Orthodox Wisdom

An excerpt from St. John of Damascus' Against Those Who Attack the Divine Images (First Apology) Full reading here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3r8czLXFQOmTdZk6hnn1oT?si=wXGfEkHWR7SDrj_tpgio_A -BUY the book here: https://churchsupplies.jordanville.org/9780881412451/ -FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/ Going deeper on icons: --Against Those Who Attack the Divine Images (St. John of Damascus):https://www.ccel.org/ccel/damascus/icons.i.iv.html --A Dogmatic Epistle on the Holy Icons (St. Theodore the Studite): https://www.pappaspatristicinstitute.com/post/theodore-the-studite-a-dogmatic-epistle-on-the-holy-icons --How Did Early Christians Use Religious Imagery? (Craig Truglia): https://orthodoxchristiantheology.com/2023/01/13/how-did-early-christians-use-religious-imagery/--The Icon FAQ (Fr. John Whiteford) http://orthodoxinfo.com/general/icon_faq.aspx --ICONS ~ GRAVEN IMAGES OR NECESSARY FOR SALVATION? (Fr. Spyridon Bailey): https://youtu.be/yt6YHQX0JZs --How-To: The Orthodox Prayer Corner (Fr. Peter Heers): https://youtu.be/3_y5A465Rx8 --The Meaning of Icons (Fr. Maximos Constas) https://youtu.be/BGcygfkqT8g --"What Orthodox Iconography Is" (Blessed Photios Kontoglou) http://orthodoxinfo.com/general/kontoglou_iconography.aspx _______ St. John of Damascus writes: “In former times God, who is without form or body, could never be depicted. But now when God is seen in the flesh conversing with men, I make an image of the God whom I see. I do not worship matter; I worship the Creator of matter who became matter for my sake, who willed to take His abode in matter; who worked out my salvation through matter. Never will I cease honoring the matter which wrought my salvation!” “Either do away with the honor and veneration these things deserve, or accept the tradition of the Church and the veneration of images. Reverence God and his friends; follow the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.” “We depict Christ as our King and Lord, then, and do not strip Him of His army. For the saints are the Lord's army…. For if the saints are heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ they will also share in the divine glory and dominion. If they have partaken of Christ's sufferings, and are friends, shall they not receive a share of glory from the Church on earth? "No longer do I call you servants” (John 15:15), God says, "but I have called you friends." Shall we strip them of the glory given them by the Church? What audacity! What effrontery of mind, to fight with God, refusing to follow His commands! You who refuse to bow before images also refuse to bow before the Son of God who is the living image of the invisible God, and His unchanging likeness.” St. Basil says, "the honor given to the image is transferred to its prototype." -Letter on the Holy Spirit (18) _______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

A reading from the Spiritual Counsels of St. Paisios the Athonite: Family Life (Vol. 4) 0:09 Geronda, how can a housewife make time for prayer? 2:30 Geronda, a mother told me “I get very tired. I barely have enough time to finish chores let alone say my prayers properly.” 5:07 Geronda, what if a mother has a lot of children and a lot of work to do? -BUY the book here: https://www.holycross.org/products/family-life-elder-paisios -FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/ _______ St. Paisios says: “The more a woman distances her heart from material things, the closer she comes to Christ. And when her heart is given to Christ, then she acquires great strength.” “Once I had gone to visit the home of a large family. I was so pleased to see the children with their childish naughtiness spoiling the worldly order of things—which requires having everything in its place. That is the greater disorder which wearies contemporary man.” “It's better for a mother to be involved with the nurturing of her children, rather than being overly involved with household chores and inanimate objects. A mother can speak to her children about Christ; she can read the Lives of the Saints to them. Thus, at the same time she will be occupying herself dusting off her own soul so that it will be spiritually shiny. The mother's spiritual life will then quietly help the souls of her children. Thus, her children will live happily, and she will be joyful because she will have Christ within her. If a mother doesn't find the time to even say a simple Trisagion, how can she expect her children to be sanctified? But Geronda, what if a mother has a lot of children and a lot of work to do? When she does her housework, can't she pray at the same time? It was my mother who taught me to say the Jesus Prayer. When we were children and had done some mischief, and my mother was about to get angry with us, I remember her saying, ‘Lord, Jesus Christ, have mercy on me.’ When she put the bread in the oven, she would say, ‘In the name of Christ and Panaghia.’ And whenever she was kneading or cooking, again, she constantly said the Jesus Prayer. In this manner, she herself was blessed, as were the bread and the food she was preparing, and so were those who partook of it later.” “The mother's devotion has great significance. If the mother has humility and fear of God, then family life is smooth. I know young mothers whose faces shine, even though they have no one to help them. I can understand a mother's spiritual state by looking at the children.” _______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

A reading of three psalms from St. Ephraim's "Spiritual Psalter". These psalms highlight the depths of humility, the darkness of sin in our hearts, and the boundless mercy of love of God for mankind. You may find it helpful to listen to this in preparation for not only the Mystery of Confession, but for Holy Communion as well. 0:13 Psalm 11 - I Can Control Neither Myself Nor The Enemy. Help me, O Lord! 1:48 Psalm 55 - How To Scrutinize and Reproach Yourself 7:21 Psalm 131 - All My Hope Is In God’s Mercy “How many times have I set boundaries for myself and built walls between myself and sin! But my thoughts transgressed the boundaries and my will tore down the walls, for the boundaries were not secured by fear of God, and the walls were not founded on sincere repentance.” -Psalm 11 “I am worthless, but think much of myself. I lie constantly, but get angry with liars. I defile the temple of my body with wanton thoughts, but sternly judge the wanton. I condemn those who fall, but myself fall constantly. I condemn slanderers and thieves, but am myself both a thief and a slanderer. I walk with a bright countenance, although I am altogether impure.” -Psalm 55 “Only hope in the manifestation of Thy grace, O man-befriending Master, consoles me and keeps me from despair. Whether Thou so desirest or not, save me, O all-good Lord, according to Thy great kindness.” -Psalm 131 As of July 2023, the "Spiritual Psalter" is out of print and hard to find. Amazon appears to be the best place at the moment, with copies available for $70. _______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

On June 1/14 the Church commemorates the great Theologian and Confessor, St. Justin Popović. This is the canon chanted during matins. Listen to more from St. Justin here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzFKi22k2KYgxvJMJchHwGAWGZebY0s2s Books to purchase by St. Justin -Orthodox Faith and Life in Christ: https://churchsupplies.jordanville.org/9781884729027/ -The Orthodox Church and Ecumenism: https://lazarica.co.uk/bookshop/ -Saint Justin Popovic "The New Philosopher": His Life and Service: https://churchsupplies.jordanville.org/9780578635743/ -Commentary of the Epistles of St. John the Theologian: https://sebastianpress.org/justin-popovich-commentary-on-the-epistles-of-st-john-the-theologian/ -Notes on Ecumenism: https://sebastianpress.org/notes-on-ecumenism/ -Man and the God-Man: https://sebastianpress.org/archimandrite-justin-popovich-man-and-the-god-man/ _______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

BUY the NEW BOOK: A CHRONICLE OF THE BEGINNING by Fr. Daniel Sysoev https://mission-shop.com/product/a-chronicle-of-the-beginning/ Publisher’s note: Where was science when God was making the universe? To this day the question of the world’s creation and the origin of the nations is the subject of numerous debates and disputes. The author asserts that Christian teaching on the origin of the universe in no way contradicts authentic science. The reader is presented with proof of the world’s divine origins, substantiated by modern scientific discoveries. This book gives a detailed description of the most enigmatic period in human history—the time from Adam until the exodus of Israel from Egypt. “Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar” (Prov. 30:5–6). 0:12 Excerpt from the Forward 2:21 Chapter 2: Evolutionism and the Origin of Death 4:04 Fr. Daniel examines Orthodox teachers who error, beginning with Fr. Stefan Lyashevsky who teaches that death was normal in Paradise, that animals “devoured each other” 7:41 The views of Fr. Alexander Men, writes Fr. Daniel “...death is the essential and original state of the world, and it leads to good. He deliberately confuses the providential work of the Lord with the creative.” 12:09 Fr. Daniel quotes Fr. Seraphim Rose in defense of the patristic view 12:54 The views of Bishop Vasily (Rodzyanko): “The world in which we live in was not created by God.” 18:11 The key error of Bishop Vasily: “that the logoi of creation are identical to the creations themselves.” 21:57 It is clear that attempting to reconcile Orthodoxy with evolution undermines the very roots of revelation 22:40 Evolution destroys the very reason Christ’s coming to earth was necessary Learn more about Fr. Daniel: https://mission-shop.com/daniel/ Donate to the Benevolent Fund to support Matushkas (priest wives) who have lost their husbands and need support for themselves and their children: https://mission-shop.com/pozhertvovanie-na-fond/ _______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

A very important prophecy, focused more on the signs of the apostasy than specific people and places, from a Russian New Martyr, St. Anatole the Younger of Optina (+1922). This prophecy was given shortly after the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution. St. Anatole was a clairvoyant, God-bearing elder and one of the great cloud of elders from the monastery of Optina. -READ the prophecy here: https://www.orthodox.net/articles/anatoly-letter.html -BUY the book giving the full account of his life and teachings from St. Herman of Alaska Press, "Elder Anatole the Younger of Optina": https://www.sainthermanmonastery.com/Elder-Anatole-the-Younger-of-Optina-p/ana.htm -READ a shorter version of his life in The Orthodox Word, Issue 39, Jul-Aug 1971. Read here: https://archive.org/details/100101V17N05061981SepOctNovDec -READ "Russia's Catacomb Saints": https://russiascatacombsaints.blogspot.com/ -FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/ _______ [Satan] will not begin by crudely rejecting the dogmas of the Holy Trinity, the divinity of Jesus Christ and the virtue of the Theotokos, but he will begin imperceptibly to distort the teachings and statutes of the Church and their very spirit, handed down to us by the Holy Fathers through the Holy Spirit. Few will notice these wiles of the enemy, only those more experienced in the spiritual life. Heretics will seize power over the Church and will place their servants everywhere; the pious will be regarded with contempt. He (the Lord) said, by their fruits ye shall know them, and so, by their fruits, as well as by the actions of the heretics, strive to distinguish them from the true pastors. ...they will distort the Divine Faith imperceptibly, in order to succeed better in seducing and enticing the inexperienced into the net. ...all those ruled by heresy will not endure piety. Monastics will be greatly oppressed by the heretics and monastic life will be scorned. These threats will cause great despair among the fainthearted, but you, my son rejoice that you have lived until that time, for then the faithful who have not shown any other virtues, will receive crowns merely for standing firm in the faith, according to the word of the Lord. ...the holy martyrs and confessors, they will look upon you and your struggle with joy. But woe to the monks in those days who will be bound with possessions and riches, who because of love of peace will be ready to submit to the heretics. They will lull to sleep their conscience, saying, “We are preserving and saving the monastery and the Lord will forgive us.” The unfortunate and blind ones do not at all consider that through heresy the demons will enter the monastery and then it will no longer be a holy monastery, but merely walls from which grace will depart. Do not fear sorrows, rather fear pernicious heresy, for it strips us of grace and separates us from Christ. And so my son strengthen yourself in the grace of Jesus Christ. Hasten to confess the faith, to endure suffering as a good soldier of Jesus Christ, Who has said, Be faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. _______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

Hear the story of the healing of a demon-possessed man in Shanghai by St. John Maximovitch when he was Bishop of Shanghai from 1934-1949. This account comes from The Orthodox Word, Issue 48, Jan-Feb 1973. Read here: https://archive.org/details/100101V17N05061981SepOctNovDec Read here the Life of St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco (+1966): https://orthochristian.com/54575.html Buy the book "Man of God" which includes the reminiscences, miracles, sermons, and more on this exceptional saint on the 20th century: https://churchsupplies.jordanville.org/9781879066069/ _______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

Listen to St. Nektarios explain how critical the role of the mother is in raising children and how firm the foundation she can lay down in the hearts and minds of her children. Fathers, let us love and sacrifice for our wives and co-struggle in the holy labor of child-rearing! 0:10 Introduction 0:27 The education of children must begin from infancy 2:06 A mother’s influence on her children is beyond measure 3:44 The mother is best suited to impart the conception of God in her child’s heart 5:36 Just as the virtues of the mother are imparted to the child, so too the passions 7:20 The passions (sinful inclinations) of children must be subdued at a young age, just a potter molds clay before it hardens 9:20 If the formation of either the heart or the mind is neglected the child turns out “defective and impaired” 11:30 The examples of the mothers of The Great Hierarchs: St. Basil the Great and his mother, St. Emmelia, and St. Gregory the Theologian and his mother, St. Anthusa (and how the fire of their faith in Christ was not overcome by higher education given by pagan teachers) 13:54 On St. John Chrysostom and his mother, St. Anthusa 14:50 “What radiant examples we have before us in these pious mothers!... Who can deny it is the mothers who produce great and virtuous men?” -St. Nektarios 15:51 “It is necessary, then, that we form our daughters religiously and intellectually, so that we may present them worthy of their vocation.” 16:17 A one-sided upbringing leads either to superstition or atheism _______ -EDUCATION: Orthodox education resources at Saint Kosmas Orthodox Education Association: https://saintkosmas.org/ -PREGNANCY RESOURCES: ZOE for life! is a support center (in person and online) for women needing recourse for unplanned and planned pregnancies, adoption, and more: https://zoeforlife.org/ -BOOK: Orthodox Christian Parenting by Zoe Press: https://www.zoepress.us/all-books-cds/orthodox-christian-parenting-recipes-for-raising-children-2020-2nd-edition -PRAYER: Akathist to the Mother of God, "Nurturer of Children": https://www.akathists.com/the-most-holy-theotokos/nurturer-of-children/-PODCAST: Admonitions for Parents - St. John Chrysostom: https://youtu.be/lFcUbGHnU28-PODCAST: The Holy Childhood of Archbishop John Maximovitch (OW podcast): https://youtu.be/hXB4wW4iozw -TEXT OF THIS PODCAST: https://saintkosmas.org/st-nektarios-mothers-and-the-upbringing-of-children -FIND A CHURCH: Find an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/ _______ “It is necessary, then, that we form our daughters religiously and intellectually, so that we may present them worthy of their vocation. It is necessary, then, that reverent education and educated religion exist side by side, for these two things are the only sure provisions for traveling in this life, provisions that are able to help a man in manifold ways…. For if attention revolves around the mind only, sickliness of the man’s religious perception is unavoidable. But if our care revolves around religion only (and that not the educated kind), the intellectual faculties will wither and become dull. The result of the first situation will be irreligion and atheism, upon which follow boundless horrors; the result of the second, however, will be superstition, that curse of humanity, which, holding in its hands fire and the sword, threatens death to everyone who has a differing opinion. Such are the results of a one-sided education and the incomplete upbringing of mothers.” _______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

Hear about Christ's revelations to St. Joseph and his brotherhood on the difficult and often contentious issue of the calendar and true Orthodoxy. As a zealot of Athos once confessed, "Fathers, we must admit that Elder Joseph was right. It is not possible for a rotten root to produce such fruits [i.e. his spiritual children]. A tree is known by its fruit.’ Therefore, we must have been wrong, and Elder Joseph must have been right." 0:10 Background 5:14 Revelations from God 9:33 Exactitude with Obedience 12:19 The Encyclical of 1950 14:59 The Revelation (about grace with the New Calendarists) 16:19 Resistance 21:55 Geronda’s Revelation 25:42 More Grace With the New-Calendarists Buy "My Elder Joseph the Hesychast" written by his disciple, Elder Ephraim of Arizona, here: https://stanthonysmonastery.org/products/my-elder-joseph-the-hesychast _______ For further study on the calendar issue, here is a short list of resources: -Elder Sophrony of Essex on the Calendar Issue: https://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2016/08/elder-sophrony-on-calendar-issue.html -Elder Paisios the Athonite on the Old Calendar Zealots: https://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2009/04/elder-paisios-athonite-on-old.html -Elder Ephraim of Arizona Exposes Old Calendarism: https://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2016/03/elder-ephraim-of-arizona-exposes-old.html -Ecumenism and Schismatic Old Calendarism, a letter by Blessed Elder Epiphanios Theodoropoulos: https://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2010/02/ecumenism-and-schismatic-old.html -Elder Philotheos Zervakos on the Schismatic Old Calendarists: https://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2010/01/elder-philotheos-on-schismatic-old.html -The Three Hierarchs and the Calendar Issue (Elder Cleopa Ilie): https://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2020/01/the-three-hierarchs-and-calendar-issue.html#more -Schismatic Old-Calendarism is an Anti-Patristic Stance by Monk Basil Gregoriates (a few problems in this text, but overall good): https://www.oodegr.com/english//ekklisia/sxismata/antipater1.htm Fr. Peter Heers has some very helpful videos addressing the temptation on the right: -The Zealot Jungle Which is Growing Up Around Us - Letter from Fr. Seraphim Rose https://youtu.be/4nNsx5UJIfo -On Canon 15 and Ceasing Commemoration of One's Own Bishop https://youtu.be/NY-9baGX0Lc -The Prophecy of St. Anatole the Younger (“Heretics will take over the Church”) https://youtu.be/v_1vmlsNDl4 -Patristic and Canonical Treatment Toward a Local Church Whose Hierarch Preaches Heresy https://youtu.be/jUM5ividbGE *Not everything on the JohnSanidopoulos.com website is faithfully Orthodox _______ St. Joseph’s revelation from God about the Calendar issue: While I was praying, I saw a brilliant, beautiful church. It had a small exit on the side, and everyone was coming out of the church. In the courtyard, they were arguing. One person shouted, 'I am right!' Another person shouted, 'I am more right!' And a third person, 'I am with the true church!' This reveals that although they were arguing, they all belonged to a single church. They have dogmas in common, and they have grace, but they were arguing because they don't have an open mind and haven't achieved saint-hood. So how could I say now that the official Church of Greece is heretical and lacks God's grace? Should I call it heretical only because of the calendar? And should I say that their bishops are damned? I am with the old calendar, but I think differently from the old calendarists. Indeed, the calendar issue does not affect the salvation of the faithful because it is not a dogmatic issue. There can be differences between local churches in non-dogmatic issues of a liturgical or administrative nature. This does not deprive them of God's grace. _______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

A reading of St. Paisios’ letter written in 1969 to a priest regarding the recent scandalous actions of Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras and how to respond in a healthy, salvific way as an Orthodox Christian. -read the text here: http://orthodoxinfo.com/ecumenism/elder-paisios-the-athonite-letter-on-ecumenism.aspx -Find an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/ _______ First of all, I would like to ask forgiveness from everyone for being bold to write something when I am neither holy nor a theologian. I trust everyone will understand me, that my writing is nothing more than an expression of my deep pain for the unfortunate stance and worldly love of our father Patriarch Athenagoras. It appears he loved another modern woman—which is called the Papist Church—because our Orthodox Mother has not made an impression on him at all, for She is so modest. This love, which was heard from Constantinople, caused a sensational impression of sorts among many Orthodox, who nowadays live in an environment of such meaningless love, in cities across the entire world. Moreover, this love is of the spirit of our age: the family will lose its divine meaning from just such kinds of love, which have as their aim breakup and not union. With just such a worldly love the Patriarch takes us to Rome. While he should have shown love first to us his children and to our Mother Church, he unfortunately sent his love very far away. The result, it’s true, delighted the secular children who love the world—who have this worldly love—, but completely scandalized us, the children of Orthodoxy, young and old, who have fear of God... Also, we should know well that our Orthodox Church does not have even one shortcoming. The only apparent insufficiency is the shortage of sober Hierarchs and Shepherds with a Patristic foundation. “Few are chosen.” This should not, however be upsetting. The Church is Christ’s Church, and He governs Her. It is not a Temple built by the pious from rocks, sand and mortar, which is then destroyed by the fire of barbarians; the Church is Christ Himself. “And whosoever shall fall on this Stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.” (Matt. 21:44-45) In times past we see that many faithful children of our Church, monastics and laymen, have unfortunately broken away from Her on account of the unionists. In my opinion, separation from the Church each time the Patriarch makes a mistake is not good at all. From within, close to the Mother Church, it is the duty and obligation of each member to struggle in their own way. To cease commemoration of the Patriarch; to break away and create their own Church; and to continue to speak insultingly to the Patriarch: this I think, is senseless. If, for this or that occasional deviation of the Patriarchs, we separate ourselves and make our own Churches—may God protect us!—we’ll pass up even the Protestants. It is easy for one to separate but difficult to return. I would further like to say that there does exist another, third group, within our Church. They are the brethren who remain as Her faithful children, but who don’t have spiritual concord between themselves. They spend their time criticizing one another, and not for the general good of the struggle. The one monitors the other (more than himself) to see what he will say or write so as to ruthlessly nail him. However, if this person had said or written the same thing, he’d certainly have supported it with numerous passages from the Holy Scriptures and the Fathers. We’re all needed within the Church. All the Fathers, both the mild and the austere, offered their services to Her. Just as the sweet, sour, bitter and even pungent herbs are necessary for a man’s body (each has its own flavor and vitamins), the same is true of the Body of the Church. _______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!