Sober and Pray

The devil approaches the God-man with temptations. Who among men is free of them?

He who goes according to the will of the evil one does not experience attacks, but is simply turned more and more toward evil. As soon as one begins to come to himself and intends to begin a new life according to God’s will, immediately the entire satanic realm enters into action: they hasten to scatter good thoughts and the intentions of the repentant one in any way they can.

If they do not manage to turn him aside, they attempt to hinder his good repentance and confession; if they do not manage to do that, they contrive to sow tares amidst the fruits of repentance and disrupt his labors of cleansing the heart.

If they do not succeed in suggesting evil they attempt to distort the truth; if they are repulsed inwardly they attack outwardly, and so on until the end of one’s life. They do not even let one die in peace; even after death they pursue the soul, until it escapes the aerial space where they hover and congregate.

You ask, “What should we do? It is hopeless and terrifying!”

For a believer there is nothing terrifying here, because near a God-fearing man demons only busy themselves, but they do not have any power over him. A sober man of prayer shoots arrows against them, and they stay far away from him, not daring to approach, and fearing the defeat which they have already experienced.

If they succeed in something, it is due to our blundering. We slacken our attention, or allow ourselves to be distracted by their phantoms, and they immediately come and disturb us more boldly.

If you do not come to your senses in time they will whirl you about; but if a soul does come to its senses they again recoil and spy from afar to see whether it is possible to approach again somehow.

So be sober, watch, and pray—and the enemies will do nothing to you.

St. Theophan the Recluse

Seeking Eternity

A certain brother fell into temptation, and through tribulation relinquished the garb of monk-hood; and he wished to begin to renew his ascetic life. He saw the great difficulty of the matter, and he drew back, and said to himself; "When shall I ever find myself in the same condition as I was formerly in?"

Through fear he did not begin his work. He went and made the matter known to an old man. The old man said: "The matter is thus: There was a certain man who possessed an estate, he held it to be of no account and did not cultivate it. It became full of tangled undergrowth and thorns.

Now one day he remembered it, so he sent his son and said to him: 'Go clean the estate.' When the son had gone and seen the abundance of the undergrowth, he was afraid and said to himself; 'When shall I be able to clean away all this undergrowth?' He threw himself upon a bed, lay down and went to sleep, and thus he did everyday.

His father went forth and found that he was asleep, and had done nothing. He asked him; 'How is it, my son, that no work whatsoever has been done by you?' The son answered: 'When I came to work and saw the abundance of the undergrowth, I was afraid. I thought to myself; 'When shall I be able to clean all this away?'

His father said: 'My son, work according to the measure of your sleep each day, and it shall be sufficient for you.'
When he heard this the young man plucked up some courage, and did thus, and in a short time he cleansed the estate.

Thus also you shall not be afraid, but begin the work of your rules, and God, by His Grace will establish you among those in the first rank."
Now when the brother had done thus he was helped.

 

The Desert Fathers

Your Cross

For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son, 

that whoever believes in Him shall not 

perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16

Pick up your cross no matter how difficult it may seem.  Rely on God to help you so that you do not try to carry your cross alone. Each time you ask for assistance, believe that God hears your prayers. Believe that God is with you and that you never have to carry your cross alone. Believe and turn to Him and trust in His love and mercy. Ask for guidance in everything that you do. Ask and I promise you, peace and joy will be given, given to you.

Do not wait until your cross becomes too heavy, turn to Jesus now. Rely on God each new day so you have joy no matter what you must go through. God will be by your side if you trust in His love for you

God said, do not try to carry your burdens alone. Have hope and place all your trust and confidence in my Son, Jesus. Surrender your lives completely to Him. Surrender all you have with your heart, to His Will, in prayer. Through prayer and complete trust in God, your lives will surely change.

Those who trust will be able to accept whatever cross God allows. They will have peace in their hearts through all trials and tribulation. They will know how to survive when their material possessions are taken away.

God will not abandon those who trust. God will comfort and console those children who have complete trust in Him.

God will carry your cross however heavy it is.

God have sacrificed His only son on the cross to save you from your sins because He loves you. God has promised those who trust and believe in Him to be saved and will be granted eternal life.

Jonah: When All Things Work Together for Good

by H.H. Pope Shenouda III

Saint Paul the apostle said, “All things work together for good to those who love God.” (Romans 8:28) We have also learned this from the book of Jonah. Even the things that appear to be the source of toil and affliction work together for good. 

The great fish that swallowed Jonah was also the reason for a great blessing. It was a safe submarine that carried Jonah and brought him near the place of his service. This great fish was also able to teach Jonah to pray, for we find Jonah, who did not bow to God in the ship, praying inside the belly of the great fish, making vows to God, speaking faithfully, and leaving the great fish to carry out God's will which he had previously disobeyed.

Do not be afraid if you are the swallowed by a great fish one day. Perhaps this great fish has been sent to/for you by God, Who has prepared it for your sake in order to grant you a special blessing. Therefore, remember the words of the Bible, “all things work together for good to those who love God.”

The waves that nearly overturned the ship worked for good. This tempestuous sea, great storm and clamorous, high waves all worked together for good.

If it were not for this, the mariners would not have prayed, offered sacrifices or made vows. It guided them to believing. Likewise, the worm that ate the plant and grieved Jonah was working for good. It indeed deprived Jonah of the shade, who was struck by the heat of the sun and became faint, but this was for his own good. It was a reason that led to Jonah reproaching God, through which his soul was saved.

God is capable of utilizing everything for our own good. He utilized the betrayal of Judas, the envy of Annas and Caiaphas and the cowardice of Pilate, all to fulfill the great work of redemption. It is sufficient that God transforms any matter that falls into His Hands to good, even if the matter is evil. Joseph's brothers sold him as a slave, but God transformed this evil to good. What is important is that we believe in the goodness of God and His works, and His good intervention in matters. That is why the Bible did not only say, “all things work together for good”, but added, “to those who love God.”

Indeed, for those who love God, all things work together for them for good. All things do not work together for good for all people. Tribulations come to many people and they grumble, murmur, complain and blaspheme. However, when tribulation comes to a person who loves the Lord, he thinks: “What is the blessing that the Lord wishes for me from behind this tribulation?” In this way, all things work together for good for him. There is a beautiful, comforting verse at the beginning of the book of Genesis, at the end of the story of creation, in which the Divine Inspiration says: “Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good.” (Genesis 1:31)

Even the great dragon on the land or in the sea, God saw as very good. We can see all things as beautiful with the vision of faith, love and simplicity. Do you think that the mother ape sees its child as being less beautiful than that of a gazelle? Not at all; but if he were transformed into a gazelle she would mourn over him. Sometimes we see matters as being troublesome, since the trouble is from within us. If we are sound from within, then we would be happy with everything, even with the great fish, which swallows us, and with the tempestuous sea, which almost overturns our ship. God even transformed Jonah's sin in his escape to good. Jonah boarded a ship and escaped from God, so God utilized this escape as a reason for the salvation of the mariners. In the same way, Jonah's stubbornness with God was transformed to good, and so Jonah came out of it with greater knowledge of God and His ways, and with greater maturity in his spiritual life and understanding. He learnt many spiritual lessons from the incidents of the ship, the great fish and the plant.

Prayer and Supplication Verse and Quote

Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints. Ephesians 6: 18 ESV

Prayer changes things, but more importantly.. Prayer changes you!

6th Sunday - Sunday of The Joy of Spiritual Asking

CHRIST is Risen - Truly He is Risen   
Khristós Anésti! Alithós Anésti!


 Sundays of the Holy Fifties 

Meditation on Church reading during the Holy Fifties:Reading: 
1 Peter 1:12

The fathers of the church arranged and named Sundays of the Holy Fifties as they did with the Sundays of the Great Fasting.

+  1st Sunday of the Holy Fifty Days  is the Sunday of Faith (Thomas Sunday)  
+  2nd is the Sunday of the Bread of Life.  
+  3rd is the Sunday of the Living water.   
+  4th is the Sunday of the True Light.  
+  5th is the Sunday of the Only Way.  
+  6th is the Sunday of the Joy of Spiritual Asking.  
+  7th is the Sunday the Pentecost. 

6th Sunday - Sunday of The Joy of Spiritual Asking:   
1 Peter 1:12


Our Lord Jesus Christ was crucified for our redemption and to restore our joy, by which we were born to a living hope.  The sanctification of the Spirit that we got as redemption for Christ's sacrifice for us, to be born again by the resurrection from the dead ..  Jesus said: "Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full."  John 16:24  
“These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full." John 15:11 

Our Lord Has given us hope by teaching us to rejoice even in sufferings and tribulation and also through the resurrection. "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." 1 Peter 1:3 

We are begotten .. again to a living hope in baptism. As Jesus told Nicodemus, we enter the Kingdom of God by being "born of water and spirit." John 3:5 This new birth in baptism unites us with Christ and His Resurrection "Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?" Romans 6:3 

The following verses also confirmed to us this sacramental reality: 

"Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” 

Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."

Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them." 
Acts 2:37, 38, 41 


 Also 


"To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins.”

“Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?”


"And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days." 
Acts 10:43, 47,48  


"Washing of regeneration" In Titus 3:5, where baptism and God's mercy are coupled. The sacrament of baptism is the power by which we suffer faithfully. Being regenerated, given new life in Christ, we have a hope by which to live. This grace of God sustains us in the trials of life. 

To reach the Joy of blessing of eternal life in Christ, we first experience the sadness of the passing world, along with the afflictions we must face. (James 1:1-12)  To the watching world, the perseverance of the faithful during affliction appears foolish and even contemptible. But having strengthen our faith during or under trial is precious indeed. Bearing more glory and honor as it continues to stand under trial.(Mat 25:31-46 ; 1 Co 3:10-15)

St Peter knew by experience the failure to perceive the truth until he saw it with his own eyes. (Luke 24:8-12 ; Acts 10:39-43)  
This is the faith of baptism and the faith of eternal life. The sufferings of Christ, His Resurrection, Ascension, and Second Coming.  



We must be obedient to Jesus Christ to be able to receive the joy of the new birth and the eternal life with Him. In contrast to the disobedience of the first Adam, the second Adam, Christ, fulfilled the Law completely and performed all righteousness. Through His obedience, corrupt human nature will be transformed into incorrupt human nature.    


Stay on the right path, follow the word of God, to harvest the Joy of the Holy Resurrection: 


In Your presence is fullness of joy; 
At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. 
Psalm 16:11

Sing, O heavens!
Be joyful, O earth!
And break out in singing, O mountains! 
For the Lord has comforted His people.
Isaiah 49:13

May the Lord Grant us His Divine Peace that we can enjoy the internal peace and the joy that no one can take away from us …. Amen!