Daily prayer is the foundation of a spiritual life in Christ. We pray in the morning and the evening and throughout the day, with an aim for our entire life to be one of prayer. Saint Seraphim places the emphasis on saying the Jesus Prayer.
Saint Seraphim says,
Those who have truly decided to serve the Lord God should practice the remembrance of God and uninterrupted prayer to Jesus Christ, mentally saying: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner... By such exercises in preserving oneself from dispersion and keeping peace of conscience one may draw near to God and be united to Him. The daily practice of the Jesus Prayer involves numerous disciplined repetitions of this short but all powerful prayer. As we practice it, our mind is reshaped, our thoughts are tamed, our soul's orientation is pointed towards God, and prayer is always on our lips.
Saint John Chrysostom says,
"Prayer is a great weapon, a rich treasure, a wealth that is never exhausted, an undisturbed refuge, a cause of tranquility, the root of a multitude of blessings and their source and mother"
In prayer we lift ourselves above our thoughts. It is our thoughts that destroy prayer. The main struggle in prayer is not to allow our thoughts to take away our prayer.
Saint Seraphim says,
One must always strive to give oneself up to dispersion of thoughts: for through this the soul turns away from remembrance of God and love of Him...
This is how we get the benefit from prayer, by controlling our thoughts. And it is by regular prayer where we learn to concentrate on God that we learn to control our thoughts.
Saint Seraphim says,
When the mind and the heart are united in prayer and the soul's thoughts are not dispersed, the heart is warmed by spiritual warmth in which the light of Christ shines, making the whole inner man peaceful. This is our aim, to be united with God.
http://agapienxristou.blogspot.ca/2013/05/the-work-of-prayer.html
Τον Χριστό να τον αισθανόμαστε σαν φίλο μας. Είναι φίλος μας.
Το βεβαιώνει ο ίδιος, όταν λέει: «Εσείς είστε φίλοι μου ...» (Ιω. 15,14).
Σαν φίλο να τον ατενίζομε και να τον πλησιάζομε. Πέφτομε; Αμαρτάνομε;
Με οικειότητα, με αγάπη κι εμπιστοσύνη να τρέχομε κοντά του. όχι με φόβο ότι θα μας τιμωρήσει αλλά με θάρρος, που θα μας το δίδει η αίσθηση του φίλου.
Να του πούμε: «Κύριε, το έκανα, έπεσα, συγχώρεσέ με». Αλλά συγχρόνως να αισθανόμαστε ότι μας αγαπάει, ότι μας δέχεται τρυφερά, με αγάπη και μας συγχωρεί.
Να μη μας χωρίζει απ' τον Χριστό η αμαρτία. Όταν πιστεύουμε ότι μας αγαπάει και τον αγαπάμε, δεν θα αισθανόμαστε ξένοι και χωρισμένοι απ' Αυτόν, ούτε όταν αμαρτάνουμε. Έχουμε εξασφαλίσει την αγάπη Του κι όπως και να φερθούμε, ξέρομε ότι μας αγαπάει.
Αγιος Πορφύριος
The remembrance of death is a daily death; and the remembrance of our departure is an hourly sighing or groaning.
Fear of death is a property of nature that comes from disobedience, but trembling at death is a sign of unrepented sins.
St. John Climacus
- Elder, I am struck by the courage of the Myrrhbearers.
- The Myrrhbearers had great trust in Christ, they were in a spiritual state, which is why they spared nothing. This is why they were worthy to hear from the Angel the joyous news of the Resurrection.
- Elder, how can we live the joy of the Resurrection?
- We should cultivate joyful mourning, in order for true joy to come to us. If we live Holy Week with reverence and solemnity, we will live with spiritual jubilation and divine joy the Holy Resurrection.
- Elder, is it natural to not feel much joy on the night of the Resurrection?
- Yes, it's natural. Because the feeling of sorrow is greater than the feeling of joy, we cannot in one day get over this condition of the soul. However, slowly-slowly, during Renewal Week, which is like one paschal day, the pain of Holy Week departs and the soul is filled with resurrection joy.
- Why, Elder, in some monasteries do they do a litany on the Second or Third day of Pascha?
- To scatter Paschal joy.
During Renewal Week everything is beat together - bells, simandra, and the heart pounds strongly with living the "It is the day of Resurrection...."
I pray that you always rejoice with spiritual jubilation, with continuous joy, and with an inner sweet excitement.
http://agapienxristou.blogspot.ca/2013/05/elder-paisios-on-joy-of-resurrection.html
Πόσο ευτυχισμένοι είμαστε εμείς οι ορθόδοξοι χριστιανοί! Τι Θεό έχουμε! Είναι αξιολύπητοι όσοι δεν γνώρισαν το Θεό. Αυτοί δεν βλέπουν το αιώνιο φως, και μετά το θάνατο πορεύονται στο αιώνιο σκοτάδι. Αυτό το ξέρουμε, γιατί το Άγιο Πνεύμα πληροφορεί μέσα στην Εκκλησία τους αγίους για το τι υπάρχει στον ουρανό και τι στον άδη.
Ω, πόσο αξιολύπητοι είναι οι πλανεμένοι άνθρωποι! Αυτοί δεν μπορούν να ξέρουν τι είναι η αληθινή χαρά. Μερικές φορές διασκεδάζουν και γελούν, αλλά το γέλιο και η απόλαυση, που δοκιμάζουν, θα μεταβληθούν σε θρήνο και θλίψη. Δική μας χαρά είναι ο Χριστός. Με τα πάθη Του μας έγραψε στο βιβλίο της ζωής, και στη βασιλεία των ουρανών θα είμαστε αιώνια με το Θεό και θα βλέπουμε τη δόξα Του και θα ευφραινόμαστε μαζί Του. Η χαρά μας είναι το Άγιο Πνεύμα. Είναι τόσο γλυκό και ευχάριστο! Αυτό μαρτυρεί στην ψυχή για τη σωτηρία.
Όσιος Σιλουανός Αθωνίτης
http://agapienxristou.blogspot.ca/2013/05/blog-post_2.html
On Great and Holy Saturday the Church contemplates the mystery of the Lord's descent into Hades, the place of the dead. Death, our ultimate enemy, is defeated from within.
"He (Christ) gave Himself as a ransom to death in which we were held captive, sold under sin. Descending into Hades through the Cross ... He loosed the bonds of death" (Liturgy of St. Basil).Hades is a place of captivity, where souls are held in bondage because of sin. But, by receiving the soul of Christ, Hades is no longer a place of captivity for its bonds were destroyed and death itself is overcome. Hades has become for the faithful an irrelevant place, the dwelling place only for Satan and his demons,
On this Sabbath Jesus Christ in the tomb was changing the tomb from a place of death into a source of life. Likewise His soul was destroying Hades, and leading the souls of the righteous out of that place of bondage into the eternal freedom of the Kingdom of heaven.
Let's ask ourselves: Are we alive in Christ? Despite the daily difficulties, the traumas and tragedies, the abiding presence of sickness and aging, the reality of death and hell, and all the distress of our human condition, can we say we are at peace in Christ?
He can be with us in the face of all sorrows if we walk in His way — if we follow Him out of Hades, out of the bondage to sin. He will overcome all sorrow for us, if we walk with Him and keep His commandments. On Wednesday we have the service of Holy Unction because it emphasizes the expectation of Pascha: the resurrection, redemption and sanctification of all life. The purpose of Holy Unction is healing and forgiveness. It allows a person to share in the victory of Christ and raise him to the level of God's kingdom. It assures us of the spiritual power of the sacraments of the Church so that our trials of physical and spiritual sickness can be carried with courage and hope. it helps us to realize how fragile human life really is and how dependent we are on God. In this sacrament we are sanctified and united to the sufferings of Christ which we will witness in the coming days.
Great Saturday is the day between Jesus' death and His resurrection. It is the day of watchful expectation, in which mourning is being transformed into joy.
The hymnographer of the Church has penetrated the profound mystery, and helps us to understand it through the following poetic dialogue that he has devised between Jesus and His Mother:
Weep not for me, O Mother, beholding in the sepulcher the Son whom thou hast conceived without seed in thy womb. For I shall rise and shall be glorified, and as God I shall exalt in everlasting glory those who magnify thee with faith and love.
"O Son without beginning, in ways surpassing nature was I blessed at Thy strange birth, for I was spared all travail. But now beholding Thee, my God, a lifeless corpse, I am pierced by the sword of bitter sorrow. But arise, that I may be magnified."
"By mine own will the earth covers me, O Mother, but the gatekeepers of hell tremble as they see me, clothed in the bloodstained garment of vengeance: for on the Cross as God have I struck down mine enemies, and I shall rise again and magnify thee."
"Let the creation rejoice exceedingly, let all those born on earth be glad: for hell, the enemy, has been despoiled. Ye women, come to meet me with sweet spices: for I am delivering Adam and Eve with all their offspring, and on the third day I shall rise again."
http://orthodoxwayoflife.blogspot.ca/2010/04/descent-into-hades.html
Αυτή η κολώνα της εισόδου του Ναού της Αναστάσεως στα Ιεροσόλυμα, παραμένει σιωπηλός αλλά εύγλωττος μάρτυρας του μεγάλου θαύματος.
Πρόκειται για το θαυμαστό γεγονός που συνέβη την εποχή που οι ’ραβες κατέλαβαν τα Ιεροσόλυμα (1547 μ.Χ.) και τους Αγίους Τόπους. Την εποχή που τούρκος διοικητής ήταν ο Μουράτ IV και πατριάρχης Ιεροσολύμων ο Σοφρώνιος Β΄.
Τότε οι Αρμένιοι αιρετικοί, που από χρόνια έψαχναν ευκαιρία να "βάλουν χέρι" στα Ιερά προσκυνήματα και μάλιστα στον Πανάγιο Τάφο και να "βγάλουν" αυτοί το ’γιο Φως, δωροδόκησαν τον τούρκο διοικητή να δώσει διαταγή να παραμείνουν οι Ορθόδοξοι εκτός ναού το Μ.Σάββατο κατά την τελετή αφής του Αγίου Φωτός! Και το πέτυχαν…
Αυτό έφερε μεγάλη λύπη στους Ορθοδόξους που συνέρρευσαν από όλα τα μέρη του κόσμου για να προσκυνήσουν και να δουν το γεγονός. Όλοι περίμεναν έξω από το Ναό και προσευχόταν με θέρμη στο Θεό να τους δώσει το ’γιο Φως και να δώσει διέξοδο στην κρίση. Την ίδια στιγμή ο μουεζίνης από το διπλανό μιναρέ παρακολουθούσε με περιέργεια την εξέλιξη των πραγμάτων.
Όταν λοιπόν οι Ορθόδοξοι με τον Πατριάρχη προσευχόταν έξω από το Ναό, το πρωί εκείνο του Μ. Σαββάτου του 1547, το ’γιο Φως ξεπήδησε από την κολώνα της εισόδου όπου στεκόταν και από τότε η κολώνα είναι ανοιγμένη και καπνισμένη! Έτσι οι Ορθόδοξοι άναψαν τις λαμπάδες τους, ενώ οι Αρμένιοι έφυγαν ντροπιασμένοι και δεν τόλμησαν έκτοτε να αξιώσουν το προνόμιο αυτό.
Ο μουσουλμάνος μουεζίνης που είδε το θαύμα μπροστά στα μάτια τόσων ανθρώπων, πήδησε από τη χαρά του από το μιναρέ και ομολόγησε πίστη στο Θεό των Χριστιανών. Αυτό είχε σαν αποτέλεσμα να μαθευτεί το γεγονός μεταξύ των μουσουλμάνων που το θεώρησαν προδοσία της δικής του πίστης και όρμησαν και τον αποκεφάλισαν. Αυτό ορίζει εξ άλλου ο ισλαμικός νόμος! Έτσι έγινε και μάρτυρας της πίστεως και οι χριστιανοί περιμάζεψαν το λείψανό του που σώζεται μέχρι σήμερα στην Ιερά Μονή Μεγάλης Παναγίας.
The miracle of the Holy Fire at Sepulshre church, Jerusalem, 1547
Another proof of the authenticity of the Orthodox faith
At the Great Gates themselves, on the left side, stands a column made out of marble with a fissure from which the grace, that is, the Holy Fire, came forth
Let me tell you about this: At the Great Gates themselves, on the left side, stands a column made out of marble with a fissure from which the grace, that is, the Holy Fire, came forth. This column is honored by Orthodox as well as non-Orthodox, and even the Armenians. I would like to write a little about this incident, how the Orthodox Eastern Christians unanimously speak of it and the Turks themselves confirm it. In the wall there is an inscribed marble slab, and they say that this very incident is written on it; but we could not read it because it is written in Syrian letters, in the Arab tongue; and I only heard about it, but did not read it. But the incident happened something like this: At one time when the Greeks were completely oppressed by the Turkish yoke, some rich Armenians took it into their heads to force the Greeks out of the Holy Sepulchre and out of the Church of the Resurrection. They gathered a large sum of money and bribed the Ottoman Porte and all the Jerusalem authorities, assuring the unbelievers that the Holy Fire comes forth not simply for the sake of the Greeks, but for all Christians, and "if we Armenians are there, we also will receive it!" And the Turks, who are greedy for money, accepted the bribe and therefore did as the Armenians wished, and they affirmed that only the Armenians would be allowed to receive the Holy Fire. The Armenians rejoiced greatly and wrote to all their lands and to their faithful, that more of them should go on a pilgrimage. And a great multitude of them did come. Holy Saturday approached: the Armenians all gathered in the church, and the Turkish army drove the poor Greeks out. Oh, what unspeakable grief and sorrow filled the Greeks! There was only one comfort for them — the Grave of the Saviour, and they were being kept away from it, and the Holy Gates were locked to them! The Armenians were inside the church and the Orthodox were on the streets. The Armenians were rejoicing and the Greeks were weeping. The Armenians were celebrating and the Greeks were bitterly lamenting!
The Orthodox stood opposite the Holy Gates on the court and around them stood the Turkish army, watching so that there would not be a fight. The Patriarch himself with all the rest stood there with candles, hoping that they would at least receive the Fire from the Armenians through the window. But the Lord wished to dispose things in a different way, and to manifest His true Faith with a fiery finger and comfort His true servants, the humble Greeks. The time had already come when the Holy Fire issues forth, but nothing happened. The Armenians were frightened and began to weep, and ask God that He send them the Fire; but the Lord did not hear them.
Already a half hour had passed and more, and still no Holy Fire. The day was clear and beautiful; the Patriarch sat to the right side. All of a sudden there was a clap of thunder, and on the left side the middle marble column cracked and out of the fissure a flame of fire came forth. The Patriarch arose and lit his candles and all the Orthodox Christians lit theirs from his. Then all rejoiced, and the Orthodox Arabs from Jordan began to skip and cry out, "Thou art our one God, Jesus Christ; one is our True Faith, that of the Orthodox Christians!" And they began to run about all of Jerusalem and raise a din, and to shout all over the city. And to this day they still do this in memory of the incident and they jump and shout, running around the Holy Sepulchre, and they praise the one true God, Jesus Christ, and bless the Orthodox Faith. Beholding this wonder, the Turkish army, which was standing around on guard, was greatly amazed and terrified. From amongst them one named Omir, who was standing at the St. Abraham’s Monastery on guard, immediately believed in Christ and shouted, "One is the true God, Jesus Christ; one is the true faith, that of the Orthodox Christians!" And he jumped down to the Christians from a height of more than 35 feet. His feet landed on the solid marble as if though on soft wax.
And to this day one can see his footprints imprinted as though in wax, although the non-Orthodox tried to erase them. I saw them with my own eyes and felt them with my own hands. And the column with the fissure still bears the scorch marks. As for Omir the soldier, having jumped down, he took his weapon and thrust it into the stone as though into soft wax, and began to glorify Christ unceasingly. For this, the Turks beheaded him and burned his body; the Greeks gathered up his bones, put them into a case and took them to the Convent of the Great Panagia, where they gush forth fragrance until this day. The Armenians in the Holy Sepulchre received nothing and were left only with their shame. The Pasha of Jerusalem and other Turkish authorities were greatly displeased with them and wanted to slaughter them all, but they feared the Sultan. They only punished them heavily: they say that they made each one to eat dung as he left the church. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Written by hieromonc Parthenius
http://agapienxristou.blogspot.ca/2013/05/1547-miracle-of-holy-fire-at-sepulcre.html
