How Do I Know My Calling?
It is an important question that most young people ask themselves, “How do I know if monastic life is for me? As it seems...
The Dove Returns to the Ark
When I left the bishopric and returned to my desert cave at the beginning of January 1964, I found the monk Antonius (Pope Shenouda’s...
Fasting & Prayer
In the name of the living, holy God, Creator of the bodies and the souls, who made thanksgiving due upon us forever. And made...
Monastic Poverty In Evagrius’ Work
Evagrius’s ideal monk lives simply, at the edge of poverty, so to speak, accumulating only enough to support himself and to provide basic hospitality...
Theology of Tears in the Writings of Climacus
The gift of tears is something ‘native’ to historical Christianity which distinguishes it from the ascetic or mystical traditions of other religions. There is...
A Broken Road
Louis Armstrong flared our passions, almost teasing our poignant yet innocent desires singing the lyrics of his song “What a Wonderful World” as such...
On Fasting?
The brethren said, “Is it possible for a man to fast and not to be redeemed?”
The old man said, “There is a fasting which...
Wisdom Derived From Humility
St. Anthony's humility took many forms. St. Anthony listened to others without insisting on his own opinion from his childhood. As an adult, St....
Monasticism
In the Orthodox Church the rite of monastic tonsure has a sacramental character. It is called a ‘sacrament’ (mystery) by Dionysius the Areopagite and...
Showing Longsuffering Then Becoming High Minded?
If it happens that I show longsuffering in some matter, my thought becomes high-minded; how should I be thinking about this?
When you...
