Do not let pass any opportunity to pray for anyone, either at his request or at the request of his relatives, friends, of those who esteem him, or of his acquaintances. The Lord looks favorably upon the prayer of our love, and upon our boldness before him. Besides this, prayer for others is very beneficial to the one himself who prays for others; it purifies the heart, strengthens faith and hope in God, and enkindles our love for God and our neighbor. When praying, say thus: ‘Lord, it is possible for Thee to do this or that to this servant of Thine; do this for him, for Thy name is the Merciful Love of Men and the Almighty.

+ St. John of Kronstadt

They Have Committed Every Sin Of The Flesh, But I Love Them

 

Saint Porphyrios: "They Have Committed Every Sin Of The Flesh, But I Love Them"

The Elder told me one day:

"Boys and girls come to me sometimes. Those poor children, and what haven't they done. They have committed every sin of the flesh, but I love them."

The Elder did not justify the actions of the youth, which he characterized as carnal sins, but at the same time he loved them as precious souls "for whom Christ died". By his love he attracted them like a magnet and gradually they were healed of their worship of the flesh.

This patristic attitude of the Elder was misunderstood by conservative puritans, who mourned, and some irresponsible progressives, who rejoiced, for the same reason: that supposedly the Elder "tolerated" carnal sins. They did not understand that sin cannot be combated against with an intolerant condemnation of the sinner, nor through guilty legalism of the fall. The Elder effectively fought sin by loving the sinner and helping them become aware of their responsibility for their fall, and the possibility in Christ of them being freed from it and guilt through repentance and forgiveness and the life in Christ. He wanted to guide them to a new life, and not trouble their soul with the past.

Source: From the book Hieromonk Elder Porphyrios: An Anthology of Advice.

God is dead

 

“God is dead. God remains dead. And we have killed him. How shall we comfort ourselves, the murderers of all murderers? What was holiest and mightiest of all that the world has yet owned has bled to death under our knives: who will wipe this blood off us? What water is there for us to clean ourselves? What festivals of atonement, what sacred games shall we have to invent? Is not the greatness of this deed too great for us? Must we ourselves not become gods simply to appear worthy of it?”

― Friedrich Nietzsche

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner!

 

The Jesus Prayer Method

 

Saint Theophan the Recluse

 

death, cremation, burial

 

Our body is sacred, sanctified and smelly with the Mystery of Anointing and must be buried, go where it came from according to the teaching of our Church. It was the residence of the Angelic Soul. Let's not forget it.

In Thessaloniki First Letter the Apostle urges chap 5,23 = ′′ And may your entire existence be preserved -- your spirit, soul and body ----, unconventional during the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you keeps His word and will do it."

Philippe. 3,21 = ′′ Let the body of our humiliation transforms into this generation, conform the body of his glory in his energy, and subdue all things."

and let's not forget that our body has been consecrated by baptism and we can't throw it in the..... trash!

Lives of the fathers - Samuel Clark 1650

 

Hagia Sophia

 

Ephraim of Arizona

 “Very difficult days are coming. Take care of your soul!”

+ Blessed Geronda Ephraim of Arizona and Philotheou

Animals are innocent

 Animals are innocent and serve God better and more purely than we do. Many Saints had grace from the Holy Spirit and were granted the gift of communicating with the animals as we were meant to in paradise before the fall of mankind. We all also should learn by watching and caring for God's creatures how to serve Him better.

st Ignatius epistle to the romans

Nothing that is seen is eternal, for the things which are seen are temporal, but things that are not seen are eternal 

The book of common prayer 1627

 

The Works of Flavius Josephus

 Quarto, 2 volumes, bound in contemporary calf, red and green morocco spine labels in gilt, with frontispieces, numerous engraved plates, some folding. In very good condition, with the armorial bookplates of Samuel Bostock, rebacked Titus Flavius Josephus was a first-century Romano-Jewish historian who recorded Jewish history, with special emphasis on the first century CE and the First Jewish-Roman War (66-70 CE), including the Siege of Masada. His most important works were The Jewish War (c. 75) and Antiquities of the Jews. Fielding and Walker 1777-78, London, 1777.

lent, a time to fast and give thanks