Weary of Praying

March 29, 2016 | Instagram, Uncategorized, Wisdom

When you are weary of praying and do not receive, consider how often you have heard a poor man calling, and have not listened to him. – St. John Chrysostom #orthodox #orthodoxy #orthodoxchurch #christian #wisdomofthefathers #stjohnchrysostom #almsgiving #prayer

A photo posted by Wisdom of the Fathers (@wisdomofthefathers) on Mar 28, 2016 at 4:18pm PDT

Receiving the Body of Christ

March 29, 2016 | Instagram, Uncategorized, Wisdom

Receiving the Body of Christ, while turning away from Him in spirit, is like the contact with Christ which they had who struck Him and mocked and crucified Him. Their contact with Him served not for their salvation and healing, but for their condemnation. But those who partake with piety, love and readiness to serve Him, closely unite themselves with Him and become instruments of His Divine will. + St. John the Wonderworker of Shanghai and San Francisco, “The Church as the Body of Christ,” Man of God: Saint John of Shanghai & San Francisco. #orthodoxy #orthodox #orthodoxchurch #orthodoxchristianity #orthodoxphotographer #orthodoxphotos #gospel #bible #easternorthodox #russianorthodox #serbianorthodox #communionofthesaints #sacraments #communion

A photo posted by Larry, (@orthodoxyupclose) on Mar 28, 2016 at 5:59pm PDT

Children need to understand what is good

March 28, 2016 | Instagram, Uncategorized, Wisdom

When your children are still small, you have to help them understand what is good. That is the deepest meaning of life.- St Paisios of Mt Athos. #orthodoxy #orthodoxchristianity #orthodox #icon #panagia #virginmary #mary #religion #russianorthodox #pravoslavlje #orthodoxia #russianorthodox #greekorthodox #ukranianorthodox #easternorthodox

A photo posted by @orthodoxy_for_you on Mar 28, 2016 at 11:48am PDT

Ye have done for Me

March 26, 2016 | Instagram, Uncategorized, Wisdom

The Lord said: Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these My brethren, ye have done it unto Me (Matthew 25:40). Similar things happen in almsgiving and in Holy Communion. In Holy Communion we receive the Living Lord Christ Himself, in the form of bread and wine; in almsgiving we give to the Living Lord Christ Himself, in the form of the poor and needy. A certain man in Constantinople was unusually merciful. Walking along the streets of the city, he would press his gift into the hands of the poor and hurry onward, so he would not hear their gratitude or be recognized. When a friend of his asked how he had become so merciful, he replied: “Once in church I heard a priest say that whoever gives to the poor, gives into the hands of Christ Himself. I didn’t believe it, for I thought, ‘How can this be, when Christ is in heaven?’ However, I was on my way home one day and I saw a poor man begging, and the face of Christ shone above his head! Just then a passerby gave the beggar a piece of bread, and I saw the Lord extend His hand, take the bread, and bless the donor. From then on, I have always seen Christ’s face shining above the beggars. Therefore, with great fear I perform as much charity as I can.’ – St. Nikolai Velimirovich #orthodox #orthodoxy #orthodoxchurch #christian #wisdomofthefathers #stnikolaivelimirovich #almsgiving #loveyourneighbor

A photo posted by Wisdom of the Fathers (@wisdomofthefathers) on Mar 25, 2016 at 3:42pm PDT

Excuse to stop struggling

March 24, 2016 | Instagram, Uncategorized, Wisdom

Each of us, whatever our lot and whatever our calling, faces the temptation of allowing our sin to become an excuse to stop struggling. How can I possibly carry on a struggle against transgression, we sometimes ask, when I so obviously fail at every step? And so, we are tempted to use our shortcomings, our falls, as an excuse to become more tolerant with ourselves, less dedicated to real ascetical struggle…The devil awaits precisely such moments of decision in our lives, when the reality of our falling-down tempts us with the choice simply to not get back up, to lie there in our despondency…Let us not give room to the devil to bite us on the back as we lay, unrepentant before our sin. Rather, let us hear the voice of God, calling to us as he called to Adam: “Where are you, my child?” And, hearing that divine voice, let us stand up to meet him, with repentant hearts, ever making a new beginning in the life to which we are called. – Archimandrite Irenei Steenberg #orthodox #orthodoxy #orthodoxchurch #christian #wisdomofthefathers #archimandriteireneisteenberg #repentance

A photo posted by Wisdom of the Fathers (@wisdomofthefathers) on Mar 24, 2016 at 7:48am PDT

Pure prayer

March 24, 2016 | Instagram, Uncategorized, Wisdom

Pure prayer is greatly aided by withdrawal from the worldly bustle and large crowds of people. (If possible, it is even better to be completely alone.) When one feels alone, the soul moves about comfortably, the heart erupts with reverence before God and gradually its hard shell bursts and is removed. Thereafter, our heart is moved not only when we think of God, but also even when we hear or see His name written down. The heart leaps and kisses it with great devotion. The same happens, of course, with the name of Christ or the Panagia. Our soul is then internally sweetened. -St. Paisios the Athonite #orthodox #orthodoxy #orthodoxchurch #christian #wisdomofthefathers #stpaisiostheathonite #prayer

A photo posted by Wisdom of the Fathers (@wisdomofthefathers) on Mar 23, 2016 at 9:11pm PDT

Angry with your neighbor

March 23, 2016 | Instagram, Uncategorized, Wisdom

You are angry with your neighbor, you despise him, do not like to speak peaceably and lovingly to him, because there is something harsh, abrupt, careless, unpleasant to you in his character, in his speech, in his manners—because he is more conscious of his dignity than perhaps is necessary; or because he may be somewhat proud and disrespectful; but you yourself, your neighbor’s physician and teacher, are more guilty than him. Your own malice is the bitterest of all evils. Is it then possible to correct malice by means of evil? Having a beam in your own eye, can you pull out the mote from the eye of another? Evil and faults are corrected by good, by love, kindness, meekness, humility, and patience. – St. John of Kronstadt #orthodox #orthodoxy #orthodoxchurch #christian #wisdomofthefathers #stjohnofkronstadt #love #kindness #humility #meekness

A photo posted by Wisdom of the Fathers (@wisdomofthefathers) on Mar 23, 2016 at 7:22am PDT

Liturgical Correctness

March 22, 2016 | Instagram, Uncategorized, Wisdom

We can be rich in liturgical correctness and wealthy in traditions, but if we do not have love and mercy, we are in reality bankrupt. Our Lord Himself made love and mercy the chief criterion whereby we will be judged on the Last Day. The fulfillment of the law is love, not liturgical correctness, as was thought by the Pharisees. When we see our Orthodox Christian faith only in the context of liturgical correctness, and the length of our services, but do not love others, we will have gained nothing of eternal value. If we do not show compassion and mercy towards everyone we meet, we will have committed a grievous crime against our Orthodox faith, and will stand before God with nothing to show for our life. – Abbot Tryphon of All-Merciful Savior Orthodox Monastery #orthodox #orthodoxy #orthodoxchurch #christian #wisdomofthefathers #abbottryphon #love #mercy

A photo posted by Wisdom of the Fathers (@wisdomofthefathers) on Mar 22, 2016 at 7:51am PDT

Pray simply, pray always

March 16, 2016 | Media, Uncategorized

Forty day fasting is a gift

March 15, 2016 | Instagram, Uncategorized, Wisdom

The forty days of fasting is a gift from our Lord who fasted for us, and a gift from the Church to her children that they may struggle and become liberated from bitter slavery- the slavery of hate and grudges; the slavery of worldly desires, idleness in prayer and obedience of the commandments. The Great Lent is a time of rejoicing for the children of the Church, to pass over the weakness of the soul, particularly very difficult matters which we cannot solve. Our Lord, Who is fasting with us, will pass over with the Cross to His children and show them the glory and power of His Ressurection – Fr. Bishoy Kamel, of blessed memory #orthodox #orthodoxy #orthodoxchurch #christian #wisdomofthefathers #frbishoykamel #coptic #holylent #lent #fast #fasting

A photo posted by Wisdom of the Fathers (@wisdomofthefathers) on Mar 14, 2016 at 9:05am PDT