Christ is Risen! O the marvel! the forbearance! the immeasurable meekness! The Untouched is felt; the Master is held by a servant, And He reveals His wounds to one of His inner circle. Seeing these wounds, the whole Creation was shaken at the time. Thomas, when he was considered worthy of such gifts, Lifted up a prayer to the One Who deemed him worthy, Saying, “Bear my rashness with patience, Have pity on my unworthiness and lighten the burden Of my lack of faith, so that I may sing and cry, `Thou art our Lord and God.’
Originally posted 2006-04-29 17:31:59.
“God, for your sake humbled Himself, and you will not be humbled for your own sake?! The Lord Himself who is the Way and is God, after He came not on His own behalf but for you so that He might be an example for you of everything good, see, He came in such humility, taking “the form of a slave” [Philippians 2:7], He Who is God, the Son of God, King, the Son of King … But do not despise His divine dignity, as you look at Him, externally humiliated as one like us. For our sakes He so appeared, not for Himself… When they spat in His face and placed a crown of thorns on Him and hit Him, what more humiliation could He have yet undergone?… If God condescends to such insults and sufferings and humiliation, you, who by nature are clay and are mortal, no matter how much you are humiliated, will never do anything similar to what your Master did. God, for your sake, humbled Himself and you will not be humbled for your own sake?!”
Originally posted 2009-07-30 16:28:40.
If someone observes that his brothers are satisfied with him, let him not start boasting to himself. There are thieves all around. Remember the warning: “When you have done all that was laid on you to do, say, “We are unprofitable servants. We did only what we had to’” (Luke 17:10). We will find out at the time of death what judgment has been passed on us.
A silly person feels hurt when accused or shouted at. He tries to answer back or else at once apologizes to his accuser, not for reasons of humility but to put a stop to his reproaches. In fact you should be silent when ridiculed. Accept patiently these spiritual cauterizations, or rather, purifying flames. And when the doctor has done his work, ask him to forgive you, for he many not accept your apology when he is angry.
Originally posted 2007-06-24 06:10:01.
1. Having children is a matter of nature; but raising them and educating them in the virtues is a matter of mind and will.
2. By the duty of raising them I mean not only not allowing them to die of hunger, as people often limit their obligation toward their children to doing. For this, is needed neither books nor rubrics, for nature speaks of it quite loudly. I am speaking of the concern for educating children’s hearts in virtues and piety — a sacred duty which cannot be transgressed without thereby becoming guilty of the children’s murder, in a certain sense. Read the rest of this entry »
Originally posted 2006-05-09 20:13:29.
A brother inquired of Abba Pastor saying: "My soul suffers harm from living with the Spiritual Father that I have. What, then, do you command me to do? Shall I go on staying with him?" Now Abba Pastor knew that the brother's soul would be harmed by this other Abba, and he was surprised that he even asked whether he ought to go on staying with him. And he said to him, "If you like, stay with him." The brother went off and remained with that Father. But he came back again, saying to Abba Pastor, "It is a great burden on my soul!" And still Abba Pastor did not tell him to leave the man. Finally the brother came back a third time and said, "Believe me, I am through with him!" Then the elder said, "See! Now you are saved, go, and have no more to do with him." And Abba Pastor told the same brother, "When a man sees that his soul is suffering harm, he has no need to ask advice about it. When it is a matter of secret thoughts, one asks advice, that the elders may test them. But when there are manifest sins there is no need to inquire – you just break off at once."
from Thomas Merton (trans), "The Wisdom of the Desert," (New York: New Directions Publishing Corp., 1970), p. 44
Originally posted 2006-05-05 21:23:42.
Created in His image and likeness
You have printed Your traits on us! You created us in Your image and according Your likeness! You made us Your currency; yet Your coins should not remain in darkness. Send the ray of Your wisdom to scatter our darkness, for Your image to shine in us…Do not think how to return the reward to Him …Reflect back on His image; He does not ask for more…He wants His coin back…Do offer Him something of yours, because when you do this, you would only offer Him sin.
Originally posted 2006-04-17 20:03:31.
Let us consider, beloved, how the Lord continually proves to us that there shall be a future resurrection, of which He has rendered the Lord Jesus Christ the first-fruits by raising Him from the dead. Let us contemplate, beloved, the resurrection which is at all times taking place. Day and night declare to us a resurrection. The night sinks to sleep, and the day arises; the day [again] departs, and the night comes on. Let us behold the fruits [of the earth], how the sowing of grain takes place. The sower goes forth, and casts it into the ground; and the seed being thus scattered, though dry and naked when it fell upon the earth, is gradually dissolved. Then out of its dissolution the mighty power of the providence of the Lord raises it up again, and from one seed many arise and bring forth fruit.
Taken from Chap. XXIV. of the first epistle of Clement to the Corinthians. From "The Early Church Fathers and Other Works" originally published by Wm. B. Eerdmans Pub. Co. in English in Edinburgh, Scotland beginning in 1867. (ANF 1, Roberts and Donaldson). The digital version is by The Electronic Bible Society, P.O. Box 701356, Dallas, TX 75370, 214-407-WORD.
Originally posted 2006-04-24 10:26:04.
His sufferings
This is clearly a reflection of the holy prophet's words, "Be astonished, O heavens, at this, And be horribly afraid; Be very desolate," says the Lord." (Jer 2:12) The one true God, the King of kings and Lord or lords. He was dishonored by us: first He endured blows, and then he endured laughter from the sinful, demonstrating the highest patience yet presented to us. How can the One who "examines the heart and mind" the One who illuminated the prophets, not know "who strikes You?"
Originally posted 2006-04-20 18:26:21.
A brother came to see an old man and asked him, "abba, why is my heart so hard, and why do I not fear God?" The old man said to him, "in my opinion, if a man bears in mind the reproaches he deserves, he will acquire the fear of God." The brother said to him, "What does this reproach consist of?" The old man said to him, "In all he does, a man should restrain his own soul, saying to it, "Remember that you must come before God", and he should also say to himself, "What have I to do with the others?" I think that if someone lives in this way, the fear of God will come to him.
Originally posted 2007-10-02 21:52:54.
Avva Pambo conversing with his disciple..And I’ll tell you this, my child, that the days will come when the Christians will add to and will take away from, and will alter the books of the Holy Evangelists, and of the Holy Apostles, and of the Divine Prophets, and of the Holy Fathers. They will tone down the Holy Scriptures and will compose troparia, hymns, and writings technologically. Their nous will be spilled out among them, and will become alienated from its Heavenly Prototype. For this reason the Holy Fathers had previously encouraged the monks of the desert to write down the lives of the Fathers not onto parchment, but onto paper, because the coming generation will change them to suit their own personal tastes. So you see, the evil that comes will be horrible. Then the disciple said: So then, Geronda, the traditions are going to be changed and the practices of the Christians? Maybe there won’t exist enough priests in the Church when these unfortunate times come? And the Holy Father continued: In these times the love for God in most souls will grow cold and a great sadness will fall onto the world. One nation shall face-off against another. Peoples will move away from their own places. Rulers will be confused. The clergy will be thrown into anarchy, and the monks will be inclined more to negligence. The church leaders will consider useless anything concerned with salvation, as much for their own souls as for the souls of their flocks, and they will despise any such concern. All will show eagerness and energy for every matter regarding their dining table and their appetites. They will be lazy in their prayers and casual in their criticisms. As for the lives and teachings of the Holy Fathers, they will not have any interest to imitate them, nor even to hear them. But rather they will complain and say that “if we had lived in those times, then we’d have behaved like that.”And the Bishops shall give way to the powerful of the world, giving answers on different matters only after taking gifts from everywhere and consulting the rational logic of the academics. The poor man’s rights will not be defended; they will afflict widows and harass orphans. Debauchery will permeate these people. Most won’t believe in God; they will hate each other and devour one another like beasts. The one will steal from the other; they will be drunk and will walk about as blind. The disciple again asked: What can we do in such a state? And Elder Pambo answered: My child, in these times whoever will save his soul and prompt others to be saved will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.
Originally posted 2006-05-16 10:28:07.
21. Tell me, which trees are best? Do we not prefer those that are inwardly strong, and are not injured by rainstorms, or hail, or gusts of wind, or by any sort of harsh weather, but stand exposed to them all without fences or garden to protect them? He who truly loves wisdom is like this, and his riches we have already described. He has nothing, yet has everything; he has everything, yet has nothing. A fence does not provide internal strength, nor is a wall a natural support; they provide only artificial protection. What is a strong body? Is it not one that is healthy, whether hungry or surfeited, cold or warm? Or is it something that is dependent upon restaurants, tailors, merchants, and physicians for health? The truly rich man, the true lover of wisdom, needs none of these things, and that is why the blessed Apostle admonishes us to bring our children up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
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Originally posted 2006-05-11 18:26:46.
“I was the son of a priest of idols. When I was young I lived in the temple and I have on many occasions seen my father go into the temple to perform sacrifices to the idols. Once I went in secretly after him, and I saw Satan sitting there with his whole army before him and, behold, one of his devils came and did homage to him. And Satan answered and said unto him, ‘From where do you come?’ And the devil answered, saying, “I was in such and such a country and I stirred up many wars and revolts and I caused the shedding of blood and I have come to tell you these things.” Satan said unto him, ‘How long did it take you to do this?’ And the devil said, “Thirty days.” Then Satan commanded him to be beaten, saying unto him, ‘Is this all that you have done in so long a time?’
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Originally posted 2006-05-18 10:50:30.
"Who holds the earth in the palm of His hand."
To you, poor little feeble man, India is far from the land of the Goths and spain from Persia; but to God, who holds the whole earth in the hallow of His hand, all things are near at hand. Impute not then weakness to God, from a comparison of your feebleness, but rather dwell on His power.
Originally posted 2006-04-17 22:43:55.
It is good…to pray always and not to lose heart, as the Lord says, And again the Apostle says, ‘Pray without ceasing’, (Lord Jesus Christ Have Mercy On Me) that is by night and by day and at every hour, and not only when coming into the church, and not bothering at other times. But whether you are working, lying down to sleep, traveling, eating, drinking, sitting at table, do not interrupt your prayer, for you do not know when he who demands your soul is coming (death approaching…). Don’t wait for Sunday or a feast day, or a different place, but, as the Prophet David says, ‘in every place of his dominion’.
Whether you are in church, or in your house, or in the country; whether you are guarding sheep, or constructing buildings, or present at drinking parties, do not stop praying. When you are able, bend your knees, when you cannot, make intercession in your mind, ‘at evening and at morning and at midday’. If prayer precedes your work and if, when you rise from your bed, your first movements are accompanied by prayer, sin can find no entrance to attack your soul.
Originally posted 2008-08-27 18:55:00.
After the resurrection of Christ, the devil is bound. Some may say,'If he is bound, why does he often prevail?' It is perfectly true, my brethren, he does often prevail; but its is tepid and careless, and who do not really fear God, that he overcomes.
He is tied up like a dog on a chain, and only bites someone who, sure of himself, goes near him. Wouldn't you think a man a fool who let himself be bitten by a chained dog?
Originally posted 2007-04-18 08:54:51.
