Blessed are the meek

for they shall inherit the earth.  Matthew 5:5 

Meekness is an unchangeable state of mind, which remains the same in honor and dishonor.  St. John Climacus 

Learn about the Biblical definition of meekness:  http://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionary/meekness/

 

 

Blessed simplicity

Good and blessed is that simplicity which some have by nature, but better is that which has been goaded out of wickedness by hard work.  The former is protected from much complexity and the passions, while the latter is the gateway to the greatest humility and meekness.  There is not much reward for the one and no end of reward for the other.

If you wish to draw the Lord to you, approach Him as disciples to a master, in all simplicity, openly, honestly, without duplicity, without idle curiosity.  He is simple and uncompounded.  And He wants the souls that come to Him to be simple and pure.  Indeed you will never see simplicity separated from humility. 

 

 

The value of Confession

Confession is like a bridle that keeps the soul which reflects on it from committing sin, but anything left unconfessed we continue to do without fear as if in the dark.  

 

On memory of insults

The memory of insults is the residue of anger.  It keeps sins alive, hates justice, ruins virtue, poisons the heart, rots the mind, defeats concentration, paralyzes prayer, puts love at a distance, and is a nail driven into the soul. 

If anyone has appeased his anger, he has already suppressed the memory of insults, while as long as the mother is alive, the son persists.  In order to appease the anger, love is necessary. 

Remembrance of Jesus’ passion will heal your soul of resentment, by making it ashamed of itself when it remembers the patience of the Lord.

Some people have wearied themselves and suffered for a long time in order to extract forgiveness.  By far the best course, however, is to forget the offences, since the Lord says, Forgive at once and you will be forgiven in generous measure.  [cf Luke 6:37-38] 

Forgetting offences is a sign of sincere repentance.  If you keep the memory of them, you may believe you have repented but you are like someone running in his sleep. 

Let no one consider it a minor defect, this darkness that often clouds the eyes even of spiritual people. 

Give thanks

Before all else, let us list sincere thanksgiving first on the scroll of our prayer. On the second line, we should put confession and heartfelt contrition of soul. Then let us present our petition to the King of all. This is the best way of prayer as it was shown to one of the brethren by an angel of the Lord.   

 

 

Be Eucharistic

Give thanks unto God

Attend the Divine Liturgy today 

 

Blessed Thanksgiving to all!  Presbytera Candace

On edifying our neighbor



 

Nothing so edifies our neighbor as sincere and humble speech and manners; for this serves as a spur to others never to be puffed up.  And what can be more beneficial than this? 

 

 



Don't be surprised if...

Do not be surprised if you fall every day and do not surrender. Stand your ground bravely and you may be sure that your guardian angel will respect your endurance. 

Help for Confession

Son, obedient servant of the Lord, do not be so fooled by the spirit of conceit that you confess your sins to your spiritual father as though they were someone else’s. Lay bare your wound to the healer. Only through shame can you be freed from shame. Tell him, and do not be ashamed, “This is my wound, Father; this is my injury. It happened because of my negligence and not from any other cause. No one is to blame for this, no man, spirit or body or anything else. It is all through my negligence.” He who exposes every serpent shows the reality of his faith, while he who hides them still walks the trackless wastes. 

On healing the wounds of the soul

A fresh, warm wound is easier to heal than those that are old, neglected and festering and that need extensive treatment, surgery, bandaging and cauterization.  Long neglect can render many of them incurable.  However, all things are possible with God (cf Matt 19:26). 

On forgiveness and pride

When you are depressed, bear in mind the Lord's command to Peter to forgive a sinner seventy times seven (cf. Matt. 18:22).  And you may be sure that He Who gave this command to another will Himself do very much more.  But if, on the other hand, we become too self-assured, let us remember what has been said about the person who keeps the whole spiritual law and yet, having slipped into one passion, that of pride, is guilty of all (cf. James 2:10). 

Deception and impudence in judging others

One must not trust one's feelings, since because of his limitedness a man cannot know everything, and therefore his judgment is also relatively limited.  Even if you see with your own eyes that someone sins, do not judge, for the eyes also may be deceived.  One must in every way flee from judging, and pray in secret for those who have sinned. This form of love is pleasing to God.  Judging is bound up with impudence and is incompatible with true repentance:  "To judge is to impudently appropriate to oneself the rank of God." 

The vainglorious man

A vainglorious man is a believer - and an idolator.  Apparently honoring God, he actually is out to please not God but men.  To be a showoff is to be vainglorious, and the fast of such a man is unrewarded and his prayer futile, since he is practicing both to win praise. 

St. John Climacus on repentance

Repentance is a renewal of baptism.  Repentance is a contract with God for a second life.  A penitent is a buyer of humility. 

Poison in your heart

The memory of insults is the residue of anger.  It keeps sins alive, hates justice, ruins virtue, poisons the heart, rots the mind, defeats concentration, paralyses prayer, puts love at a distance, and is a nail driven into the soul.

If anyone has appeased his anger, he has already suppressed the memory of insults, while as long as the mother is alive the son persists.  In order to appease anger, love is necessary.

Remembrance of Jesus’ passion will heal your soul of resentment, by making it ashamed of itself when it remembers the patience of the Lord.

Some people have wearied themselves and suffered for a long time in order to extract forgiveness.  By far the best course, however, is to forget the offences, since the Lord says, ‘Forgive at once and you will be forgiven in generous measure.’ (cf. Luke 6:37-38)

Forgetting offences is a sign of sincere repentance.  If you keep the memory of them, you may believe you have repented, but, you are like someone running in his sleep.

Let no one consider it a minor defect, this darkness that often clouds the eyes even of spiritual people.  St. John Climacus

From the July 16^th entry in Drinking from the Hidden Fountain, A Patristic Breviary by Thomas Spidlik, Cistercian Publications