passion of our Lord Jesus Christ who so burned with love for us that he
came down from heaven to redeem us. For our sakes he suffered all the agonies of body and
mind, and did not shrink from any torment. He gave us a perfect example of patience and
love. For our part, we too must be patient when things go against us.
Put aside hatred and hostility. See to it that you refrain from harsh words. But if you do
speak them, do not be ashamed to apply the remedy from the same lips that inflicted the
wounds. In this way you will show each other mercy and not keep alive the memories of past
wrongs. Remembering grievances works great damage. It is accompanied by anger, fosters
sin, and brings a hatred for justice. It is a rusty arrow spreading poison in the soul. It
destroys virtue and is a cancer in the mind. It thwarts prayer and mangles the petitions we
make to God. It drives out love and is a nail driven into the soul, an evil that never sleeps, a
sin that never fades away, a kind of daily death.
Be lovers of peace, the most precious treasure that anyone can desire. You are already aware
that our sins drive God to anger, so you must repent of them, that God in his mercy may
spare you. What men conceal is open to God. Turn to him with a sincere heart. Live in such a
way that you bring upon yourselves the blessing of God, and that the peace of God our
Father may be with you always.
A reading from the letters of St Francis of Paola, Hermit (Letter AD 1486)
13
October 2019
The Surest Path
The Surest Path
The cross teaches to believe in hope when there is no hope.
The wisdom of
the cross is deeply hidden in a profound mystery. In fact, there is no other
way to heaven than taking up the cross of Christ. On the account of this we
must be aware that the active life with its good works and the contemplative
life with its speculations, do not lead us astray. Both are most attractive and
give peace of mind, but for that very reason hide real dangers, unless they are
tempered by the cross and disturbed by adversaries. The cross is the surest
path of all. Blessed is the man who understands this truth.
the cross is deeply hidden in a profound mystery. In fact, there is no other
way to heaven than taking up the cross of Christ. On the account of this we
must be aware that the active life with its good works and the contemplative
life with its speculations, do not lead us astray. Both are most attractive and
give peace of mind, but for that very reason hide real dangers, unless they are
tempered by the cross and disturbed by adversaries. The cross is the surest
path of all. Blessed is the man who understands this truth.
Martin Luther
3
October 2019
On Judging Others
Fire and water are incompatible; and so is judging others in one who
wantsOn Judging Others
to repent. If you see someone falling into sin at the very moment of his death,
even then do not judge him, because the Divine judgment is hidden from men.
Some have fallen openly into great sins, but they have done greater good deeds
in secret; so their critics were tricked, getting smoke instead of the sun".
Saint John Climacus
14
September 2019
Do It Anyway
People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered.
Forgive them anyway.
Do It Anyway
People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered.
Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior
motives.
Be kind anyway.
Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends
and some genuine enemies.
Succeed anyway.
Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you.
Be honest and sincere anyway.
Be honest and sincere anyway.
What you spend years creating, others could destroy
overnight.
Create anyway.
Create anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous.
Be happy anyway.
Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, will often be forgotten.
Do good anyway.
Do good anyway.
Give the best you have, and it will never be enough.
Give your best anyway.
In the final analysis, it is between you and God. Give your best anyway.
It was never between you and them anyway.
St Teresa of Calcutta
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