St Theophan the Recluse on Living the Christian Life

The following is from the Moscow Church of Russia Website. It is a beautiful and fitting reflection on living the Christian life by St Theophan the Recluse, and quite timely reading during this week of the Publican and the Pharisee.

CHRISTIAN LIFE BEGINS WITH ARDOR OF ZEAL

There is a moment, and a very noticeable moment, which is sharply marked out in the course of our life, when a person begins to live in a Christian way. This is the moment when there begins to be present in him the distinctive characteristics of Christian life. Christian life is zeal and strength to remain in communion with God by means of an active fulfillment of His holy will, according to our faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the help of the grace of God, to the glory of His most holy name.

The essence of Christian life consists in communion with God, in Christ Jesus our Lord - in a communion with God which in the beginning is usually hidden not only from others, but also from oneself. The testimony of this life that is visible or can be felt within us is the ardor of active zeal to please God alone in a Christian manner, with total self-sacrifice and hatred of everything which is opposed to this. And so, when this ardor of zeal begins, Christian life has its beginning. The person in whom this ardor is constantly active, is one who is living in a Christian way. Here we will have to stop and pay attention to this distinctive characteristic.

I am come to send fire to the earth,the Saviour said, and what will I, if it be already kindled! (Lk. 12:49). He is speaking here of Christian life, and He says this because the visible witness of this is the zeal for the pleasing of God which is in the heart by the Spirit of God. This is like fire because, just as fire devours the material which it takes hold of, so also does zeal for the life in Christ devour the soul which receives it. And just as during a time of fire the flame takes hold of the whole building, so also the fire of zeal, once it is received, embraces and fills the whole being of a man.

In another place the Lord says, For every one shall be salted with fire (Mk.9:14). This is also an indication of the fire of the spirit which in its zeal penetrates our whole being. just as salt, penetrating decomposable matter, preserves it from decomposition, so also the spirit of zeal penetrates our whole being, banishes the sin which corrupts our whole nature both in soul and in body; it banishes it even from the least of the places where it has settled in us, and thus it saves us from moral vice and corruption.

The Apostle Paul commands, Quench not the Spirit (I Thess. 5:19), to be not slothful in business; fervent in the spirit (Rom. 12:11). He commands this to all Christians so that we might remember that the fervor of the spirit, or unslothful striving, is an inseparable attribute of the Christian life. In another place he speaks of himself thus: Forgetting those things that are behind, and reaching forth unto those things that are before, I press toward the mark for the high prize of the calling of God in Christ Jesus (Phil. 3:13-14). And to others he says, So run, that ye may obtain (I Cor. 9:24). This means that in the Christian life the result of fervor of zeal is a certain quickness and liveliness of spirit, with which people undertake God-pleasing works, trampling upon oneself and willingly offering as a sacrifice to God every kind of labor, without sparing oneself.

Having a firm basis in such an understanding, one may easily conclude that a cold fulfilling of the rules of the Church, just like routine in business, which is established by our calculating mind, or like correct and dignified behavior and honesty in conduct, is not a decisive indicator that the true Christian life is present in us. All this is good, but as long as it does not bear in itself the spirit of life in Christ Jesus, it has no value at all before God. Such things would be like souless statues. Good clocks also work correctly; but who will say that there is life in them? It is the same thing here. Often thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead in reality (Apoc. 3:1).

This good order in one's conduct more than anything else can lead one into deception. Its true significance depends on one's inward disposition, where it is possible that there are significant deviations from real righteousness in one's righteous deeds. Thus, while refraining outwardly from sinful deeds, one may have an attraction for them or a delight from them in one's heart; so also, doing righteous deeds outwardly, one's heart may not be in them. Only true zeal wishes to do good in all fullness and purity, and persecutes sin in all its smallest forms. It seeks the good as its daily bread, and with sin it fights as with a mortal enemy.

An enemy hates an enemy not only personally, but he hates also relatives and friends of this enemy, and even his belongings, his favorite color, and in general anything that might remind one of him. So also, true zeal to please God persecutes sin in its smallest reminders or marks, for it is zealous for perfect purity. If this is not present, how much impurity can hide in the heart!


St. Theophan the Recluse. The Path to Salvation: A Manual of Spiritual Transformation. Trans. Fr. Seraphim Rose. California: St. Herman of Alaska Brotherhood, 1996.

The Prayer of Hieroschemonk Parthenius of Kiev

O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, do not permit vanity, self-love, sensuality, carelessness, anger, to rule over me and steal me from Thy love. O my Lord, my Creator, all my hope! Do not leave me without a portion in the blessed eternity; grant that I too may follow Thy holy example, that I may submit to the authorities placed over me; grant me the clean soul, the simplicity of heart, which make us worthy of Thy love.

To Thee, my God, I lift up my soul and my heart; do not allow Thy creation to perish, but free me from the single and greatest evil – sin. Grant, Lord, that I may endure anxiety and sorrows of the soul which the same patience as the joy with which I receive satisfaction of the heart. If Thou desirest, Lord, Thou canst cleanse and sanctify me. Here, I commit myself to Thy mercy, begging to destroy in me all that is offensive to Thee, and to unite me to the assembly of Thy chosen.

O Lord, take from me idleness of spirit, which destroys time; vanity of thoughts, which hinders Thy presence and distracts my attention in prayer; if, while in prayer, I turn away from Thee in my thoughts, help me, so that this distraction may not be willful, and that averting my mind, I may not avert my heart from Thee.

I confess to Thee, my Lord God, all the sins of my wickedness, committed before Thee, now and in the past; forgive me for them, for the sake of Thy holy name, and save my soul, which Thou hast redeemed with Thy precious Blood. I entrust myself to Thy mercy; I submit to Thy will; do with me according to Thy mercy, and not according to my evil and wickedness; teach me, Lord, to dispose my deeds so that they will serve in glorifying Thy holy name.

Take pity, O Lord, on all Christians, hear the wants of all who cry out to Thee; deliver from all evil; save Thy servants NN.; send them comfort, consolation in sorrows, and Thy holy mercy. Lord, I pray to Thee especially in sorrows, and Thy holy mercy. Lord, I pray to Thee especially for those who have in any way insulted, abused, and grieved me; do not punish them for the sake of me, a sinner, but pour Thy mercy upon them…

O Lord! I pray to Thee for all those whom I, a sinner, insulted, or tempted, in word, deed, thought, knowingly and unknowingly. Lord God! Forgive us our sins and mutual offenses; dispel, Lord, from our hearts all indignation, suspicion, anger, remembrance of evil, quarrels, and all that might hinder and lessen brotherly love.

Be merciful, Lord, to those who have entrusted me, an unworthy sinner, to pray for them. Be merciful, Lord, to all who ask Thy help. Lord! Make this day a day of Thy mercy; give to each according to his petition; be the shepherd for the lost, the guide and light of unbelievers, the teacher of the unwise, the father of orphans, the helper of the oppressed, the healer of the sick, the comforter of the dying, and lead us all to the desired end, to Thee, our refuge and blessed repose. Amen.

Words of Wisdom

There is an electric generator and in the room there is a lamp. If, however, we don’t flip the switch, we will remain in darkness. Similarly, there is Christ and there is our soul. If, however, we don’t flip the switch of prayer, our soul will not see the light of Christ and will remain in the darkness of the devil.

Elder Porphyrios, +1991

Chrysostom on Scandal - and food for thought before the Great Fast

Accordingly, dearly beloved, let us do everything for the purpose of giving glory to our Lord, and let us not be an occasion of scandal to anybody. This after all, is the unfailing lesson given us by the whole world’s teacher, blessed Paul, as for example when he says, “If food is a source of scandal to my brother, let me never till the end of time touch meat again;” and again, “By sinning against your brothers in this way through bruising your tender conscience, you sin against Christ.” A stern admonition that, entailing a heavy condemnation. In other words, he is saying, don’t think the harm will be inflicted solely on one person: it passes on to Christ himself, who for that person was crucified. So if the Lord was not swayed from being crucified for him, would you not make every effort to avoid giving him any occasion for scandal? You will find Paul giving this advice everywhere to his disciples; it is, after all, the factor that keeps our life together. Hence he uses these words in writing in another letter: “Let each of you consider not your own concerns but the concerns of others;” and again in another place: “Everything is lawful for me, but not everything edifies others.” Do you see the apostolic attitude? Even repercussion for myself on that account, yet to avoid interfering with my neighbor’s spiritual progress I would not presume to behave like that. Do you see the soul full of loving concern - how he has no eye at all for his own interests, but shows us in every way that the greatest virtue consists in taking great care for our neighbor’s spiritual progress.

Taken from the Book: Daily Reading from the Writings of St John Chyrsostom
H/T to Milk & Honey

St John of Kronstadt on the Divine Services

H/T to Milk & Honey

Here in the church there is the one thing needful: Here is a refuge from the vanity and the storms of life. Here is the calm harbor for souls seeking after salvation. Here is incorruptible food and drink for the soul. Here is the light that enlightens all men existing upon earth. Here is the clean air of the spirit. Here is the fountain of living water which flows to life eternal (John 4:14). Here are distributed the gifts of the Holy Spirit, here is the cleansing of souls. The reading and chanting is done in church in a holy language. All Orthodox Christians should learn it, that they might understand the sweet pronouncements of their mother, who educates her children to prepare them for heaven, for life eternal….

Here in the temple, man comprehends the truly noble origin of his soul, the worth of life and its goal and purpose. Here he is torn away from his fascination with earthly vanities and passions. Here he comprehends his temporal and eternal fate. Here the Savior lives – in His Life-giving Mysteries, in His salvation. Here he recognizes his true relationship to God and to his neighbor, to his family and to the society in which he lives.

The temple is heaven on earth, a place where intimate union with the Divine takes place. It is a heavenly school, where Christians are taught to become citizens of heaven, where they are taught heavenly norms, the way of life in heaven. It is the threshold of heaven, a place of communal prayer, thanksgiving, praise of the Triune God, creator and protector of all. It is a place of unification with the angels. What is more honorable and more esteemed than the temple? Nothing. In its Divine Services, as in a blueprint, are severally depicted the fates of all humanity, from beginning to end. The Divine Services are the alpha and omega of the world and of mankind.

Wisdom from the Saints

God is a fire that warms and kindles the heart and inward parts. Hence, if we feel in our hearts the cold which comes from the devil - for the devil is cold - let us call on the Lord. He will come to warm our hearts with perfect love, not only for Him but also for our neighbor, and the cold of him who hates the good will flee before the heat of His countenance.


St. Seraphim of Sarov

Wisdom from the Church Fathers

Every day you provide your bodies with good to keep them from failing. In the same way your good works should be the daily nourishment of your hearts. Your bodies are fed with food and your spirits with good works. You aren't to deny your soul, which is going to live forever, what you grant to your body, which is going to die.


St. Gregory the Great, Pope of Rome