Homily- By: St. Nicholas (Velimirovic) of Zhicha

St. Nicholas (Velimirovic) of Ohrid

On the power and efficacy of good works

For so is the will of God, that with well-doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men (I Peter 2:15).

Breathen, it is difficult to argue with an atheist; it is difficult to talk with a madman; it is difficult to persuade and embittered man with words. You will convince them more easily by deed. They may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation (I Peter 2:12).

Do good to those who wish to argue with you, and you will win the argument. One deed of compassion will bring the madman to his senses and will pacify the embittered man more quickly than many hours of conversation. If atheism, madness and bitterness stem from ignorance, that ignorance is like a rage which can quickly be retrained by good works. If you argue with an atheist in his own rabid manner, you strengthen the rage of atheism. If you converse with a madman by derision, the darkness of his madness is increased. If you think you will overcome an embittered man with anger, you will stir up greater fire of bitterness. A meek and good deed is like water on a fire. Always remember the Holy Apostles and their successful methods of behavior toward men. If an atheist provokes you, it is not the man that provokes you but the devil; for man is by nature religious. If a madman swears at you, it is not the man that swears at you but the devil; for man is by nature reasonable. If an embittered man persecutes you, it is not the man that persecutes you but the devil; for man is by nature good. The devil provokes you to lengthy arguments and unfruitful conversations, but he flees from good deeds.

Do good in the name of Christ, and the devil will flee. Only then will you have dealings with men, with true men: pious, reasonable and good. Therefore, whatever you do, do it in the name of the Lord.

The Chalice of Christ- By: St. Ignatius Brianchaninov

St. Ignatius

Two of his beloved disciples asked the Lord for thrones of glory. He gave them His Chalice. Christ’s Chalice is suffering. For those who partake of it Christ’s Chalice procures on earth a part in Christ’s kingdom of grace, and it prepares for them in Heaven thrones of eternal glory.
Before Christ’s Chalice we are all speechless. No one can complain of it or refuse it, because He Who has ordered us to drink it, drank it to the bitter end first of all Himself.
0 tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou didst kill our first parents in Paradise by alluring them with the charms of sensuous pleasure and with the charms of knowledge. To failures and exiles Christ the Redeemer of the lost brought to earth His saving Chalice. By the bitterness of this Chalice the criminal, deadly pleasure of sin is eradicated from the heart. By humility – which flows from the Chalice abundantly – proud, carnal knowledge is mortified. He who drinks the, Chalice with faith and patience regains eternal life which was taken and continues to be taken from us through eating the forbidden fruit.
I will take the cup of salvation, (1) the Chalice of Christ! The Chalice is taken when a Christian bears earthly troubles with humility derived from the Gospel.
Saint Peter rushed with a drawn sword to the defence of the God-Man when He was surrounded with malefactors. But the most gentle Lord Jesus said to Peter: Put thy sword into its sheath. Shall I not drink the cup which the Father has given Me? (John 18, 11).
And when trials beset you, comfort and fortify your soul by saying to it: Shall I not drink the cup which the father has given me? The Chalice is bitter. One has merely to glance at it, and all human calculations vanish. Substitute faith for calculation, and courageously drink the bitter cup. It is the all-good and all-wise Father Who gives it to you. It was not Pharisees, of Caiaphas, or Judas who prepared it. It is not Pilate and his soldiers who give it. Shall I not drink the cup which the Father has given Me?
The Pharisees plot, Judas betrays, Pilate orders the iniquitous murder, the governor’s soldiers perform it. By their evildoings they all prepared for themselves certain perdition. Do not prepare for yourself perdition equally certain by animosity and resentment, by desiring and planning revenge, by being indignant and angry with your enemies.

A Prayer compsed by Nicholas V. Gogol

O Holy Mother, pure and blessed,
To Thee I dare my voice to raise.
My face with tears is washed, caressed:
Attend the words my heart conveys,
Accept this passionate petition,
Save me from misfortune, wrath,
Fill my heart with sweet contrition
And set me on salvation’s path.

May I be free, with Thy direction,
And be prepared to give up all.
Through bitter times, be my protection-
My death from utter grief forestall.
Thou refuge for all those in need,
Our intercessor with the Lord!-
O, shelter me when all pay heed
And judgment strikes all like a sword,
When agelessness breaks into time,
The final trumpet wakes the dead,
And burdens of my every crime
From books of conscience shall be read.
Truth’s wall Thou art, its vindication!
With all my soul I pray to Thee:
Save me, O my consolation,
And with Thy love encompass me!

Dormition of the Theotokos

Dormition of the Mother of God

Below you can view one of my favorite hymns which can be sung on the Dormition of the Most Holy
Mother of God.

(in the 5th tone)

Blessed art Thou, O Sovereign Lady; enlighten me with the light of thy Son

The assembly of angels was amazed, beholding Thee, O Most Pure One, among the dead: Thou Who didst give Thy soul into the hand of God, Thou in Godly glory didst depart with God into heaven.

Blessed art Thou, O Sovereign Lady; enlighten me with the light of thy Son

Why, O you preachers of God, do you mingle joy with tears? The Twin, enlightened from above, arrived and unto the apostles did cry: Behold the sash! and understand that the Virgin has risen from the grave!

Blessed art Thou, O Sovereign Lady; enlighten me with the light of thy Son

The disciple, O Sovereign Lady, who believed not in the resurrection of Thy Son, now does assure others of Thy rising, saying: The time for sorrow has come to an end; do not weep but announce the Virgin’s resurrection.

Blessed art Thou, O Sovereign Lady; enlighten me with the light of thy Son

Unto the God-bearing disciples gathered, weeping before Thy tomb, O Virgin, Thomas did appear and speak out, saying: Why do you number the living among the dead? For She has risen, as the birthgiver of God!

Glory to the Father and to the Son and the Holy Spirit

We worship the Father and also so His Son and the Holy Spirit: the Holy Trinity in one essence, crying with the Seraphim: Holy, holy, holy art Thou O Lord

Both now and ever and unto ages of ages, Amen.

Having given birth unto the Giver of Life, Thou hast now gone unto ageless life. Rejoice, O Virgin: unto the disciples Thou didst give joy in place of sadness. On the third day Thou didst rise from the grave, O Virgin, just as did the Lord.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, glory to Thee, O God. (thrice)

Sayings of St. Maximus the Confessor

St. Maximus the Confessor

“Just as the human word which proceeds naturally from the mind is messenger of the secret movements of the mind, so does the Word of God, who knows the father by essence as Word knows the Mind which has begotten it (since no created being can approach the Father without Him), reveal the Father whom He knows. As the Word of God by nature, He is spoken of as the ‘messenger of the great plan of God.’”

“The one who is involved in the moral teaching of the Word through rather earthly examples and words out of consideration for his hearers is making the Word flesh. On the other hand, the one who expounds mystical theology using the sublimest contemplative experiences is making the Word spirit.”

“The one who through asceticism and contemplation has known how to dig in himself the wells of virtue and knowledge as did the patriarchs will find Christ within as the spring of life. Wisdom bids us to drink from it, saying, ‘Drink waters from your own vessels and from your own springs’ If we do this we shall discover that His treasures are present within us.”

“The divine Apostle Paul said that he knew in part the knowledge of the Word (cp. 1 Cor 13.0). But the great Evangelist John said that he saw His glory: ‘We have seen His glory, the glory as the Only Begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth’ (Jn 1.14). And why did St Paul say that he knew in part the knowledge of the divine Word? For He is known only to a certain extent through His activities. The knowledge of Himself in His essence and personhood remains inaccessible to all angels and men alike, and He can in no way be known by anyone. Bt St John, initiated as perfectly as humanly possible into the meaning of the Word’s incarnation, claims that he has seen the glory of the Word as flesh, that is, he saw the reason or the plan for which God became man, full of grace and truth. For it was not as God by essence, consubstantial to God the Father, that the Only Begotten Son gave this grace, but as having in the incarnation become man by nature, and consubstantial to us, that He bestows grace on all who have need of it. This grace we receive from His fullness always in proportion to our progress. Therefore, the one who keeps sacred the whole meaning of the Word of God’s become incarnate for our sake will acquire the glory full of grace and truth of the One who for our sake glorifies and consecrates Himself in us by His coming: ‘When He appears we shall be like Him’ (1Jn 3.2).”

St. Nectarius of Aegina

St. Nectarius of Aegina

Saint Nectarius, the great wonderworker of modern times, was born Anastasius Kephalas in Selebria, Thrace on October 1, 1846.

Since his family was poor, Anastasius went to Constantinople when he was fourteen in order to find work. Although he had no money, he asked the captain of a boat to take him. The captain told him to take a walk and then come back. Anastasius understood, and sadly walked away.

The captain gave the order to start the engines, but nothing happened. After several unsuccessful attempts, he looked up into the eyes of Anastasius who stood on the dock. Taking pity on the boy, the captain told him to come aboard. Immediately, the engines started and the boat began to move.

Anastasius found a job with a tobacco merchant in Constantinople, who did not pay him very much. In his desire to share useful information with others, Anastasius wrote down short maxims from spiritual books on the paper bags and packages of the tobacco shop. The customers would read them out of curiosity, and might perhaps derive some benefit from them.

The boy went about barefoot and in ragged clothing, but he trusted in God. Seeing that the merchant received many letters, Anastasius also wanted to write a letter. To whom could he write? Not to his parents, because there were no mail deliveries to his village. Not to his friends, because he had none. Therefore, he decided to write to Christ to tell Him of his needs.

“My little Christ,” he wrote. “I do not have an apron or shoes. You send them to me. You know how much I love you.”

Anastasius sealed the letter and wrote on the outside: “To the Lord Jesus Christ in Heaven.” On his way to mail the letter, he ran into

The Life of St. Mary of Egypt

St. Zosimas of Palestine administering Holy Communion to St. Mary of Egypt

St Zosimas (April 4) was a monk at a certain Palestinian monastery on the outskirts of Caesarea. Having dwelt at the monastery since his childhood, he lived there in asceticism until he reached the age of fifty-three. Then he was disturbed by the thought that he had attained perfection, and needed no one to instruct him. “Is there a monk anywhere who can show me some form of asceticism that I have not attained? Is there anyone who has surpassed me in spiritual sobriety and deeds?”

Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared to him and said, “Zosimas, you have struggled valiantly, as far as this is in the power of man. However, there is no one who is righteous (Rom 3:10). So that you may know how many other ways lead to salvation, leave your native land, like Abraham from the house of his father (Gen 12:1), and go to the monastery by the Jordan.”

Abba Zosimas immediately left the monastery, and following the angel, he went to the Jordan monastery and settled in it.

Here he met Elders who were adept in contemplation, and also in their struggles. Never did anyone utter an idle word. Instead, they sang constantly, and prayed all night long. Abba Zosimas began to imitate the spiritual activity of the holy monks.

Thus much time passed, and the holy Forty Day Fast approached. There was a certain custom at the monastery, which was why God had led St Zosimas there. On the First Sunday of Great Lent the igumen served the Divine Liturgy, everyone received the All-Pure Body and Blood of Christ. Afterwards, they went to the trapeza for a small repast, and then assembled once more in church.

The monks prayed and made prostrations, asking forgiveness one of another. Then they made a prostration before the igumen and asked his blessing for the struggle that lay before them. During the Psalm “The Lord is my Light and my Savior, whom shall I fear? The Lord is defender of my life, of whom shall I be afraid?” (Ps 26/27:1), they opened the monastery gate and went off into the wilderness.

Each took with him as much food as he needed, and went into the desert. When their food ran out, they ate roots and desert plants. The monks crossed the Jordan and scattered in various directions, so that no one might see how another fasted or how they spent their time.

The monks returned to the monastery on Palm Sunday, each having his own conscience as a witness of his ascetic struggles. It was a rule of the monastery that no one asked how anyone else had toiled in the desert.

Abba Zosimas, according to the custom of the monastery, went deep into the desert hoping to find someone living there who could benefit him.

He walked into the wilderness for twenty days and then,

Fr. Seraphim (Rose) of Platina: Raising the Mind, Warming the Heart

Fr. Seraphim (Rose) of Platina

The writings of the Russian philosopher Ivan Kireyevsky contain some basic ideas which are very apropos for us today. The usual argument between faith and reason, he wrote, is not correct. Reason is such a thing that it must be raised up to a higher level, and this is what the Orthodox Church tries to give. By itself, reason does not offer any more than an understanding of this two-dimensional, corporeal realm, with which most of the critics and scholars of the West are occupying themselves. There is something, however, above this. According to Western thinking, if you go “above” this, you usually have to deny reason and “jump into the dark.” In Orthodoxy this is not so, for the reason itself is so exposed to Truth that it begins to be elevated above itself.

The one thing that can save us is simplicity. It can be ours if in our hearts we pray to God to make us simple; if we just do not think ourselves so wise; if, when it comes to a question like, “Can we paint an icon of God the Father?” we do not come up with a quick answer and say, “Oh, of course it’s this way—such-and-such Council said so-and-so, canon number so-and-so.” And so either we, “knowing” that we must be right, have to excommunicate everyone else—in which case we have “gone off the deep end”—or else we have to stop and think, “Well, I guess I don’t know too much.” The more we have this second attitude, the more we will be protected from spiritual dangers.
Accept simply the faith you receive from your fathers. If there is a simple hearted priest near you, give thanks to God. Consider that because you are so complex, “intellectual” and moody, you should be able to learn much from him. The more you grow in Orthodoxy by reading and exposure to Church and contact with Orthodox people, the more you will be able to “feel your way” in the whole realm of Orthodoxy. You will begin to see the wisdom behind things and people you had dismissed before. You will begin to see that even if the people who are the “links” to the past are not consciously “wise,” nevertheless, God is guiding the Church. We know that He is with the Church until the end; there is no reason to “go off the deep end,” to fall into apostasy and heresy.
If we follow the simple path—distrusting our own wisdom, doing the best that we can, yet realizing that our mind, without warmth of heart, is a very weak tool—then what Kireyevsky talked about will begin to happen: an Orthodox philosophy of life will begin to be formed in us.

–Blessed Hieromonk Seraphim of Platina, Raising the Mind, Warming the Heart

Fr. Seraphim (Rose) of Platina: On the Mind of the Fathers

Fr. Seraphim (Rose) giving a lecture

Spiritual life does not mean being in the clouds while saying the Jesus Prayer or going through the various motions. It means discovering the laws of this spiritual life as they apply to one’s own position, one’s situation. This comes over the years by attentive reading of the Holy Fathers with a notebook, writing down those passages which seem most significant to us, studying them, finding how they apply to us, and, if need be, revising earlier views of them as we get a little deeper into them, finding what one Father says about something, what a second Father says about the same thing, and so on. There is no encyclopedia that will give you that. You cannot decide you want to find all about some one subject and begin reading the Holy Fathers. There are a few indexes in the writings of the Fathers, but you cannot simply go at spiritual life in that way. You have to go at it a little bit at a time, taking the teaching in as you are able to absorb it, going back over the same texts in later years, reabsorbing them, getting more, and gradually coming to find out how these spiritual texts apply to you. As a person does that, he discovers that every time he reads the same Holy Father he finds new things. He always goes deeper into it.

–Father Seraphim Rose: His Life and Works, 466

Repent before it’s too late

Priest confessing a penitent

Those who have realized how dangerous and evil is the life they lead, the devil succeeds in keeping his power, mainly by the following simple but all-powerful suggestion: “Later, later; tomorrow, to-morrow.” And the poor sinner, deluded by the appearance of good intention accompanying this suggestion, decides: ‘Indeed, to-marrow; to-day I shall finish what I have to do, and then, free of all care, will put myself in the hands of Divine grace and will follow unswervingly the path of spiritual life. To-day I shall do this and that; to-marrow I shall repent.’ This is the net of the devil, my brother and sisters, with which he catches a great many, and holds the whole world in his hands.

The reason why this net catches us so easily is our negligence and blindness. Nothing but…blindness can explain why, when the whole of our Ovation and all the glory of God are at stake, we fail to use immediately the most easy and simple and yet the most effective weapon, namely; to say to ourselves, resolutely and energetically ‘This moment! I shall start spiritual life this moment, and no later; I shall repent now, instead of to-marrow. Now, this moment is in my hands, to-marrow and after is in the hands of God. Even if God will grant me tomorrow and after, can I be sure that! shall have to-morrow the same good thought urging me to mend my ways?’ Moreover, how senseless it is when, for example, a remedy is offered for curing one’s illness, to say: “Wait, let me be sick a little longer,” And a man who delays the work of salvation does exactly this. So, if you wish to be free of the pretest of the enemy, take up at once this trusty weapon against him obey immediately in actual deed the good thoughts and promptings coming from the Lord and calling you to repent.

Do not in the slightest delay, do not permit yourself to say: “I have made firm resolve to repent a little later and I shall not abandon the intention.” No, no, do not do this. Such resolutions have always proved deceptive and many people, who relied on them have for many reasons remained unrepentant to the end of their lives.

The above excerpt is taken from the book called, Unseen Warfare (Chapter 31).