This is a hard saying, who can hear it?

by Reader Timothy In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. “This is a hard saying, who can hear it?” – John 6:60 “He who reads the books of a heretic immediately…

Just as the Fishermen Hide the Hook in the Bait 

-St. Isidore of Pelusium (Letter to Timothy the Reader, PG, 78:252) Just as the fishermen hide the hook with bait and covertly hook the fish, similarly, the crafty allies of the heresies cover their evil teachings and corrupt understanding with…

“Let Us Flee from Those who Reject Patristic Interpretations”

-St. Gregory Palamas “Let us flee from those who reject patristic interpretations and attempt by themselves to deduce the complete opposite. While pretending to concern themselves with the literal sense of the passage, they reject its godly meaning. We should…

If Someone Slanders You

A brother asked the Abba Barsanuphius, “Elder if I learn that someone says evil about me, what should I do?” The Elder answered, “Get up immediately and say a prayer firstly for him and then for yourself saying, “Lord Jesus…

“Domine, Quo Vadis?” “Eo Romam Iterum Crucifigi.”

“Lord, where are you going?” “I am going to Rome to be crucified again.” -Thoughts +BP In the apocryphal “Acts of St. Peter”, it is reported that Peter started to flee Rome at the time of Emperor Nero’s persecution. Saint Peter realizes…

Christ is risen!

Our joyful greeting for the 40 days of Pascha! And a St. Theophan the Recluse quote! St. Theophan the Recluse [Acts 3:11–16; John 3:22–33]. We have two lives, fleshly and spiritual. Our spirit is as though buried in our flesh.…