When correct faith does not benefit

Correct faith does not benefit in anything when life is corrupted. 

The wiles of the adversary

 

The enemy, understanding how the justice of the spiritual law is applied, seeks only the assent of our mind.  Having secured this, he will either oblige us to undergo the labors of repentance or, if we do not repent, will torment us with misfortunes beyond our control.  Sometimes he encourages us to resist these misfortunes so as to increase our torment, and then, at our death, he will point to this impatient resistance as proof of our lack of faith. 

 



On guidance

In the Book of Proverbs we read, Where there is no guidance, a people falls like leaves, but in an abundance of counsellors there is safety.  Prov. 11:14 

You see the force of this saying, brothers and sisters.  You see what the sacred Scripture is teaching us.  It is ensuring that we do not trust in our own strength, that we do not consider ourselves experts, that we do not imagine that we can manage our own affairs. 

In fact, we need help; we need guidance and the aid of God.  There is nothing more miserable, nothing more risky than people having no one to guide them on the road to God.  What does the Scripture say?  Where there is no guidance, a people falls like leaves. 

The leaf at its beginning is always green, fresh and delightful.  Then by degrees it dries up and falls, and after that it is disregarded and trampled on.  Anyone without a guide is like that.  At first he is always enthusiastic for fasts and vigils, for tranquility of mind and for obeying his conscience in everything.  Then by degrees that enthusiasm wanes, and because he has no director to feed and rekindle that flame, he dries up without anyone noticing, he falls down and from then on becomes prey to his enemies who do what they like with him. 

It is different, however, with those who share their thoughts with others and only act after taking the advice, In an abundance of counsellors there is safety.  It does not mean by ‘an abundance of counsellors,’ that one should consult everyone, but that one should always seek advice from those whom one trusts most, and not keep silent about some things while speaking of others. 

Woe to those who say one thing and do another!  One should bring everything out into the open and consult, as I said, about everything.  There is safety then, meaning salvation, precisely in the abundance of counsellors. 

 

 

St. Nektarios on anthropology

 

Visit this link to read about St. Nektarios’ view of anthropology: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTvYz94kA78

 



A prayer for Friday

Lord Jesus Christ, sweet Savior of my soul, on this day of Your crucifixion, when You suffered on the cross and accepted death for our sins, I confess before You that I myself have crucified You with my many sins.  But I beseech Your indescribable goodness:  Grant me Your grace, O Lord, so that I may endure suffering for the sake of the faith, hope and love that I have for You, just as You, in Your longsuffering, endured the passion in order to save me.  Strengthen me, O Lord, that from this day forth I may bear Your cross with joy and repentance, and that I may thus hate my wicked thoughts and desires.   

Instill sadness in my heart at Your death, allowing me to grieve just as Your beloved Mother, Your disciples and the myrrh-bearing women did as they stood near Your cross.  Illumine the senses of my soul so that they may awaken and comprehend Your death, just as you brought comprehension to the lifeless creation at the time of Your crucifixion, and it trembled; just as the faithful thief understood, repented, and confessed You, and with that confession, You led him into paradise.  May Your grace, which You then granted to him, now forgive my sins, for the sake of You holy passion; and as I truly turn and repent, may that same grace place me together with the thief in paradise, for You are my God and Creator. 

 

 

I bow down before Your cross, O Christ, and because of Your love for us, I cry out to it:  Rejoice, honored cross of Christ, upon which He was lifted and affixed with nails for the salvation of the world; Rejoice, blessed tree, for you held the Fruit of life Who has saved us from the death of sin; Rejoice strong bar which has shattered the gates of hell; Rejoice, royal key, which has opened the door of paradise. 

 

 

O my crucified Christ, how You suffered for us!  How many wounds, spitting, mockery and insults You endured because of our sins, giving us an example of true patience in times of suffering and troubles which we must endure in this life.  Since God sends these to us because of our sins, that we may correct ourselves and draw near to Him, He thus chastises us for our own good during this life.  Therefore, I pray to You, O Master:  during times of troubles, temptations and pain that come upon me, grant that I may increase in patience, strength and gratitude.  For I confess that I am helpless if You do not strengthen me; blind, if You do not illumine me; bound if You do not set me free; fearful, if You do not make me brave; lost, if You do not seek me; a slave, if You do not redeem me with Your abundant and divine power and with the grace of Your holy cross, which I venerated and glorify, now and ever and unto ages of ages.  Amen. 

Doctrine preserved in the Church

 

By the tradition of the Fathers, doctrine has been preserved by an unbroken sequence of memory down to our own day. 

 

Purity of heart

 

Purity is corrupted more speedily than corruption is made pure.  So it goes with the container which is our heart.  St. John Cassian