Hidden Things

Posted on October 30, 2016 by Administrator

But let us consider the words which He addresses to His Father respecting us and in our behalf. “Thou hast hid, He says, all these things from the wise and prudent, and revealed them unto babes: Yea, O Father, that so it seemed good in thy sight.” For God the Father has revealed unto us the mystery, which before the foundations of the world was hidden and reserved in silence with Him: even the Incarnation of the Only-begotten, which was foreknown indeed before the foundations of the world, but revealed to its inhabitants in the last ages of the world.

For the blessed Paul writes, that “to me who am the least of all saints, has this grace been given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; and clearly teach them all, what is the dispensation of the mystery that for ages has been hid in God Who created all.” (Eph 3:8).

The great and adorable mystery of our Saviour was hidden therefore even before the foundations of the world, in the knowledge of the Father. And in like manner we also were foreknown and foreordained to the adoption of sons. And this again the blessed Paul teaches us, thus writing, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in heaven in Christ, according as He has chosen us in Him before the foundations of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him, having foreordained us in love to the adoption of sons by Jesus Christ unto Himself.” To us therefore, as unto babes, the Father has revealed the mystery that for ages had been hidden and reserved in silence.

St. Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on Luke, Homily 65, p. 277

Posted in New Testament, St. Cyril of Alexandria | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Hidden Things

Test the Rule

Posted on October 23, 2016 by Administrator

We should test the straightness or crookedness of the rules and the ascetic feats which we may have in mind and undertake. This necessity of being turned inwardly towards God must be fully recognized, because all the errors in the active life seem to come from ignorance of this principle. Not seeing its significance, some people stop short at the exterior stage of devout exercises and ascetic efforts, others stop short at the habitual practice of good deeds, without rising any higher. Others again attempt to pass directly to contemplation. All these things are required of us but everything must be done in its own time.

At the beginning there is only a seed, which afterwards develops —not exclusively, but in its general tendency—into one form of life or another. Gradualness is necessary—the orderly ascent from exterior to interior deeds, and then from both to contemplation. Such is always the sequence—never vice versa.

Theophan the Recluse, the Art of Prayer, p. 175.

Posted in Theophan the Recluse | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Test the Rule

The Leaven

Posted on October 16, 2016 by Administrator

Remember the Lord’s parable about the leaven hidden in the three measures of meal. The leaven does not become noticeable at once, but remains hidden for a certain time, then later on its action becomes manifest, and finally it penetrates all the dough.

So also the Kingdom within us is first kept secret, later it reveals itself, and finally opens out and appears in its full strength. It reveals itself, as we saw earlier, by the involuntary longing to withdraw within and stand before God. Here the soul has no power of its own, but is moved by an outside influence. Someone takes it and leads it within. It is God, the grace of the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Saviour: no matter which you say, the meaning is one and the same. God shows by this that He accepts the soul and wishes to be master of it, and at the same time He makes the soul accustomed to His mastery, revealing its true nature. until this longing appears—and it does not appear at once—man seems to act apparently by himself; and though he is in fact being helped by grace, its action remains hidden from him.

 He arouses his attention and forms good intentions to be within himself, to remember God, to drive away vain and evil thoughts, and to fulfil all tasks in a way that is pleasing to God; he exerts himself and strives until he is tired, but has no success at all in this undertaking. His thoughts are distracted, movements of passion overwhelm him, there is disorder and error in his work. All this is because God has not yet revealed His mastery over the soul. But as soon as this happens (and it happens when we are overcome by this same involuntary longing to withdraw within and stand before God), immediately everything within comes into order—a sign that the King is present there.

St. Theophan the Recluse, The Art of Prayer, p.175-176

 

Posted in Theophan the Recluse | Tagged , , | Comments Off on The Leaven

Blessed Queen

Posted on October 9, 2016 by Administrator

Blessed Queen of the universe, you know that we sinners’ have no intimacy with the God whom you have borne. But, putting our trust in you, through your mediation we your servants prostrate ourselves before the Lord: for you can freely approach Him since He is your son and our God. 

Thus I, too, unworthy believer that I am, entreat you, holy Queen, that I may be allowed to perceive the gifts of grace bestowed on you and on the other saints, and to understand how you display so many virtues. 

Simply your giving birth to the Son of God shows that you excel all other beings. For He who, as creator of all, knows all things before they come into existence, found your womb worthy of His indwelling. 

No one can question you about your mysteries, for they transcend nature, thought and intellect. Rightly do we, who have been saved through you, pure Virgin, confess that you are the Mother of God, extolling you with the angelic choirs.’ For God, whom men cannot see, on whom the ranks of angels do not dare to look, has through you become visible to men as the Logos made flesh. Glorifying Him with the heavenly hosts we proclaim you blessed. 

And what shall we call you, who are full of grace? Heaven, for you have made the Sun of Righteousness shine forth? Paradise, for you have put forth the flower of immortality?  Virgin, for you have remained inviolate? Pure mother, for you have held in your holy embrace the God of all? Mother of God, you are the true vine, for you have borne the fruit of life. 

We entreat you, intercede in your glory with the apostles and all the saints, that God may have mercy on our souls. For with the true faith we confess that you are the Mother of God and we bless you, the ever-blessed. All generations proclaim you blessed as the only Mother of God, more honored than the cherubim and incomparably more glorious than the seraphim.

St. Peter of Damaskos, Book1 A Treasury of Divine Knowledge The Fourth Stage of Contemplation, Philokalia V3.127

Posted in Philokalia, St. Peter of Damaskos | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Blessed Queen

Come down quickly

Posted on October 2, 2016 by Administrator

Zacchaeus, come down quickly: for to-day I must abide at your house. Luke19:5.

Let not the Jewish multitudes therefore murmur when Christ saves sinners; but let them answer us this. Would they have physicians succeed in effecting cures when they visit the sick? Do they praise them when they are able to deliver men from cruel ulcers, or do they blame them, and praise those who are unskilful in their art? But, as I suppose, they will give the sentence of superiority in favour of those who arc skilful in benefiting such as suffer from diseases. Why therefore do they blame Christ, if when Zacchaeus was, so to say, fallen and buried in spiritual maladies, He raised him from the pitfalls of destruction?

And to teach them this He says, “To-day there is salvation for this house, in that he also is a son of Abraham:” for where Christ enters, there necessarily is also salvation. May He therefore also be in us: and He is in us when we believe: for He dwells in our hearts by faith, and we are His abode. It would have been better then for the Jews to have rejoiced because Zacchaeus was wonderfully saved, for he too was counted among the sons of Abraham, to whom God promised salvation in Christ by the holy prophets, saying, “There shall come a Saviour from Zion, and He shall take away iniquities from Jacob, and this is my covenant with them, when I will bear their sins.”

St. Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on Luke, Homily 127, p. 507

Posted in New Testament, St. Cyril of Alexandria | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Come down quickly

He reveals deep things

Posted on September 25, 2016 by Administrator

10:22. Every thing has been delivered to Me by My Father; and no one knows Who the Son is but the Father; and Who the Father is but the Son; and to whomsoever the Son will reveal Him.

Our Lord Jesus Christ again reveals to us His glory, and the dignity of His godlike majesty, and the skillful method of the dispensation in the flesh; and plainly shows how great is the benefit which the dwellers upon earth derive from it. Let us ask of Him wisdom: let us seek understanding, that we may be able to perceive the exact meaning of His words. For it is He “Who reveals deep things out of darkness, and brings to light those things that are hidden; and gives wisdom to the blind, and makes the brightness of the truth shine forth upon those that love Him. And among these are we: for lo! you have again come, as being, so to speak, thirsty, and the church is full of men loving to hear; and all are true worshippers, and searchers into the doctrines of piety.

St. Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on Luke, Homily 66, p. 281.

Posted in New Testament, St. Cyril of Alexandria | Tagged , , | Comments Off on He reveals deep things

He rejoiced in the Spirit

Posted on September 18, 2016 by Administrator

He rejoiced in the Holy Ghost, that is, in the works and miracles wrought by means of the Holy Ghost. For He had appointed the twelve disciples, whom He also called apostles, and after them again seventy others, whom He sent as His forerunners to go before Him unto every village and city of Judaea, preaching Him, and the things concerning Him. And He sent them, nobly adorned with apostolic dignities, and distinguished by the operation of the grace of the Holy Ghost. “For He gave them power over unclean spirits to cast them out.” They then, having wrought many miracles, returned saying, “Lord, even the devils are subject unto us in Thy Name.”

And therefore as I have already said, well knowing that those who had been sent by Him had benefited many, and that above all others, they had themselves learned by experience His glory, He was full of joy, or rather of exultation. For being good and loving unto men, and wishing that all should be saved, He found His cause of rejoicing in the conversion of those that were in error, in the enlightenment of those that were in darkness, and in the answer of the understanding to the acknowledgment of His glory, of those who had been without knowledge and without instruction.

St. Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on Luke, Homily 65, p. 277

Posted in New Testament, St. Cyril of Alexandria | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on He rejoiced in the Spirit

Like a nursing mother

Posted on September 11, 2016 by Administrator

A brother asked Abba Macarius, “My father, I have fallen into a transgression.”

Abba Macarius said to him, “It is written, my son, ‘I do not desire the death of a sinner as much as his repentance and his life’ [see 1 Tim 2: 4 and 2 Pet 3: 9].

Repent, therefore, my son; you will see him who is gentle, our Lord Jesus Christ, his face full of joy towards you, like a nursing mother whose face is full of joy for her child when he raises his hands and his face up to her. Even if he is full of all kinds of uncleanness, she does not turn away from that bad smell and excrement but takes pity on him and lifts him up and presses him to her breast, her face full of joy, and everything about him is sweet to her. If, then, this created person has pity for her child, how much greater is the love of the creator, our Lord Jesus Christ, for us!

Saint Macarius the Spiritbearer, Coptic Texts Relating to Saint Macarius the Great, Translated, with Introduction, by Tim Vivian.

Posted in Abba Macarius of Egypt | Tagged , | Comments Off on Like a nursing mother

On Pilgrimages

Posted on September 4, 2016 by Administrator

We confessed that the Christ Who was manifested is very God, as much before as after our sojourn at Jerusalem; our faith in Him was not increased afterwards any more than it was diminished. Before we saw Bethlehem we knew His being made man by means of the Virgin; before we saw His Grave we believed in His Resurrection from the dead; apart from seeing the Mount of Olives, we confessed that His Ascension into heaven was real. We derived only thus much of profit from our traveling thither, namely that we came to know by being able to compare them, that our own places are far holier than those abroad. Wherefore, O ye who fear the Lord, praise Him in the places where ye now are. Change of place does not effect any drawing nearer unto God, but wherever thou mayest be, God will come to thee, if the chambers of thy soul be found of such a sort that He can dwell in thee and walk in thee. But if thou keepest thine inner man full of wicked thoughts, even if thou wast on Golgotha, even if thou wast on the Mount of Olives, even if thou stoodest on the memorial-rock of the Resurrection, thou wilt be as far away from receiving Christ into thyself, as one who has not even begun to confess Him.

St. Gregory of Nyssa, On Pilgrimages, NPNF 2nd series, Vol. 5, p. 382

Posted in St. Gregory of Nyssa | Tagged , , | Comments Off on On Pilgrimages

The Son of Man coming in the clouds

Posted on August 28, 2016 by Administrator

For it was necessary that the manner of His dispensation in the flesh should remain hid, that by enduring as a man for our sakes even the precious cross, He might abolish death, and drive away Satan from his tyranny over us all. For, as Paul says; “The wisdom that was in Christ, by which is meant that which is by Christ, none of the rulers of this world knew: for if they had known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.” It was necessary therefore that He should remain unknown during the time that preceded His passion: but His second advent from heaven will not happen secretly as did His coming at first, but will be illustrious and terrible. For He shall descend with the holy angels guarding Him, and in the glory of God the Father, to judge the world in righteousness…

Since therefore all these things are being dissolved, what sort of persons ought we to be, that we may be found holy, and without blame, and unreproved before Him?” And Christ also Himself says, “Be you therefore always watching, supplicating that you may be able to escape from all those things that are about to happen, and to stand before the Son of Man.” “For we shall all stand before His judgment seat,” to give an account of those things that we have done. But in that He is good and loving to mankind, Christ will show mercy on those that love Him.

St. Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on the Gospel of St. Luke, Homily 139

Posted in New Testament, St. Cyril of Alexandria | Tagged , | Comments Off on The Son of Man coming in the clouds