Don’t let anything deprive you of hope

July 22, 2016 | Instagram, Uncategorized, Wisdom

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“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

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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

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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

A Miracle of Saint John Maximovitch

July 1, 2016 | Saints & Martyrs, Uncategorized

A miracle of St. John Maximovitch (amateur translation) In 2004, in the city of Mulino, Oregon, an astonishing and wondrous event took place. It concerns a God-fearing woman of Russian descent, part of the Church of the New Russian Martyrs, where Fr. Sergios Svesnikof serves as a priest. In this parish are preserved as a treasure the epimanikia (clerical cuffs) of St. John. This woman, who was in her last week of pregnancy (actually a short time before her due date), went for her last general appointment. During the appointment, they were shocked when the doctor diagnosed that the child was dead in the mother's womb. Immediately they told her that she would experience contractions and that she would give birth to a dead baby. She fainted and was mourning. When they came to their senses, they prepared to give her a medicine to speed up contractions and induce labor. She told them to stop immediately, and asked them to call their priest, Fr. Sergius. When he learned what occurred, he told them to not do anything, but to wait. A short time later he arrived at the hospital, bringing the epimanikia of St. John. Holding the epimanika he signed her with the sign of the Cross on her womb, and to the great astonishment of all, the baby's heart began to beat again, as the portable ultrasound showed! The child was born a short time later alive and healthy, and was named John in honor of the Saint.

A photo posted by Wisdom of the Holy Fathers (@wisdomoftheholyfathers) on Jul 1, 2016 at 3:30pm PDT

Complete Trust in God 

June 30, 2016 | Instagram, Uncategorized, Wisdom

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

With Christ

June 21, 2016 | Uncategorized, Wisdom

Fix your gaze unwaveringly upwards towards Christ. Become familiar with Christ. Work with Christ. Live with Christ. Breathe Christ. Suffer with Christ. Rejoice with Christ. Let Christ be everything for you. Let your soul long for and cry out to her Bridegroom, 'I crave for You, O my Bridegroom…' Christ is the Bridegroom, He is the Father, He is everything. There is nothing higher in life than love for Christ. Whatever we desire we find in Christ. Christ is everything: all joy, all gladness, all Paradise. When we have Christ within us, we possess all magnificence. -St. Porphyrios #orthodox #orthodoxy #orthodoxchurch #christian #wisdomofthefathers #stporphyrios #love #Christ #joy #rejoice #Bridegroom

A post shared by Wisdom of the Fathers (@wisdomofthefathers) on Jun 20, 2016 at 5:09pm PDT

This was from me” (A Letter From God)

June 16, 2016 | Uncategorized, Wisdom

St. Seraphim of Viritsa: “This was from me” (A Letter From God) “This was from me” is a famous letter written by Saint Seraphim of Viritsa that he sent to his spiritual child, a bishop who was in a Soviet prison at that time; this homily “This was from me” is written as a consolation and counsel to the bishop to let him know that God the Creator addresses to the soul of man.

Have you ever thought that everything that concerns you, concerns Me, also? You are precious in my eyes and I love you; for this reason, it is a special joy for Me to train you. When temptations and the opponent [the Evil One] come upon you like a river, I want you to know that This was from Me.

I want you to know that your weakness has need of My strength, and your safety lies in allowing Me to protect you. I want you to know that when you are in difficult conditions, among people who do not understand you, and cast you away, This was from Me.

I am your God, the circumstances of your life are in My hands; you did not end up in your position by chance; this is precisely the position I have appointed for you. Weren’t you asking Me to teach you humility? And there – I placed you precisely in the “school” where they teach this lesson. Your environment, and those who are around you, are performing My will. Do you have financial difficulties and can just barely survive? Know that This was from Me.

I want you to know that I dispose of your money, so take refuge in Me and depend upon Me. I want you to know that My storehouses are inexhaustible, and I am faithful in My promises. Let it never happen that they tell you in your need, “Do not believe in your Lord and God.” Have you ever spent the night in suffering? Are you separated from your relatives, from those you love? I allowed this that you would turn to Me, and in Me find consolation and comfort. Did your friend or someone to whom you opened your heart, deceive you? This was from Me.

I allowed this frustration to touch you so that you would learn that your best friend is the Lord. I want you to bring everything to Me and tell Me everything. Did someone slander you?

Did someone slander you? Leave it to Me; be attached to Me so that you can hide from the “contradiction of the nations.” I will make your righteousness shine like light and your life like midday noon. Your plans were destroyed? Your soul yielded and you are exhausted? This was from Me.

You made plans and have your own goals; you brought them to Me to bless them. But I want you to leave it all to Me, to direct and guide the circumstances of your life by My hand, because you are the orphan, not the protagonist. Unexpected failures found you and despair overcame your heart, but know That this was from Me.
With tiredness and anxiety I am testing how strong your faith is in My promises and your boldness in prayer for your relatives. Why is it not you who entrusted their cares to My providential love? You must leave them to the protection of My All Pure Mother. Serious illness found you, which may be healed or may be incurable, and has nailed you to your bed. This was from Me.

Because I want you to know Me more deeply, through physical ailment, do not murmur against this trial I have sent you. And do not try to understand My plans for the salvation of people’s souls, but unmurmuringly and humbly bow your head before My goodness. You were dreaming about doing something special for Me and, instead of doing it, you fell into a bed of pain. This was from Me.

Because then you were sunk in your own works and plans and I wouldn’t have been able to draw your thoughts to Me. But I want to teach you the most deep thoughts and My lessons, so that you may serve Me. I want to teach you that you are nothing without Me. Some of my best children are those who, cut off from an active life, learn to use the weapon of ceaseless prayer. You were called unexpectedly to undertake a difficult and responsible position, supported by Me. I have given you these difficulties and as the Lord God I will bless all your works, in all your paths. In everything I, your Lord, will be your guide and teacher. Remember always that every difficulty you come across, every offensive word, every slander and criticism, every obstacle to your works, which could cause frustration and disappointment, This is from Me.

Know and remember always, no matter where you are, That whatsoever hurts will be dulled as soon as you learn In all things, to look at Me. Everything has been sent to you by Me, for the perfection of your soul. All these things were from Me.

Speech of a Christian

June 16, 2016 | Uncategorized, Wisdom

A Christian must be courteous to all. His words and deeds should breath with the grace of the Holy Spirit, which abides in his soul, so that in this way he might glorify the name of God. He who regulates all of his speech also regulates all of his actions. He who keeps watch over the words he is about say also keeps watch over the deeds he intends to do, and he never goes out of the bounds good and benevolent conduct. The graceful speech of a Christian is characterized by delicateness and politeness. This fact, born of love, produces peace and joy. On the other hand, boorishness gives birth to hatred, enmity, affliction, competitiveness, disorder and wars. – St. Nektarios of Aegina #orthodox #orthodoxy #orthodoxchurch #christian #wisdomofthefathers #stnektariosofaegina #love #peace

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An Angel Unawares

June 15, 2016 | Media, Uncategorized

The Very Best Son

June 15, 2016 | Media, Uncategorized