Orthodox Wisdom

Drawing upon St. Theophan the Recluse's commentary, Fr. Seraphim Rose briefly discusses how souls formed in the "emotional and spiritual wasteland of our times" can become aware of this reality and how to live spiritually profitable lives in the Orthodox Church. Sometimes, as a stepping stone, even the best of the secular arts can be used to form the soul in godliness. 📖 Forming the Soul - Spirit, Soul and Body (from _Orthodox America_ , Issue #19, May 1982) https://www.roca.org/oa/volume-ii/issue-19/forming-the-soul 🎧 Fr. Seraphim Rose - Articles and Teachings (PLAYLIST) https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzFKi22k2KYjDHTp3rJVE7B66juR7bDzI ⛪ FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodox-world.org/ https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/ Note: It appears one more article in this series was published before Fr. Seraphim's repose just a few months after this first article appeared in print. It was a review of "Bleak House" by Charles Dickens in _Orthodox America_ , Issue #20, June 1982. _______ Fr. Seraphim writes: Many, of course, survive as Orthodox despite their background; some come to some spiritual disaster because of it; but a good number remain cripples or at least spiritually undeveloped because they are simply unprepared for and unaware of the real demands of spiritual life. In our own day, the chief ingredient missing from this ideal harmony of human life is something one might call the emotional development of the soul. It is something that is not directly spiritual, but that very often hinders spiritual development. It is the state of someone who, while he may think he thirsts for spiritual struggles and an elevated life of prayer, is poorly able to respond to normal human love and friendship; for "If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar; for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God Whom he hath not seen” (1 John 4:20). In a few people this defect exists in an extreme form; but as a tendency it is present to some extent in all of us who have been raised in the emotional and spiritual wasteland of our times. This being so, it is often necessary for us to humble our seemingly spiritual impulses and struggles and be tested on our human and emotional readiness for them. Sometimes a spiritual father will deny his child the reading of some spiritual book and give him instead a novel of Dostoevsky or Dickens, or will encourage him to become familiar with certain kinds of classical music, *not with any “aesthetic” purpose in mind–for one can be an “expert” in such matters and even be “emotionally well-developed” without the least interest in spiritual struggle, and that is also an unbalanced state–but solely to refine and form his soul and make it better disposed to understand genuine spiritual texts.* Bishop Theophan, in his advice to a young woman who was preparing in the world for monastic life, allowed her to read (in addition to other non-spiritual books) certain novels which were “recommended by well-meaning people who have read them” (What the Spiritual Life Is, p. 252): With this in mind, this new column in “Orthodox America” will recommend and introduce certain works of literature and art (not excluding the modern art form of the movie) which can be of use in forming souls, especially of young people, in basic human attitudes and emotions which can dispose them to understand and pursue the higher things of the spiritual life. _______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

Discover how a spiritual elder compassionately advised against judging women for their immodest clothing. He emphasized looking beyond appearances to recognize the potential within each soul. With a story about a young woman in a mini skirt, he stresses that true transformation comes from faith, not judgment. His approach inspires understanding and highlights the importance of empathy over criticism, reminding us of the strength each person carries within.

Ever-timely gems of wisdom from St. John of Kronstadt on prayer. He speaks especially to people living in the world with everyday cares and responsibilities. Anyone discouraged in their prayer life will find consolation and inspiration in these words from this great saint of Russia. 0:00 Introduction 0:09 Perseverance in Prayer 5:17 The Ordering of Prayer 7:49 Hindrances in Prayer 13:03 Despondency in Prayer Reading from _The Spiritual Counsels of Father John of Kronstadt: Selected Passages from My Life in Christ_ , p. 47-56. 📖 _The Spiritual Counsels of Father John of Kronstadt: Selected Passages from My Life in Christ_ https://svspress.com/the-spiritual-counsels-of-father-john-of-kronstadt/?srsltid=AfmBOooJspRRbAgXWm6ERIqUEiy521j_H1M9hbdgZiz7Qxy-iX6qG0eB 📖 _My Life in Christ_ by St. John of Kronstadt https://bookstore.jordanville.org/my-life-in-christ-Hardcover 📖 The Life of _Saint John of Kronstadt_ https://www.bostonmonks.com/product_info.php/products_id/986?srsltid=AfmBOooRVQ-AviJsWWeLqIOZ2qhT6w-7YTpOEEjKKMnVb_k_wRxJ4x2M 🎧 What Has the Feast of Pascha Left In Our Souls? - St. John of Kronstadt https://youtu.be/uWCkPqxuBt8 ⛪ FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodox-world.org/ https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/ _______ St. John teaches: We soon grow weary of praying. Why? Because we do not vividly represent to ourselves the Lord, who is at our right hand. Look upon him unceasingly with the eyes of your heart, and then, even if you stand praying all night, you will not grow weary. What do I say all night? You will be able to stand praying two and three nights without growing weary. People say that if you do not feel inclined to pray it is better not to pray; but this is crafty carnal sophistry. If you pray only when you are inclined to, you will cease praying altogether; this is what the fesh desires. The kingdom of heaven suffereth violence. You will not be able to work out your salvation without forcing yourself. Are you in a hurry to get to your place of service or work? Get up earlier; do not sleep so long; and pray fervently—you will get calm, energy and success for your whole day's work. You want to finish your rule of prayer quickly, in order to rest your weary body? Pray fervently, and you will enjoy peaceful, calm and healthy sleep. Do not hurry, then; nor say your prayers anyhow—by half an hour's prayer you will gain three whole hours of the soundest sleep. When during prayer your heart is overwhelmed with des pondency and melancholy, be sure that these proceed from the Devil, endeavouring by every means to hinder you in your prayer. Be firm, take courage, and by the remembrance of God drive away this deadly feeling. _______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

St. Leo the Great, Pope of Rome (+461) calls us to embark on the Holy Fast of Nativity with gratitude and active love for God and neighbor. “For by prayer we seek to propitiate God, by fasting we extinguish the lusts of the flesh, by alms we redeem our sins: and at the same time God's image is throughout renewed in us, if we are always ready to praise Him, unfailingly intent on our purification and unceasingly active in cherishing our neighbor.” 📖 Read the homily here: https://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2017/11/sermon-1-on-fast-of-advent-st-leo-great.html ⛪ FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodox-world.org/ https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/ _______ St. Leo teaches: Accordingly, as God wishes us to be good, because He is good, none of His judgments ought to displease us. For not to give Him thanks in all things, what else is it but to blame Him in some degree. Therefore, dearly beloved, in all works of godliness let us use what each year gives us, and let not seasons of difficulty hinder our Christian benevolence. The Lord knows how to replenish the widow's vessels, which her pious deed of hospitality has emptied: He knows how to turn water into wine: He knows how to satisfy 5,000 hungry persons with a few loaves. And He who is fed in His poor, can multiply when He takes what He increased when He gave. …even as this tenth month brings round again to us the opportunity when according to the ancient practice we may give more diligent heed to those three things of which I have spoken. For by prayer we seek to propitiate God, by fasting we extinguish the lusts of the flesh, by alms we redeem our sins: and at the same time God's image is throughout renewed in us, if we are always ready to praise Him, unfailingly intent on our purification and unceasingly active in cherishing our neighbor. _______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

How should a man relate to his wife, and a women relate to her husband? St. Paisios presents us the royal path: why love and respect are really the same thing, and how the husband is the head of his wife but also the "lowest laborer", and how the wife is subject to her husband but also the "noble lady of the household". A reading from _Spiritual Counsels, Vol. 4: Family Life_ by St. Paisios, p. 39-48 📖 _Spiritual Counsels, Vol. 4: Family Life_ by St. Paisios the Athonite https://www.holycross.org/products/family-life-elder-paisios 🎧 The Household and the Spiritual Life of the Mother - St. Paisios the Athonite https://youtu.be/U2XzGpJ6qKI 🎧 Marriage or Monasticism? (The Young Facing the Two Paths in Life) - St. Paisios the Athonite https://youtu.be/g-LGlirprqc ⛪ FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodox-world.org/ https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/ _______ St. Paisios teaches: Sacred Scripture says, "For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the Church." God has determined that man should be head of the household. For the woman to be the head instead of the man is disdain for God. God first made Adam and then Eve. And Adam in seeing his wife, Eve said, "This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh." The Scripture says that the woman should fear her husband, that is, respect him, and that the husband should love his wife. It is through love that one can have respect. It is through respect that one can have love. What I love, I also respect; and what respect, I also love. In other words, love and respect are not two different things; they are one and the same. The equality sought by women can only be applied up to a certain point. Nowadays, women mistakenly believe that they're equal to men because they're working in all areas of society; they vote and take an active part in public life. Of course, their souls are equal. But when a husband doesn't love his wife, and a wife doesn't respect her husband, ugly scenes will take place in the family. In the old days, it was very grave for a wife to talk back to her husband. Nowadays a rather careless spirit has entered into the spousal relationship. How simple and beautiful it was back then! I knew a couple where the husband was very short and the wife was strong and quite tall. She could unload 500 pounds of wheat from the wagon all by herself. One time when one of the field workers — a tall man himself — tried to tease her, she grabbed him and tossed him like a matchstick! But you should have seen what tender respect and obedience she had for her husband! This is the only way to hold a family together. Someone asked me, "Geronda, what is it that most unites husband and wife?" "Gratitude," I answered. They love each other for what they give as a gift to one another. The wife offers her husband trust, devotion, obedience. The husband offers his wife assurance and security that he can protect her. The wife is the noble lady of the household, but also the mature servant. The husband is the captain of the household, but also the lowest laborer. _______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

Practical advice for daily life in the world from St. Ignatius Brianchaninov. His wisdom is summarized when he says, "The essence of any striving toward the Lord is attentiveness." Reading of chapter 27 from _The Field: Cultivating Salvation_ by St. Ignatius Brianchaninov 📖 _The Field: Cultivating Salvation_ by St. Ignatius Brianchaninov https://www.holytrinitypublications.com/the-field 🎧 Exhortation on the Prayer Rule - St. Ignatius Brianchaninov https://youtu.be/YvCo0NiHMjU 🎧 On Attention and Distraction - St. Ignatius Brianchaninov https://youtu.be/v5ZIEmv8RwQ 🎧 My Cross and the Cross of Christ - St. Ignatius Brianchaninov https://youtu.be/RDmmWFqGGYA ⛪ FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodox-world.org/ https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/ _______ St. Ignatius writes: The essence of any striving toward the Lord is attentiveness. Without attentiveness, all our labors become fruitless, dead. He who desires to be saved must strive to maintain attentiveness to himself, not only in solitude but in the midst of distraction, into which circumstances sometimes hurl him against his will. May the fear of God outweigh all other feelings in the scales of his heart—then it will be easy to preserve attentiveness to oneself, both in the silence of the cell and in the midst of the surrounding noise of the world. Temperance in eating, which lessens the fire in the blood, greatly aids watchfulness over oneself; while the warming of the blood that occurs either from overeating, from excessive physical movement, from the inflammation of anger, from intoxicating vanity, or from other reasons, gives birth to a multitude of thoughts and images, in other words scattered thoughts. The Holy Fathers recommend that he who desires to be watchful over himself must first control his appetite temperately, steadily, and constantly to abstain from excessive eating. The amount of reading can depend on the strength of the person as well as external circumstances. In the same way as excessive eating disrupts and weakens the digestion, the intemperate consumption of spiritual food weakens the mind and makes it look on the ascetic life with disgust, leading it to despair. The Holy Fathers recommend beginners to pray often, but not for long periods of time. When the mind becomes more spiritually mature and becomes stronger and firmer, then it will be capable of praying unceasingly. If you have any free minutes during the course of the day, use them to read some chosen prayers with attentiveness, or read selected passages from the Scriptures, and through them once again strengthen your spirit, which has become tired through constant activity in the busy world. _______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

The great Theologian of the 11th century stirs up the hearts of his readers, calling us to a truly Christian life that daily stands ready for the dread Day of the Lord. Reading from St. Symeon's Tenth Ethical Discourse "On the Fearful Day of the Lord and the Future Judgement" from _On the Mystical Life, The Ethical Discourses, Vol. I: The Church and The Last Things_ p. 166-170 📖 _On the Mystical Life, The Ethical Discourses, Vol. I: The Church and The Last Things_ by St. Symeon the New Theologian https://svspress.com/on-the-mystical-life-the-ethical-discourses-st-symeon-the-new-theologian-volume-i-the-church-and-the-last-things/?srsltid=AfmBOoo3FTmj3IffQOCkTpoLgHkVw9ZUV9Td8jNa5myzU10fZLPmy6oR 🎧 On the Mystery of the Resurrection of Christ - St. Symeon the New Theologian https://youtu.be/FlR9rgfFCX0 🎧 On Conscious Participation in the Mystical Supper - St. Symeon the New Theologian https://youtu.be/mXYj7-fnnFQ ⛪ FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/ _______ St Symeon writes: Blessed are they who even now have put on His light, for they are clothed already with the wedding garment. They will not be bound hand and foot, nor will they be cast into the everlasting fire. Blessed are they who hourly taste of the ineffable light with the mouth of their intellect, for they shall walk "becomingly as in the day" (Rom 13:13), and spend all their time in rejoicing. Blessed are they who have not reasoned in themselves that men in this life have no assurance of salvation but receive on their departure from it or, indeed, after it, for they have struggled to receive it now. Blessed are they who ever weep bitterly for their sins, for the light shall seize them and change the bitter into sweet. Blessed is he who has seen the light of the world take form within himself, for he, having Christ as an embryo within, shall be reckoned His mother, as He Himself Who does not lie has promised, saying: "Here are my mother and brothers and friends." Who? "Those who hear the word of God and do it" (Luke 8:21). So those who do not keep His commandments deprive themselves voluntarily of so great a grace, because the thing was and is and will be possible, and has happened and happens and will happen for all who fulfill His ordinances. _______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

St. Porphyrios of Kafsokalyvia, a revered figure in the Orthodox Church, shares profound insights on the transformative power of the Jesus Prayer. He emphasizes that true prayer is a gift of divine grace rather than a skill learned from others. Highlighting sincerity and humility, he discusses how the Jesus Prayer embodies emotional connection and devotion. Porphyrios encourages a genuine, spontaneous approach to prayer, advocating that it should seamlessly integrate into daily life, driven by a love for Christ.

What separates the Orthodox Church and the various Non-Chalcedonian churches? Is it merely semantics and misunderstandings, as some today proclaim? The Holy Monastery of Gregoriou on Mount Athos, in this 1994 treatise, gives a detailed examination of the issues and offers much for anyone interested in the truth of Christ, His Church, and the Non-Chalcedonian heresy. 📖 This is a reading of _The Non-Chalcedonian Heretics_ by the Monastery of Gregoriou (Mount Athos) (originally published as _The Non-Chalcedonian Heresy_ in Orthodox Life (Jordanville)). Buy here: https://www.ctosonline.org/ecumenism/N.html 0:00 Beginning 0:19 Prologue by Abbot George Kapsanis 2:00 Introduction Part I: Ecclesiological Presuppositions 5:30 The Orthodox Church is the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church 6:01 The Church is Conscious of Her Identity Over Time 6:47 Using “Polemical” Language Part II: The Historical Witness 8:34 Union Attempts in the Past 13:24 The Agreements of 433 Expose the Non-Chalcedonians 22:03 The Witness from the Synaxaria (Lives of Saints) Part III: Dogmatic Differences 28:42 Is Severos Orthodox? 32:32 1) The Theology of Serveros is Aristotelian 37:09 2) Severos Accepts that the Human Nature of Christ Subsists as a Hypostasis 43:54 3) The Hypostatic Union According to Severos 50:59 4) Severos teaches Monoenergism 56:56 5) Severos Accepts the Heretical Teaching of Individual Essences 59:03 6) How Does Severos Conceive the Deification of Man? 1:02:22 The Theopaschite Addition to the Trisagion 1:06:10 St. Maximus the Confessor on the Phrase “In Thought Alone” 1:09:26 Iconoclasm and its Monophysite Presuppositions 1:14:00 Thoughts on the Joint Declarations of 1989 and 1990 1:17:22 Conclusions *Primary Sources* 📖 _The Acts of the Council of Chalcedon_ translated and introduced by Fr. Richard Price (Roman Catholic) https://archive.org/details/the-acts-of-the-council-of-chalcedon-translated-texts-for-historians-lup-volume-45 📖 Letters 1-50 of St. Cyril of Alexandria https://archive.org/details/letters-1-50-cyril-of-alexandria-etc.-z-library 📖 Letters 51-110 of St. Cyril of Alexandria https://dokumen.pub/fathers-of-the-church-saint-cyril-of-alexandria-letters-51-110-0813200776-9780813200774.html 📖 The "Tome" of Pope St. Leo of Rome https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/3604028.htm 📖 _Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith_ by St. John of Damascus (see Book 3) https://stanthonysmonastery.org/products/exact-exposition-of-the-orthodox-faith *Secondary Sources* 📖 _Saint Cyril of Alexandria and the Christological Controversy_ by Fr. John McGuckin https://svspress.com/saint-cyril-of-alexandria-and-the-christological-controversy/ 📖 The Political Subterfuge of Chalcedon by Patrick Craig Truglia https://orthodoxchristiantheology.com/2022/09/07/the-political-subterfuge-of-chalcedon/ *Audio* 🎧 Oriental Orthodoxy Refuted (Playlist) by David Erhan https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3QQ7jHr1GrTO3WLauMBQ6kbTEphu2rHg&si=epm0F_1DRZaz3Aqc *From Non-Chalcedonians* 📖 From V.C. Samuel (a Copt), quoted in the text from Gregoriou: _The Council of Chalcedon Re-Examined_ https://a.co/d/if45jyR From an historical perspective, it should be said that the Holy Fathers knew well with whom they were conversing, and there is no possibility that they misconstrued and condemned the Non-Chalcedonians on account of a misinterpretation. It is neither theological terminology nor racial and cultural factors that played a decisive role in the separation of the Non-Chalcedonians from the communion of the Catholic [i.e., Orthodox] Church, but chiefly their erroneous conception, and consequently their formulation, of the manner of the union of the two Natures in Christ. The dogmatic differences between the two sides are so great that, if they were forgotten, salvation itself would be put at risk.

A reading of the revelation of Jesus Christ to St. Silouan from _Saint Silouan the Athonite_ by St. Sophrony (p. 429-431) 📖 _Saint Silouan the Athonite_ by St. Sophrony: https://www.holycross.org/products/saint-silouan-the-athonite 🎧 Keep Thy Mind in Hell and Despair Not - St. Silouan and St. Sophrony (Commentary on the Saying) https://youtu.be/n0CCxFuH5I4 🎧 Playlist from Orthodox Wisdom: St. Silouan & St. Sophrony - Teachings and Prayers https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzFKi22k2KYiWHl-XYYh_Jqr5w539qw2s ⛪ FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodox-world.org/ https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/ _______ St. Silouan writes: 'Lord, Thou seest that I desire to pray to Thee with a single mind but the devils will not let me. Tell me what I must do to make them leave me.' And in my soul came the Lord's reply: 'The proud always suffer thus from devils.' ‘Lord,' I say, "Thou art merciful. My soul knoweth Thee. Tell me what I must do that my soul may grow humble?' And the Lord answered me in my soul: 'Keep thy mind in hell, and despair not.' Since then I have stayed my mind in hell and I burn in the sombre fire, yearning after the Lord and seeking Him in tears, and saying: ‘Soon shall I die and take up my abode in the dark prison of hell. And alone shall I burn there, and long for the Lord, and lament: 'Where is my Lord, Whom my soul knoweth?' And I had great profit from these thoughts: my mind was cleansed and my soul found rest. _______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!