Tag: St. John Chrysostom quote

Endure a Bit

The pandemic continues… disrupting worldly life. We grow tired of constraints. Yet, no matter how dire circumstances may seem, there is joy, gratitude, and peace through His Grace. Patience! “This is just for now!”

Whosoever will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. ~ St. Mark 8:34

Rejoice as you feel the cross upon yourself, for it is a sign that you are following the Lord on the path of salvation which leads to heaven. Endure a bit. The end and the crowns are just around the corner! ~ St. Theophan the Recluse

Love is only found on the Cross. ~ Mother Gabrielia Papayannis

Remember that each of us has his own cross. The Golgotha of this cross is our heart: it is being lifted up or implanted through zealous determination to live according to the Spirit of God. Just as the salvation of the world is by the Cross of God, so our salvation is by our own cross. ~ St. Theophan the Recluse

Some want to go to the Resurrection without passing by way of Golgotha. ~Mother Gabrielia Papayannis

Patience is the Christian’s coat of arms. What is it to follow Christ? It is to endure all things, looking upon Christ Who suffered. Many wish to be glorified with Christ, but few seek to remain with the suffering Christ. Yet not merely by tribulation, but even in much tribulation does one enter the Kingdom of God.
~ St. Tikhon of Zadonsk

Do not ever succumb to the insane thought that God has abandoned you. God knows exactly how much one can endure and according to that, measures the sufferings and pains of everyone. ~ St. Nikolai Velimirovic

The righteous have no sorrows that are not turned into joy, as sinners have no joy that is not turned into sorrow. ~ St. Dimitri of Rostov

If we always see God in our minds, and always remember Him, everything will appear tolerable to us. ~ St. John Chrysostom

Soul Food

Prayer is food for the soul. Do not starve the soul, it is better to let the body go hungry… ~ St. Joseph of Optina

You don’t have a soul. You are a soul. You have a body. ~C. S. Lewis

Through greed we underwent the first stripping, overcome by the bitter tasting of the fruit, and we became exiles from God. But let us turn back to repentance and, fasting from the food that gives us pleasure, let us cleanse our senses on which the enemy makes war. Let us strengthen our hearts with the hope of grace, and not with foods which brought no benefit to those who trusted in them. Our food shall be the Lamb of God, on the holy and radiant night of His Awakening: the Victim offered for us, given in communion to the disciples on the evening of the Mystery, who disperses the darkness of ignorance by the Light of His Resurrection. ~ Aposticha, Vespers – evening of Sunday of the Last Judgement

Do that which is good, and no evil shall touch you. Prayer is good with fasting and alms and righteousness. A little with righteousness is better than much with unrighteousness. It is better to give alms than to lay up gold: For alms doth deliver from death, and shall purge away all sin. Those that exercise alms and righteousness shall be filled with life: But they that sin are enemies to their own life. ~ Archangel Raphael, Tobit 12:7-10

 One should not think about the doings of God when one’s stomach is full; on a full stomach there can be no vision of the Divine mysteries. ~St. Seraphim of Sarov

It is necessary for a Christian to fast, in order to clear his mind, to rouse and develop his feelings, and to stimulate his will to useful activity. These three human capabilities we darken and stifle above all by ‘surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life’ (Lk. 21:34). ~ St. John of Kronstadt

Many human activities, good in themselves, are not good because of the motive for which they are done. For example, fasting and vigils, prayer and psalmody, acts of charity and hospitality are by nature good, but when performed for the sake of self-esteem they are not good. ~ St. Maximos the Confessor

Devils take great delight in fullness, and drunkenness and bodily comfort. Fasting possesses great power and it works glorious things. To fast is to banquet with angels. ~ St. Athanasius the Great

Let the mouth also fast from disgraceful speeches and railings. For what does it profit if we abstain from fish and fowl and yet bite and devour our brothers and sisters? The evil speaker eats the flesh of his brother and bites the body of his neighbour. ~St. John Chrysostom

Protection Against Sadness

2004 – Rear of St. Demetrius Church, Thessaloniki, Greece

Prayer is the place of refuge for every worry, a foundation for cheerfulness, a source of constant happiness, a protection against sadness. ~ St. John Chrysostom

Thrice Holy

Entrance with Trisagion Prayer in Ancient Greek

Trisagion from Greek, means thrice [tris] and holy [agios]. This Thrice Holy Prayer to the Holy Trinity is used during private prayer, and throughout the Church’s daily worship cycle.

Trisagion in English: Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us.

Trisagion in Greek Pronounced: Agios O Theos, Agios Eeskhiros, Agios Athanatos, eleison imas)

History and Miracle of the Trisagion Hymn

Above, the hosts of angels sing praise; below, men form choirs in the churches and imitate them by singing the same doxology. Above the Seraphim cry out the Trisagion Hymn; below, the human throng sends up the same cry. The inhabitants of heaven and earth are brought together in a common assembly; there is one thanksgiving, one shout of delight, one joyful chorus. ~ St. John Chrysostom

The unceasing and sanctifying doxology by the holy angels in the Trisagion signifies, in general, the equality in the way of life and conduct and the harmony in the divine praising which will take place in the age to come by both heavenly and earthly powers, when the human body now rendered immortal by the resurrection will no longer weigh down the soul by corruption and will not itself be weighed down but will take on, by the change into incorruption, potency and aptitude to receive God’s coming. In particular it signifies, for the faithful, the theological rivalry with the angels in faith; for the active ones, it symbolizes the splendor of life equal to the angels, so far as this is possible for men, and the persistence in the theological hymnology; for those who have knowledge, endless thoughts, hymns, and movements concerning the Godhead which are equal to the angels, so far as humanly possible. ~ St. Maximus the Confessor

Gather Love

Such is friendship, that through it we love places and seasons; for as bright bodies emit rays to a distance, and as flowers drop their sweet leaves on the ground around them, so friends impart favour even to places where they dwell. With friends even poverty is pleasant. Words cannot express the joy which a friend imparts; only they can know who have experienced. A friend is dearer than the light of heaven, for it would be better for us that the sun were exhausted than that we should be without friends. ~ St. John Chrysostom

It’s the Little Things

Happiness can only be achieved by looking inward and learning to enjoy whatever life has and this requires transforming greed into gratitude. ~ St. John Chrysostom

Why not learn to enjoy the little things – there are so many of them. ~ St. John Chrysostom

Love

Sunrise on Golden Sand – Hawaii 2008

A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. ~ John 13:34-35

Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. ~ Romans 5:5

God loves us more than a father, mother, friend, or any else could love, and even more than we are able to love ourselves. ~ St. John Chrysostom

What is perfection in love? Love your enemies in such a way that you would desire to make them your brothers … For so did He love, Who hanging on the Cross, said ‘Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.’ ~ St. Augustine of Hippo

If you find that there is no love in you, but you want to have it, then do deeds of love, even though you do them without love in the beginning. The Lord will see you desire and striving and will put love in your heart. ~ St. Ambrose of Optina

“Love covers a multitude of sins,” (I Pet. 4:8). That is, for love towards one’s neighbour, God forgives the sins of the one who loves. ~St. Theophan the Recluse

Do not ask for love from your neighbor, for if you ask and he does not respond, you will be troubled. Instead show your love for your neighbour and you will be at rest, and so will bring your neighbour to love. ~ St. Dorotheos of Gaza

You don’t become holy by fighting evil. Let evil be. Look towards Christ and that will save you. What makes a person saintly is love. ~ St. Porphyrios

Happy Family Day!

Rear view of family housing in Bari, Italy – 2017. This is near St. Nicholas the Wonderworker Basilica, which houses his myrrh-streaming relics. They were moved in the 11th century from his original shrine in Myra, Turkey, to Bari, Italy- for protection, when Myra came under Saracen rule.

This year, secular Family Day also falls on the ancient and beautiful Feast of the Meeting of the Lord in the Temple.

Happy Feast Day and Family Day to my family, near and far… Related by blood or Spirit. May God grant all your petitions according to your salvation!

Honour your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. ~ Exodus 20:12

Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brethren dwell in unity! ~Psalm 133:1

My son, keep your father’s commandment, and forsake not your mother’s teaching. ~ Proverbs 6:20

Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of children is their fathers. ~ Proverbs 17:6

Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it. ~ Proverbs 22:6

Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her… ~ Proverbs 31:28

As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you; you shall be comforted in Jerusalem. ~ Isaiah 66:13

For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother. ~ St. Matthew 12:50.

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named… ~Ephesians 3:14-15

Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. ~ Colossians 3:20

Do not rebuke an older man but encourage him as you would a father, younger men as brothers… ~ 1 Timothy 5:1

But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. ~ 1 Timothy 5:8

Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation… ~ 1 Peter 2:2

Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. ~ 1 Peter 4:8

Christ is Born! Glorify Him!

Nativity scene painted on an oyster shell, from a dear friend.

Today the Creator of Time – the Timeless One – the Unoriginate – has a Beginning.

Today – the Word becomes Incarnate.

Christ is Born! Glorify Him!

Greetings on the Joyous Feast of the Holy Nativity of Jesus Christ !

He was a Baby,
He was a Child,
So that you might be a
Perfect person;
He was wrapped
In swaddling clothes,
That you might be
Loosed from the snares of death;
He was in a manger,
That you might be
In the altar;
He was on earth,
That you might be
Among the stars.
He had no place at the inn,
That you might have
Many mansions in the Heavens.
~ St. Ambrose of Milan 339-397 A.D.

This day He who Is, is Born; and He
who Is becomes what He was not.
~ St. John Chrysostom 347-407 A.D.

Christ is born; Glorify Him! Christ comes from heaven; meet ye Him! Christ is on earth; be ye exalted! O all the earth, sing unto the Lord! And sing praises in gladness, O ye people, for He hath been glorified! ~ An ancient hymn composed by St. Gregory the Theologian (329 AD – 390 AD)

Greetings on this first day of Christmastide!

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