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 whole tradition in the Christian East concerning tears which can be traced back to the New Testament, then through the desert Fathers to Climacus himself, who added new dimensions to …
Louis Armstrong flared our passions, almost teasing our poignant yet innocent desires singing the lyrics of his song “What a Wonderful World” as such we all hope to love and live. The imagery of red roses blooming, the truly wonderful creation we are surrounded by, and the beauty of love that is lived not just …
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 is a matter of habit, another which is of desire, another which is of constraint, another which is of the sight, another which is of vainglory, another of tribulation, another …
In the Orthodox Church the rite of monastic tonsure has a sacramental character. It is called a ‘sacrament’ (mystery) by Dionysius the Areopagite and other early Christian authors. It is also called a 'sacrament' in the rite itself. Like Baptism, it is death to fleshly life and a birth into a new, spiritual mode of …
If it happens that I show longsuffering in some matter, my thought becomes high-minded; how should I be thinking about this? When you happen to do something good, you should know that this is a gift of God, given to you by God’s goodness; for God has mercy on all. But pay heed to yourself, …
What then do we say about him who has begun to fear the day of judgment? If love were perfected in him, he would not fear. For perfect love would make perfect justice and he would not have a reason to fear; rather, he would have a reason to desire that iniquity pass away and …
A brother questioned an Elder, saying: “Father, must I seek the counsel of the Elders for all of the temptations which come passing in my heart?” “It is not necessary,” answered the Elder, “for someone to be questioned about all the temptations which pass through his heart, for they pass away. For example, a man …
To continue my reflections of my numerous spiritual counsel with monks and Bishops during my last retreat in the Egyptian desert, a definition of monasticism was always formulated during the conversation. Each of these definition reflects each monk’s long experience in the monastic life. Here are these definitions. Bishop Youstos: Monasticism came as a replacement …
With the kind permission of Bishop Daniel (the Bishop of St Shenouda Monastery), we, the monks of the monastery, went on a spiritual retreat to the monasteries of Egypt. This retreat was an eye opener in many aspects. For this I thank Bishop Daniel very much. One of the aspects that really came to light …
How can someone become liberated from shameful thoughts? Let us follow what St Basil has to say Concerning this topic: We should confront these attacks with intensive care and attentiveness, just as an athlete when he evades his opponent's blows with the accurate precaution necessary, together with the flexibility of his body. We should entrust …
