by Fr. Calinic Berger –
One of the major themes in the Philokalia and the writings of the Holy Fathers in general is that of the “guarding of thoughts.” A thought is a seed which, when planted in the heart, can affect the totality of not only how we act, but of our entire attitude towards life, [Read more…]
Prayer
The Kingdom of God is Gained With the Heart and Not With the Tongue
by St. Nikolai Velimirovich –
“Not everyone who says, `Lord, Lord’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven” (Matthew 7:21). [Read more…]
Great Canon of Saint Andrew of Crete – First Week of Great Lent
by Chris Banescu –
During the first week of Great Lent, the Great Canon of Saint Andrew of Crete is sung (chanted) in the evening services of the Orthodox Church, from Monday through Thursday. Known as the Great Canon of Repentance, this hymn is the longest canon in all Church services. It is also one of the most moving and transformative liturgical hymns of the Church. [Read more…]
Make the Sign of the Cross for Anything You Do
by Elder Cleopa of Romania –
Do not do anything without signing yourself with the sign of the Cross! [Read more…]
Prayer for America, Prayer for Election Times
From The Prayer of Azariah –
Blessed are You and praiseworthy, O Lord, the God of our fathers, and praised and glorified is Your name unto the ages. For You are righteous in all You did for us, and all Your works are true. Your ways are upright, and all Your judgments are true.
The judgments You made are true, according to all You brought on us and on the holy city of our fathers, because in truth and judgment You did all these things on account of our sins.
For we sinned and acted lawlessly to depart from You. We sinned in every way, and did not obey Your commandments. Neither did we treasure or do as You commanded, that it might go well with us. Everything You brought on us and all You did to us, You did in true judgment. [Read more…]
Lord, Help Me Be Decisive
by Chris Banescu –
How can we become decisive, to know what we need to do?
We should ask God what to do and ask Him for decisiveness. There is no other way. Otherwise, we will be resolute one month, and after one month, we can fall worse than before. This is the work of the enemy [the devil] when we start working without God. Without the Lord we can do nothing. Nothing!
We must start from where we are, from our helplessness, not from the height of our desires. A true Christian makes the sign of the Cross all day long, in every place and in all work. Why? So he can start with God and His power, and not rely solely on our helplessness.
We wonder why we can’t do something. This is a sign of faithlessness. [Read more…]
The Beginning of the Day Belongs to Jesus Christ
by Chris Banescu –
In Life Together, the book that highlights the importance of Christian fellowship and community life centered on Christ, Dietrich Bonhoeffer reminds us that the beginning of the day belongs to God.
“At the threshold of the new day stands the Lord who made it,” he writes. Bonhoeffer exhorts us to silence all empty talk and distractions when we rise each day and instead let our first thoughts and words be offered to Jesus Christ, “to whom our whole life belongs.”
The Gospels bear witness that Jesus Christ himself started each day with prayer. “Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed” (Mark 1:35).
For Christians, the beginning of the day should not be burdened and oppressed with besetting concerns for the day’s work. At the threshold of the new day stands the Lord who made it. All the darkness and distraction of the dreams of night retreat before the clear light of Jesus Christ and His wakening Word. All unrest, all impurity, all care and anxiety flee before Him. [Read more…]