St. John of Kronstadt, the Wonderworker (source)
For what purpose does the Lord add day
after day, year after year, to our existence? In order that we may
gradually put away, cast aside, evil from our souls, each one his
own, and acquire blessed simplicity; in order that we may become, for
instance, gentle as lambs, simple as infants; in order that we may
learn not to have the least attachment to earthly things, but like
loving, simple children, may cling with all our hearts to God alone,
and love Him with all our hearts, all our souls, all our strength,
and all our thoughts, and our neighbor as ourselves. Let us hasten,
therefore, to pray to the Lord, fervently and tearfully, to grant us
simplicity of heart, and let us strive by every means to cast out the
evil from our souls - for instance, evil suspiciousness, malevolence,
malignity, malice, pride, arrogance, boastfulness, scornfulness,
impatience, despondency, despair, irascibility and irritability,
fearfulness and faint-heartedness, envy, avarice, gluttony, and
satiety; fornication, mental and of the heart, and actual
fornication; the love of money, and in general the passion for
acquisition; slothfulness, disobedience, and all the dark horde of
sins. Lord, without Thee we can do nothing! Bless us Thyself in this
work, and give us the victory over our enemies and our passions. So
be it!
-St. John of Kronstadt, "My Life
in Christ"(source)
Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!
No comments:
Post a Comment