December 2011
24 posts
Simply Orthodox ☦: Sermon of His Holiness,... →
simplyorthodox:
Crossing the symbolic line separating one year from another, from December 31 to January 1, people normally meet the New Year with joy and gladness. But on New Year’s Eve everyone also gives thought to time, to how one year gives way to another in our lives.
It is customary, in congratulating…
“The path to heaven for every follower of Christ…lies only through Golgotha...”
– Raphael of Optina
Holy Tears
The seal of the Holy Spirit is in our heart, which bears the fruits of our life. Meekness, peace, a
merciful heart, goodness, kindness, faith, and abstinence are some of the fruits of tears offered to
Christ from the heart. The results of such tears are love of one’s enemies and prayers offered up
to the Lord for them. Tears give us strength to be joyful even in times of great suffering and...
Christ is Born! Glorify Him!
On this day, we celebrate the historical, concrete Incarnation of God in Jesus Christ. What a most blessed occasion and feast in the life of the Church! To think that God deigned to be placed in the womb of a the most blessed and perfect Lady, and to be born homeless, and discretely, should rouse in us a desire to enter into this mystery with great fervency! O Christ we glorify Your most...
“Yes, I think your position is the right one. If one is asked for advice, then,...”
– C.S. Lewis, Letter to Mary Van Deusen
Simply Orthodox ☦: Metropolitan Philip's Christmas... →
simplyorthodox:
Lord,
You have been knocking on my door for thirty-nine years, but I never dared let you in because my garment is not white as snow.
Forgive me if I do not invite you to my table, for my table is full of everything you despise. I have denied you more than Peter.
I have doubted you more…
“But He was a Baby. He was a Child, so that ye may be a perfect man; He was...”
– St. Ambrose
"Truth came by Jesus Christ"
simplyorthodox:
In Christianity truth is not a philosophical concept nor is it a theory, a teaching, or a system, but rather, it is the living theanthropic hypostasis - the historical Jesus Christ (John 14:6). Before Christ men could only conjecture about the Truth since they did not possess it. With Christ as the incarnate divine Logos the eternally complete divine Truth enters into the...
Whenever you mention His name...
simplyorthodox:
I ask you to put this order into practice: as much as you can, try to cultivate your love toward Christ’s own person. You must reach the point that whenever you mention His name, tears run from your eyes. Your hearts must be truly ablaze. Then He will be your Teacher, your Guide, your Brother, your Father, your Elder….
-Words from Elder Amphilochios
God is fire that kindles the heart
simplyorthodox:
God is fire that warms and kindles the heart and inward parts. And so, if we feel in our hearts coldness, which is from the devil — for the devil is cold — then let us call upon the Lord and He will come and warm our hearts with perfect love not only for Him but for our neighbor as well.
– Saint Seraphim of Sarov from the preface to his Spiritual Instructions for Laymen and...
The Prayer of Jesus
The “Jesus Prayer” as it has come to be known is quite simply, “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”
The prayer centers on the Name of the Lord, which is the most powerful utterance that can escape a human mouth. This small, short prayer was first introduced to me as I studied Orthodox Christian spirituality. It is arguably one of the oldest...
On patience
simplyorthodox:
“Ask with tears, seek with obedience, knock with patience. For thus he who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.”
-St. John Climacus – “The Ladder of Divine Ascent” (Step 28)
“Do not be surprised that you fall every day; do not give up, but stand your...”
– St. John of the Ladder
"Now we command you, brethren, in he name of our...
The New Testament speaks of two types of tradition. The first is the tradition of man that Christ explicitly condemns whilst quoting Isaiah 29:13 in Matthew 15:9. The second is Holy Tradition or the tradition of the apostles. This is meant to be preserved because it finds its source in God and not man. We are to trust that the Church in practicing her tradition, is guided and led into...
