30 June 2021
Piety Verses Hypocrisy
Putting Aside all Hypocrisy and Living for Christ
How
easy it is to worship with all piety and correctness while standing in a
service within an Orthodox temple, yet make no effort to live Orthodoxy during
the rest of our week. If we are abusive towards our spouse, abrasive with a
coworker, and short tempered with a neighbor, all the piety and liturgical
correctness of our Sunday morning is of no value.
If
we cheat on our taxes, steal pens from the office, or refuse to point out an
error to a clerk who has failed to ring up an item, we will have reduced our
life in Christ to no more than membership in a club. If we walk past a child
who is being bullied, without intervening, we have become the bully. If we fail
to call the police when we hear a neighbor pleading with an abusive husband,
not wanting to get involved, we are a wife beater. If we smile at the racist
joke of a coworker, we are just as guilty of racism as he.
Being
a Christian is far more than adherence to a set of doctrines, or the adaptation
of liturgical forms of worship and piety. To be a follower of Christ is not
like joining the Elks Club, where paying your dues and attending meetings makes
you a member. Taking the name of the Saviour for ourselves, and calling
ourselves Christians, must mean that we imitate the Saviour's life. It must mean
that others see Christ in us, each and every hour of our day.
We
must be the neighborhood peacemaker, the one who is quick to forgive when
wronged, the person who is always looking for ways of being in service to
others. If we truly wish to be called a Christian, we must put aside hypocrisy
in all its forms, and live Christ. We must work towards changing the world,
just as did Saint Seraphim of Sarov, who told us that if we acquire peace in
our heart, we will save a thousand around us. Justice and peace does not come
with revolution, but comes when the hearts of men and women are transformed by
the Holy Spirit, and this change can only begin, when we put aside all
hypocrisy, and replace it with genuine, heartfelt commitment to Jesus Christ,
living in imitation of the Saviour.
Abbot Tryphon
29
June 2021
On
Grace
Grace is from
God, and works in the depth of the soul whose powers it employs. It is a light
which issues forth to do service under the guidance of the Spirit. The Divine
Light permeates the soul, and lifts it above the turmoil of temporal things to
rest in God. The soul cannot progress except with the light which God has given
it as a nuptial gift; love works the likeness of God into the soul.
Meister Eckhart (1260-1328)
27
June 2021
Our
Rest
We
must not give in to weariness: we must spend every minute in loving God. God
alone, the maker of heaven and earth, must be our rest and our consolation. The
love of God is the only thing we can possess forever: everything else will pass
away.
Saint Joaquina de Vedruna (1783-1854)
26 June 2021
Truth
Here he shows perplexity and amazement, and desires to learn of themselves the reason of their change. Who, says he, has deceived you, and caused a difference in your disposition towards me? Are you not the same who attended and ministered to me, counting me more precious than your own eyes? What then has happened? Whence this dislike? Whence this suspicion? Is it because I have told you the truth? You ought on this very account to pay me increased honor and attention; instead of which I have become your enemy, because I tell you the truth, — for I can find no other reason but this. Observe too what humbleness of mind appears in his defense of himself; he proves not by his conduct to them, but by theirs to him that his language could not possibly have proceeded from unkind feeling. For he says not; How is it supposable that one, who has been scourged and driven about, and ill-treated a thousand things for your sakes, should now have schemes against you? But he argues from what they had reason to boast of, saying, How can one who has been honored by you, and received as an Angel, repay you by conduct the very opposite?
St. John Chrysostom
Truth
Here he shows perplexity and amazement, and desires to learn of themselves the reason of their change. Who, says he, has deceived you, and caused a difference in your disposition towards me? Are you not the same who attended and ministered to me, counting me more precious than your own eyes? What then has happened? Whence this dislike? Whence this suspicion? Is it because I have told you the truth? You ought on this very account to pay me increased honor and attention; instead of which I have become your enemy, because I tell you the truth, — for I can find no other reason but this. Observe too what humbleness of mind appears in his defense of himself; he proves not by his conduct to them, but by theirs to him that his language could not possibly have proceeded from unkind feeling. For he says not; How is it supposable that one, who has been scourged and driven about, and ill-treated a thousand things for your sakes, should now have schemes against you? But he argues from what they had reason to boast of, saying, How can one who has been honored by you, and received as an Angel, repay you by conduct the very opposite?
St. John Chrysostom
25 June 2021
In God’s Presence
The following consideration should never be forgotten when we go to prayer, namely, that we draw near to God and place ourselves in His presence principally for two reasons. The first is to render to God the honor and the homage we owe Him, and this can be done without God speaking to us or we to Him, for the duty is fulfilled by acknowledging that He is our Creator. . . . The second reason is to speak to God and to listen to Him when He speaks to us by His inspirations and the interior movements of grace. One or other of these two advantages can never fail to be derived from prayer.
Saint Francis de Sales
In God’s Presence
The following consideration should never be forgotten when we go to prayer, namely, that we draw near to God and place ourselves in His presence principally for two reasons. The first is to render to God the honor and the homage we owe Him, and this can be done without God speaking to us or we to Him, for the duty is fulfilled by acknowledging that He is our Creator. . . . The second reason is to speak to God and to listen to Him when He speaks to us by His inspirations and the interior movements of grace. One or other of these two advantages can never fail to be derived from prayer.
Saint Francis de Sales
24 June 2021
The Secrecy of Your Heart
Retire into the secrecy of your own heart, and open it to receive what is wont to come from so powerful a Light. Beseech the same Lord that, as He has deigned to place Himself within your hands, He will give you the further grace to esteem and venerate and love Him as you should.
Saint John of Avila (1500-1569)
The Secrecy of Your Heart
Retire into the secrecy of your own heart, and open it to receive what is wont to come from so powerful a Light. Beseech the same Lord that, as He has deigned to place Himself within your hands, He will give you the further grace to esteem and venerate and love Him as you should.
Saint John of Avila (1500-1569)
23 June 2021
Glad to went out yesterday, because we had to go dentist office this morning.
It would have been a stressful attempt to be on time for the appointment just
trying to find a way out of our subdivision. Since it was raining, I stayed in
the car listening to sacred music and read the, Didache, as well as chapters
from, The Imitation of Christ. I love my smartphone. It was the best gift ever,
making use of downloaded music and ebooks. We stopped by the Hallmark store on
the way home and I was able to squeeze in a 20 minute walk in the parking lot,
since the rain ended and the sun came out. Got ambitious this afternoon and
took out the weed whacker. Hard to believe I was sweating bullets just tending
to all the needed. Stopping to watch, The Chosen Livestream Season 2 Episode 6.
22 June 2021
On Serving Christ in the Poor
Let us not overlook Him here, hungry, in order that He Himself may feed us there. Here let us clothe Him, that He may not send us forth naked from the safe refuge with Him. If we give Him to drink here, we shall not say with the rich man: ‘Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool our tongues.’ If here we receive Him into our homes, there He will prepare many mansions for us. If we go to Him when He is in prison, He Himself will free us also from our bonds. If, when He is a stranger, we take Him in, He will not look down upon us as strangers when we are in the Kingdom of heaven, but will give to us a share in the heavenly City. If we visit Him when He is sick, He Himself will quickly free us also from our infirmities.
Saint John Chrysostom
On Serving Christ in the Poor
Let us not overlook Him here, hungry, in order that He Himself may feed us there. Here let us clothe Him, that He may not send us forth naked from the safe refuge with Him. If we give Him to drink here, we shall not say with the rich man: ‘Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool our tongues.’ If here we receive Him into our homes, there He will prepare many mansions for us. If we go to Him when He is in prison, He Himself will free us also from our bonds. If, when He is a stranger, we take Him in, He will not look down upon us as strangers when we are in the Kingdom of heaven, but will give to us a share in the heavenly City. If we visit Him when He is sick, He Himself will quickly free us also from our infirmities.
Saint John Chrysostom
21 June 2021
In Sorrow and in Joy
I was filled full of everlasting assurance, powerfully secured without any pain or fear. This experience was so happy spiritually that I felt completely at peace and relaxed; there was nothing on earth that could have disturbed me. But this lasted only for a short time, and then I was changed and I began to act with a sense of loneliness and depression and the futility of life itself, so that I hardly had the patience to continue living. No comfort or relaxation now, just ‘faith, hope and love’, and truly I felt very little of this. And yet soon after this our blessed Lord gave me once again that comfort, so pleasant and sure, so delightful and powerful, that there was no fear, no sorrow, no pain, physical and spiritual that could bother me. And then again I felt the pain; then the joy and pleasure; now the one and now the other, again and again… This vision was shown to teach me to understand that some souls profit by experiencing this, to be comforted at one time, and at another to be left to themselves. God wishes us to know however that he keeps us safe at all times, in sorrow and in joy.
Saint Julian of Norwich (1342-1416)
In Sorrow and in Joy
I was filled full of everlasting assurance, powerfully secured without any pain or fear. This experience was so happy spiritually that I felt completely at peace and relaxed; there was nothing on earth that could have disturbed me. But this lasted only for a short time, and then I was changed and I began to act with a sense of loneliness and depression and the futility of life itself, so that I hardly had the patience to continue living. No comfort or relaxation now, just ‘faith, hope and love’, and truly I felt very little of this. And yet soon after this our blessed Lord gave me once again that comfort, so pleasant and sure, so delightful and powerful, that there was no fear, no sorrow, no pain, physical and spiritual that could bother me. And then again I felt the pain; then the joy and pleasure; now the one and now the other, again and again… This vision was shown to teach me to understand that some souls profit by experiencing this, to be comforted at one time, and at another to be left to themselves. God wishes us to know however that he keeps us safe at all times, in sorrow and in joy.
Saint Julian of Norwich (1342-1416)
20 June 2021
Branches of Evil
If, then, we can speak to our Lord, let us do so in praise and supplication: if we are unable to speak, let us remain in his presence notwithstanding, offering him our silent homage; he will see us there, our patience will touch him and our silence will plead with him and win his favor. Another time, to our utter astonishment, he will take us by the hand and converse with us, and make a hundred turns with us in his garden of prayer. And even should he never do this, still let us be content to know it is our duty to be in his retinue, and that it is a great favor and a greater honor for us that he suffices us in his presence.
Branches of Evil
If, then, we can speak to our Lord, let us do so in praise and supplication: if we are unable to speak, let us remain in his presence notwithstanding, offering him our silent homage; he will see us there, our patience will touch him and our silence will plead with him and win his favor. Another time, to our utter astonishment, he will take us by the hand and converse with us, and make a hundred turns with us in his garden of prayer. And even should he never do this, still let us be content to know it is our duty to be in his retinue, and that it is a great favor and a greater honor for us that he suffices us in his presence.
Saint Francis de Sales
17 June 2021
On Repentance
What can show more pride than this, since the Scripture says: No one is free from sin, not even an infant of a day old; and David cries out: Cleanse me from my sin. Are they more holy than David, of whose family Christ vouchsafed to be born in the mystery of the Incarnation, whose descendant is that heavenly Hall which received the world's Redeemer in her virgin womb? For what is more harsh than to inflict a penance which they do not relax, and by refusing pardon to take away the incentive to penance and repentance? Now no one can repent to good purpose unless he hopes for mercy.
St. Ambrose
On Repentance
What can show more pride than this, since the Scripture says: No one is free from sin, not even an infant of a day old; and David cries out: Cleanse me from my sin. Are they more holy than David, of whose family Christ vouchsafed to be born in the mystery of the Incarnation, whose descendant is that heavenly Hall which received the world's Redeemer in her virgin womb? For what is more harsh than to inflict a penance which they do not relax, and by refusing pardon to take away the incentive to penance and repentance? Now no one can repent to good purpose unless he hopes for mercy.
St. Ambrose
14 June 2021
Be Calm and Peaceful
God wishes our care to be a calm and peaceful one as we proceed faithfully along the road marked out for us. As for the rest, we should rest in God’s fatherly care, trying as far as is possible to keep our soul at peace, for the place of God is in peace and in the peaceful and restful heart. You know that when the lake is very calm – and when the winds do not agitate its waters – on a very serene night the sky with all its stars is so perfectly reflected in the water that looking down into its depths the beauty of the heavens is as clearly visible as if we were looking up on high. So when our soul is perfectly calm, unstirred and untroubled by the winds of superfluous cares, unevenness of spirit and inconstancy it is very capable of reflecting in itself the image of Our Lord.
Saint Francis de Sales
Be Calm and Peaceful
God wishes our care to be a calm and peaceful one as we proceed faithfully along the road marked out for us. As for the rest, we should rest in God’s fatherly care, trying as far as is possible to keep our soul at peace, for the place of God is in peace and in the peaceful and restful heart. You know that when the lake is very calm – and when the winds do not agitate its waters – on a very serene night the sky with all its stars is so perfectly reflected in the water that looking down into its depths the beauty of the heavens is as clearly visible as if we were looking up on high. So when our soul is perfectly calm, unstirred and untroubled by the winds of superfluous cares, unevenness of spirit and inconstancy it is very capable of reflecting in itself the image of Our Lord.
Saint Francis de Sales
13 June 2021
On Almsgiving
Almsgiving proceeds from a merciful heart and is more useful for the one who practices it than for the one who receives it, for the man who makes a practice of almsgiving draws out a spiritual profit from his acts, whilst those who receive his alms receive only a temporal benefit.
Saint Thomas Aquinas
On Almsgiving
Almsgiving proceeds from a merciful heart and is more useful for the one who practices it than for the one who receives it, for the man who makes a practice of almsgiving draws out a spiritual profit from his acts, whilst those who receive his alms receive only a temporal benefit.
Saint Thomas Aquinas
9 June 2021
On Prayer
If you are concerned for your well-being, if you wish to be safe from the snares of the devil, the storms of this world, the ambush of your enemies; if you long to be acceptable to God, if you crave to be happy at the last—then let no day pass without at least once making yourself present to God in prayer.
Saint Thomas More (1478-1535)
On Prayer
If you are concerned for your well-being, if you wish to be safe from the snares of the devil, the storms of this world, the ambush of your enemies; if you long to be acceptable to God, if you crave to be happy at the last—then let no day pass without at least once making yourself present to God in prayer.
Saint Thomas More (1478-1535)
7 June 2021
Never Cease Longing
Our natural will is to have God, and the good will of God is to have us, and we may never cease willing or longing for God until we have him in the fullness of joy. Christ will never have his full bliss in us until we have our full bliss in him.
Saint Julian of Norwich (1342–1416)
Never Cease Longing
Our natural will is to have God, and the good will of God is to have us, and we may never cease willing or longing for God until we have him in the fullness of joy. Christ will never have his full bliss in us until we have our full bliss in him.
Saint Julian of Norwich (1342–1416)
6 June 2021
This Good Reflection
You should often call to mind this good reflection: that in this world we are poised between paradise and hell, that our last step will land us in our eternal dwelling place, and that we do not know which step will be the last. In order to make the last step a good one, we must go on trying to make all the other steps good, too.
Saint Francis de Sales
This Good Reflection
You should often call to mind this good reflection: that in this world we are poised between paradise and hell, that our last step will land us in our eternal dwelling place, and that we do not know which step will be the last. In order to make the last step a good one, we must go on trying to make all the other steps good, too.
Saint Francis de Sales
4
June 2021
Credo
Hermann Sasse
3
June 2021
Healing
in the Life of the Church
The spiritual life is something that needs to be learned, perhaps more so now, than at any time in the history of our world. As godlessness increases, so do the obstacles to spiritual progress. The degradation of the whole of our society, and the depths of depravity that have become a normal part of our age, have made this a dangerous time. Going it alone spirituality can leave one vulnerable to spiritual delusion. We all need a trusted and experienced guide who can help us avoid the pitfalls of the pride and self-will that would lead us down to perdition.
Abbot Tryphon
2 June 2021
The Holy Trinity
The closer we approach God, the closer we approach each other, just as the closer rays of light are to each other, the closer they are to the Sun. In the coming Kingdom of God there will be unity, mutual love and concord. The Holy Trinity remains eternally unchanging, all-perfect, united in essence and indivisible.
St. John Maximovich
The Holy Trinity
The closer we approach God, the closer we approach each other, just as the closer rays of light are to each other, the closer they are to the Sun. In the coming Kingdom of God there will be unity, mutual love and concord. The Holy Trinity remains eternally unchanging, all-perfect, united in essence and indivisible.
St. John Maximovich
1 June 2021
Food and Drink
For the good Creator made all things good and the Maker of the universe is one, Who made the heaven and the earth, the sea and all that is in them. Of which whatever is granted to man for food and drink, is holy and clean after its kind. But if it is taken with immoderate greed, it is the excess that disgraces the eaters and drinkers, not the nature of the food or drink that defiles them. For all things, as the Apostle says, are clean to the clean. But to the defiled and unbelieving nothing is clean, but their mind and conscience is defiled.
Saint Leo the Great
Food and Drink
For the good Creator made all things good and the Maker of the universe is one, Who made the heaven and the earth, the sea and all that is in them. Of which whatever is granted to man for food and drink, is holy and clean after its kind. But if it is taken with immoderate greed, it is the excess that disgraces the eaters and drinkers, not the nature of the food or drink that defiles them. For all things, as the Apostle says, are clean to the clean. But to the defiled and unbelieving nothing is clean, but their mind and conscience is defiled.
Saint Leo the Great
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