Enduring Affliction

October 18, 2016 | Instagram, Uncategorized, Wisdom

"We should not think it strange that Christians endure affliction and various forms of sorrow, patiently awaiting through many trials and temptations whatever their Master gives. For they have heard Him say: 'Truly I tell you, that you who are near Me shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice. Yet after a little while I will visit you through the Paraclete (Holy Spirit) and drive away your despondency; I will renew you with thoughts of heavenly life and peace with sweet tears, of which you were deprived for a short time when you were being tested. I will give you the breast of My grace, as a mother feeds her baby when it cries. When your strength fails in battle I will fortify you with power from on high, and I will sweeten you in your bitterness. I will look upon you, and your hearts will rejoice at My secret visitation; your affliction will be turned to joy, and no one shall take that joy from you' (cf. Jn. 16:20-22)." – St. John of Karpathos (The Philokalia Vol. 1; Faber and Faber pg. 323)

A photo posted by Wisdom Of The Holy Fathers (@wisdomoftheholyfathers) on Oct 17, 2016 at 5:20pm PDT

Temptations Heal Passions

October 13, 2016 | Instagram, Uncategorized, Wisdom

​https://www.instagram.com/p/BLflbJ-jq4E/

The Holiness of the Theotokos

October 4, 2016 | Instagram, Uncategorized, Wisdom

View this post on Instagram

"If the nine orders of angels desired to descend from the heavens, and become demons; If all men would become evil; If all creations, heaven, lights, priests, animals desired to apostasize from God; All these evils of creation weighed against the fulness of the Holiness of the Theotokos could not sadden God. For only the Lady Theotokos was able to please Him in all things. She alone stands between God and men, who made God the son of men, and men sons of God. Without her intercessions no one, neither angels, nor men could entreat God, for she alone is found on the border between the uncreated and natural creation. She alone is God immediately after God and has second place to the Holy Trinity, as being truly the mother of God in essence. And she alone is not only the protector of the treasury of all the riches of the Godhead, but she is the distributor to all angels and men, all those gifts from God to the supernatural creation, illumination and divine and spiritual gifts. And there is no one who cannot call upon her with faith and not be heard with compassion. This Son of God and beloved son of the Virgin gave us His mother (and thus our mother) as such an advocate, to help us towards our salvation." -St. Nikodemos of the Holy Mountain #TheOrthodoxWay #OrthodoxChristian #EasternOrthodox #Christian #TheChurch #Christ #Lord #Mercy #Love #Light #Faith #Prayer #Philotimo #TheCross #World #Salvation #Theotokos #Panagia

A post shared by The Orthodox Way (@theorthodoxway) on Oct 3, 2016 at 3:01pm PDT

The will of God

August 30, 2016 | Instagram, Uncategorized, Wisdom

He who lives according to God’s will has no worries. When he needs something, he simply prays for it. If he does not receive that which he asked for, he is joyful as though he had received it. A soul that has given itself over to God has no fear of anything, not even robbers, sickness, or death. Whatever happens, such a soul always cries, ‘It was the will of God’. – Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnica, of blessed memory #orthodox #orthodoxy #orthodoxchurch #christian #wisdomofthefathers #elderthaddeusofvitovnica #joseph #godswill #trustgod

A post shared by Wisdom of the Fathers (@wisdomofthefathers) on Aug 30, 2016 at 7:10am PDT

A Christian is…

August 3, 2016 | Instagram, Uncategorized, Wisdom

A Christian is: a mind through which Christ thinks, a heart through which Christ loves, a voice through which Christ speaks, and a hand through which Christ helps. – St. Augustine of Hippo #orthodox #orthodoxy #orthodoxchurch #christian #wisdomofthefathers #staugustineofhippo

A post shared by Wisdom of the Fathers (@wisdomofthefathers) on Aug 3, 2016 at 12:05am PDT

Don’t let anything deprive you of hope

July 22, 2016 | Instagram, Uncategorized, Wisdom

View this post on Instagram

“We have within us deeply rooted weaknesses, passions, and defects. This can not all be cut out with one sharp motion, but patience, persistence, care and attention. The path leading to perfection is long. Pray to God so that he will strengthen you. Patiently accept your falls and, having stood up, immediately run to God, not remaining in that place where you have fallen. Do not despair if you keep falling into your old sins. Many of them are strong because they have received the force of habit. Only with the passage of time and with fervor will they be conquered. Don’t let anything deprive you of hope.” – St Nektarios. Amen! 🙏 #orthodoxy #orthodox #orthodoxchurch #orthodoxchristianity #orthodoxquotes #christianorthodox #christianquotes #christianity #christians #stnektarios #stnektariosofaegina #hope #prayer #pray #humble #humility #God #Christ #Godslove #spiritualgrowth #spiritualinspiration #spiritualstrength #spiritualstruggle #weaknesses #strengthfromgod #faith #love #peace #graceofgod #throughthegraceofgod

A post shared by ThroughtheGraceofGod:Orthodoxy (@throughthegraceofgod) on Jul 21, 2016 at 9:42pm PDT

No one can carry the Cross of Christ

July 20, 2016 | Instagram, Uncategorized, Wisdom

View this post on Instagram

If we are to cultivate the soil of our hearts we will first need a plough, and our plough must be the Cross of Christ. This will lead us into obedience to His word and we will take up our own cross. No one can carry the Cross of Christ. The pain and the crushing ignominy contained in it are beyond describing. It would grind our whole being to dust for it bears within itself the whole tragedy of man since the day of his fall from Paradise until the end of ages. It bears the whole cosmic weight of Adam's disobedience. We bear our small personal cross in obedience to Christ's commandment. This cross is the pain and sacrifice involved in freeing the heart from passionate attachments and secret deceits, that it may run freely after its beloved God and call upon Him. It will have room for nothing but a yearning for God by which to invoke His Name. The one desire of the heart is to be one with Him Who joined Himself to our nature, bringing into it all His divine virtues so that we might become 'partakers if the divine nature.' Thus, by taking up our small cross, we inherit the life hidden in His great Cross. – Archimandrite Zacharias #orthodox #orthodoxy #orthodoxchurch #christian #wisdomofthefathers #archimandritezacharias #carryyourcross #cross #sacrifice

A post shared by Wisdom of the Fathers (@wisdomofthefathers) on Jul 19, 2016 at 5:59pm PDT

Having God fear nothing

July 11, 2016 | Instagram, Uncategorized, Wisdom

View this post on Instagram

Having God, fear nothing, but cast all of your care upon Him, and He will take care of you. Believe undoubtingly, and God will help you according to His mercy. – St. Barsanuphius the Great #orthodox #orthodoxy #orthodoxchurch #christian #wisdomofthefathers #stbarsanuphiusthegreat

A post shared by Wisdom of the Fathers (@wisdomofthefathers) on Jul 11, 2016 at 11:40am PDT

Complete Trust in God 

June 30, 2016 | Instagram, Uncategorized, Wisdom

https://www.instagram.com/p/BHQ_Xkmjr9U/

Not every act of prayer is prayer

June 3, 2016 | Instagram, Uncategorized, Wisdom

View this post on Instagram

Not every act of prayer is prayer. Standing at home before your icons, or here in church, and venerating them is not yet prayer, but the “equipment” of prayer. Reading prayers either by heart or from a book, or hearing someone else read them is not yet prayer, but only a tool or method for obtaining and awakening prayer. Prayer itself is the piercing of our hearts by pious feelings towards God, one after another – feelings of humility, submission, gratitude, doxology, forgiveness, heart-felt prostration, brokenness, conformity to the will of God, etc. All of our effort should be directed so that during our prayers, these feelings and feelings like them should fill our souls, so that the heart would not be empty when the lips are reading the prayers, or when the ears hear and the body bows in prostrations, but that there would be some qualitative feeling, some striving toward God. When these feelings are present, our praying is prayer, and when they are absent, it is not yet prayer. – St. Theophan the Recluse #orthodox #orthodoxy #orthodoxchurch #christian #wisdomofthefathers #sttheophantherecluse #prayer

A post shared by Wisdom of the Fathers (@wisdomofthefathers) on Jun 3, 2016 at 4:15pm PDT