At the time of separation...

[At the time of separation, the soul sees]…all the works it performed, good and bad, by day and by night.  The sinner’s soul parts from the body in fear and, trembling, it sets off to be present at the Immortal Tribunal.  Grieved is the presumptuous man; grieved the indifferent; grieved the lazy, who neglected to do what was pleasing to God; grieved is the man who has much property, who gave his soul for worldly things; grieved is the rich man, for he is separated from his riches…All these are grieved at the hour of death, for they are given to things worldly. 

St. Ephraim the Syrian on the Holy Transfiguration of Christ

Blessed Feast of the Holy Transfiguration!  Please visit the Full of Grace and Truth blogspot to read the August 5, 2010 entry which shares St. Ephraim’s homily for this joyous Feast:  http://full-of-grace-and-truth.blogspot.com/2010/08/st-ephraim-syrian-on-transfiguration-of.html

For the Holy Theophany season

Noah's Ark marked out by its course the sign of its Preserver.  The Cross of its Stearsman and the Wood of its Sailor Who has come to fashion for us a Church in the waters of baptism: with the three-fold name He rescues those who reside in her, and in place of the dove, the Spirit administers her anointing and the mystery of her salvation.  Praise to her Savior.  St. Ephraim the Syrian

 

Continuing the celebration of the Twelve Holy Days of Christmas

“Lord allow us today to celebrate Your true Nativity, of which the present festival puts us in mind. This day is like Yourself: it is the friend of man. Year by year it returns throughout the centuries, growing old with the aged, renewing itself with the newborn child. Year by year it comes to us, passes, then returns, full of the same grace. It knows that human nature cannot do without it. Like You, it comes to the rescue of our imperiled race. The whole round earth is thirsting for your Nativity, Lord. In that one joyful day are contained the all the ages to come; it is one, yet it multiplies itself to infinity. May it then resemble You again this year, and make peace between heaven and earth. 

All days bear the imprint of Your goodness, but today Your goodness brims over. The other days of the year borrow their loveliness from this one; the coming festivals owe to it all their dignity and luster. Your Nativity, O Lord is a treasure great enough to pay the common debt. Blessed be that day which gave back the light of the sun to us who were astray in the dark, which brought us the sheaf of divine plenty and gave us that vine from which the wine of salvation would be pressed... 

 

"For a Child is born unto us, and a Son is given unto us.” You Who are Your Father’s Son have become Your mother’s child; in Heaven, infinite: here, tiny; abiding in Your Father’s bosom, yet carried in Your mother’s womb. Changeless in Godhead, peerless in Your humanity, because for ever One and the same in both; in Your divine nature our Creator, and in Your humanity, our Redeemer.” 

Sowing and reaping through prayer

Without the health of body, material things are of no benefit to you.  Without streams of  prayer, what you have sown will not be watered.  Without the help of prayer you shall not reap what you sow.  Without the mercy of the Creator, there can be no good, no blessing.  Be earnest then in prayer, and your barns will overflow.  Winter and summer be earnest in prayer; for winter and summer prayer is necessary for us. 

 

Joy that afflicts, misery that profits

There is a joy that is affliction; misery is hidden within it.  There is a misery that is profit; it is a fountain of joys in the new world. 

On chastisement

For whom the LORD loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives. Hebrews 12:6 (NKJV) 

The earth, the vine, and the olive are in need of chastisement.  When the olive is bruised, then its fruit smells sweet.  When the vine is pruned, then its grapes are good.  When the soil is plowed, its yield is good.  When water is confined in channels, desert places drink of it; brass, silver and gold, when they are burnished, shine. 

On affliction--two short quotes

God measures out affliction according to our need.  St. John Chrysostom

Let your afflictions be books to admonish you.  St. Ephraim of Syria

Refuge in Thy Cross

May the soul that has sought refuge in Thy cross and inherited eternal incorruptible treasure, praise and exalt Thee together with the spirits that number her among Thy ranks. 

St. Ephraim the Syrian's Lenten prayer

Lord and Master of my life,
cast away from me the spirit of
laziness,
idle curiosity,
love of power,
and vain talk.

But, grant me, your servant,
the spirit of
moderation
humility
patience
and love.

Yes, Lord and King,
Grant me to see my own faults
and not to judge my brothers and sisters.
For you are blessed unto the ages of ages,
Amen.

This prayer is used throughout Great Lent, at morning and evening prayers, accompanied by prostrations.

May God grant us all a spiritually profitable Great Lent.  Kali Sarakosti!

Pres. Candace

On humility by St. Ephraim the Syrian

Humility is so powerful that even the all-conquering God did not conquer without it.  Humility was even able to bear the burden of a stiff-necked nation in the desert.  Moses, the humblest of men, was given charge of the nation that was the most stubborn of all men.  God, Who needed nothing to save His people, later found Himself in need of the humility of Moses just to abide the grumbling and complaining of His critics.  Only humility could tolerate the perversity of a nation that dismissed signs in Egypt as well as wonders in the desert.  Whenever pride caused divisions in the nation, the prayer of humility healed their divisions.  Now, if the humility of a tongue-tied man endured six hundred thousand, how much more does His humility endure, Who granted speech to the tongue-tied!  For the humility of Moses is a mere shadow of the humility of our Lord.  St. Ephraim the Syrian