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 …
Tag: quotes
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 …
Struggles
The last two days feel frozen. Frozen feelings. Stuck in a rut. But yet incredibly busy. As I have shared before, I struggle at times with fighting those "demons at noonday." This is one of those times. Intellectually I can fight. I know what's needed. I pray. I listen and search. I want some answers. …
You Must Not Sorrow
As promised, let's take a look at what St. Seraphim had to say about idleness and despondency. Continuing in the same paragraph we read yesterday about acquiring peace St. Seraphim touches on despondency. In the same way the Saint warned about struggles with despondency, "You should throw off despondency, and strive to have a joyful …
Saint Seraphim
My inspiration. My mentor. St. Seraphim of Sarov is an incredible follower of Christ and if only I could emulate his life even partially. I came across a new book about him and am thoroughly enjoying it. It is incredibly rich with stories of his life. St. Seraphim Wonderworker of Sarov and His Spiritual Inheritance …
Maxim Week 47
Give advice to others only when asked to do so or when it is your duty to do so. This is very important. You don’t go around giving free advice or counsel. If people ask us, we tell them. I was asked, “Father Tom, say some things on Ancient Faith Radio. I say: “Okay, cause …
Maxim Week 46
Accept criticism gratefully but test it carefully. We are not obliged to put into practice every criticism that’s given to us. Sometimes the criticism is false. But we certainly must welcome it, be grateful for it, test it. And St. John Chrysostom said, even when we’re accused of something, even if we think it’s not …
The Joy of the Kingdom
My dear husband, sent me an email to share with me an amazing find from Fr. Alexander Schmemann. He knew I would be thrilled to read this. The joy of the Kingdom: it always worries me that, in the multi-volume systems of dogmatic theology that we have inherited, almost every term is explained and discussed …
