by St. John Climacus “Repentance is the renewal of Baptism. Repentance is a contract with God for a second life… Repentance is a constant distrust of bodily comfort… Repentance is the daughter of hope and the renunciation of despair. Repentance is reconciliation with the Lord by practice of good deeds contrary to the sins. Repentance […]
What is an Anathema?
March 1, 2017 By
by St. Theophan the Recluse Rarely does the Rite of Orthodoxy, which is now being performed, take place without censures and reproaches on somebody’s part. And no matter how many sermons are given explaining that the Church here acts wisely for the salvation of her children — still the malcontents just keep repeating their line. […]
A Sermon About Our Lord in the Garden of Gethsemane
April 23, 2016 By
by St. John Maximovitch When the Lord had finished the Mystical Supper with His disciples and given them His Instructions, He went with them to the Mount of Olives. On the way He continued His final teachings, after which He addressed the Heavenly Father with a prayer for His disciples and those who would believe […]
On the Fifth Sunday of Lent
April 17, 2016 By
by St. Ignatius Brianchaninov A reminder about wrapping up Lent. Prayer is good with fasting and alms (Tob. 12:8),[1] said the Archangel Raphael to Tobit. Such a great work is fasting! It is good, it is the only door through which sinners can depart from their fleshly state and enter into the saving pasture of […]
The Ladder of Divine Ascent and Moral Improvement
April 8, 2016 By
by Fr. Stephen Freeman The Fourth Sunday of Great Lent in the Orthodox Church, is dedicated to St. John Climacus, the author of the ancient work, The Ladder of Divine Ascent. It is a classic work describing “steps” within the life of the struggling ascetic. There is an icon associated with this work, picturing monastics […]
The Antichrist, the Cross and the Third Sunday in Lent
March 15, 2015 By
The Cross is our salvation. No one was ever reconciled with God except by the power of the Cross. by St. Gregory Palamas The Cross of Christ was mysteriously proclaimed in advance and foreshadowed from generations of old and no one was ever reconciled with God except by the power of the Cross. After our First Parents […]
Prayer, Fasting, Mercy
February 24, 2014 By
by St. Peter Chrysologus There are three things, my brethren,by which faith stands firm, devotion remains constant, and virtue endures.They are prayer, fasting and mercy.Prayer knocks at the door,fasting obtains, mercy receives.Prayer, mercy and fasting: These three are one, and they give life to each other. Fasting is the soul of prayer, mercy is the […]
Sermon for the Sunday of St. John Climacus
April 3, 2013 By
by Metroplitan Philaret In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. More than once, brethren, the fact has been mentioned that on each Sunday in the Great Fast (i.e., Lent) there are other commemorations besides that of the Resurrection. Thus, on this day, the Church glorifies the righteous […]
