by St. Basil the Great Canon 3. A deacon who commits fornication after his appointment to the diaconate is to be deposed. But, after he has been rejected and ranked among the laity, he is not to be excluded from communion. For there is an ancient canon that those who have fallen from their degree […]
What Shall I Render To The Lord For All His Bounties To Me?
January 1, 2013 By
by St. Basil the Great What words can adequately describe God’s gifts? They are so numerous that they defy enumeration. They are so great that any one of them demands our total gratitude in response. Yet even though we cannot speak of it worthily, there is one gift which no thoughtful man can pass over […]
The Ability To Love Is Within Each Of Us
December 31, 2012 By
by St. Basil the Great Love of God is not something that we can be taught. We did not learn from someone else how to rejoice in light or want to live, or to love our parents or guardians. It is the same, perhaps even more so, with our love for God: it does not […]
A Lament For Sin
December 31, 2012 By
by St. Basil the Great Weep over your sin: it is a spiritual ailment; it is death to your immortal soul; it deserves ceaseless, unending weeping and crying; let all tears flow for it, and sighing come forth without ceasing from the depths of your heart. In profound humility I weep for all my sins, […]
On The Value Of The Psalms
December 31, 2012 By
by St. Basil the Great From St. Basil’s Homily on Psalm 1 When, indeed, the Holy Spirit saw that the human race was guided only with difficulty toward virtue, and that, because of our inclination toward pleasure, we were neglectful of an upright life, what did He do? The delight of melody He mingled with […]
Sow for the Sake of Your Own Righteousness
December 31, 2012 By
by St. Basil the Great O man, be like the earth. Bear fruit like her and do not fall short of what mere inanimate matter can achieve. The earth bears crops not for her own benefit but for yours. You, on the other hand, when you give to the poor, are bearing fruit which you […]
On How Your Dog is Morally Superior To You
June 23, 2011 By
by St. Basil the Great from the blog, Lord I Have Cried Unto Thee. Another patristic witness of the sentiment and wisdom behind the words of Abba Xanthios. “A Dog is better than I because he loves and does not judge.” So I just recently referred a friend to St. Basil the Great’s Hexaemeron – […]
Was Jesus Ignorant of the Time of His Second Coming?
May 25, 2011 By
UPDATED! With more patristic quotes, thanks to John Sanidopoulos at Mystagogy blog. Mark 13:32 and Matthew 24:36 seem to indicate that not only are all men and angels ignorant of the time of the Second Coming of Christ, but that also Jesus is ignorant of the time of His imminent return. In fact, Jesus says […]
