Besides this you know what hour it is, how it is full time now for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed; the night is far gone, the day is at hand. Let us then cast off the works of Read more
Protopresbyter Georgios Dorbarakis ‘Even in the world, if Christians undertake the struggle with good intentions, God’s grace doesn’t exclude anyone. But, ‘excusing ourselves through excuses’ we say that we’re in the world and we can’t do anything. Desires defeat us. What do we need? This struggle, not only of Read more
The woman who had fallen into many sins, perceiving Your Divinity, O Lord, assumes the role of a myrrh-bearer; and lamenting, she brings the myrrh before Your burial. “Woe to me!” she said, “For me, night is an ecstasy of excess, dark and moonless, and full of sinful desire. Receive the sources Read more
Archimandrite Chrysostomos Papadakis of the Ecumenical Throne The hatred of the devil towards those engaged in the spiritual struggle is well known. This hatred was faced particularly by the fathers in the desert, whose purity, not only of body but also of mind, was greater than the enemy could Read more
While the sinful woman was offering the myrrh, the disciple was making terms with the lawless; she rejoiced in emptying out that, which was precious; he hastened to sell Him, Who was above all price. She acknowledged the Master, he severed himself from the Master; she was set free, and Read more
George Mantzarides, Professor Emeritus of the Theological School of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki The rejection of Christ, but also his acceptance by many, is an enduring phenomenon which can be seen in our own age, too. He himself said to his disciples: ‘If they have persecuted me, they Read more
Behold, O my soul! The Master entrusts to you a talent. Receive the gift with fear; lend to Him who gave it; distribute to the poor and gain the Lord as a Friend; that you may stand on His right, when He comes in glory, and hear His blessed voice: Read more
Fr. Ioannis Sourlingas The Saturday before Meat-fare Sunday is called the ‘Saturday of the Souls’. It’s the first of two, the other being the Saturday before the Sunday of Pentecost. Even though every Saturday is dedicated to the departed, the Church established the Saturdays of the Souls for the Read more
When You come in Glory with Your heavenly Hosts, and sit upon the throne of Judgment, O Good Shepherd, do not separate me, for You know the ways of those on the right, and that those on the left are perverted. Wherefore, though I be hardened in sin, do not condemn Read more
Archimandrite Varnavas Lambropoulos One week before Great Lent, our Church prepares us for the ‘arena of the virtues’. The main events in which we’re called upon to make a particular effort are fasting and prayer. But these are events which aren’t aimed at independent prizes, particularly ones which would Read more
Come, you faithful, let us eagerly work for the Master, for He distributes His wealth to His servants; accordingly then, let us increase the talent of grace. Let one, be graced with wisdom through good works; let another, celebrate a service of splendor; let another, faithful to the word communicate Read more
Metropolitan Anthony Bloom † In the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Today’s parable is so familiar to us that we may well not even notice its message. And it speaks to us of two things. It reminds us of the fact that Read more