Ancient Christian Witness

1 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hello,
pray for me a sinner,
Gleanings from Orthodoxauthors and Holy Fathers,

It is always possible to make a new start by means of repentance. 'You fell,' it is written,
'now arise' (cf. Prov. 24:16). And if you fall again,
then arise again,
without despairing at all of your salvation,
no matter what happens.
So long as you do not surrender yourself willingly to the enemy, your patient endurance,
combined with self-reproach,
will suffice for your salvation. ''St. Peter of Damascus'' (Book 1: A Treasury of Divine Knowledge, The Philokalia Vol. 3 pg. 170)
Most people desire and seek after prosperity in this life, and they strive to avoid sorrows. While that seems very good and pleasant, constant prosperity and good fortune do a person harm. He falls into a variety of passions and sins, and angers the Lord, while those who live a life of sorrow come closer to the Lord and more readily attain unto salvation, for the Lord called the life of happiness the broad path. The wide gates and the broad way lead to destruction, and many there be who take that way (Matthew 7:13). It is the narrow way and the strait gate which lead to life eternal, and few there be who find it (Matthew 7:14).
Thus, according to His love for us,
seeing the possible benefit [of sorrows] to those who are worthy, the Lord moves many off the broad road and puts them on the narrow, sorrowful path,
so that in [their] patient endurance of sickness and sorrow, He might effect their salvation and grant them life eternal. Counsels of Venerable ''St. Makary (Ivanov) of Optina''
Please pray for me a sinner,
ICXC NIKA
eleni

July 5, 2009 at 2:08 AM