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Dying and Rising
It is through the Holy Spirit that there will be a universal resurrection. I do not mean the resurrection of the bodies at the end (Heb. 9:26), for then the angel will blow the trumpet and the dead...
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A Living Flame
Abba Lot went to Abba Joseph and said: “Abba, as far as I can, I keep a moderate rule, with a little fasting, and prayer, and meditation, and quiet: and as far as I can I try to cleanse my heart of...
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Sober
Another time a vessel of wine was brought [to Scete] from the first fruits of the vintage, so that a cup of it could be given to each of the brothers. And a brother saw that they were drinking wine,...
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Knees Like a Camel
[St. James] was in the habit of entering alone into the temple, and was frequently found upon his knees begging forgiveness for the people, so that his knees became hard like those of a camel, in...
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The Great Struggle
The brothers asked Abba Agatho: “Father, which virtue in our way of life needs most effort to acquire?” And he said to them: “Forgive me, I think nothing needs so much effort as prayer to God. If a man...
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Fish Out of Water
Abba Antony said: “Fish die if they are long out of water. So monks who dally long outside their cell or with men of the world, lose their will to solitude. As a fish can only live in the sea, so we...
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That Priceless Light
Sometimes stories are too long to reflect on very thoroughly, but very worth sharing. For those who wonder what to think/believe of such a fantastic story, I would recommend an earlier reflection of...
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Bit by Bit
An old man said to a brother: “The devil is like a hostile neighbour and you are like a house. The enemy continually throws into you all the dirt that he can find. It is your business not to neglect to...
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The Art of Eternal Life
[Abba Isaac said:] “St. Antony … uttered this heavenly, inspired, saying on the end of prayer: ‘That prayer is not perfect in which the monk understands himself and the words which he is praying.'” ~...
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An Introduction to Prayer
Q. What is Prayer? A. The lifting up of man’s mind and heart to God, manifested by devout words. ~ Metropolitan St. Philaret of Moscow, Longer Catechism, 390 The following is the text of a talk I will...
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Prayer of Met. St. Philaret of Moscow
There is a prayer of Metropolitan St. Philaret of Moscow that I love, but I haven’t yet succeeded in memorizing. In effort to capture in a memorable way the spirit of that prayer (a version of which...
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Three Lenten Theses
An old man said: “Ask God to give you heartfelt grief and humility…. Control your tongue and belly, and drink no wine.” ~ Sayings of the Desert Fathers, 1.22 This old man says a bit more (in particular...
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“Watch and Pray”
Behold the Bridegroom cometh in the middle of the night, and blessed is the servant whom He shall find watching, but unworthy is he whom He shall find in slothfulness. Beware, therefore, O my soul, and...
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Unceasing Prayer is for Everyone
Let no one think, my Christian Brethren, that only persons in holy orders, or monks, are obliged to pray unceasingly and at all times, but not laymen. No, no! It is the duty of all us Christians to...
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Some Virtues of Impure Prayer
The Holy Spirit, out of compassion for our weakness, comes to us even when we are impure. And if only He finds our intellect truly praying to Him, He enters it and puts to flight the whole array of...
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My Son’s Questions about “Our Father”
When we confess the God and Lord of all Creation to be our Father, we confess that we have been called from a state of slavery to the state of adopted sons. ~ St. John Cassian, Conferences Every night...
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Great are you, O Lord, and strongly to be praised: Great is your power, and your wisdom cannot be quantified. And man wants to praise you, though a tiny portion of your creation, and man is surrounded...
View ArticleThe Joy of Thy Salvation
Lesson after the Presanctified Liturgy Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church Grand Rapids, Michigan March 30, 2022 Introduction A story from the desert Fathers provides a fitting image for our topic...
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