If you have transgressed […], and have sinned, do not despair. But at that very moment, confess your sin and fall down with humility before the compassionate eyes of God and ask mercy with the voice of the publican, “God be merciful to me a sinner!” (Lk. 18:13), and your sins will be forgiven you. […]
Month: February 2013
Worldly Distractions
All the labour and all the care of our adversary consists in trying to divert our thought from the remembrance of God and from love for Him. To this end he uses the charm of the world, and draws us away from the true good to false, unreal goods. St. Makarios the Great
The Path to Peace
To die to one’s neighbor is this: To bear your own faults and not to pay attention to anyone else wondering whether they are good or bad. Do no harm to anyone, do not think anything bad in your heart towards anyone, do not scorn the man who does evil, do not put confidence in […]
Joyfully Giving to the Poor
Why do you complain of giving something to the poor? Why do you display bad temper in the practice of almsgiving? If they see you in that frame of mind, the poor would prefer to refuse your gift. If you give with a brusque demeanour, you are not being generous but lacking gentleness and courtesy. […]
The World’s Longing for God
We long for absolute good and absolute peace with all our heart. In reality, we long for God. God is life, God is love; He is peace and joy. In our hearts we long for God, but in our thoughts we oppose Him. As we said, Satan believes and trembles, yet he opposes God. Likewise, […]
Lots of Prayer and Few Words
Pray, and when you have to, speak to your children with love. Lots of prayer and few words for everyone. We mustn’t become an annoyance, but rather pray secretly and then speak, and God will let us know in our hearts whether the other have accepted what we have said. If not, we won’t speak. […]
Saint Gorgonia, Who Died in Peace
Saint Gorgonia, the elder sister of Saint Gregory the Theologian (25 Jan.), was the daughter of Saint Gregory Nazianzen the Elder (1 Jan.) and of Saint Nonna (5 Aug.). Growing up at Nazianzus and possessed of the same zeal for the Faith as her parents, she always regarded the heavenly Jerusalem as her true homeland, […]
Orthodox Marriage & Its Misunderstanding
The love that exists between a man and a woman is an important theme in many books of Scripture. The Book of Genesis, in particular, tells us of holy and pious couples, such as Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebecca, Jacob and Rachel. A special blessing, bestowed on these couples by the Lord, was made […]
Your Angel is Always Present
When you close the door to your dwelling and are alone, you should know that there is present with you the angel whom God has appointed for each man… This angel, who is sleepless and cannot be deceived, is always present with you; he sees all things and is not hindered by darkness. You should […]
Parish Bulletin – February 24, 2013
SUNDAY OF THE PUBLICAN AND THE PHARISEE THE FIRST AND SECOND FINDINGS OF THE HONORABLE HEAD OF THE HOLY GLORIOUS PROPHET, FORERUNNER AND BAPTIST JOHN TONE 5 2 Timothy 3:10-15, 2 Corinthians 4:6-15 Luke 18:10-14, Matthew 11:2-15 Choir Director: Veronika Welcome We welcome you to the Orthodox Church. Please feel at ease and free to […]