When you are alone with God, time passes incredibly quickly — more quickly than when you are with company… Yet while living in the world, you can still be united with God. How? By thinking of Him, whatever you may be doing, by glorifying Him for any good that comes your way, by thanking Him for any trial He may send you. (Eldress Gavrilia)
By St. Nikolai Velimirovich
Why is it that much is said and written about the sufferings of holy men and holy women? Because the saints alone are considered victors. Can anyone be a victor without conflict, pain and suffering? In ordinary earthly combat, no one can be considered victorious or heroic who has not been in combat, endured much or suffered greatly. The more so in spiritual combat, where the truth is known, and where self-boasting not only does not help at all but, indeed, hinders it. He who does not engage in combat for the sake of Christ, either with the world, with the devil or with one’s self, how can he be counted among the soldiers of Christ? How then is it with Christ’s fellow victors?
Ream more »
By Saint Isaac the Syrian
O Lord Jesus Christ, our God, Thou that didst weep over Lazarus, and shed tears of sorrow and compassion for him, accept the tears of my bitterness. By Thy Passion, cure my passions. By Thy wounds, heal my wounds. By Thy Blood, purge my blood; mingle the fragrance of Thy life-creating Body with my body. Let the gall Thou didst drink at enemies’ hands sweeten my soul from the bitterness which the foe has given me to drink.
Ream more »
The spiritual struggle of a Christian has never been easy. He has to contend not only against the obvious temptations of the world and against the corruption in himself, not only “against flesh and blood, but against… the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” (Eph. 6:12)
Ream more »
When a man acquires a Christian conscience, he zealously labors to correct his life and to please God. For him, all else becomes of little importance. We have examples of such men not only among the great ascetics and spiritual fathers but also among powerful rulers. Emperor Theodosius the Great provides us with such an example. For a brief time he fell into heresy but afterward he repented. Saint Ambrose, his earlier critic, spoke over his lifeless body: “I loved this man who, divesting himself of all imperial insignias, be wailed his sin openly in church, and, with sighs and tears, begged forgiveness. What ordinary men are ashamed to do, the emperor was not ashamed to do. After his glorious victory over the enemies of the empire, he decided not to approach Holy Communion until the return of his sons, because his enemies had been slain in battle.”