Elder Symeon Kragiopoulos: "If we’re humble like the Virgin Mary, we will spiritually bear Christ in us in our measure..."

The Dormition of the Theotokos (source)

   

The Gospel of Matins says, “For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden”. It is said by the saints that if we’re humble like the Virgin Mary, we will spiritually bear Christ in us in our measure, just like the Virgin Mary did, who was pregnant with Christ, the Son of God, Who sanctified her and sanctifies all of us. And I say so, according to the words of Apostle Paul: “My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you”. Everything else in life is worth nothing.

It’s a pity if we get distracted, if we are led astray and get tossed to and fro, and lose what is of the utmost importance: Christ. Let’s humble ourselves before God in order to gain Christ.

The fact that you can’t stand any pressure is a reaction of the old man. Through the chaos that takes place inside you because of the pressure you may be feeling, all you will have to lose is your self-love and pride.

Archimandrite Symeon Kragiopoulos (†)

From the book: Archimandrite Symeon Kragiopoulos, “SPIRITUAL MESSAGES” Panorama Thessaloniki, 2017

(source)

Most-Holy Theotokos, save us!

St. Ephraim of Katounakia on the Humble Simplicity of the Cave of Bethlehem

Christ's Nativity in the humble Cave of Bethlehem (source)

"I remember," said St. Ephraim of Katounakia, "that I was astonished by everywhere in the Holy Lands, but when I went to the Cave of Bethlehem, there, my heart was broken! It was torn into a thousand pieces! And I said, 'how was God born in this place, in this cave, without any consolation, like one thrown out of the city? This God Who could make anything for Himself, but, without complaint, far from every worldly comfort, during the night (and the coldest night of the year), the longest night of the year, in a totally abandoned place, He Who created everything--Heaven and Earth--He was born in this place!

"And when I returned [to his cell on Mount Athos], I entered in and saw my blankets (what blankets did He have?), and I saw what I had, and I was ashamed, and said: 'If God was born in that cave, how could I need all of these things?' I saw pots and pans..."

Metropolitan Athanasios of Lemesou, who was relating the story, comments that: "If I were to describe his pots...not even our dogs would eat from them! And if I could describe his bed...not even our pigs would we put in them!

"But, he perceived his place to be a luxury, over the top. And from then on, when they would tell him: "Elder, your cell is small." He would reply: "God was born in a cave. If I thought of God's cave, well then, what could I say regarding my own?"

(source)

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

St. Porphyrios on the Condemnation of Bishops

The Holy Fathers (source)

"We should never attack a Bishop with our mouth. He has the episcopacy upon him. Regardless of the mistakes he has done, we must cover him with our prayers. Thus is created around the Bishop a spiritual defense, a spiritual surrounding wall, without him knowing it, which encircles him, and eventually will allow him, as a rule, for God to revive him."***

-St. Porphyrios of Kavsokalyvia

(source)

***Note: St. Porphyrios is not referring to reaching out, in the proper manner and the proper channels, to discuss moral or canonical transgressions by bishops through a Synod or Archbishops above him. He is also not referring to hierarchs canonically deposed by a Synod or church council. He is properly trying to limit the endless gossip, slander, condemnation and judging that gets hurled against hierarchs throughout the world, but even worse now in the age of the internet. May we humbly pray for our bishops before rushing to condemn them, and thus help both of their and our repentance and our souls. 

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

St. Porphyrios: "Unquestionably the higher state is love."

St. Porphyrios of Kavsokalyvia, with scenes from his life (source)

"Which is better? To be meek, humble, peaceful and to be filled with love, or to be irritable, depressed, and to quarrel with everyone? Unquestionably the higher state is love."

-St. Porphyrios of Kavsokalyvia

(source)

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

Homily on the Meaning of the Holy Cross, by Metropolitan Avgoustinos Kantiotes

The Holy Cross of Christ (source)

 
Homily on the Meaning of the Holy Cross, by Metropolitan Avgoustinos Kantiotes
My beloved, what does the Cross teach us? Take a chalk and write, like children do in school, 2+2=4. Thus, the Cross is the "equal sign", but what is it? Do you think that it is simply a piece of wood that we venerate and are saved? You are mistaken, because this is not how it is in reality.

The Cross equals forgiveness.
Because upon the Cross, Christ forgave His murderers. Are there today some here in church who are at odds with each other? Are there women who hate their mothers-in-law? Are there houses where people don't speak with each other? Are there neighbors that don't greet each other? Is there hatred? Well then, the Cross tells us today: "Forgive!" If you don't forgive, then don't approach the Cross, don't venerate it. When, within your heart, you have bitterness, you have this serpent of hatred, you can't approach the Cross. Because the Cross means forgiveness. You must forgive even your greatest enemy.

The Cross equals truth.
Even if they put a knife to your throat, and slaughter you, you should speak the truth. Not in the sense that you go to court and raise your wretched hand upon the Gospel and take a false oath. Not like this. Christ was crucified for the truth. Whoever says lies, whoever goes to court and takes false oaths, he is not worthy to venerate the Cross. The Cross, therefore, equals forgiveness, the Cross equals truth.

The Cross equals humility.
No--even though you might have a very large home, or more money or lands or animals, or if you have children studying in school or if you have a beautiful wife, or whatever else you might do--you should not boast or feel proud. You are not a Christian! Humility! Humble yourself to say: I am nothing, I am a worm, I am nothing in this world. However, when you have pride and you boast and you show off your body and your job and your money, then you are not a Christian.

The Cross equals love.
Is your neighbor hungry? Give him a piece of bread. Is he thirsty? Give him a glass of water. Is he naked? Give him a shirt to wear. Go and console him and wipe away his tears. This is Christianity. Not when you have everything and your neighbor has nothing.

The Cross equals sacrifice.
As Christ sacrificed Himself, thus we must sacrifice ourselves. This is what the Cross means. If you do these things, then you are worthy to be called Christians. But you who dip your hands in blood, you who take false oaths, you who are unjust to the orphan, you cannot approach the Cross. The Cross casts you out.

Read the life of St. Mary of Egypt. On this day, she went to Jerusalem and saw the crowd going into the church and everyone--old, young, women, men--were going to venerate. She herself tried to approach the entrance. But some power pushed her back. She tried and second and a third time, but she was unable. Why? Because she was a sinful woman, and she worked in sin in Alexandria. Only after she repented, then she was able to enter the church and she became a Christian in reality.

The Cross, my beloved, creates presuppositions. We must live corresponding to the teaching of the Cross.

And something else: You should make your Cross properly. Because unfortunately, in our faithless years that we are living through, everything has become fashionable. Fashionable hair, fashionable clothing, fashionable shoes, fashion everywhere. Unfortunately many in Church do it out of fashion. Unfortunately you see scientists, congressmen, ministers, prime ministers, and none are doing their Cross correctly. That which they are doing is not the Cross. It joking and mocking. It is playing with God. Do not play with God. How will they understand that you are a Christian? By your Cross. When you make the sign of the Cross properly, you are doing a whole prayer. Therefore, do your Cross properly.

And when should you do your Cross? When you awake in the morning, do your Cross. Are you going to work? Do your Cross. Are you going to your field? Do your Cross. Are you sowing, returning from your field, entering your home? Do your Cross. Are you sitting at your dinner table? Do your Cross. Are you going to sleep? Do your Cross.

"Though I fall, I make my Cross
And have an Angel by my side."

O woman, are you baking? Make the sign of the Cross in the dough. Wherever you go and whatever you do, make your Cross. The Cross is the "protector of the whole world."
(+) Bishop Avgoustinos
Imera, Kozani, 9/14/1965
(source)
   

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

Homily II on the Dormition of the Theotokos by Metropolitan Avgoustinos

The Dormition of the Theotokos (source)

  
Homily II on the Dormition of the Theotokos by Metropolitan Avgoustinos Kantiotes (+2010): "The Glorious Dormition"

"Your glorious Dormition caused the Heavens to rejoice, along with the ranks of the Angels, while the whole earth is glad..." (Sticheron from the Praises of the Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos

Panagia was a poor girl from Nazareth, from unassuming parents. She did not have anything that would bespeak of glory. Her nativity passed by unnoticed [by the world]. Humble was her entrance into the world, and humble was her life.

But while her entrance was humble, her exit was glorious, and righteous. For she passed throughout her whole life in purity, humility, and utter obedience to the will of God. Which other woman has a calling that could be reckoned with hers? Every [woman] gives birth to mortals, but she was made worthy to become the Mother of the Son of God. As St. Kosmas Aitolos preached: "There were thousands of thousands of women in the world, but none could be found to fill the side of Adam, except our Lady the Theotokos."

When Panagia gave up her spirit to her Son and God, the earth and Heaven were astonished. The burial of her sacred body had a unique grandeur. The Apostles were brought from the ends of the earth to Gethsemane upon the clouds. Myrrh-bearing women and the faithful people followed. An impious Judean tried to defile the sacred body, but was repulsed...

The earth, with her most chosen children gathered to bury the King's Mother. But what were the honors of the earth before the honors of Heaven? As she ascended to the Kingdom on high, she was given an exceptional reception.

The leaders of the Angels knelt to venerate. The Son received the Mother. And she stood and continues to remain at His right hand, interceding on behalf of sinners.

Humble was her entrance, glorious, all-glorious, was her exit. Are these a phantasy, are these a myth? No, a thousand times, no. Our holy Church confirms this, who ordained that today the Dormition of the Most-Holy Theotokos be celebrated. Today, most-beautiful hymns are chanted, with which the greatness of Panagia is praised, and especially, the event of her repose, of her Dormition.
  

Detail from the icon of the Dormition of the Theotokos (source)

  
Many, my beloved, are the lessons of this feast. We will limit ourselves to one thing only, one lesson, which is contained in the word which the Church uses to characterize the event of the repose of the Virgin. Her repose is not called "death", but "dormition". Why? Please pay attention.

In the language of the Holy Scriptures, death does not mean the disappearance of the human existence. No. At death there is a separation. The soul is separated from the body. The soul leaves towards the things above, towards the heavenly world of the spirits. This path is not fantastical, but is a reality, which is confirmed by the word of God. Then, what does the soul meet, how many tollhouses does it pass through, what censures does it undergo, we do not know in detail. The words of holy people, who saw the souls of the reposed pass towards the verdant meadows of Paradise, or towards the dark places of hell, shine some light on this, but this light is dim, and unable to satisfy people's curiosity. To man, through the Scriptures, it has been revealed that the soul that leaves the body does not die (see Luke 12:20, 16:23-26, 23:42-43). This is a fact and the Christian cannot deny this.

But while the soul of man, which has finished this station of his life, ascends as a spirit to the other world, the body, as physical creation is given away to corruption, to temporary corruption. For from this corrupted body, during the universal Resurrection [at the Last Judgment], there will come a renewed and incorrupt body, which will be united with the soul and they will live together unto the ages of ages.

Yes! The body will be raised. In anticipation of the Resurrection, death according to the Scriptures is called "dormition". The Prophet David "slept" (Acts 13:36). The Protomartyr Stephen "slept" (Acts 7:60). The Apostle Paul, when he speaks of those who have left for the other life, does not say that they "died", but he calls them "those who are sleep". "I do not want you to be ignorant, my brethren, concerning those who are asleep, that you might not grieve as the others do who have no hope." (I Thessalonians 4:13). Our Lord Jesus Himself called death "sleep". When He entered the house of Jairus and saw them weeping for the dead girl, He told them: "Do not weep. She has not died, but is only sleeping." (Luke 8:52, Mark 5:39) And regarding Lazarus He said that he had "fallen asleep" (John 11:11-15). And He proceeded to resurrect him, with such ease as if he were waking him from sleep.

Dormition! This word of the Scriptures should be sufficient to teach, console and strengthen Christians, at least those who hasten to churches to celebrate and feast at the "glorious", "all-sacred", and "dormition transcending death", of the Most-Holy Theotokos. Do you hear this, O you who celebrate? Panagia has not died, but has fallen asleep! Her body was buried, placed within the grave, but as the Church chants: "the grave and death could not hold her, for as the Mother of Life, she has proceeded to Life, Who dwelt within the womb of the Ever-Virgin." (Kontakion of the Feast of the Dormition) Panagia, shining forth with all the light of the virtues, "as arrayed in gold" (Psalm 44:10) has proceeded towards the Heavens. "Who", cry out the Angels, "is this that appears like the dawn, fair as the moon, bright as the sun, majestic as the stars in procession?" (Song of Songs 6:10)
  

The Dormition of the Theotokos (source)

  
Panagia, from the height of her glory, is heard to say to all Christians who are tempted here: "Faithful children of the heavenly Father, have strength. What do you fear? Death? But death is the gateway to the new life. Here on high where I am there is a new life, which no one on earth could even begin to imagine. This life is preordained for those who will live with faith and virtue. Here there is no partiality. My Son is the just Judge. When I was below on the earth, I heard voices that blessed me, for I was made worthy to become His Mother, and He said that, in the cycle of blessedness, it would not be me alone who gives Him birth, but for all those who hear Him and keep His word. For Christ is born spiritually in every soul who believes in Him and worships Him as the only Savior. 'Yea of a truth, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it.' (Luke 11:28) Therefore, I invite you all to the glory of Heaven."

As the Church chants, truly glorious was the Dormition of the Most-Holy Theotokos. Glorious was also the dormition of all the Righteous, who faithfully completed their missions. Each of them, as they left from this world, could say like the Psalm: "In peace I will lie down and sleep, and I awoke, for You, O Lord, have made me to dwell in hope." (Psalm 4:9) The antithesis occurs with those who did not love God and their neighbor, and did not fulfill their holy duties, and did not complete their mission, but were conquered by evils and passions, and trampled upon divine gifts, walling themselves off and making themselves unworthy of their holy calling, betraying the faith. Their dormition was not radiant, but dark, not glorious, but inglorious. Not radiant Angels, but dark demons were their fellow travelers during the exodus of their souls to the other world. For mourning and cutting are heard during the exodus of the unrepentant sinner. Who would not weep?

O Christians! Panagia had a glorious dormition. But we also must have a glorious dormition. Glorious through faith and virtue. May we receive even one laurel leaf from that glory! May the Lord, through the intercessions of the Most-Holy Theotokos, who proceeds to the Heavens, grant us an end like this. May the prayer of the Church be fulfilled for each of us: "For a Christian ending to our life: painless, blameless, peaceful, and a good defense before the dread Judgment Seat of Christ, let us pray."
(+) Bishop Avgoustinos 
(source)

  

The Dormition of the Theotokos (source)

  

Most-Holy Theotokos, save us!

Elder Ephraim of St. Andrew's Skete on the Repose of St. Paisios

The wondrous body of St. Paisios the Athonite during his funeral (source)

  
"Gerontissa (Eldress) Philothei, from the Monastery of Souroti, told me that, as soon as St. Paisios reposed, his face shown, and his whole body began to pour forth fragrance and lightning!!! And he went from being very pale from his afflictions, to becoming totally white!

"A sign of his great humility and the many signs from God that he had in his life.

"St. Paisios had very many revelations, some of which he revealed to people, but he asked them to not make them known until he had died!

"His life was a martyrical one, and his battle with the devil and with the demons was not insignificant!

"To live one's whole life as a monk, this shows that he had a leonine soul, for otherwise he could not have withstood the attacks of the enemy, being totally alone."
-Elder Ephraim of St. Andrew's Skete, Mount Athos

(source)
  

Icon depicting the dormition of St. Paisios the Athonite (source)

  

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

Icons and Hymns to Elder Ephraim of Arizona

Icon of Elder Ephraim of Arizona, with scenes from his life (source)

  

"From an early age, the two nuns met with Geronda Ephraim and Saint Porphyrios. "Oftentimes, Geronda [Ephraim] asked us to ask St. Porphyrios for his opinion. [She] remembers the words of St. Porphyrios: "The charisma of the Great Geronda is such that the missionary work for which God called upon him in America will receive the grace of Early Christianity..."

  

"St. Porphyrios once called [a spiritual child of Elder Ephraim] and told her: "I'm very envious of Geronda Ephraim, because he has surpassed in his humility the entire calendar of the saints of our Church. I'm stuck here in a bed, and they make me out to be a saint. But Geronda Ephraim is very smart. He has made an agreement with God, that no one will understand who he is until he dies. And after his repose, then you will be overcome by fear at what you had next to you, and didn't know it."

-St. Porphyrios on the Work of Elder Ephraim of Arizona (source)

  

Elder Ephraim of Philotheou and Arizona (source)

  

Note: This coming week brings the feast of All Saints of America, along with the feast of the Nativity of the Precious Forerunner, which was also the birthday of Elder of Ephraim. The icons and hymns included in this post were created from various people out of love and thanksgiving to the Lord for Elder Ephraim of Arizona, who recently reposed in the Lord. Though this is very early to be writing icons and hymns in honor of him, this is not without precedent. St. Savas of Kalymnos, after the repose of St. Nektarios, locked himself in his cell for 40 days of prayer and contemplation, and after 40 days, exited the cell, having written the first icon of the Saint, knowing his great sanctity. This full service to St. Paisios the Athonite was written only one year after his repose, and the full service to St. Porphyrios was written and published only 7 years after his repose in the Lord, out of the great love of those who were benefited by them, and the clear indication in the hearts of the faithful of the holiness granted them by the Lord. As is widely known, the recognition of Saints in the Orthodox Church begins in the hearts of the faithful, who perceive the blessings given by Christ to the Saints who have reposed, and, with spiritual guidance, they slowly begin to not only pray for their repose, but also to honor them and ask for their prayers. Formal canonization occurs years later by the Church, as a seal of acceptance of the love and devotion of the faithful and the blessings of God.

Icon depicting St. Joseph the Hesychast (center), with two of his spiritual sons: St. Ephraim of Katounakia (right) and Elder Ephraim of Arizona (source)
  
This is included not to scandalize anyone, and if I do so, I ask your forgiveness. I include these only for the private devotional use (and of course with great discernment and at the discretion of one's spiritual guide) for those who have been benefited from Elder Ephraim's writings, his monasteries, his example, and his prayers to the Lord, and for those who may continue to ask of his prayers, as he is undoubtedly before the throne of God with all His Saints, continuing to pray on behalf of this greatly afflicted world.
  

Detail of the above icon of Elder Ephraim of Arizona (source)

  

Ύμνους εις τον Όσιο Εφραίμ της Αριζόνας
Δρ Χαραλάμπης Μ. Μπούσιας, Μέγας Υμνογράφος της των Αλεξανδρέων Εκκλησίας

Απολυτίκιον. Ήχος πλ. α΄. Τον συνάναρχον Λόγον.

Αγωγή ισαγγέλω, ευχή και δάκρυσιν, ευαρεστήσας Κυρίω, Φιλοθεΐτα Εφραίμ, προς ζωήν εκ του θανάτου μεταβέβηκας εν Αριζόντι, ασκητά, ο εν τη Αμερική εικάδος Μονών δομήτωρ,
και χάριν εύρες πρεσβεύειν υπέρ των πίστει ευφημούντων σε.

  

Κοντάκιον. Ήχος πλ. δ΄. Τη Υπερμάχω.

Τον καινιστήν Αγιωνύμου Όρους μέλψωμεν, Αμερικής ως νεαυγή ιεραπόστολον και Μονών εικάδος κτίτορα ευσχημόνως, Αριζόνος αγιάσαντα την έρημον, προσευχής καρδιακής, Εφραίμ, και νήψεως άστρον, κράζοντες· Χαίροις, Πάτερ παγκόσμιε.

  

Μεγαλυνάριον.

Χαίροις, Φιλοθέου ο προεστώς Μάνδρας, Αριζόνος και εικάδος Αμερικής, ασκητά, Σεμνείων, Εφραίμ πνευματοφόρε, δομήτωρ, Αποστόλων θείων ομόζηλε.

  

Elder Ephraim of Arizona (+2019) (source)

  

Selected Hymns in honor of Elder Ephraim of Arizona,

translated from the original Greek hymns, written by Dr. Charalampos Bousias, the Great Hymnographer of the Patriarchate of Alexandria.

  

Apolytikion in the Plagal of the First Tone. Let us worship the Word.

Through the way of your life, and your prayer and many tears, * you equaled Angels, and you were most pleasing unto the Lord, * and proceeded after death unto eternal life, * from Arizona, O Ephraim, *  Philotheou's great ascetic, founding many monasteries, * and as one having found grace, * you intercede for those who praise you with faith.

 

Kontakion in the Plagal of the Fourth Tone. O Champion General.

The Holy Mountain's great renewer, let us praise with hymns, * and missionary newly-shining to America, * and the noble founder of many monasteries, * O star of nepsis and the prayer of Jesus of the heart, * who brought holiness to Arizona's desert land, * let us cry aloud: Rejoice, O universal Father.

 

Megalynarion.

Rejoice, Philotheou's monastic guide, * who, in Arizona and America, didst build * many monasteries, adornment of ascetics, * O Spirit-bearing Ephraim, * of the Apostles, equal zeal.

(source)

  

Elder Ephraim of Arizona (+2019) (source)

  

Mosaic icon of Elder Ephraim (source)

Icon of Elder Ephraim of Arizona (source)

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

St. Luke of Crimea: The Meaning of Sorrows

Christ healing the Ten Lepers (source)

 
St. Luke of Crimea: The Meaning of Sorrows
Continuously, people ask why the Lord God sends them sorrows and many times very great trials. It is very important for every Christian to understand that our sorrows are sent according to the will of God, Who is always good and saving. Most of the time, they are not sent to us as punishments for our sins, but in order for us re-orient our paths and our hearts, or they are sent as a response to requests that we offer to God. People many times expect God to accomplish what they ask in prayers to Him in the manner that they think is best. God, however, continuously responds to our prayers in a totally different manner, and not according to how they wished or could imagine.

If they would ask, for example, for God to give them humility, they might imagine that slowly, day by day, humility would grow within their hearts under the beneficial affection of God. The Lord, however, continuously works in a different way: He sends them an unexpectedly harsh blow, which wounds their pride and their ego and which humbles them. Frequently, our God sends afflictions, and we complain and in no way think that, the majority of the times, this is a great beneficence of God, and most likely is the response of God to our prayers, with which we entreated Him to strengthen our faith.

Do you know recognize that, many times, our Lord sends us terrible bodily afflictions and wounds our body in order to strengthen us spiritually? This occurred with the Venerable Pimen the Much-suffering, who lived in asceticism in the Monastery of the [Kiev] Caves, and whose whole life was found on the bed of pain, enduring an incurable sickness, and through this manner, he reached sanctity. Other people, who give great significance to earthly goods, seek from the Lord to increase their wealth. And the Lord responds to them with the destruction of their properties with fires, and in this manner, He helps to turn them away from their attachment to earthly things and from their greed, and to correct their deviations from the correct path, which is taught to us by the Lord's Beatitudes.
  
God treats us like His true sons, whom He chastens for their good. The sorrows that are sent to us by the Lord, we must receive as St. Peter says: "Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that in due time He may exalt you." (I Peter 5:6). If we cannot, despite all our efforts, come to understand the reason that God sends us sorrows, then at least let us humble ourselves below the mighty hand of God, and He will lift us up at the proper time, in order for us to understand His paths, with which He is leading us for this reason. We must, with great humility and without the smallest complaining, accept all the trials and sorrows that are sent to us from God, having the humble conviction that, with these, God is guiding us, and not that He is pouring His wrath upon us. (Isaiah 27:4) We usually think that the Lord is angry with us, and this is why He is sending us sorrows. No. Never think that God is angry. "God is love." (I John 4:8). And perfect love is foreign to any form of injustice.
 
But many times, when our God gives us a harsh blow, through which He humbles us and then later exalts us, we complain against God. Do you understand, however, what a serious sin is complaining against God? When we complain against God, it means that we perceive Him as unjust, we perceive that He has not treated us properly and that He must act towards us in a different manner. However, is it not a serious sin to condemn God for injustice and to slander Him? See, therefore, how great a sin is complaining against God. Because of this: "Conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile." (I Peter 1:17). We must pray greatly for our mistakes and for our impediments on our path to the Kingdom of the Heavens. But even more than that, we must have fear to break that great commandment of Christ: "Judge not, that you might not be judged." (Matthew 7:1). And complaining against God is not only judging God, but also condemning Him.
  
Let us lay aside judging those unfortunate people who willingly destroy themselves, whom our Lord Jesus Christ does not correct nor chasten, because they are not able to be corrected and are incurable. We only seek His help on our path towards salvation, that we might glorify Him and ever honor Him, together with His beginningless Father and the Lord Spirit. Amen.
(source) 
  

St. Luke the Blessed Surgeon, Archbishop of Simferopol and Crimea (source)

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

Elder Nikon the Athonite on Loneliness

Christ is risen! Truly He is risen!

This is a beautiful recent talk from Elder Nikon the Athonite on the topic of loneliness, and this is particularly pertinent for our days. Not only are many, even in cities and among other people, plagued with these experiences and emotions, but this likely to be increased, as many are now in isolation due to the coronavirus pandemic. As this coming Sunday is the remembrance of Christ's healing of the Paralytic, who did not have anyone to help him until our Lord raised him from his bed, may we cleave to our Lord, our Panagia and His Saints, may we befriend them that they might always be with us, and may we be friends and neighbors to those around us, showing true love and sacrifice to our God and to His living icons around us! (source)

  

Christ is risen from the dead, by death, trampling down upon death, and to those in the tombs, He has granted life!

Truly, the Lord is risen!

Elder Vasilios of Iveron on Pascha 2020

Christ is risen! Truly He is risen!

The Resurrection of Christ (source)

"This year, the Resurrection tells us many things. If it is true what we believe, and if we are living that which we chant, that "we celebrate the death of death, the deposition of Hades, and the beginning of another, eternal life" (Canon of Pascha), then we would fear for nothing. And every single threat increases the power of the presence of the risen Lord.

"That which occurred this year with the Coronavirus is a temptation, but all temptations are transformed into blessings. We chant "let us say, O brethren, even to those who hate us." (Doxastikon of Pascha) And those who hate us are waiting for our love, and those who do not believe are waiting for the power of our faith. Therefore, if one believes, through this trial he has celebrated the best Pascha this year. In order to have the best Pascha at the time when you cannot celebrate Pascha, one must sense the power of the Risen One, and thus have community with all men.

"And while a temptation such as an illness can create problems, it can reveal the presence of the risen Lord. Amidst the messages and from within the souls of all men comes forth a consolation. The hymn of Kassiane says: "Who can recount the multitude of my sins, and the abysses of Your judgments, my soul-saving Savior?" On the one hand, there is the totality of sins and weaknesses. And on the other hand, there is an abyss of compassions, a bottomless ocean, where storms occur not just to clean out the debris that has accumulated in the lakes, but also to pour forth the element of healing.

"Therefore, the Church rejoices even more at the presence of the Risen One through this trial. And at the same time is also tested the material strength of our faith, and reveals the weakness of him who does not believe, but also, he who believes in himself and in his virtue. Therefore we have this current phenomenon. Some of the faithful--I don't know how to name them--trying to give consolation, condemn. They condemn the Church, and in essence, they reveal their own weakness. Therefore, let us thank the risen Christ, His Mother the Most-Holy Theotokos, and all the Saints who hold within them the Paradise of life.

"Let us entreat Christ to strengthen the truth of our humility, in other words, for us to sense our own weakness until our whole self is Christ. And then we can say together with the Apostle Paul: "For whether we live or die, we are with the Lord." Either we are living, or we are dead in the flesh, but our life is Christ. Therefore, "Christ is risen, and life reigns, Christ is risen, and not one dead remains in the tomb." (Paschal Homily of St. John Chrysostom) To Him belongs the glory and the might unto the ages of ages. Amen."
-Elder Vasilios (Gontikakis), former Abbot of Iveron Monastery, Mount Athos
(source)
  

Christ is risen from the death, by death, trampling down upon death, and to those in the tombs, He has granted life!

Truly the Lord is risen!

A Message of Consolation from Gerontissa Thekla of Panagia Parigoritissa Monastery, Quebec, Canada

Blessed Makrina of Portaria, at her Monastery of Panagia Odigitria, in springtime (source)

  
A Message of Consolation from Gerontissa Thekla of Panagia Parigoritissa Monastery, Quebec, Canada
Having entered the fourth week of quarantine, and in view of the coming of the Holy days of Pascha, being pressured by the stress and fear that is being imposed on us; with the pressure developing from trying to govern the monastery under such circumstances and with deep sadness filling my heart from the pain and sadness of the people around us, due to their lack of certain basic necessities but mainly due to the deprivation of the consolation and strength offered by the church attendance and the strongest medicine, Holy Communion, brought me to seclusion and prayer. I implored and I continually implore God to send His ineffable mercy to the world, to heal the sick to strengthen them, to comfort the elderly and those that are struck by loneliness and are living difficult situations.
  
I was somehow feeling guilty because we at the Monastery, at these times are comforted by the sacramental life, where on the contrary our brethren are lacking this, and I was looking for a way to comfort them. Then I heard a voice telling me; “Remember what you used to do?” Then, as if my mind opened, I saw and believe me, I relived (in feeling) those unique moments.
  
When I first entered the Monastery in 1975 (forty five years ago), it was at a time that the Holy Monastery of Philotheou on Mount Athos did not number many monks and there were very few priests. Therefore there were not enough priests to serve the Metochia. Our Monastery was a Metochi (dependence) of the Monastery of Philotheou, so for many years we did not have a priest to serve our needs. Someone would come, (very rarely), throughout the year, but never on Great Feasts: i.e. the Nativity of Christ, Pascha, Annunciation, Pentecost…, we were always left on these holy days with no priest.
  
If such a situation would take place at a Parish, the parishioners would complain, would yell, use indecent words, maybe even curse and the only one happy from all of this would be the “tempter” with his angels.
  
For us it would be the opposite. We would fast as if preparing for Holy Communion, we would gather together in our chapel which was an extension to a hallway, (¼ of the size of our Monastery’s church here). We would read the services and at the end, our Most Holy Gerondissa Makrina would “commune” us by giving us Great Holy Water and Holy Bread. She would always counsel us that, “If we would be as we should be spiritually, then it is possible noetically to receive Holy Communion from Holy Angels, just like we have read many times in the lives of the Saints.”
  
Believe me, back then we lived many heavenly moments which we never encountered again even after when we had a permanent priest and would serve forty day liturgies. Now I realize that due to the deprivation but also to the great zeal and patience we had, the Lord would bless us with grace that accompanies martyrdom.
  
The chapel would be fragrant as if someone had sprinkled it all over with myrrh. Our eyes would stream with endless tears. Our heart would leap from the Grace of God. On the days that we supposedly “communed”, without even realizing it, we would speak softly because we felt as if we had partaken in some sacred ceremony. Saying the prayer, our mouth would taste as if we had taken a very fragrant candy. We would feel the presence of Holy Communion, even though we had not received it, and throughout the day we would be cautious not to spit, nor chew gum and throw it out. So great was the sense of the presence of Holy Communion. No matter what I write, it is not possible to describe the feeling of Christ’s grace that we lived back in those days of deprivation, because there are not words to express this. A few years later, at the Holy Monastery of Philotheou, the number of priests grew and we no longer had a problem needing a priest; everything found its place in our monastery.
  
After 19 years, when obedience brought myself and sister Ephraimia here to Canada, we again encountered the same problem; the lack of priests. For 7 years, our Monastery did not have a priest. But now it was not so bad because the priests here had the order from the Archbishop to come during the week and serve the Divine Liturgy, so that we would commune. However, again Saturdays and Sundays and feast days we would not have a priest. The priests had to serve at their own parishes and communities. So, we would read the services, on our own, decorate the icons, the Cross for the Elevation of the Holy Cross, and for the Sunday of the veneration of the Cross during Great Lent; we would bring out the Lord’s Cross on Holy Thursday; and we would try to raise the morale of the young novices, who had complete inexperience of these things.
  
These, along with so many more are now a wealth of experiences that exists inside of us and whenever it is needed we open the “treasure box” of experiences and we choose whatever is needed depending on the circumstance.
  
Then suddenly, as if my nous opened and I relived all of this spiritual state very intensely, as it being an answer to my prayer; the message being that whoever prepares themselves with humility, without grumbling and protesting, but with much prayer and faith in the Providence of God, and receives Holy water and Holy Bread in replacement of Holy Communion and contemplates that theoretically “God did not permit me to receive Holy Communion, as being “unworthy and unprepared”, then this person will be filled by God’s grace of endurance of martyrdom, of which Saint Luke the doctor would say: “I loved much the grace of martyrdom, which so wonderfully cleanses the soul”.
  
The tempter wanted to close the churches; let us make our homes into churches. He shut 11 churches; let us open 11 thousand. May each home become a church; let prayer be raised like a torch of fire towards heaven; let the incense fragrance all the neighbourhoods; may the candle and the vigil lamp always be lit. Let us attend the services through electronic correspondence, praying together, and not lying down, or eating, or smoking. If we do this, instead of closing down the churches, they will grow and spread and whole cities will become churches. Then God will give His blessing, and seeing our repentance and our faith He will cast away this evil plague and give us the freedom along with our churches to live many years working for Him.
  
I wish you a Blessed Holy week, a spiritual ascent, a double well-being of spirit and soul, patience and unwavering trust in God’s Providence, so that the light of the Resurrection will shine forth in our hearts and replenish us with the gifts of the Most Holy Spirit. Amen.
“Blessed and Bright Resurrection!”
With infinite love in Christ
Τhe least in Christ,
Abbess Thekla & the sisters
(source)
  

The Holy Monastery of Panagia Parigoritissa, Quebec, Canada (source)

  

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

Photios Kontoglou: "Blessed is He Who comes in the name of the Lord"

Christ raising Lazarus, by Photios Kontoglou (source)

  
Photios Kontoglou: "Blessed is He Who comes in the name of the Lord"
He Whose throne is heaven, and Whose footstool is the earth, the Son of God and His Logos, Who is eternal with Him, today humbles Himself, and comes to Bethany on a little donkey.

And the children of the Hebrews received Him, crying out: "Hosanna in the highest, blessed is He Who comes, the King of Israel."

The warlords of the world, when they would finish a war and threw down their enemies, they would return glorified, and sitting on golden chariots to enter their city. Before them would go the trumpets and flags and brave generals and a multitude of soldiers, covered with iron armor and bearing weapons around a chariot that was filled with many pieces of armor and swords and spears that remained from the conquered nation.

Similar things like these were the great nails that they used in the Crucifixion of our Savior Jesus Christ!

All of these warriors were iron-clad like wild beasts, their heads locked within fearsome helmets, their spears and hairy hands were bloodied from war, their strong legs walked proudly and stretched, like a lion that tore apart a deer with its claws and stretches with roars and frightens the world.

Later would come the golden chariot of the warlord, where he would sit on a throne, adorned with precious stones, proud, haughty, fearsome, who could not be looked upon in the eye without averting one's gaze, carrying his terrible scepter, whose every movement of his command was an order, without opening the mouth of the one holding it.

Horses on that day, were harnessed to that chariot, with gold-embroidered straps with carousels and they also walked pompously and proudly like the humans. A beautiful girl, like a fairy, was decorated, holding a golden crown above the head of the champion, and other girls and boys tossed incense and other spices in great censers shaped like candelabras.

Behind them came the men and women who were taken as slaves, who were sick and wounded, and they were being dragged by the soldiers who struck them.

As much glory as the people had in front, so much disdain and misfortune had those who followed behind. They were bound with ropes and chains, many were pierced, tattered, wounded, jaundiced and half-dead, from their martyrdoms and from their vigils. Many were half-naked and their backs were darkened from the whips. Among them were women, ashamed virgins, stolen mothers with their innocent children in their hands, elderly who were holding on to their grandchildren by the hand, all traumatized like lamps going to the marketplace. Around them, the world grew insane and cried out, glorifying the victor, with many mouths foaming. A cry rose like smoke above the whole city. This scene, they called a "triumph."

One such triumph is performed today by Christ, the Price of Peace and of Love. However, He has changed all the rest and turned it upside down from what men were used to, and thus, His triumph is the triumph of poverty and humility.

The Roman ruler was seated upon a throne and golden chariot, but Christ is seated on a little donkey, possibly among the most humble and disdained among the animals.

And He Himself was humble, meek, silent, poorly-dressed, as the Prophecy which says: "Say to the daughter of Zion: Behold your King is coming, meek and having salvation is He, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey." (Zachariah 9:9) His hand had never held a scepter, but blessed the world. He Himself is returning from war, but a war much more difficult to win, a war against evil and falsehood and hypocrisy and love of money.

And He was not going to rest from that war, but was going to begin another, even harder, to be crowned with a crown of thorns, and to be beaten and to mocked, and in the end, to be nailed upon a Cross like an evil-doer.

He was not surrounded by wild servants, but by innocent fishermen, who were disdained like Him. And He neither carried behind Him slaves that He tyrannized, but men whom He freed from the slavery of the Devil, and the dead whom He had raised through His voice.

They did not blare trumpets and drums to glorify Him, but innocent children, which symbolized the simplicity which Christians have, cried out: "Blessed is He Who comes", and instead of holding flags waved the green branches of trees. Verdant branches and clothes strewn on the road for the donkey to walk over.

And this blessed donkey, with a bowed head, humble, ignorant, bore Christ Who was sitting on its back, Whom the fiery six-winged Seraphim stand about with fear. He was not carried by a golden chariot, nor a prized stallion, nor even a seat held by others, but by a little donkey. What eye does not shed a tear and is not astonished by this mystery!

Christ overturned what sinful man saw regarding what is right and true. Who, however, is in the position to sense the freedom which He brings us, and would follow the donkey, and not the fine horses that glow proudly, which enter Rome with many idols, instead of entering together into the kingdom of Peace, the Jerusalem on high?

Many "serious" people, one could say, did not understand this, saying that the children where childish, and the men were manly. The same was said by the high priests, men of authority: But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying out in the temple, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” they were indignant;  and they said to him, “Do you hear what these are saying?” And Jesus said to them, “Yes; have you never read, ‘Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast brought perfect praise’?” And leaving them, he went out of the city to Bethany and lodged there." (Matthew 21:15-17)

The chief priests and the scribes had read the Psalm of David which said how the Christ would be met by the babes and they did not believe Him Whom they hymned. And if we have read today's Gospel and the Psalm and what Christ said to the Hebrews, would we not be judged more strictly than if we had not believed Him? Our vanity and our pride prevent us from going along His poor path, and we are ashamed to follow a leader Who is riding upon a donkey. We don't want the humble, the poor. Can one become a Christian who does not love that which Christ loved?

Yesterday, Saturday, He raised a dead man, Lazaros. Who was this Lazaros? Was he a notable, famous person? Lazaros was a poor villager, but as the Gospel says, he was a friend of Christ, Who would have all men as His friends.

The Gospel notes that Christ had a friend in the world, and that he was poor and unlearned. But who among us loves this rich poverty of Christ? Where Christ is missing, there is the true poverty, because where Christ is missing, there is also missing true life and death rules. This you would understand well if you look around you and ponder. Where are those almighty Roman leaders who made their triumphant entry, as we described above?  What happened to them, and the myriads that worshiped them and knelt before them like the reeds before the north wind? Who brings to mind those who wrote the history of that time?

Bodies, souls, thrones, diamonds, horses, pride, horrors, voices, all fell into a pit and were lost and extinguished as if they had never been drunk. And what is left of all this in people's hearts? Nothing and even less than nothing.

But man is unfaithful even to what he sees and what he grasps with his hands, and he pulls the path that they have taken, and he happily drags Nero's chariot, because "his neck is iron." His ears are pricked by Him Who says: "I am God, the first and the last, I am. I nourish my sheep and I will give them rest." He Who was sitting upon the donkey, it is He Who remains alive within simple souls unto the ages, and is for them a source of nourishment, a source of immortality, joy and delight, according to the words that say: "The heart of those who seek the Lord shall rejoice."

Yes, whoever senses the joy of Christ, is like that dead man [Lazaros] who was raised. There are many kinds of pain in the world. Those who suffer in body and soul, their pain cleanses them and takes them to God, and these are the beloved ones of Christ and walk in His army with His consoling light. The others suffer futily. That is why the Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians: "Now I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting; for you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us.  For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation and brings no regret, but worldly grief produces death." (2 Corinthians 7:9-10).

For those who hope in God, Christ transforms their futile sweat into sweat of salvation "a refreshing sweat", but we mourn and are pained in every way like the idolaters, slaughtered by the knives of fate. They did not allow their sweat of agony to become transformed into sweat of prayer and hope.

Whoever does not believe in Christ and in the Gospel is dead, as no true life exists within him. Because life does not mean to breath and to walk and to eat and drink, but to sense the grace of immortality. Then, one can chant together with that exceptional hymn that is the Apolytikion:

"By raising Lazarus from the dead before Your passion, You did confirm the universal Resurrection, O Christ God! Like the children with the palms of victory,  we cry out to You, O Vanquisher of death; Hosanna in the Highest! Blessed is He that comes in the Name of the Lord!

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Christ entering Jerusalem on Palm Sunday (source)

  

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

Excerpts from St. John of the Ladder on Illness

Christ healing the paralytic (source)

  

"When we see one of our athletes in Christ in bodily suffering and infirmity, let us not maliciously seek to learn the explanation of his illness, but rather with simple and genuine love let us try to heal him as though he were part of our own body, and as a fellow warrior wounded in the fray.

"Sickness is sometimes for the cleansing of sins, and sometimes to humble our mind.

"All that happens to us, seen or unseen, can be taken by us in a good or a passionate or some middle disposition. I saw three brethren punished: one was angry, one suppressed his grief, but the third reaped the fruit of great joy."
-St. John of the Ladder

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St. John Climacus (source)

  

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

St. Gregory Palamas: "For He is the jubilation of the righteous, the joy of the upright, the gladness of the humble..."

St. Gregory Palamas (source)

  
“Prayer changes from entreaty to thanksgiving, and meditation on the divine truths of faith fills the heart with a sense of jubilation and unimpeachable hope. This hope is a foretaste of future blessings, of which the soul even now receives direct experience, and so it comes to know in part the surpassing richness of God’s bounty, in accordance with the Psalmist’s words, ‘Taste and know that the Lord is bountiful’ (Ps. 34:8). For He is the jubilation of the righteous, the joy of the upright, the gladness of the humble, and the solace of those who grieve because of Him.”
–St. Gregory Palamas, The Philokalia Vol. 4

(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: "Where you kneel and make prostrations, there the feet of Christ are”.

Elder Ephraim of Katounakia (+1998) (source)

  

"I was making some prostrations once, when the following thought occurred to me: “Where you kneel and make prostrations, there the feet of Christ are”. I instantly fell to the floor and started kissing the ground where Christ had stepped. I literally kissed it. These things come by themselves, you cannot provoke them. This is grace, my brother."

-Elder Ephraim of Katounakia (+1998)

 

(source)

  

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