The Catalog of Good Deeds

- Geronda, why is it so that on feast days we are usually subject to temptations?

- Don’t you know why? On feast days, Christ, the Mother of God and saints are rejoicing and treating us spiritually. They give people their blessing and grant them spiritual gifts. You know, parents also prepare some treat for their children on their birthday, as well as kings proclaim amnesty when the prince is born. Then why can’t Saints treat people with something spiritual on Their day?

We need to say that the joy that we receive from Saints lives in us for long and people’s souls benefit much from it. The devil knows this and this is why he causes temptations so that people lose the Divine gifts they have got, and that the feast brings them neither benefit, nor joy. And then you can see that when a family prepares for the Holy Communion, the devil makes them quarrel, and then then not only miss the Communion but do not go to church at all. The evil one does everything he can to deprive people of Divine support.

The same we can notice in the monastic life. Since the devil knows that feast days bring us spiritual benefit, often he causes temptations on this day, or more often before the feast. He is a seducer – is there anything else he can do? Thus, he violates our inner condition. For example, he can make us quarrel with a brother, and the he brings us sorrow and makes us suffer both spiritually and bodily. By doing this he does not let us take benefit from the feast, to live this day in joy and glorifying God. However, if Good God sees that we did not provide the devil with a possibility to seduce us, and that everything happened only because of his jealousy, then God will help us.

Besides, God helps us to benefit much in case we humbly take the blame for what has happened and do not condemn neither our brother, nor even the devil who hated any good. Well, after all this is his job, to cause temptations and spread evil. At the same time, being and image of God, a human being is supposed to spread peace and kindness.

Source: http://pravlife.org/content/paisiy-svyatogorec-ob-iskusheniyah-v-prazdniki

Archpriest Andrew Lemeshonok, the spiritual father of St. Elisabeth Convent answers various questions of the parishioners.

What if you are 45 and you don't feel the fullness of life?

There is a saying, "Better late than never." You are not old: 45 years of age is the period in life when your creativity flourishes. I think you will be able to put your creative powers to use, if only you work hard and wait patiently.

Every person has a different take on what happiness is. This word has a different meaning for each person. A believer thinks that happiness means to be humble, to find the God-inspired peace, and to serve God and one's neighbour. An unbeliever thinks that happiness means satisfying one's desires and needs; being prosperous; living as one pleases. These goals are in total contradiction.

Right now, you have not managed to excel at your occupation, and this is what makes you frustrated, disgruntled, and angry; you would like to achieve something good in your life and to see the fruit of your labour. You needn't do something huge. You can do something small but with love. You don't have to do a lot of things: you can simply do your best to be neat, patient, and work diligently in the place where you are now. Most importantly, you should have good thoughts, a pure heart that is open to other people and filled with peace and love. This is how you will be able to help many people. I know humble people whom you can overlook sometimes but who have so much love and so much vitality! They haven't become famous. Their lives are far from being a colourful kaleidoscope of victories and achievements. They keep working humbly and quietly. They are satisfied with what they've got. They appreciate it, and God dwells inside them. This is truly beautiful.

You want to feel the fullness of life, don't you? Perhaps, it's time to begin thinking of a connection with God, of spiritual development, of growing in trust and faith? Sooner or later, the most precious and close friends and relatives part their ways, the most grandiose projects grow old, and everything we create breaks into pieces. Maybe you'd better look for the happiness within, in your own immortal soul? The most important moment in the life of every believer is his encounter with Christ. Have you had this encounter yet? Are you looking forward to it? Right now, you look at the outer layer of your life. Try looking deeper below the surface.

What do I do if it is hard for me to fast?

There are accommodations for people who suffer from certain health issues. The approach to fasting should be undertaken on an individual basis. You can eat salmon, for example. You won't break your fast with it. It is simply a way to make it easier.

If you worry for your health and feel the need to eat more foods than normally allowed, go to church and ask a priest for his blessing so as not to be conscience-stricken. The Church adheres to the principle of positive changes, as opposed to disruption, and this is also true of our approach to physical health. Of course, you have to fast to a certain extent. For instance, you should abstain from things that you like, from your passions, but it is subject to regulations and depends on our faith, our prayer, and our attitude towards fasting. You must assess your health condition critically. If you fear and doubt, you should eat ordinary non-lenten food but not to be tempted. You should go to a confession and tell your priest about it.

Fasting helps us to fight our sins but it should not ruin our health. You can always find the measure of fasting that will suffice for you.

Years go by but I don't have a family. What can you do?

This question is asked by many people. We all want something and yearn for something but we donЎЇt receive itЎ However, if one is willing to keep praying and praying and praying for real, God will give him what he asks for. We have seen it happen over and over again. What can you do? Man proposes but the Lord disposes. There might be a sisterhood in your parish, and if there isn't, you can try to establish one. There are orphanages and boarding homes populated with children who don't have parents. It would be great if the faithful visited those children and helped them.

If you have free time and you love children, you can adopt. There are cases where single women adopt orphans. A friend of mine has two children of her own and she adopted a child. The solution to your problem does exist.

If you still hope to get married, you should keep hoping and praying. There is a sister in our Sisterhood who found a husband at the age of 40+, and they have a wonderful life together as a family.

We often start grudging, become sad and embittered, sullen and angry. That's wrong. God gives us what we need. We don't value it enough sometimes. We don't accept it and try to build a life as we please, and it always leads to unsatisfactory results. Therefore, find support in God, find the source of power in prayer, in the Sacraments of Confession and Communion, struggle with depression and lack of faith. Sooner or later you will have to part with all earthly and transient things. This is why we, especially as we grow older, begin to think of our immortal souls, begin to learn to pray and to live with God. It requires a lot of time and effort. I would like to wish you peace in your soul so that you wouldn't doubt God's love.

December 21, 2017

St. Elisabeth Convent

The Christmas season has arrived, and I find myself thinking about my most cherished memories from every Christmas prior. As a mom, I find it important to pass along as many of these treasured traditions to my children as possible.

As I was thinking about this, I was wondering if I had successfully passed down these traditions to my children. I decided to ask all of them a couple of questions to see if I had, in fact, done so.

But…before doing so, I asked myself, “What is most important to me at Christmas? What are my most cherished memories at Christmastime?” I then purposely texted my daughter, instead of calling her, to allow her a moment of unhindered thought before answering my questions since, in her mind, it was going to be out of the blue, “What do you think are the most important aspects of Christmas for dad and myself? What are your most cherished memories of Christmas as a child?”

Later that evening, I also asked my boys these same two questions as we were eating dinner. I think in hindsight, I would have asked the boys while each of them were alone – only because I think they purposely gave us differing answers from each other and I’d like to see if any of them came up with the same answers.

Where are our priorities for the days and weeks leading up to the Nativity of Christ? Do we get caught up in the decorations, gifts, and activities of this time of year, or do we focus on the birth of our Savior? Are we telling our children one thing, Christ is most important during Christmas, but really saying something entirely different with our actions?

The traditions we pass down to our children will stay with them for a lifetime. It presents a sense of staying connected with family who have passed away. It’s a way of keeping alive our cherished memories as we also teach our children about their faith and heritage.

Growing up, my parents primarily taught us through their actions. One of the traditions my parents did at Christmas was to attend Liturgy before opening any presents. In this, they taught us that the focus was on Christ, not on the gifts under our tree.

They also taught us that emulating Saint Nicholas’ giving was far more important than receiving nice gifts for ourselves. My brother has memories of taking a Christmas meal and gifts to a family with zero food in their home. I have fond memories of going to the grocery store and picking out food for a family I often babysat for who had lost their baby a few days after a full-term birth. These actions have a way of softening your heart and filling you with a desire to continue helping others into your adult life.

When we think about where we place our priorities at Christmas, did we find that our children showed us that we place them somewhere other than on Christ, or did we successfully lead by example? Have we taught our children to blindly give a small donation or gift to an abstract “poor person” each year, or are we letting them see for themselves the beaming faces of those we helped?

Let us continue on our journey to the feast day of the Nativity of Christ by leading our children through example. Let our children learn through our actions where the emphasis should be placed during this Christmas season, instead of from the commercials on TV and the displays at the stores.

By Jennifer Hock

Source: http://myocn.net/children-reveal-true-priorities-christmas/

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