By Father Dmitrius Basalygo
Each time when
we serve the Divine Liturgy and partake of the Holy Communion, we build up the
Holy Church. The communion makes us become the living parts of the Church. Thus
we can commune with everyone: with saints, with those who live and those who
reposed. (After the all-night vigil on
July 11, 2016)
***
It is important
that we understand (or, maybe, learn or recall) that the apostles were
preaching not just another ethic teaching, but their own experience, the Good
News about Christ, who was crucified and resurrected, and about the victory over
death. The news which told that God granted us a new being, a new life with
Him. And the name for this life is “Church”. Often we think that the Church
is something external, like an organization, an institution or a building. In
fact, the Church is a new way of living, in which God unites with us. We all
become the body of Christ, and get the eternal life in this union. God came to
this world to gather His children, scattered all over the earth, and grant us
the eternal life. He opens to us and grants it every time, when He unites with
us in the Holy communion. How can we respond to such a gift? Only with our
gratitude, with our pious living and following Christ. (After the Divine Liturgy on July 12, 2016)
By Father Andrew Malahovsky
Prayer is our
natural and normal condition. The Lord said: “Pray without ceasing” (1
Thessalonians, 5:17). Prayer is our weapon.
A human being lives in a hostile environment. Spiritually hostile. The enemy of
the humankind is always fighting against us. This is why we should be ready to
use the weapon at any time. We repel the enemy’s attacks with prayer. While
praying we do not do anything special, we just get back to our natural
condition. (After the akathist on July
21, 2016)
By Father Rodion Alhovik
Often people
come and say: “I do not know what to do. I am disappointed. No one wants to give
me the answers”. Then I ask: “Have you ever confessed and partaken of the Holy
Communion? Do you pray?” – “No. Why should I? To believe and to attend the church on
inspiration is enough for me”. It is vital, that we do not wait for inspiration. Our body does not need inspiration. It will demand food in case we
need to eat. The same is with the soul. We should not wait for inspiration or
certain difficulties and conditions, we should just come to a church. God will
arrange everything. God will give you everything and enlighten you, He will
strengthen and console you, He will let you see the true beauty of life. May
the Lord make us stronger, so that we can attend the church, come for confession,
partake of the Holy Communion and feel the joy, which He prepared for each of
us. (After the Divine Liturgy on July 31,
2016)
***
It is important that we look for grace in the very
place, where we are, and with the very people, who are near us. With the children, the spouses and the parents
we have. And we should learn to live with them, and learn to thank God for
everything in this or that particular situation. Actually, in this case, a
person does not need to go anywhere, neither to Athos, nor to Jerusalem. He has
everything. May the Lord help us find Athos and Jerusalem in our hearts, and
let us create the vault in which the grace of God will always be. (After the Divine Liturgy on June 29, 2016)
Our repentance is what is really valuable for God. Our desire to
change ourselves, our desire for these changes to happen. We cannot change
ourselves at will, but the Lord can. And to want this to happen means to let
God act in us. […]
Perhaps, a
little doubt in God lives in any of us. We cannot trust Him completely, we
believe in Him, but what concerns delivering everything into His arm… We do not even realize
how to. That is why there is a constant fight between our desire to be with God
and our distrust. When our faith prevails, then the Kingdom of Heaven will
come. Everything will be possible. God will act in us and through us, and this
connection will be not a temporary act, but the key to the life eternal. […]
The Lord does
not divide us into the worthy and unworthy ones. Christ accepted the sinner who
came to anoint His feet. He cured the bleeding woman, He raised the man from the dead,
showing us that there is nothing we should be afraid of in this world, except
from losing God. Everything else we can gain if we are with God, if we do not
lose the connection with Him and do not turn away from Him no matter what. (After the Divine Liturgy in the boarding
home for children with special needs on July 30, 2016)
By Father Sergius Phalei
Those of us,
who want to approach the sacrament – confession or the Holy Communion – do not
be late. It will be useful for you to listen to the prayers, which are read before
confession. The priest reads them not for himself. The words he pronounces are
addressed to each confessor. When people are late for liturgy, it is irreverent
in relation to the church, the Church as a whole, the Divine Services and, of
course, Christ and His Holy Sacraments. (After
the all-night vigil on June 15, 2016)
St. Elisabeth Convent, 2017
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