Earlier this week in my post Death is Overthrown I mentioned that I was reading Way of the Ascetic by Tito Colliander. I've been pondering on this very short section of his book, On Times of Darkness, all week. I shared how comforting it was to know that "even the saints have had their dark …
Tag: quotes
Death is Overthrown
The joyous message of the Resurrection is ours to hear, "Death is overthrown! Christ God is risen, granting the world great mercy!" It makes me happy to sing this. This sentence is so powerful! It peels away the heaviness that has been weighing me down. I feel as if I have been overcome by heavy …
A Morning Prayer
Many years ago I received a prayer card from a sweet friend of mine. This morning prayer was written by Elder Sophrony (+1993) of Essex, spiritual child of St Silouan the Athonite. I found this description of the prayer on AbbaMoses.com. "He gave this prayer to his own spiritual children, to be said ‘on rising …
Falling Down
...again and again. After yesterday's post my dear hubby sent me this quote. Forgiveness has risen from the grave! Christ is Risen! Every day!
Maxim Week 54
Next to the last Maxim. Wow! This is a good one. When we fall, get up immediately and start over. As often as we fall, we stand up again. And we will fall. It says in Scripture that the wise person, the wise man, falls seven times a day, that means a lot, but he …
Maxim Week 53
Endure the trial of yourself and your own faults and sins peacefully, serenely, under the mercy of God. This is very important. St. Seraphim of Sarov said: “To have the Holy Spirit is to see your own wretchedness peacefully, because you know that God’s mercy is greater than your wretchedness.” St. Thérèse of Lisieux, a …
Maxim Week 52
Focus exclusively on God and light. Never focus on darkness, temptation, and sin. That’s classic teaching. Fill yourself with good things. Don’t be mesmerized by dark things. Don’t meditate on evil things. Meditate on good things, and God will take care of the rest. Fr. Thomas Hopko I can think only of the verses I …
Maxim Week 51
The count down to completion begins! Four more after today! Whatever shall we do with our Mondays? For now let us lean in to what Fr. Thomas Hopko has to say today in Maxim 51. It is a good one! Really good! Have no expectations, except to be fiercely tempted to your very last breath. …
Looking Up
As I walk from my office to the car I find myself looking up. I find my self looking up a lot lately. I am completely enamored with clouds and trees and the beauty they create. Ever since I read Everywhere Present and the chapter on “We live in an altar” I have made a …
Maxim Week 49
Have a daily schedule of activities, avoiding whim and caprice. Again, the Holy Fathers teach us that idiorhythmia, capriciousness, whimsicalness is the cause of all of our downfall. We have to be disciplined. We have to have a rule for ourselves, and try and follow it. Of course, the rule is not some kind of …
