Image by Christiane from Pixabay
All who ask receive, those who seek, find, and those who knock it shall be opened. Therefore, let us knock at the beautiful garden of Scripture. It is fragrant, sweet and blooming with various sounds of spiritual and divinely inspired birds. They sing all around our ears, capture our hearts, comfort the mourners, pacify the angry, and fill us with everlasting joy. ~ St. John of Damascus
Garden flowers surround this Cross on the Exaltation Feast Day (Sept. 27/14). Along with the traditional red roses and basil, are chrysanthemums, mint, tarragon, tiny sprigs of green olives, (our tree finally produced!) and Chinese lanterns.
Greetings on the Feast Day of Sts. Sophia, and her daughters – Faith, Hope and Love (Sept. 30/17).
Congratulations on your Names’ Day Vera, Sophie, and Esperanza! May God grant you many years of good health, peace and joy in our Lord Jesus Christ.
A Prayer to Sts. Sophia, and her daughters Faith, Hope and Love
O holy and most praiseworthy Martyrs, Faith, Hope and Love, and wise mother Sophia of these glorious daughters: To you do we now hasten in heartfelt prayer; for what better representation can we have before the Lord, than faith, hope and charity, the three cornerstone virtues, which, bearing their names, ye embodied in fact. Entreat the Lord to shield us, save us and keep us in every sorrow and trouble, as One Who is good and loveth mankind. Pray that His glory, like a sun that never setteth, and which ye now see as becometh Saints, be with us in our humble prayers; may the Lord God forgive our sins and iniquities, and have mercy on us sinners who are unworthy of His generosity towards us. Pray indeed for us, ye holy Martyrs, unto our Lord Jesus Christ, to Whom we send up glory, together with His Father Who is from everlasting, and His All-holy, and Good, and Life-creating Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. ~ From “Polny Sbornik Molitv” p. 246
Memory Eternal Michael, Nadezhda, and Faith!
Image by S. Hermann / F. Richter from Pixabay
At the end of BLAME is ME. ~ Anonymous
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
Greetings on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross!
God does not create a cross for man. No matter how heavy a cross a man may carry in his life, it is still just wood, from which man himself made, and it always grows from the soil of his heart. ~ St. Ambrose of Optina
May your day be imbued with a multitude of sweet-scented blessings!
Image by Iryna Bakurskaya from Pixabay
Happy Saint’s Day fr. dcn. Gordian – may God grant you many years!
I remember attending an adult baptism service years ago, and afterwards a non-Orthodox visitor went over and peered into the huge font. Looking perplexed, he came over and asked, “Where did all those lights go?” I wasn’t sure what he meant, and he explained further. “During the service the inside of that font was suddenly full of bright lights which came up and out of the water. I went over expecting to see light bulbs like hot tubs have, but there’s nothing!?” I told him that although I’d never seen this, he was obviously meant to…. and what he saw was holy… the hallowing of the water by the descent of the Holy Spirit.
It must have been beautiful!
Grant unto me the robe of Light, O Thou Who coverest Thyself with Light as with a garment, Christ our God, plenteous in mercy! ~ Irmos from Baptism Service
Bless the Lord, O my soul. O Lord my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty. Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain. ~ Psalm 104:1-2
Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. ~ St. John 8:12
While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light… ~ St. John 12:36
We have seen the True Light, we have received the heavenly Spirit, we have found the True Faith, worshipping the undivided Trinity: who hath saved us. ~Hymn at Divine Liturgy
…having approached Light itself, the soul is transfigured into light. ~ St. Gregory of Nyssa
…O Giver of Light, enlighten the vesture of my soul and save me. ~ Exapostilarion Matins, Great and Holy Tuesday.
Christians, have we understood the great responsibility that we have taken on before God through baptism? Have we come to know that we must conduct ourselves as children of God, that we must align our will with the will of God, that we must remain free from sin, that we must love God with all our hearts and always patiently await union with Him? Have we thought about the fact that our heart should be so filled with love that it should overflow to our neighbour? Do we have the feeling that we must become holy and perfect, children of God and heirs of the Kingdom of Heaven? We must struggle for this, so that we may not be shown unworthy and rejected. Let none of us lose our boldness, nor neglect our duties, nor be afraid of the difficulties of spiritual struggle. For we have God as a helper, who strengthens us in the difficult path of virtue. ~ St. Nektarios of Aegina, The Path to Happiness
Image by John from Pixabay
Monastery in Meteora, Greece
When you go forth, guard what you have gathered. When the cage is opened, the birds fly out. And then we shall find no further profit in stillness. ~ St. John Climacus (The Ladder of Divine Ascent)
Love of God proceeds from conversing with him; this conversation of prayer comes about through stillness, and stillness comes with the stripping away of the self. ~ St. Isaac the Syrian (The Syriac Fathers on Prayer and the Spiritual Life)
True wisdom is gazing at God. Gazing at God is silence of the thoughts. Stillness of mind is tranquillity which comes from discernment. ~ St. Isaac the Syrian (Homily 64)
Image by Mareefe from Pixabay
She is the flower of the field from whom blossomed the precious lily of the valley. ~ St Augustine (354-430 AD )
Greetings on the Feast of the Nativity of the Theotokos!
The whole creation calls thee blessed, O ever-Virgin born today of Anna: thou spotless branch of the root of Jesse, that brought forth Christ as flower. ~ Irmos at Second Canon of the Festal Matins
Thy nativity, O Virgin Theotokos, hath proclaimed Joy to all the world; for from thee hath shone forth Christ our God, the Sun of Righteousness, Who, having annulled the curse, hath given His blessing, and having abolished death, hath granted us life everlasting.
~Troparion Tone 4
Festal Family Traditions (bottom of post link in blue)
Through the prayers of our Most Holy Lady and Ever-Virgin Mary the Theotokos… May your day be filled the bright and saving heavenly light of the Sun of Righteousness!
Image by Myriams-Fotos from Pixabay
Give something, however small, to the one in need. For it is not small to the one who has nothing. Neither is it small to God, if we have given what we could. ~ St. Gregory Nazianzen
Someone recently shared; when they’re driving past a street person, they’ll pray for them with all their heart, “Lord have mercy on (that person or him or her).” A poignant consideration… perhaps that might be the only prayer offered on behalf of that soul for today – or ever.
If unexpectedly walking by someone in need, with nothing material to give at that moment, we can always share Christ’s Love – even through the joyful gift of a warm smile.
Good Deeds, however small, are never lost!
Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. ~ St. Matthew 5:7
Sunrise Over Ocean Through UV Window Shade Forms Fiery Cross ~ Photo shared by Irena
I arise today,
through the strength of heaven;
light of sun, radiance of moon,
splendour of fire, speed of lightning,
swiftness of wind, depth of the sea,
stability of earth, firmness of rock.
I arise today,
through God’s strength to pilot me;
God’s eye to look before me,
God’s wisdom to guide me,
God’s way to lie before me,
God’s shield to protect me,
from all who shall wish me ill,
afar and a-near
alone and in a multitude.
Against every cruel merciless power
that may oppose my body and soul,
Christ with me, Christ before me,
Christ behind me, Christ in me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down,
Christ when I arise, Christ to shield me.
Christ in the heart of every one who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of every one who speaks of me,
I arise today.
~ St. Patrick of Ireland ☘️
Image by Sue Rickhuss from Pixabay
Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. ~ St. John 12:24
From this day, from this hour, from this minute, let us strive to love God above all, and fulfill His holy will. ~ St. Herman of Alaska
There’s a ponderous inscription over the entry gates of St. Paul’s monastery on Mt. Athos saying, If you die before you die, then you won’t die when you die.
We habitually assume there’ll be plenty of time later to tackle our lengthy spiritual to-do lists. But, in turn, each of us will be brought to stand before God and give account of our life. So now is the most precious time for efforts. Now never comes again. Lord, help us to live in Christ – now!
…behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.
~ 2 Corinthians 6:2
