Icon of Our Lord God and Saviour Jesus Christ
Your job is to work upon yourself: the rest is in the Hands of God. ~ St. Theophan the Recluse
Tag: job
Florescence of Efforts
Your job is to work upon yourself: for this you are chosen; the rest is in the Hands of God. ~ St. Theophan the Recluse
Very many wish to be vouchsafed the Kingdom without labours, without struggles, without sweat; but this is impossible. ~ St. Macarius of Egypt
Beauty is found in the physical and numinous splendour surrounding us… and God rewards the florescence of efforts with refreshing Spiritual Dew!
Holy Blessed St. Xenia
Beautiful Icon of St. Xenia – Holy Trinity Russian Orthodox Monastery Jordanville, New York, by Raymond Bucko via Wikimedia Commons.
February 6/January 24
Happy Feast Day!
Today is St. Xenia’s (Ksenia’s) special day.
Congratulations to my dear goddaughter, Xenia – on your Name’s day. May God grant you many years!
Wondrous is God in His Saints! To this very day, St. Xenia continues to be an intercessor for those needing a home, or employment, or who have a physical or mental illness, or for people in search of a spouse. Through God’s mercy, our family can testify to her great support and help!
Here is a beautiful Orthodox folk hymn about the Life of St. Xenia, by Katina.
(Katina’s music can also be heard on Spotify. Although I’ve enjoyed her music over the years, I hadn’t realized she reposed in 2018. Memory Eternal Katina!)
In celebrating St. Xenia’s Day, and remembering certain miracles of her clairvoyance, some like to make blini pancakes.
Blini Crepes can be made for any occasion, and are a time-honoured treat to share. In olden times, this light-fare was served to celebrate a birth or to mark a passing. It’s customary to enjoy Blini Crepes throughout Cheesefare Week (the week before Great Lent begins), up to and including Forgiveness Sunday… the day before Great Lent. This uses up any remaining dairy products, before embarking on the 40 day Vegan Fast of Great Lent.
In closing, I’d like to share what a dear friend recently said…
May St. Xenia help us all remain peaceful, calm, and open to God’s love for mankind.
Amen!
Into His Hands
Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. ~St. Matthew 5:5
Complete trust in God – that’s what holy humility is. Complete obedience to God, without protest, without reaction, even when some things seem difficult and unreasonable. Abandonment to the hands of God. ~ Elder Porphyrios
…your job is to work upon yourself: for this you are chosen; the rest is in the hands of God. He who humbles himself shall be exalted. ~St. Theophan the Recluse
The Comforter, the Holy Spirit, who fills the whole universe, passes through all believing, meek, humble, good, and simple human souls, dwelling in them, vivifying and strengthening them. He becomes one spirit with them and everything to them – light, strength, peace, joy, success in their undertakings, especially in a pious life, and everything good … “We have been all made to drink into one Spirit” (I Corinthians 12:13). All pious people are filled with the Spirit of God similarly as a sponge is filled with water. ~ St. John of Kronstadt
In the mercy of God, the little thing done with humility will enable us to be found in the same place as the saints who have laboured much and been true servants of God. ~St. Dorotheos of Gaza
When pride retreats from a man, humility begins to dwell in him, and the more pride is diminished, so much more does humility grow. The one gives way to the other as to its opposite. Darkness departs and light appears. Pride is darkness, but humility is light. ~ St. Tikhon of Zadonsk