IS A DEMOCRACY THE BEST FORM OF GOVERNMENT?

"So all generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations, and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations, and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations."  Matthew 1:17

In his homily on this verse, St. Chrysostom succinctly states, "He has divided all the generations into three portions, to indicate that not even when their form of government was changed did they become better, but alike under an aristocracy, and under a king, and under an oligarchy, they were in the same evil ways, and whether popular leaders, or priests, or kings controlled them, it was no advantage to them in the way of virtue"

St. Chrysostom goes on to say that Matthew was showing us this genealogy, "in order that from everything His coming may be shown to be necessary."

Considering these words makes one wonder, "Will a democracy fare any better?"  When Christ does finally return, it will be with but one breath of His mouth that all the kingdoms of the world will perish and that one kingdom that shall last forever will once and for all time be established. O Lord Jesus, come quickly!

BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD

Don't turn away from this; it's reality, it's humanity, it's the consequences of our brokenness.  No man is an island; we are all connected and if we think we can turn away, walk on the other side of the street, or be distracted with the evening news, the most recent movie release or another thriller novel; it will only prolong what we need to face right now.  If we avoid suffering, if we cover up the unpleasantness, the pain, the heartache; what good will it do? If will only prolong the inevitable. Jesus didn't turn away and in His strength we needn't turn away either.  Our modern culture hides from death, from deformity, from ugliness and all that is real.  We want the plastic, the sterile, the painted and the digitized for it covers up the sin, the brokenness,  the aching heart and reality of what we as a human race have done to ourselves.  God have mercy on us and O Lord Jesus, come quickly and rescue us!

ORTHODOX CHURCH OF JAPAN NEEDS OUR HELP!

METROPOLITAN DANIEL ENTHRONED IN THE YEAR 2000

As of this writing, it is known that at least 4 out of 150 Orthodox churches in the country have been completely destroyed, some damaged, others severely.   Parishioners are missing but fortunately, no clergymen are yet known to have perished. Once again, the Lord God, through tragedy, provides us with an opportunity to do His work and rush to the aid of the unfortunate. We ask your help in raising funds for the suffering Orthodox Christians in Japan. (From the ROCA website)

The Iversk Icon of the Mother of God

      The Iversk Icon of the Mother of God (which at present is preserved on Athos) was in the IX Century situated with a certain pious widow, living near Nicea. During the time of the emperor Theophilos, the Iconoclasts in their attempts to abolish the veneration of holy icons, came to the house of this Christian, and one of the soldiers struck the image of the Mother of God with a spear. Where it was struck, there immediately flowed out blood. The widow, fearing its destruction, promised the imperial soldiers money and implored them not to touch the icon until morning. When the soldiers departed, the woman together with her son (later to be an Athos monk), sent the holy icon away upon the sea to preserve it. The icon, standing upon the water, floated off to Athos. The Athos monks, having for several days seen a fiery pillar rising up to the heavens upon the sea, came down to the shore and found there the holy image, standing upon the waters. After a molieben of thanksgiving for the monastery having been granted the holy image that thus had appeared, a pious monk of the Iveria monastery had a sleep vision in which the Mother of God appeared to him and gave him orders, and so he went to the water and taking up the holy icon he placed it in the church. On the following day, however, the icon was found not within the church, but on the gates of the monastery. This was repeated several times, until the MostHoly Mother of God revealed to Saint Gabriel Her will, saying, that She did not want the icon as something protected by the monks, but rather She intended to be their Protectress. After this, the image was installed atop the monastery gates. And therefore this icon came to be called "Portal–Keeper" or "Gate-Keeper" 

ENCOURAGING WORDS IN THE FINAL DAYS OF THE GREAT FAST - THE MONK JOHN OF THE LADDER (CLIMATICUS)

 "The content of one of the steps of "The Ladder" (the 22nd) discusses the ascetic deed of the destruction of vainglory. The monk John writes: "Vanity springs out in front of each virtue. When, for example, I keep a fast – I am given over to vanity, and when I in concealing the fasting from others permit myself food, I am again given over to vanity – by my prudence. Dressing up in bright clothing, I am vanquished by love of honour and, having changed over into drab clothing – I am overcome by vanity. If I stand up to speak – I fall under the power of vanity. If I wish to keep silence, I am again given over to it. Wherever this thorn comes up, it everywhere stands with its points upwards. It is vainglorious..., on the surface to honour God, and in deed to strive to please people rather than God... People of lofty spirit bear insult placidly and willingly, but to hear praise and feel nothing of pleasure is possible only for the saints and for the unblameworthy... When thou hearest, that thy neighbour or friend either afront the eyes or behind the eyes slandereth thee, praise and love him... Does this not shew humility, and who can reproach himself, and be intolerant with himself? But who, having been discredited by another, would not diminish in his love for him... Whoever is exalted by natural gifts – a felicitous mind, a fine education, reading, pleasant elocution and other similar qualities, which are readily enough acquired, that person might yet never obtain to supernatural gifts. Wherefore whoever is not faithful in the small things, that one also is not faithful in the large, and is vainglorous. It often happens, that God Himself humbles the vainglorious, sending a sudden misfortune... If prayer does not destroy a proud thought, we bring to mind the leaving of the soul from this life. And if this does not help, we threaten it with the shame of the Last Judgement. "Rising up to humble oneself" even here, before the future age. When praisers, or better – flatterers, start to praise us, immediately we betake ourselves to recollection of all our iniquities and we find, that we are not at all worth that which they impute to us"."

BLESSED ST JOHN CHRYSOSTOM IS ONE OF THE GREATEST TEACHERS THE CHURCH HAS EVER KNOWN AND WHAT HE PREACHES CANNOT BE DISMISSED!

The Church Fathers have a way of grounding us, keeping us centered, focused and balanced regarding how to think, how to live, how to worship and how to understand the world we live in and even though their homilies were delivered in the early years of the church they have as much significance for us in these modern times as they did when they were delivered.  This series of homilies delivered by the blessed St. Chrysostom, the Golden Mouth are quite unnerving, unsettling and brutally scathing yet the message is quite clear and understandable if read with an attentive and dispassionate spirit that remains open to the Holy Spirit to enlighten.  They are not easy reading! If you are an Orthodox Christian, these sermons will most likely do one of two things;  humble, enlighten and equip, providing the discernment needed to face the end times that are unfolding before us or else they will embarrass the reader resulting in dismissal and ignorance.  Note: These sermons are only for the bride of Christ. 

IF YOU AREN'T FASTING, YOU WILL NOT BE PREPARED FOR THE RETURN OF CHRIST

"..."The days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days (Luke 5:35)." This is very significant for Orthodox Christians. For it is here that Christ makes a direct connection, a direct relationship between the discipline of fasting and His promised return.


Fasting, therefore, is not only for one's self-discipline and preparation for receiving higher spiritual benefits, it is also basically a preparation for the return of Christ, as the five wise virgins prepared themselves in the Parable of the Ten Virgins...."

click on the title for the rest of the story

ST MARY OF EGYPT WAS A PROSTITUTE YET THE GREATEST OF SAINTS!

"Born in Alexandria in Egypt in the middle of the fifth century, as a young girl Mary fell into the vice of prostitution. For seventeen years, from the age of 12 until the age of 29, she lived the life of a harlot. However, once finding herself in Jerusalem, out of curiosity, she went to see the Precious Cross of Christ. She found that she was unable to enter the church where St Helen had placed the Cross, for some invisible force prevented her from entering in. So frightened was she at this that she asked the Mother of God through an icon at the entrance to the church, why this was. The Mother of God replied to her that Mary first needed to repent and obey her. Only after promising to do this was Mary allowed to enter the church in Jerusalem. After then entering and venerating the Cross, Mary heard the Mother of God telling her: 'If you cross the Jordan, you will find true peace'.

So shaken was Mary by these events that she did indeed forsake all her old life and, having taken communion, she crossed the Jordan, and went to live there in the desert. We do not know the exact details of her day-to-day life, but we do know that she dwelt there as a hermitess, eating plants, living in torments and struggle with passionate thoughts, and eventually obtaining the grace to work miracles, crossing the Jordan as if on dry land. She lived naked and became withered and emaciated, as we can see in the icon of her, but nevertheless she survived there for some forty-eight years. Then she was discovered by a pious monk, Zosimas, who is portrayed in the icon together with her. It was to him that she related her life which we have today."...

EXPOSED AS A HOME GROWN TERRORIST!

Here's my homegrown terrorist story. In the summer of 2009, while temporarily living in the country on a ranch outside of Bonners Ferry, Idaho only a few miles from where the Randy Weaver incident took place, I was visited by a well groomed older gentleman in western dress who knocked on my apartment door, introducing himself as an out-of-towner from Nevada, explaining that he was visiting the area and considering investing his money into a building in town that he would like to use as a meeting place for a church and low and behold he wanted me to be the pastor! (I am not making this up). Now there was a time in my life many years ago (1982-1995) while living in another Idaho community that I had embraced many idealistic American christian concepts, speaking out against "community evils", being involved in social justice issues and even going so far as to establish an independant christian church which I actually did pastor for thirteen years.  Now mind you, I left all this behind me fifteen years ago and yet this man somehow knew about my past (why else would he be seeking me out?) and he was innovative enough to actually hunt me down and find me in the middle of nowhere in an obscure little town in the northern woods of Idaho!  Now what's wrong with this story?  I will tell you.  In 2007, I started the blog you are now reading and in this blog I occasionally wrote scathing articles about the great evil American empire (uh, oh, did I say that?).  Now, this gentleman didn't mention my blog and he didn't mention my past but somehow he was motivated enough to seek me out to involve me in what I to this day believe was an effort to establish a church that would draw in all the malcontented 'home grown terrorists' for the purpose of either corralling us or/and manipulating us to become implicated in some false flag operation that would serve in the best interests of the political, governmental and corporate neo-nazis (oh, bad word!) that control our country.  After having spent perhaps forty five minutes with this gentleman, quizzing him about his past and turning down his multiple efforts to woo me with money and prestige, he finally gave up and excused himself telling me I was missing out on a great opportunity. After he left, I sat stunned, contemplating how bizarre this incident was and what do you know but that the next day, I recieved an email from this man seeking to convince me yet again to become a part of his plan.  Of course, I turned him down and again (I'm not making this up), the very next day I received an email in broken english from a Muslim terrorist who was supposedly the master mind behind the Bali nightclub bombing (another false flag operation) and he was bragging that he was on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted List and he was going to kill me if I didn't stop writing inflammatory articles.  That in itself was over the top bizarre and what was even odder is that my writings were more against Zionists and American fascists (dang, forgive me) than they were against Muslims.  It has been years since that incident and this is the first time I have shared it publicly.  Now that my memory has been jogged, I think I will do a email search to see if I saved that flattering murder threat from such a famous and dangerous Ten Most Wanted Listed terrorist!  What a joke! What this country has become is so sick and so sad. sigh....Oh, Lord, forgive us and do come quickly! 


*The icon of Blessed St. Stephan the Martyr is displayed to remind us that sometimes speaking the truth has dire or  perhaps I should say, blessed consequences. 

THE HOLY ARCHISTRATEGOS (LEADER OF THE HEAVENLY HOSTS) GABRIEL

     "The Archangel Gabriel was chosen by the Lord to make the blest-announcement to the Virgin Mary about the Incarnation of the Son of God from Her, to the great rejoicing of all mankind. Therefore on the day after the feast of the Annunciation – the day itself on which the All-Pure Virgin Herself is glorified, we give thanks to the Lord and we venerate His messenger Gabriel, who contributed to the mystery of our salvation.

      The holy Archistrategos (Leader of the Heavenly Hosts) Gabriel acted in service to the Almighty God. He announced to Old Testament mankind about the future Incarnation of the Son of God; he inspired the Prophet Moses during the writing of the Pentateuch books of the Bible, he announced to the Prophet Daniel about the coming tribulations of the Hebrew People (Dan. 8: 16, 9: 21-24); he appeared to Righteous Anna with the news of the birth from her of the Ever-Blessed Virgin Mary. The holy Archangel Gabriel stayed constantly with the Holy Virgin Mary when She was a child in the Jerusalem Temple and afterwards watched over Her throughout all Her earthly life. He appeared to the Priest Zachariah, foretelling the birth of the Forerunner of the Lord – John the Baptist. The Lord dispatched him to Saint Joseph the Betrothed: he appeared to him in a dream, to reveal to him the mystery of the Incarnation of the Son of God from the All-Pure Virgin Mary, and warned him of the wicked intentions of Herod, ordering him to flee into Egypt with the Divine-Infant and the Mother of God. When the Lord before His Passion prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane to the extent of sweating blood, according to Church tradition, to strengthen Him there was sent from Heaven the Archangel Gabriel, whose very name signifies "Strength of God" (Lk. 22: 43).

      The Myrh-Bearing Women heard from the Archangel the joyous news about the Resurrection of Christ. 

      Mindful this day of the manifold appearances of the holy Archangel Gabriel and of his zealous fulfilling of the Divine Will, and confessing his intercession before the Lord for Christians, the Orthodox Church calls upon its children with faith and with fervour to have recourse in prayer to the great Angel."

LOVE BEARS NO ILL WILL AGAINST ANYONE, ANYWHERE, ANYTIME

"If 'love is long-suffering and kind' (1 Cor. 13:4), a man who is fainthearted in the face of his afflictions and who therefore behaves wickedly towards those who have offended him, and stops loving them, surely lapses from the purpose of divine providence.

Watch yourself, lest the vice which separates you from your brother lies not in him but in yourself.  Be reconciled with him without delay, so that you do not lapse from the commandment of love.

Do not hold the commandment of love in contempt, for through it you will become a son of God. But if you transgress it, you will become a son of Gehenna.

What separates us from the love of friends is envying or being envied, causing or receiving harm, insulting or being insulted, and suspicious thoughts. Would that you had never done or experienced anything of this sort and in this way separated yourself from the love of a friend.

Has a brother been the occasion of some trial for you and has your resentment led you to hatred? Do not let yourself be overcome by this hatred, but conquer it with love. You will succeed in this by praying to God sincerely for your brother and by accepting his apology or else by conciliating him with an apology yourself, by regarding yourself as responsible for the trial and by patiently waiting until the cloud has passed."

Philokalia II pg 102

A DARK SOUL HARBORS RESENTMENT LIKE MOLD, WHEREAS LOVE WILL BLEACH IT CLEAN

"Resentment is linked with rancour. When the intellect forms the image of a brother's face with a feeling of resentment, it is clear that it harbors rancour against him. 'The way of the rancourous leads to death' (Proverbs 12:28), because 'whoever harbors rancour is a transgressor' (Proverbs 21:24).  

If you harbor rancour against anybody, pray for him and you will prevent the passion from being aroused; for by means of prayer you will separate your resentment from the thought of the wrong he has done you. When you have become loving and compassionate towards him, you will wipe the passion completely from your soul.  If somebody regards you with rancour, be pleasant to him, be humble and agreeable in his company, and you will deliver him from his passion."

Philokalia II pg 97

WHY DOES MAN LOVE MATERIAL WEALTH?

"Self-indulgence, self esteem and lack of faith all produce love for material wealth.  The self-indulgent person loves wealth because it enables him to live comfortably; the person full of self-esteem loves it because through it he can gain the esteem of others; the person who lacks faith loves it because, fearful of starvation, old age, disease, or exile, he can save it and hoard it. He puts his trust in wealth rather than in God, the Creator who provides for all creation, down to the least of living things.  

There are three kinds of men who hoard wealth: the three already mentioned and the treasurer. Clearly, it is only the last who conserves it for a good purpose - namely, so as always to have the means of supplying each person's basic needs."

Philokalia II pg 86

Comment:

Self-indulgence, self esteem and a lack of faith are all enemies of salvation.  Salvation can be lost by neglecting the poor.  The riches of this world will pass away and their possessors will become the paupers of heaven while the poor suffer momentarily awaiting heavenly treasures and eternal riches.

IF YOU ARE NOT AMONG THE FEW, YOU WILL FIND YOURSELF WITH THE MANY

"It is the narrow way and the strait gate which lead to life eternal, and few there be who find it. Thus, according to His love for us, seeing the possible benefit of sorrows to those who are worthy, the Lord moves many off the broad road and puts them on the narrow, sorrowful path, so that in their patient endurance of sickness and sorrow, He might effect their salvation and grant them life eternal."

Counsels of Venerable St. Makary (Ivanov)  

WHY DOES GOD ALLOW DEMONS TO ASSAIL US?

"There are said to be five reasons why God allows us to be assailed by demons. 

1.  By attacking and counter-attacking, we should learn to discriminate between virtue and vice.

2.  Having acquired virtue through conflict and toil, we should keep it secure and immutable.  

3.  Having made progress in virtue, we should not become haughty but learn humility. 

4.  Having gained some experience of evil, we should 'hate it with perfect hatred' (Ps 139:22). 

5.  And most importantly is so that, having achieved dispassion, we should forget neither our own weakness nor the power of Him who has helped us."

"The demons fight against us either through things themselves or through our impassioned conceptual images of these things. They fight through things against those who are occupied with things and through conceptual images against those who are not attached to things."


"Just as it is easier to sin in the mind than in action, so warfare through our impassioned conceptual images of things is harder than warfare through the things themselves."


"If a man doesn't sin in mind, he will never sin in action."


St. Maximos The Confessor - Philokalia II pgs 76 - 77

ROMANIAN ORTHODOX SPIRITUAL FATHERS ON ECUMENISM

ECUMENISM - GLOBAL RELIGION OF THE ANTICHRIST - 1

ECUMENISM- GLOBAL RELIGION OF THE ANTICHRIST - 2

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THE FLESH PAMPERING WORLD

"He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes (Prov. 13:24). Never mind the children—let us work on ourselves. For each of us this means the following: do not spare yourself, chasten yourself earnestly. Self-pity is the root of all our crawling into sin. He who does not indulge himself is always steadfast in good. Most of all you must keep your flesh, that slow-witted slave, in the strictest discipline. When you tire the flesh, it is humble; but give it only a small privilege, and already it begins to show its claws and to rage with passion-loving eyes. But what is amazing is that no matter what is said, everyone stands up for the flesh, and invents all sorts of pleasing things for it. Even science, it seems, would not move forward without this. What sort of science is this?"  St. Theophan the Recluse

PHILOKALIA " LOVE OF THE BEAUTIFUL" WHAT CAN BE MORE BEAUTIFUL THAN PERFECT LOVE?

"If there are some men you hate and some men you neither love nor hate, and others you love strongly and others again you love but moderately, recognize from this inequality that you are far from perfect love. For perfect love presupposes that you love all men equally."  pg 66

"For him who is perfect in love and has reached the summit of dispassion there is no difference between his own or another's, or between Christians and unbelievers, or between slave and free, or even between male and female. But because he has risen above the tyranny of the passions and has fixed his attention on the single nature of man, he looks on all in the same way and shows the same disposition to all. For in him there is neither Greek nor Jew,  male nor female, bond nor free, but Christ who 'is all, and in all' (Col.3:11; Gal.3:28")  pg 70

"To be spontaneouly disposed to 'to do good to those who hate you' (Matt 5:44) belongs to perfect spiritual love alone."  pg 74

MANY CONFESS, BUT FEW REPENT

"Repentance is a freely-willed, internally cultivated process of contrition and sorrow for having distanced ourselves from God through sin. True repentance has nothing to do with intolerable pain, excessive sorrow and relentless guilty feelings. That would not be sincere repentance, but a secret egotism, a feeling of our ”ego” being trampled on; an anger that is directed at our self, which then wreaks revenge because it is exposing itself and is put to shame—a thing that it cannot tolerate."  

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St. Patrick, Enlightener of Ireland (451)

"His apostolic work was not accomplished without much 'weariness and painfulness,' long journeys through difficult country, and many perils; he says his very life was in danger twelve times. When he came to Ireland, as its enlightener, it was a pagan country; when he ended his earthly life some thirty years later, about 461, the Faith of Christ was established in every corner.

The work of St Patrick and his brethren has been called the most successful single missionary venture in the history of the Church.

It is said of St Patrick that he chanted the entire Psalter every day."

LOVE ALL MEN, AT ALL TIMES, IN ALL PLACES

"Perfect love does not split up the single human nature, common to all, according to the  diverse characteristics of individuals; but, fixing attention always on this single nature, it loves all men equally. It loves the good as friends and bad as enemies, helping them, exercising forbearance, patiently accepting whatever they do, not taking the evil into account at all but even suffering on their behalf if the opportunity offers, so that, if possible, they too become friends. If it cannot achieve this, it does not change its own attitude; it continues to show the fruits of love to all men alike. It was on account of this that our Lord and God Jesus Christ, showing His love for us, suffered for the whole of mankind and gave to all men as equal hope of resurrection, although each man determines his own fitness for glory or punishment."

Philokalia vol 2 pg 60

THE MONOTHELETES CUT OFF THE HAND AND TONGUE OF ST MAXIMOS THE CONFESSOR AND HE DIED IN EXILE IN 662

"The Monotheletes wished to reconcile the supporters of the Council of Chalcedon (451), who ascribed two natures to the incarnate Christ, with the Monophysites, who believed that He has only one nature; and so they proposed as a compromise the theory that Christ has two natures, the one divine and the other human, but only one single will. Against this St. Maximos maintained that human nature without a human will is an unreal abstraction: if Christ does not have a human will as well as a divine will, He is not truly man; and if He is not truly man,  the Christian message of salvation is rendered void. What we see in Christ our Savior is precisely a human will, genuinely free yet held in unwavering obedience to His divine will; and it is by virtue of this voluntary co-operation of manhood with divinity in Christ, which restored by the integrity of human nature, that we are enabled to make our own wills freely obedient to the will of God and so attain salvation. St. Maximos' teaching was confirmed after his death by the Sixth Eucumenical Council, meeting at Constantinople in 680-1."

The Philokalia Vol 2 pg 49-50

THE HOSPITALITY OF ABRAHAM

"Accepting the task of hospitality, the patriarch used to sit by the entrance of his tent inviting all who passed by, and his table was laden for all comers including the impious and barbarians, without distinction. Hence he was found worthy of that wonderful banquet when he received angels and the Master of all as his guest. We too, then, should actively and eagerly cultivate hospitality, so that we may receive not only angels, but also God Himself.  For 'asmuch', says the Lord, 'as you have done it to one of the least of these My brethren you have done it unto Me' Matt 25:40."

The Philokalia Vol 2 pg 32

I LOOK FOR THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD, AND THE LIFE OF THE AGE TO COME

"For two days the soul is relatively free and it can visit its favorite places on the earth, but on the third day it departs for other spaces. In this process it passes through the hordes of evil spirits who block its path and accuse it of various sins—sins that they tempted the person to commit. According to certain revelations, there are twelve such obstacles, the so-called ”tollhouses,” ..."

CAN A RICH MAN GET TO HEAVEN?

"Blessed are those who dash the children of Babylon against the rocks" Ps.137:9

The Philokalia teaches us that the children of Babylon are the passions. Like children, we nurture, caress and care for them. We look upon them fondly and fail to understand that they will grow into destroyers of souls. Consequently, we are to dash them against the rocks while they are young and weak. If we allow them to abide with us, they will one day overtake us and steal from us the keys of heaven. The three principle passions are riches, pleasure and praise. Conquer these rulers and kings and you will attain honor among angels and be ushered into the Kingdom of God. Suffer defeat at their hands and the demons like vultures will be circling above your soul ready to consume it at the day of your death.

EXORCISM, BAPTISM, CHRISMATION - THE DEVIL IS EXPUNGED, CHRIST ENTERS IN & WE ARE SEALED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT

Every catechumen entering into the Eastern Orthodox Church has an exorcism peformed prior to being baptized and sealed with the Holy Spirit. Why is this necessary? This quote should help explain: "The demons do their work of destroying people with incomparably greater success than the most evil-intentioned men. Man's corruptness consists in the mixture of goodness and evil in him; the fallen spirits' corruptness consists in their total evil, and complete absence of goodness. The fallen spirits' abilities are far superior to those of fallen men, whose intentions are restrained by the very weight and corpulence of their bodies. Demons freely and quickly flow through the universe, and freely do things that are quite impossible for man to do (cf. Job 1:7). People must be satisfied with whatever experience in evil that they have acquired during their short earthly life; their evil intentions are naturally destroyed in that hour when they have to leave this earthly life, and they are called to God's judgment and eternity. On the contrary, demons have been left to abide on earth from the time of their final fall (Gen. 3:14) until the end of the world. Anyone can imagine what experience they have gained in doing evil over such a long period of time, with their abilities and constant evil intent, which is not diluted by good aspirations of any kind."

St. Ignatius (Brianchaninov)

St. Bessarion the Great, wonderworker of Egypt (466) "An Egyptian by birth, Abba Bessarion was initiated into the angelic life by Saint Anthony the Great. He later became a disciple of Saint Macarius, the founder of Scetis (19 Jan.), and then set out to lead the life of a wanderer, borne hither and thither by Providence like a bird by the wind. All his wealth lay in the Gospel, which he always had in his hand. Living in the open air, he patiently endured all weathers, untroubled by care for a dwelling or for clothing. Fortified by the strength of the faith, he thus remained untouched by all the passions of the flesh. "On coming to a monastery where the brethren led the common life, he would sit weeping at the gate. A brother once offered him hospitality and asked why he was distressed. 'I cannot live under a roof, until I have regained the wealth of my house,' he replied, meaning the heavenly inheritance lost since Adam. 'I am afflicted, in danger of death every day, and without rest because of my huge misfortunes, which oblige me ever to travel on in order to finish my course.' "He wandered for forty years without ever lying down to sleep, and he spent all of forty days and forty nights standing wide awake in a thorn bush. One winter's day, he was walking through a village when he came upon a dead man. Without hesitation, he took off his own coat and covered the body. A little further on, he gave his tunic to a poor man who was shivering in the cold. An army officer, who happened to be passing, saw the naked ascetic and wanted to know who had stripped him of his clothing. 'He did!' replied Bessarion, holding up the Gospel Book. On another occasion, he met with a poor man and, having nothing to give him in alms, he hurried to the market in order to sell his Gospel Book. On his disciple's asking him where the Book was, he replied cheerfully, 'I have sold it in obedience to the words which I never cease to hear: God, sell what you possess and give to the poor (Matt. 19:21). "Through this evangelic way of life he became a chosen vessel of Grace, and God wrought many miracles through him. One day, for example, he made sea water sweet through the sign of the Cross, to quench his disciple's thirst. When the latter wanted to keep some for the remainder of the journey, he prevented him, saying, 'God is here, God is everywhere!' At another time, having stood for two weeks in prayer with hands raised to heaven, he brought about rain enough to fill a thirsty brother's coat. Then there was the time when he stopped the sun from setting until he reached the cell of an elder whom he wished to meet; and the time when he walked across the waters of a river. Through these and many other wonders wrought by the Saint, God showed, as He did with Moses, Joshua and Elias, that He grants His servants mastery even over natural phenomena. Through the power of Christ, he raised a paralytic, drove out demons and showed himself truly to be a 'god' upon the earth. "When, having reached his goal, he was at the point of regaining that dwelling in heaven which he had sought throughout his wanderings, he said to those about him, 'The monk ought, like the cherubim, to be all eye.' "In answer to a brother who asked what a monk living in community ought to do, he replied: 'Keep silence and do not measure yourself.' Indeed, this is how even in the midst of people one can obtain the grace of the great anchorites."

"At all times and places, preach the Gospel, and, if necessary, use words."
St. John Chrysostom

..."How is it that I think and do things that I don't want or desire to think or do"? I answered that everyone is that way, and so forth. Therefore, the more one conquers himself, the greater the reward that he will receive there in eternity. This is the Christian's most essential duty, and for this one needs God's help, which is received through prayer..."

St. Innocent of Alaska

The PriestMartyr Charalampios, Bishop of Magnezia, the Martyrs Porphyry and Baptos and the Three Martyresses

The PriestMartyr Charalampios, Bishop of Magnezia, the Martyrs Porphyry and Baptos and the Three Martyresses suffered in the year 202.

Saint Charalampios, bishop of the Thessalonian city of Magnezia (northwest region of Greece), successfully spread faith in Christ the Saviour. News about his preaching reached the governor of the district Lucian and the military-commander Lucius. The saint was arrested and brought to trial, where he firmly confessed his faith in Christ and refused to offer sacrifice to idols. Despite the decrepit age of the bishop (he was already 113 years of age), they subjected him to monstrous tortures: they lacerated his body with iron hooks, while they scourged all his skin from head to foot. During this the saint turned to his tormentors: "I bless you, brethren, ye have restored my spirit!"

Having seen the endurance of the elder and his complete lack of malice, two soldiers – Porphyry and Baptos openly confessed Christ, for which they were immediately beheaded with a sword. Being present at the sufferings of bishop Charalampios were likewise three women who began to glorify Christ and were quickly martyred.

The enraged Lucius himself seized hold of the instruments of torture and began to tear at the priest-martyr, but suddenly his hand was cut off as though by a sword. Also arriving at the place of execution the governor spat in the face of the saint, and immediately he bent backwards. Then Lucius began to beseech the saint for forgiveness, and through his prayer both torturers at once received healing. During this a multitude of witnesses came to believe in Christ. Among them also was Lucius, who fell at the feet of the holy elder, begging forgiveness.

Lucian reported about the occurrence to the emperor Septimus Severus (193-211), situated at this time at Pisidian Antioch (western part of Asia Minor). The emperor gave orders to bring Saint Charlampios to him, and this was done with a stupid ferocity: they dragged the priest-martyr, having tied a rope to his beard. The emperor then gave orders to torture the bishop more intensely, and they began to burn at him with fire. But the Power of God aided to the saint, and he remained unharmed. Besides this, miracles were done through his prayer: he raised up a dead youth, and healed a demoniac tormented by devils for 35 years, so that the people in a multitude began to believe in Christ the Saviour. Even Galina the daughter of the emperor began to believe in Christ, and twice smashed idols in a pagan temple. By order of the emperor they beat the saint with stones about the mouth, and they wanted to set afire his beard, from which the flames went forth burning the torturer. Full of wickedness, Septimus Severus and his dignitary Crispus hurled blasphemy at the Lord, mockingly summoning Him to come down to the earth, and bragging of their own power and might. In wrath the Lord quaked the earth, great fear fell upon all, both the impious ones were suspended in mid-air held by invisible bounds, and only by the prayer of the saint were they put down. The dazed emperor was shaken in his former impiety, but again quickly fell into error and gave orders to torture the saint. And finally, he sentenced him to beheading with a sword. During the time of his final prayer, the saint was vouchsafed to behold the Saviour Himself and besought Him to grant that place where his remains would repose, in peace, would be fruitful for people, bringing forgiveness of sins and salvation. The Lord promised to fulfill the request and ascended to heaven, bearing with Him the soul of the priestmartyr Charalampios – who through the mercy of God accepted a peaceful death before execution. The daughter of the emperor, blessed Galina, buried the body of the martyr with great honour.

You Must Become Like A Little Child To Enter The Kingdom Of Heaven

"He who is poor in spirit does not dare to try, does not think of trying. to comprehend the incomprehensible, to penetrate God's secrets, to philosephise on the highest; he believes in the word of the Lord, the Life-giver, knowing that His every word is truth, spirit, and life eternal; and in the words of His Church, ever instructed in all truth by the Holy Spirit, he believes as a child believes his father or mother, not demanding proofs, but relying upon them in perfect trust."

St. John lof Kronstadt

"My Life in Christ"

Righteous Simeon the God-Receiver Righteous Simeon the God-Receiver was, according to the testimony of the holy Evangelist Luke, one of the chosen of God in expectation of the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit dwelt upon him (Lk 2:25). It was announced to him from God, that he would not die until that time, when the Promised Messiah – Christ the Lord – would be come into the world. Ancient historians relate that the Egyptian emperor Ptolemy II Philadelphos (285-247 BC) wished to add to the famous Library at Alexandria with texts of Holy Scripture. He invited scholars from Jerusalem, and the Sanhedrin sent their wise men. Righteous Simeon was also among the 72 scholars in Alexandria for the translation of the Sacred Scriptures into the Greek language.

"For creation, as if written in characters and by means of its order and harmony, declares in a loud voice its own Master and Creator.... For this reason, God, by his own Word, gave creation such order as is found therein, so that while He is by nature invisible, men might yet be able to know Him through His works."

Saint Anthony the Great 251-356 A.D.

St. Andrew (Rublev) of Russia, iconographer (1430) Many consider him the greatest iconographer of all time, and his "Holy Trinity" the finest icon. Very little is known of his life. He was born around 1360, and probably studied with the Byzantine iconographer Theophanes the Greek. He is known to have created icons for the Cathedral of the Annunciation in Moscow and the Cathedral of the Dormition at Vladimir. He created a highly spiritual and distinctively Russian iconographic style that set the standard for Russian iconography for centuries thereafter. It is said that he knew St Sergius of Radonezh (July 5). In his later years he became a monk.

"If society embarks on the road of such recklessness consumption, our earth will go under. It has already been proven that if the average level of consumption of the whole world matches that of the United States… the basic resources will run out in 40 to 50 years. God has not given us resources to live like this,"

His Holiness Kirill, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia

What is the spirit of the anti-christ? It is the notion that man can work out his own problems and that we ourselves can usher peace into the world apart from divine intervention. It is a denial that we are broken and in need of a Savior. It is a display of pride that reflects a high regard for our own abilities to overcome the problems of this world through the unity of mankind rather than working within the unity of the Holy Trinity. It is a denial of sin, it's consequences and the day of judgement. Ultimately, it is a denial of the work of the Son of God to save mankind through the cross and His resurrection.

The Monk Makarios the Great of Egypt 390

"In truth the Lord does not seek virgins nor married women, and neither monks nor worldly persons, but doth value the free intent of the person within the arbitrariness of his free will to offer thanks to the Holy Spirit, which acts and which rules the life of each person, yearning to be saved".

"When a man reproaches himself, he will have endurance and patience in every circumstance."

Abba Poemen

"When you pray, endeavour to pray more for others than yourself alone, and during prayer represent to yourself vividly all men as forming one body with yourself, and each separately as a member of the Body of Christ and your own member, "for we are members one of another" (Ephesians 4:25). Pray for all as you would pray for yourself, with the same sincerity and fervour; look upon their infirmities and sicknesses as your own; their spiritual ignorance, their sins and passions, as your own; their temptations, misfortunes, and manifold afflictions as your own. Such prayer will be accepted with great favour by the Heavenly Father, that most gracious, common Father of all, with Whom "there is no respect of persons" (Romans 2:11), no variableness" (James 1:17), that boundless Love that embraces and preserves all creatures."

St. John of Kronstadt

"My Life in Christ"

Atmospheric Corruption

The devil is jealous of God's gifts to mankind and endeavors to steal them for his glory. The closer a man draws to God, the more the devil comes against that man for the devil abhors the shining glory of God that emanates from His beloved. It is blinding, annoying and a continually ever present illumination of the devil's filth, his uncleanness and his stench for where the beloved of God are present, so is the sweet aroma and shining glory of God.

"All who desire to live Godly lives in Christ Jesus will be persecuted." 2 Tim 3:12

"Wherein in time past you walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now works in the children of disobedience" Eph 2:2

There is a worldly course and a heavenly course

A prince has power but his power is trumped by the power of the king.

Air is everywhere and invisible. Air contains fuel for all living things. Satan is the prince of the power of the air.

Death came through Satan. Man willingly gave himself over to the power of Satan and thus death entered into the world. Mankind as the king of the earthly realm relegated his powers to the devil and in return received only that which Satan was able to give which was all that was against God, anti-God and that gift was death and darkness. God in mercy allowed for death to enter into the world for in death, sin is ended yet God also in mercy conquered death so that we might live again forever free from the sin that formally enslaved us.

Saint Paul exhorts us to pray unceasingly. Just as we unceasingly breath to sustain life in this worldly realm, so we must unceasingly pray (which is our breath) for survival in the heavenly realm. Unceasing prayer sustains us in the heavenly realm. When we stop breathing in the worldly realm, we die. When we stop praying in the heavenly realm, we die.