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Aspiring Christian

[esoteric-ism]

Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood in Saint Petersburg, Russia, erected on the site where nihilists assassinated Tsar Alexander II in March 1881.

[dblaec]

“Taking a new step, uttering a new word, is what people fear most.”

Fyodor Dostoevsky

[hieromonkcharbel-deactivated202]

Invocation of the Lord’s Name gradually unites us with him. This can happen to a certain degree when the one who is praying does not yet understand “Who this is,” (cf. Mt 21.10), and so far only vaguely senses the sanctifying power that proceeds from the Name. Every step forward, however, without fail entails an ever-deepening recognition of our sinfulness, which reduces us to despair. Then with ever-increasing energy we invoke the wondrous Name:

“O Jesus, my Savior, have mercy upon me.”

St. Sophrony

On Prayer

[dolstoi-deactivated20231210]

[eternal-echoes]

“Faith strips the mask from the world and reveals God in everything.”

- Blessed Charles de Foucauld

[illustratus]

The Thousand-Year-Old Oak by Karl Friedrich Lessing

[dramoor]

Escape to Egypt, by Ivanka Demchuk

[coriesu]

The Child Jesus Going Down with His Parents to Nazareth William Charles Thomas Dobson—1856

[dblaec]

“Struggle with all your power to gain Paradise. And do not listen to those who say that everyone will be saved. This is trap of Satan so that we won’t struggle.” - St Paisos of Mt Athos

[dblaec]

“Some people tell me that they are scandalized because they see many things wrong in the Church. I tell them that if you ask a fly, “Are there any flowers in this area?” it will say, “I don’t know about flowers, but over there in that heap of rubbish you can find all the filth you want.” And it will go on to list all the unclean things it has been to. Now, if you ask a honeybee, “Have you seen any unclean things in this area?” it will reply, “Unclean things? No, I have not seen any; the place here is full of the most fragrant flowers.” And it will go on to name all the flowers of the garden or the meadow. You see, the fly only knows where the unclean things are, while the honeybee knows where the beautiful iris or hyacinth is. As I have come to understand, some people resemble the honeybee and some resemble the fly. Those who resemble the fly seek to find evil in every circumstance and are preoccupied with it; they see no good anywhere. But those who resemble the honeybee only see the good in everything they see. The stupid person thinks stupidly and takes everything in the wrong way, whereas the person who has good thoughts, no matter what he sees, no matter what you tell him, maintains a positive and good thought.” - St Paisos of Mt Athos

[dblaec]

“Now it is quite true to say that curiosity, exactly like its analogue, lust, never ends and is never satisfied; but man was made for something more than this. He was made to rise, above curiosity and lust, to love, and through love to the attainment of truth.” - Fr Seraphim Rose

[dblaec]

“We who are given the fullness of true Christianity are obliged to be working on ourselves, to be watching the signs of the times, and to be extremely joyful, as St. Paul is constantly saying: 'Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say: Rejoice!' (Phil. 4:4). We rejoice because we have something which all the death and corruption of this world cannot take away, that is, the eternal Kingdom of Jesus Christ.” - Fr Seraphim Rose

[dblaec]

“Everything in this life passes away — only God remains, only He is worth struggling towards. We have a choice: to follow the way of this world, of the society that surrounds us, and thereby find ourselves outside of God; or to choose the way of life, to choose God Who calls us and for Whom our heart is searching.” - Fr Seraphim Rose

[dblaec]

“Why is the truth, it would seem, revealed to some and not to others? Is there a special organ for receiving revelation from God? Yes, though usually we close it and do not let it open up: God’s revelation is given to something called a loving heart.” - Fr Seraphim Rose

[bast38]

“We are sent some sorrows for this purpose, for our admonishment, that we would know the truth of Christ. Therefore, there is nothing frightful in this; we must be ready for sorrows at all times. And I assure you that there is no person on earth who will never mourn.”

– Hieromonk Basil (Roslyakov), Holy new Martyr of Optina