Help from the Lord – Page 5

Spiritual Vitamins

St. Nicholas Orphanos Church – Thessaloniki, Greece 2008

Christ is Risen!

Read often and insatiably the books of the teachers of the Church on divine providence, for they lead the mind to discern the order in God’s creatures and His actions, give it strength, and by their subtleness they prepare it to acquire luminous intuitions and guide it in purity toward the understanding of God’s creatures. Read also the Gospels, which God ordained for knowledge for the whole world, that you may find provisions for your journey in the might of God’s providence for every generation, and that your intellect may plunge deeply into wonder at Him. Such reading furthers your aim. Let your reading be done in a stillness which nothing disturbs… Reading assists the soul when she stands in prayer… From reading the soul is enlightened in prayer… Whenever it happens to you that your soul is shrouded by thick darkness from within and… for a brief time is deprived of spiritual comfort and the light of grace on account of the cloud of passions that overshadows her; and further, that the joy-producing power in your soul is curtailed for a little, and your mind is overshadowed by an unwonted mist: then do not be troubled in mind, do not lend a hand to despondency. But be patient, be engaged in reading the books of the Doctors of the Church, compel yourself in prayer, and expect to receive help. ~ St. Isaac the Syrian

The various patristic texts, which thank God are available by the thousands today, are very helpful. One can find whatever one needs and desires in these books. They are authentic spiritual nourishment and a sure guide on the spiritual path. However, in order to be of benefit to us, they have to be read with humility and prayer… We do not need great knowledge to be devout. If we concentrate and ponder on the few things we know, our heart will be spiritually embroidered. One may be profoundly affected by a single hymn, while another may feel nothing, even though he may know all the hymns by heart, as he has not entered into the spiritual reality. So, read the Fathers, even one or two lines a day. They are very strengthening vitamins for the soul. ~Elder Paisios the Athonite

Truly He is risen!

The Sun of Righteousness

Christ is Risen!

Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved, for you are my praise. ~ Jeremiah 17:14

Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am languishing; heal me, O Lord, for my bones are troubled. ~ Psalm 6:2

Lord my God, I called to you for help, and you healed me. ~ Psalm 30:2

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. ~ 1 Peter 2:24

Truly He is Risen!

Remember-izing Psalm 121

I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is thy keeper: the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand. The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.

Psalm 121 is also known as one of the Hymns of Ascents. In times of old, when pilgrims walked all the way to Jerusalem to visit the Holy Places of Christ, this was one of the many Psalms and hymns sung along the way! So, this is a good Psalm to keep in our hearts as we journey to Pascha. This Psalm reminds us our help comes from the Lord, and that prayer can be done any time. Whether we pray aloud, or silently within our hearts, prayer helps us grow closer to God. We can talk to God by using our own words, or a prayer book, or by saying a Psalm. Sometimes, depending on what’s happening in our lives, we might feel sad or anxious, and may not even feel like praying for help. But, when we persevere with courage and pray regardless… these are the sweetest prayers of all to God.

Memorizing a Psalm is great thing to do on one’s own, or together as a family!

While snowbound for a week during a blizzard, my grandma Faith (Memory Eternal) challenged my kid brother and me to some memory work.

She picked her favourite Psalm (121), and my brother and I raced to see who could learn it the fastest.

Alas, it was a mercenary contest of sibling rivalry, and a great number of pennies were involved in betting against each other.

Upon this untimely discovery by my grandmother, the illegal (in her eyes) gambling operation was quickly nipped in the bud and the forbidden “winnings” never collected.

Consequently, the contest escalated to the next level. Evidently, remembering Bible verses for a short while was too easy, so my grandma (tough cookie that she was) gave pop quizzes days later.

Meanwhile, my brother shrewdly – um, wisely… discovered how to wield a Bible Concordance, and learned other scripture passages to his advantage. For instance, at the next kerfuffle, he’d simply narrow both eyes at me and bring things to a grinding halt – just saying the reference: “Leviticus 19:17.” Or, with furrowed brow, sniff disdainfully: “Psalm 31:18.”

He learned before I ever did, that distractions are sibling-safe ways out of predicaments!

Decades later, these Psalms that we learned together by heart, remain in our hearts.

And to my brother (who still owes me 81 pennies): “Philemon 1:7 ~ Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the Lord’s people.”

What a blessing.