“We should go to the Liturgy even if we stand there like logs. Someone might say: ‘I'm not what I should be, I don't understand anything there, I can't concentrate.’ But go as you are. An elder says: ‘When you enter a perfumery and then leave, your clothes will smell nice, even if you didn't want them to, even if you didn't buy anything.’ He says the same thing happens when you go to the Liturgy.
Maybe you couldn't do anything spiritual, but it's already something that you went, that you stood there like a log. So tell yourself: ‘I am going as I am – an unpolished log. Because God can work with an unpolished log.’ And if you don't go because you say, ‘I can't concentrate’, things will get worse and worse, and you will never improve.”
Metropolitan Athanasios of Limassol
Maybe you couldn't do anything spiritual, but it's already something that you went, that you stood there like a log. So tell yourself: ‘I am going as I am – an unpolished log. Because God can work with an unpolished log.’ And if you don't go because you say, ‘I can't concentrate’, things will get worse and worse, and you will never improve.”
Metropolitan Athanasios of Limassol
“It is not without a deep prophetic significance that Christ asked children to come unto Him... I am sure, if anybody has ears for His voice today, amidst the thunderings of guns and passions and revenges, one would hear the same call: Let the children come unto Me! – Not kings and politicians, not journalists and generals, not the grown-up people, but children.”
+ St Nikolai Velimirovic
+ St Nikolai Velimirovic
"O God, when You come upon the earth in glory, the whole world will tremble. A river of fire will bring all before Your Judgment Seat and the books will be opened, and everything in secret will become public. At that time, deliver me from the fire which never dies, and enable me to stand by Your right hand, O Judge most just."
Konatkion, Sunday of the Last Judgement (Meatfare Sunday)
Konatkion, Sunday of the Last Judgement (Meatfare Sunday)
Orthodox Christianity. It's a bit overwhelming at first. Don’t give up the struggle. God is with you.
#OrthodoxChurch
#OrthodoxChurch
☦️ The Lenten Prayer of St Ephraim the Syrian (prayed also Wednesday and Friday of Cheesefare Week)
Lord and Master of my life! Take from me the spirit of laziness, despair, lust of power and idle talk. (prostration)
But give rather the spirit of chastity, humility, patience and love to Your servant. (prostration)
Yes, O Lord and King! Grant me to see my own sins and not to judge my brother, for You are blessed unto ages of ages. Amen. (prostration)
O God, cleanse me a sinner! (bow 12 times)
O Lord and Master of my life! Take from me the spirit of laziness, despair, lust of power and idle talk. But give rather the spirit of chastity, humility, patience and love to Your servant.
Yes, O Lord and King! Grant me to see my own sins and not to judge my brother, for You are blessed unto ages of ages. Amen.(prostration)
Lord and Master of my life! Take from me the spirit of laziness, despair, lust of power and idle talk. (prostration)
But give rather the spirit of chastity, humility, patience and love to Your servant. (prostration)
Yes, O Lord and King! Grant me to see my own sins and not to judge my brother, for You are blessed unto ages of ages. Amen. (prostration)
O God, cleanse me a sinner! (bow 12 times)
O Lord and Master of my life! Take from me the spirit of laziness, despair, lust of power and idle talk. But give rather the spirit of chastity, humility, patience and love to Your servant.
Yes, O Lord and King! Grant me to see my own sins and not to judge my brother, for You are blessed unto ages of ages. Amen.(prostration)
"Forgive me, a sinner."
On Forgiveness Sunday, the last Sunday before Great Lent, we remember the expulsion of Adam and Eve from Paradise.
As their descendants, we have become heirs of death and corruption-- and in need of forgiveness.
We enter the season of the fast forgiving one another so that God will forgive us. "If you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will forgive you; but if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your heavenly Father forgive you your trespasses." + Matthew 6:14
On Forgiveness Sunday, the last Sunday before Great Lent, we remember the expulsion of Adam and Eve from Paradise.
As their descendants, we have become heirs of death and corruption-- and in need of forgiveness.
We enter the season of the fast forgiving one another so that God will forgive us. "If you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will forgive you; but if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your heavenly Father forgive you your trespasses." + Matthew 6:14
"Be joyful, brothers and sisters, keep the holy faith and do your little good works"
"Always rejoice and be in the faith. Do the same little deeds that I did: you yourselves saw them and heard of them. I am following the path which our fathers walked before us."
+Our father among the saints, David of Wales (Mar 1/ Mar 14)
The glory of St. David as a wonderworker spread throughout Britain and Ireland both during his life and after his repose. On hearing his zealous preaching, many rulers and princes gave away their riches to the poor and in some instances abdicated their thrones and took up monastic life.
The relics of St. David have survived and are located at St. David's Cathedral (12th-14th centuries), on the site of the original monastery established by David. His shrine was ravaged and desecrated during the Reformation but his holy relics survived and continue to be venerated.
"Always rejoice and be in the faith. Do the same little deeds that I did: you yourselves saw them and heard of them. I am following the path which our fathers walked before us."
+Our father among the saints, David of Wales (Mar 1/ Mar 14)
The glory of St. David as a wonderworker spread throughout Britain and Ireland both during his life and after his repose. On hearing his zealous preaching, many rulers and princes gave away their riches to the poor and in some instances abdicated their thrones and took up monastic life.
The relics of St. David have survived and are located at St. David's Cathedral (12th-14th centuries), on the site of the original monastery established by David. His shrine was ravaged and desecrated during the Reformation but his holy relics survived and continue to be venerated.
[2/3] A tragedy of the reign of Henry VIII British Isles was the desecration and destruction monasteries and holy relics. Subjected to this destruction, on King Henry’s orders, were the holy relics of St. Chad, Evangelizer of Mercia, Bishop of Lichfield, faithful disciple of St. Aidan.
As a priest, and later bishop, St. Chad was known for his humility, prayerfulness and gentleness. In Mercia, there was fighting between neighbouring kingdoms. There was also division between the Romans and Celts in the Church. St. Chad, belonging to the Celtic group, took up the task of mediation of these conflicts.
As a priest, and later bishop, St. Chad was known for his humility, prayerfulness and gentleness. In Mercia, there was fighting between neighbouring kingdoms. There was also division between the Romans and Celts in the Church. St. Chad, belonging to the Celtic group, took up the task of mediation of these conflicts.
[3/3] St. Chad established monasteries and is said to have dug wells for travellers. The water from these wells sometimes brought healings.
St. Chad’s relics had been venerated by pilgrims for centuries at the Shrine of St Chad in Lichfield. In 1538 the Shrine was dismantled under the orders of King Henry. Some relics were destroyed. Others were recovered and hidden. Some later came into King Henry’s possession.
After the king’s death the holy relics were kept by the Jesuit from whom he had received the Last Rites, and eventually enshrined at a small chapel at Aston by Stone and later moved to a newly-built cathedral in Birmingham, consecrated in 1841. In 2022, a portion of the relics were returned to the original shrine in Lichfield Cathedral.
St. Chad’s relics had been venerated by pilgrims for centuries at the Shrine of St Chad in Lichfield. In 1538 the Shrine was dismantled under the orders of King Henry. Some relics were destroyed. Others were recovered and hidden. Some later came into King Henry’s possession.
After the king’s death the holy relics were kept by the Jesuit from whom he had received the Last Rites, and eventually enshrined at a small chapel at Aston by Stone and later moved to a newly-built cathedral in Birmingham, consecrated in 1841. In 2022, a portion of the relics were returned to the original shrine in Lichfield Cathedral.
"The Fast has come, the mother of chastity" What was the time before this day? A time of fornication. The soul has fornicated with all that struck its eye as pleasant—both with people and with things and, more fully, with sinful passions. Everyone has his own passion which he pleases in every way. It is time to put an end to this. May each of you comprehend your Delilah, who binds you and hands you over to evil enemies, and abandon her. Then you will be given more than Samson was given: Not only shall your hair grow but so also shall good thoughts; and not only shall your strength return but so also your strength of will. Your eyes shall also open, your mind shall have sight, and it shall see the Lord, yourself, and everything around you in the proper light. Behold, now is the favorable time! Behold, now is the day of salvation!
☦️St. Theophan the Recluse
☦️St. Theophan the Recluse