St. Gabriel of Georgia on Judging

St. Gabriel the New Confessor and Fool-for-Christ of Georgia (source)

  

I am a great sinner and greatly infirm. If you see a person sinning even at the hour of his death, do not judge him. Judging and mockery are great wounds on the soul. The Lord says, “Man, who art thou that thou shouldst judge for Me?” For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again (Matt. 7:2). Judging is a manifestation of human stupidity; it shows that he who judges does not yet know God or himself as he should.

 

Judging is a great sin, when we exalt ourselves above others. All who exalt themselves are abominable before the Lord. Whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted (Matt. 23:12). When you judge others you judge God. Whether you’ve seen a thief, a loose woman, or a drunkard sprawled on the street, do not judge, because the Lord allowed their passions. Through these they should find the path to God — they should be humbled, see their own powerlessness, come to know the Lord, and repent. And are you pleasing to God? That means that the Lord in His grace and mercy is restraining your passions. Know that if He lets them go you will fall into worse sins, and perhaps you won’t manage to climb out of those sins and you’ll perish. Therefore be humble and cautious. You saw that a person sinned, but did you see how he later repented? Then don’t judge! Like a thread passing through the eye of a needle, so man experiences the same sin that he judged in another.

 

Be humble and loving before all people, and if you cannot love everyone, at least treat everyone with good will. Kindness will open to you the gates of Paradise, humility will lead you there, and love will reveal God to you. God is seen only in truth and divine love, for “God is Love.” Remember and understand me well: without Christ, all is nothing! Man is created in the image of Christ, and if we who are His likeness do not come to Him, we will perish! If ye believe not that I am He, ye shall die in your sins (John 8:24).

-St. Gabriel the New Confessor of Georgia

~from The Orthodox Word, No. 308

(source)

 

St. Gabriel the New of Georgia (source)

  

Troparion, Tone 4

As the Master Christ hid His divinity, clothing it in humanity, and, unseen by us, brought into being His ineffable glory, likewise didst thou hide thy glory by means of foolishness, and by the wonder of thy confession wast shown forth as a shepherd of souls; O venerable Father Gabriel, entreat Christ God to have mercy on our souls.

  

Kontakion, Tone 4

Immeasurable is the mercy of God, by Whose goodness we behold His creation divinized O venerable father, thou didst confirm in thyself the image of thy Creator and exalted thy being to the likeness of God, therefore we glorify thee O Father Gabriel, for thou art worthy of all praise, thou wast on earth a trumpet of righteousness, a preacher of love and dove of purity, and thine all-wondrous humility hast opened to the world a treasury of wisdom, and now in heaven art thou, the advocate of God’s mercy and our salvation.

(source)

     

Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!

"Physicians of the sick, treasuries of healings..."

Sts. Cosmas and Damian the Holy Unmercenaries and Wonderworkers (source)

  
Physicians of the sick, treasuries of healings, saviors of the faithful, O all-famed Unmercenaries, those in dangers and suffering in pain cry out to you for healing, together with [your mother] Theodoti, entreating: O God of good things, deliver us from the traps of the enemy.
-Idiomelon of the Praises for the Feast of the Holy Unmercenaries Sts. Cosmas and Damian
  
(source)
  

Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!

Excerpt from the Homily on St. Demetrios by St. Gregory Palamas

St. Demetrios the Great Martyr and Myrrh-streamer (source)

  
"This Demetrios was a teacher and an apostle, a wise man, a virgin, a venerable one, and as was said, all-comely and all-spotless in nature and greatly radiant with grace. And of this Demetrios, as was said of [the Prophet] Job, there was no one like him upon the earth among men. He was blameless, therefore, righteous and pious. And as Job was beforehand, Demetrios was later, though Job did not have the praise of virginity. For virginity the young [Demetrios] was crowned, for overcoming nature, he was shown to be equal to the Angels according to God. And his body was wounded greatly, by contending with the ancient enemy. He, therefore, withstood to the end even [the shedding] of his blood to fight against evil…
  
"And therefore this divine Demetrios became spoken of as a wonder for the whole world, the fragrance of Christ, according to St. Paul, for those who are being saved and for those who are redeemed, for the smell of death is death, but that of life is life. This incomparable fragrance I do not have words to speak of, of the myrrh and wonders granted by God from the body of the Great Martyr..."
-Excerpt from the Homily on St. Demetrios by St. Gregory Palamas
  
(amateur translation of text from source)
   
See here for the full translations of the homilies of St. Gregory Palamas.

Sts. Gregory Palamas and Demetrios the Myrrh-streamer, the great protectors of Thessaloniki (source)

  

Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!

"Your spirit, O wise Martyr Demetrios..."

St. Demetrios the Great Martyr and Myrrh-streamer (source)

  
Your spirit, O wise Martyr Demetrios, was taken up by God unto the heavenly mansions, for you became the defender of the Trinity, and manfully struggled as steadfast as a diamond in the stadium, and your spotless side was pierced, O all-honored one, imitating Him Who was pierced upon the Cross for the salvation of the whole world. And you were granted the power of working wonders, endlessly bestowing healings for those who suffer. Therefore, we who celebrate your repose today, rightly glorify you, who was glorified by the Lord.
-Doxastikon of the Litia for St. Demetrios the Great Martyr and Myrrh-streamer
  
(source)
  

Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!

Elder Ephraim of Katounakia on making excuses

The Martyrdom of St. Demetrios the Great Martyr (source)

  
Making excuses is not written in the Scriptures. The Saints not only did not justify themselves, but they suffered willingly on behalf of others.
-Elder Ephraim of Katounakia
  
(source)
  

Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!

Repose of Elder Gregory of Docheiariou (+2018)

Elder Gregory of Docheiariou (source)

   
Elder Gregory (Archipelagitis), the Abbot of the Holy Monastery of Docheiariou on Mount Athos, reposed yesterday at the age of 76.

Elder Gregory was from the island of Paros, and for the last 41 years served and led in the Holy Monastery of Docheiariou on the Holy Mountain. Beforehand he had served as Elder of the Monastery of Panagia Prousiotissa in Karpenisi and also lived on the island of Patmos.

He was a spiritual child of the contemporary saintly Elders Amphilochios Makris and Philotheos Zervakos.

All knew of his simplicity and honorable life and personality. His burial occurred on Tuesday October 23rd at Docheiariou Monastery on Athos.
  
May the Lord grant him a blessed Paradise!

Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!

St. Porphyrios: God has everything

Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Savior (source)

  
God has everything.*** When you are despairing, He sends you something that you did not expect...It is enough for you to believe in Him and love Him.
-St. Porphyrios of Kavsokalyvia
  
(source)
  
***Note: The commonly used Greek phrase: «Έχει ο Θεός» is not easily translated. Literally it means "God has", but it signifies humility and trust in the Providence our Lord, Who holds us and all creation in the palm of His hand.
  

Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!