“If we can’t struggle much, or even not at all, at least let us humbly recognize this and ask for God’s mercy. If this recognition were not for our own benefit, then Christ wouldn’t ask it from us.” – Elder Paisios
Archive for the ‘The World’ Category
Acknowledging Failure
Posted in The World on August 20, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
Looking to the Champions
Posted in The World on August 17, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
The best medicine in every trial of ours is the greater trials suffered by our fellow men, if only we can call them to mind. – Elder Paisios
Fascination for things binds one to anger
Posted in The World on May 3, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
He who is not indifferent to fame and pleasure, as well as to love of riches that exists because of them and increases them, cannot cut off occasions for anger. And he who does not cut these off cannot attain perfect love. — St. Maximos the Confessor
With what to adorn the Intellect
Posted in The World, tagged adornment, attention, Holy Orthodoxy, lorenzo scupoli, Orthodox Christianity, the intellect on April 26, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
…adorn your thinking power with a constant attention to God, prayer and knowledge of divine truths; the desiring power – with total self-denial and renunciation of all self-indulgence; the excitable power – with love. If you do this, then, I assure you, the light of your mind will never be dimmed and wrong thoughts will [...]
The Joy of Ownership
Posted in The World on April 24, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
He who has tasted the things on high easily despises what is below. But he who has not tasted the things above finds joy in possessions. — St. John Climacus
Comment: As soon as one has a house or a new car, one learns the meaning of the words, “if we had possessions, we would need [...]
Trying to Catch the Wind
Posted in The World, tagged apostasy, eschatology, lambs to slaughter, the end-times, unmercenary on April 23, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
Do not dare to raise your weak hand to stop the elemental tide of apostasy. Avoid it, protect yourself from it, and that is enough for you. Get to know the spirit of the times, study it so you can avoid its influence whenever possible. — St. Ignatii Brianchaninov
The Soft Wax of the World
Posted in The World on April 12, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
The mind of the righteous man, then, must not be like wax or some other soft material, which always gets its form and shape from the mark that is stamped on it and that remains there until it receives the impression of another mark. Thus it never keeps its own character and always takes on [...]
Makeup Work
Posted in The World on April 11, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
Do not deceive yourself, foolish worker, as if one time can make up for
another. For the day is not sufficient to repay in full its own debt to
the Lord.
St. John Climacus, The Ladder of Divine Ascent.
Associations & the Beautiful People
Posted in The World on March 9, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
If you ever wish to associate with someone, make sure that you do not give your attention to those who enjoy health and wealth and fame as the world sees it, but take care of those in affliction, in critical circumstances, who are utterly deserted and enjoy no consolation. Put a high value on associating [...]