Hobbit at Heart

Orthodox Christian. LOTR fanatic. Organized Chaos. 23

[miriamgrace25]

“Contemporary man, in his loneliness, experiences pathological anxiety, anguish and suffering. He is tormented and, in turn, torments others.”

— Monk Moses of Mount Athos on ‘contemporary loneliness’ in “Athonite Flowers: Seven Contemporary Essays on the Spiritual Life”

[miriamgrace25]

My friend just sent me this gem

[mishacolins]

@oneringnet‘s favourite locations event → The Shire

[dramoor]

“The image of God was truly preserved in you, mother, for you took up the Cross and followed Christ. By so doing, you taught us to disregard the flesh, for it passes away, but to care instead for the soul, since it is immortal. Therefore your spirit, holy mother Mary, rejoices with the angels!” ~Troparion

(Icon: St. Mary of Egypt, via Sayings of the Orthodox Fathers)

[stkatherine]

By raising Lazarus from the dead before Thy passion, Thou didst confirm the universal resurrection, O Christ God! Like the children with the branches of victory, we cry out to Thee, O Vanquisher of Death: Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord!

[miriamgrace25]

So tomorrow I’m applying for a full-time position as the Office Administrator at an Orthodox Cathedral in Minneapolis. I’ve been praying for an opportunity like this (working for an Orthodox Church/organization) for over a year and this job opening just came out of nowhere. Prayers would be so appreciated!

[miriamgrace25]

Update: They called me in to interview for the position this week!

[miriamgrace25]

[miriamgrace25]

So tomorrow I’m applying for a full-time position as the Office Administrator at an Orthodox Cathedral in Minneapolis. I’ve been praying for an opportunity like this (working for an Orthodox Church/organization) for over a year and this job opening just came out of nowhere. Prayers would be so appreciated!

[miriamgrace25]

Interesting thoughts on Orthodox Christianity in America.

[miriamgrace25]

Even after being washed clean in water mingled with Spirit in holy baptism, we still carry within ourselves the inclination and habit to return to our former condition. If we do not preserve, guard and cultivate the seed of Grace given to us, we will be deprived of its vivifying power. Then, as Christ warned us, we will be worse off than we were before. In order to preserve the Grace not to return to our former delusions, we must continuously, day by day, minute by minute, unite ourselves with the Way (Christ) in repentance. Repentance – realigning ourselves to the Way, calling on Him, yearning to be cleansed in spirit, being forgiven by Him and then forgiving everyone and everything – this is the very essence and foundation of the life of His followers but repentance is more than just an act. It is first and foremost a state or condition. As long as we remain in the condition of repentance, ever deeper levels of our corruption will be revealed to us, and we will be continually purified and re-created by the wordless WORD in our hearts. The end of this is total illumination. As Archimandrite Sophrony explains: “Whoever tries to follow Christ wherever He goes (Rev 14:4) will inevitably be rent again and again – at every rise from a lesser to a wider cognition, from a small measure of love to a greater.” In our fast-paced society based on instant gratification, people want spirituality instantly. Caught in a morass of refined sensuality, they seek spirituality in a sensual way. Hypnotized in their false identities, they seek spirituality which only gets them deeper into hypnosis – now with a spiritual veneer. They expect to be comforted in their filth. They cannot go deeper, because they will do anything except face their filth. For us to advance in the spiritual life, we must realize that we are among these people, that we too have been conditioned to seek instant gratification. Facing this is the first step in rising above our environment. We must understand that, contrary to what our conditioning leads us to expect, inward purification is a lifelong process. Continuous repentance is the only way. “A miracle,” says Fr Sophrony, “the more I see God, the more ardent does my repentance become, since I the more clearly recognize my unworthiness in His sight.

Hieromonk Damascene, Christ, the Eternal Tao, pp. 299-300

[orthodoxchurchfathers]

#orthodox #orthodoxy #orthodoxchurch #orthodoxchurchfathers #quotes #JesusChrist #God #jesus #prayer #life #orthodoxquotes

[miriamgrace25]

Minneapolis skyline view from my favorite lake. #minneapolis #minnesota #twincities (at Lake Nokomis)

[miriamgrace25]

Look up in Church. #pantocrator #christ #orthodoxchurch #iconography #icon (at St. Mary's Greek Orthodox Church)

[lentenrecipes]

“Although the scientific/physical benefits of Orthodox Christian fasting is not the greatest benefit or reason for doing so, its still a proven fact that being Orthodox lowers your cholesterol, risk for heart disease & cancer, boosts immunity, resets the bodies internal and external functions to default, energizes the organs and lowers chance of depression, stress and mental health. But the greatest benefits of fasting are spiritual, for by cutting off and cutting down certain things that go in the mouth and belly, we gain self-control and are stronger, more determined and we struggle against the sinful passions of the flesh better”

[kaalaa-paanii-deactivated202303]

All Manner Of Saints to Protect. Finokalia (Φινοκαλιά, Κρήτη) Crete (Source)

[cycnsw]

“All the ugliness of this world, its sores and its pain, are pushed to one side and obscured so that they will not disturb true piety. Even the suffering and death of the Lord Himself, his human exhaustion, acquires an aura of beauty, inviting admiration and delight. Love is a very dangerous thing. At times it must reach down into the fathomless lower levels of the human spirit, it must expose itself to ugliness, to the violation of harmony.”

- Mother Maria Skobtsova : Essential Writings – Edited by Jim Forrest

As a part of our Hard & Holy Women series.

[hieromonkcharbel-deactivated202]