The Catalog of Good Deeds

“Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.” (2 Timothy 3: 12)

And the Lord Jesus Christ had foretold and proved by it by His own example. And so did the apostles, who talked about it, and proved these words by their own example. And all the God-bearing Fathers of the Church, confessors and martyrs talked about this, and proved it by their own example. So is it possible to doubt even for a moment the fact that you must take the narrow path to enter the Kingdom of Heaven? Is it even possible to doubt the fact that we must face many misfortunes in order to enter the Kingdom of Heaven?

No, there are no longer any grounds or justification for doubt. Can a sheep live amongst wolves and not be attacked? Can the flame of a candle burn on the path of strong winds and not tremble? Can a fruit tree grow near the road and not be plucked by those who pass by? The same goes for the Church filled with pious souls which will be persecuted, in fact it will be persecuted by pagans, by idol worshippers, by heretics,by apostates, through various passions and vices, sins and lawlessness, by the world and demons.

The same applies to any no pious soul which can not remain without persecution - either external or internal - until it is ready part with the body and the world. Someone can deny this and try prove something else, according to his own reasoning and his own logic. But neither the mind nor the logic of a single person will be helpful here: thousands of crucified people say otherwise, and thousands of people who were burned to death shout a different opinion, and thousands of those who were hacked to death prove otherwise, and thousands of those who were thrown into the water to drown testify about something else. O my brethren, the Christian faith is strong not only when it agrees with mind and logic, but even then (especially at that moment) when it opposes any reason and any logic.

Whoever wants to live in piety, will be persecuted. The Apostle predicted in the early Christian times,while twenty Christian centuries responded with a chorus of echos, and confirmed that the prophecy was true.

O Resurrected Christ, give us light, that we may be pious to the end, and give us strength to withstand persecution until the end. To you glory and praise forever. Amen.

Translated by The Catalog of Good Deeds

1. Life will become peaceful and successful only when we will stop being forgetful and stop forgetting God, our Creator and Savior and the Giver of eternal life. Not to forget Him means to live by His Divine Commandments.

2. We need to endure family troubles as we have chosen the path through our own free will. Doubting one’s self here is very harmful. You will find salvation when you pray to God about yourself and your family, so the Lord may give us what we truly need through His holy will.

3.My suggestions is to find the golden middle when interacting with those who are younger and older than you, try not to insist on what you want instead do what you are responsible for and what is possible as you understand it. Be sure you are guided by the fear of God and your conscience.

4. If you believe in God’s providence and rely on God for His All Powerful help, then you will not come across any discomfort and you will always be at peace. When you start to wonder about things that are impossible (because when we assume we tend to be mistaken or wrong) then you will make yourself restless for no reason.

5. We must have reason, this means that we must first worry about receiving the mercy of God and our eternal salvation. We should not think about returning to the old kingdom or in other words temporary earthly joys.

6. You must teach and educate your children, but you also need to learn from your children as the Lord said: “unless you... become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven”(Matthew 18:3). While Apostle Paul explained these words as follows: “do not be children in understanding; however, in malice be babes, but in understanding be mature” (1 Corinthians 14:20).

7. An excess of inner feelings can unnoticeably turn into pride and judgement of others; while a lack of feeling and an inner spiritual dryness will humble a person, when one truly beings to understand this.

8. Prayer for your relatives must come with humility to the All-Knowing and All-Powerful God. Where words and actions can not help, we have a commandment to pray for one another, so that we could be healed.

9. The evil one will tempt in any way possible, especially before death in order to inflict a wound or to leave at least some sort of stain. The evil one does this so that the soul could be delayed and held up on its path into eternal life.

10. The sign of the cross has a great power in terms of a person’s actions his entire life. Therefore it is very important to teach children from a young age to make the sign of the cross. Especially before eating and drinking, going to sleep, waking up, going on a trip and before going or returning from somewhere.

Prepared by The Catalog of Good Deeds

One of the brightest stars in the celestial array of Russia's New Martyrs is holy Grand Duchess Elisabeth. A convert to Orthodoxy, she outshone many of those whose Faith she had so ardently embraced. She was like a sun whose penetrating rays warm hearts grown cold and renew the lost faith of a fallen and despairing humanity, as if to say that not all have succumbed to an egotistical self love, that there are still those servants of Love, whose example points the way to the true path, tom happiness both on this earth and for aIl eternity. She placed a law in her heart: that the strong bear the frailties of the weak. Love was the cornerstone of her life and all her activities. This love made easy for her what was difficult, it made serving her fellowman a plea sure, and through it the forgiveness of enemies was made possible. For the sake of this Love she sacrificed herself for others, thereby fulfilling that greatest of commandments according to the Apostle of love, that "we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren" (I John3:16).

There exists perhaps no more eloquent tribute to the holy Grand Duchess than the spiritual portrait so finely drawn by the late Metropolitan Anastassy:

"She was a rare combination of exalted Christian spirit, moral nobility, enlightened mind, gentle heart, and refined taste. She possessed an extremely delicate and multifaceted spiritual composition and her outward appearance reflected the beauty and greatness of her spirit. Upon her brow lay the seal of an inborn, elevated dignity which set her apart from those around her. Under the cover of modesty, she often strove - though in vain, to conceal herself from the gaze of others, but one could not mistake her for another. Wherever she appeared, one would always ask: "Who is she who looketh forth as the morning, clear as the sun" (Song of Solomon 6:10)? Wherever she would go she emanated the pure fragrance of the lily. Perhaps it was for this reason that she loved the color white - it was the reflection of her heart. All of her spiritual qualities were strictly balanced, one against another, never giving an impression of one-sidedness. Femininity was joined in her to a courageous character; her goodness never led to weakness and blind, unconditional trust of people. Even in her finest heartfelt inspirations she exhibited that gift of discernment which has always been so highly esteemed by Christian ascetics..."

The Grand Duchess was born on October 20, 186l, the daughter of Princess Alice of Hesse and the granddaughter of Queen Victoria of England, under whose strict tutelage she received both an extensive and a practical education. Her mother died when she was still young, the first tragedy in a life marked by inner suffering. But through, greatness of spirit, her sorrow at the absence of maternal love was later transformed into a tender and solicitous compassion for others who lacked this love.

Chosen as the future wife of the Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich, the Grand Duchess arrived in Moscow and set about learning all she could about her newly adopted homeland, its people and its culture. Her heart was soon captured by the beauty and spiritual depth of Orthodoxy which she discovered so tightly interwoven into the rich fabric of the Russian soul. It was not mere formality that prompted her decision to become Orthodox, but a strong inner conviction. In Orthodoxy she found full expression for the natural spiritual cast of her character. Social obligations at the palace, however, prevented this disposition from blossoming, although in keeping with her new position she was able to dedicate much time to philanthropic activities. It was only with the tragic assassination of her husband in 1905 that Providence granted her the opportunity to withdraw from the tumult of a world which her soul found so wearisome. But through her patient endurance she had already achieved a measure of Christian perfection. This was manifest in her ready forgiveness of her husband's murderer whom she even went to visit in hopes of softening his heart. On the memorial cross erected upon the site of her husband's death, she had inscribed the Gospel words, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do...' She had already begun the ascent up the ladder of Christian virtue.

Ignoring the scandal caused by such a move, the Grand Duchess left the royal apartments and settled in a building which she had acquired at Ordinka. Here, with the counsel of the eiders of the Zosima Hermitage under whom she had placed herself in total obedience, she laid the foundation for a sisterhood which combined in itself the ascetic labors of the monastic life and works of charity. This quiet haven in the midst of a bustling city was named in honor of Mary and Martha, the sisters of Lazarus, whose two natures of service and prayer were so beautifully intertwined in the mission of the new community. "To be not of this world and at the same time to live and act in the world in order to transform it - this was the foundation upon which she desired to establish her convent."

The Grand Duchess was personally involved in all the plans for the buildings of the community, and they reflected her refined aesthetic sensibilities. The main church was built in the traditional Novgorod-Pskov style and painted by the well-known Russian artist Nesterov. The austere white walls were balanced with exquisite sculptured ornamentation. The architectural harmony of the buildings, the peaceful atmosphere, the beauty of the church services - all combined to lift the tired soul from its earthly cares and give it a glimpse of paradise. Even members of the unchurchly contemporary Russian society, whose spiritual re-education was of such concern to the Grand Duchess, were drawn to this unique community.

"It is not surprising that the convent quickly blossomed and attracted many sisters from the aristocracy as well as the common people. Nearly monastic order reigned within the inner life of the community and both within and without the convent the activities of the Grand Duchess consisted in the care of those who visited the sick who were lodged in the convent, in the material and moral help given to the poor, and in the almshouse for those orphans and abandoned children found in every large city. The Grand Duchess paid special attention to the unfortunate children who bore within themselves the curse of their fathers' sins, the children born in the turbid slums of Moscow only to wither before they had a chance to blossom. Many of them were taken into the orphanage built for them where they were quickly revived spiritually and physically. For others, constant supervision at their place of residence was established. The spirit of initiative and moral sensitivity which accompanied the Grand Duchess in all her activities, inspired and impelled her to search out new paths and forms of philanthropic activity, which sometimes reflected the influence of her first, western homeland, and its advanced organizations for social improvement and mutual aid..."

Wherever there was a need the Grand Duchess would try to answer it, and only her strong spirit was able to keep her from being entirely overcome physically by all that she in her willingness was ready to undertake. All her activities, however, did not cause her to wander from the "one thing needful," and while serving the least of Christ' s brethren, she was ever at Christ's feet, listening to His words.

The sorrowful tribulations which visited Russia as the Revolution spread its shadow over the land only caused her virtues of love and self-sacrifice to shine more brightly. Together with her younger sister, Tsaritsa Alexandra, she was slandered on account of her German blood. But she harbored neither bitterness nor hatred towards her enemies, and even the revolutionaries recognized her greatness of spirit and spared her and her community for a time,

Finally, however, the martyr's crown was brought within her reach. On Pascha, 1918, the Grand Duchess was suddenly arrested and taken first to Ekaterinburg and then to Alopaevsk where, with her ever-faithful companion Sister Barbara, she was imprisoned in one of the city schools. On the fateful night of July 5/18, together with other royal captives, she was taken in an automobile outside the city and buried alive in a mine shaft. Even here, in the bowels of the earth, she did not cease to manifest her sacrificing love. Excavations have shown that until the last moment she strove to serve the grand dukes who were severely injured by the fall.

At last her precious remains - which, according to eye-witnesses were found in the mine shaft completely untouched by corruption - were received with triumph in Jerusalem and laid to rest in a sepulchre of the church of St. Mary Magdalen, just over the hill from Bethany where the sisters, Sts. Martha and Mary, served and glorified the Lord.

Source: https://www.fatheralexander.org/booklets/english/saints/elizabeth_duchess.htm

In my years of experience as a priest I had one very interesting story. Once my relative, who lives in a remote village, asked me to come to her and help her build some form of crossing over a small river because the residents dismantled the old bridge and and scrapped the material that were left.

So I responded to her call and came. But I could not get to work right away as my aunt decided to start my visit by showing me her chapel in a neighboring village, a partially destroyed church in the same neighborhood, and then she asked me to stop by the local store. We did all this, went around and looked around the said places. Having done all this it seemed to me that we could start repairing the bridge... but not so fast!

We were constantly detained and delayed: a widow came up to me in the chapel and asked to a panihida (memorial service) for her husband; in the store, talkative customers detained my aunt for another 15 minutes; on the way to the church - the principal of the local school stopped my aunt and began to reprimand her for her foster child who was reprimanded for being a disorderly student. With all this I was getting nervous because there was less and less time for me to do real work.

Finally we got into the car and it seemed as if we were ready to go to the river. At that very moment a strange young man appeared out of nowhere and knocked out on our car window.He was probably about 29, wearing glasses, all red, and quite breathless. He asked me:

— You're not from church by any chance?

I responded:

— From church.

— A clergyman?

— Yes.

— You know, I am about to go hang myself. I would like to confess to you before I do so.

His serious family problems, and his male self loathing and pride were hurt to the extreme. And as we know, one sin begets another, all the way to suicidal thoughts.

With me I had the book of needs, a gospel, and a cross. I went out got everything I needed, put on my epitrachelion, read the prayers before confession, settled in the ruined church bell tower which was covered in graffiti with a put out bonfire,where it looked like someone had recently cookedon. The confession of the young man was quite long. Yet time flew by very quickly, but we talked for a very long time. Eventually the changed his mind about killing himself …

By the Grace of God, he is alive to this day. Thought his life over, understood his mistakes. A life had been saved!

And I often think back and glorify the All-Merciful God, who brought a priest 400 km from his home, detained him for just the right amount of time, and at the right places. All this for a man in despair and spiritual agony to have the opportunity knock on the window of his car and subsequently correct his life. This young man gave that opportunity a chance. He deserves a level of honor and praise.

By Fr. Igor Fomin

Prepared by Foma.ru

Translated by The Catalog of Good Deeds