“We should follow the example of the birds. They are always joyful, whereas we are always bothered by something.”
deep designs : Divine Wisdom
God is a mystery to all beings. God is in us, and that is why we are a mystery to our own selves. God reveals Himself only to the meek and humble. He is present everywhere, and He is a mystery. We may learn a little about Him, or may gather some knowledge from nature, but for the most part, we are surrounded by mystery
Our Thoughts Determine Our Lives:
Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnica
selfless labor
Look at the bee, how diligently it labors! It gives of itself without reserve, unsparingly. The lifespan of a bee is a month and a half at the most. It often dies working, without going back to its home, the hive. And we? How we pity ourselves and spare ourselves! Or, look at the ant who is never tired of dragging a heavy burden. Even when its burden falls down, the ant patiently picks it up and goes on with its work. As for us, we give up immediately if things do not go the way we want them to!
Our Thoughts Determine Our Lives
Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnica
one who discovers their habits will also find the Word and Wisdom of God, who is Christ Himself.
Orthodox Study Bible Notes on Proverbs 6:6
give Him your heart
a fresh, hopeful breeze
Our Lord is the sole comfort of both angels and men, of every soul that yearns for Him. He alone is eternal. We can seek comfort from our fellow men here in this life, but all this is very limited, for created beings are limited in time and space and cannot dispense eternity. God alone takes care of every need of our souls.
Our Thoughts Determine Our Lives:
the Life and Teachings of Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnica
One thing I ask from the LORD, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple.
Psalm 27:4
a light to our path
The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.
Proverbs 16:9
There, now you understand what repentance is all about. Repentance is a complete turning of one’s heart toward Absolute Goodness , and not only of the heart but also of the mind, the feelings, the body, and one’s whole being. Repentance is the unbreakable union of love with our Father and Creator. Therefore we must always be in prayer and at all times ask the Mother of God to give us the strength to love Him as she herself does, along with the saints and the angels. Then we will be blessed both in this life and in eternity as well. For God is love, peace, and joy, which fills every being that seeks Him from the heart.
Our Thoughts Determine Our Lives: the Life and Teachings of Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnica
freedom
The Lord commands us to love our enemies, not for their sake, but for our own good. For as long as we wallow in the remembrance of an insult we have suffered from a friend, a neighbor, or a relative, we will have neither peace nor rest. We must become free from such thoughts. This means that we must forgive from the heart. Everything must be forgiven. The peace we feel afterwards brings a sense of well-being, joy, and comfort not only to us but to all who surround us. Everyone will feel the impact of our thoughts if our thoughts are kind and peaceful. And the opposite is true, as well.
Our Thoughts Determine Our Lives:
the Life and Teachings of Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnica
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Embrace the counter-intuitive… ask yourself what is normal?
When one sees the violence and hatred going on in the world, even now just outside of our Nation’s Capitol in Baltimore, it’s clear that we have lost touch with what is normal. Where are the voices of healing?
Normal is not what everyone does, or even what the majority of people are doing.
Normal is the Truth, the Way and the Life.
bright friday
I know you to be a radiant and holy temple of the Master of all, O Maiden, and a Spring whence sprang forth Christ, the Water of immortality, wherefrom we are given to drink.
Third ode of the Canon to the Mother of God
Bright Week Friday
“The Most Holy Mother of God prays for us ceaselessly. She is always visiting us. Whenever we turn to her in our heart, she is there. After the Lord, she is the greatest protection for mankind. How many churches there are in the world that are dedicated to the Most Holy Mother of God! How many healing springs where people are cured of their ailments have sprung up in places where the Most Holy Theotokos appeared and blessed those springs to heal both the sick and the healthy! She is constantly, by our side, and all too often we forget her.”
+ Elder Thaddeus
patience and peace
All of them say that the perfection of the Christian life is in extreme humility. This means that patient long-suffering is what we most need in this life. We must bear everything patiently and forgive all. If we have good thoughts and desires, these thoughts will give us peace and joy even in this life, and even more so in eternity.
Our Thoughts Determine Our Lives:
the Life and Teachings of Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnica
our thoughts and our lives
Our thoughts determine our whole life. If our thoughts are destructive, we will have no peace, if they are quiet meek and simple, our life will be the same, and we will have peace within us. It will radiate from us and influence all beings around us – rational being, animals and even plants.
Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnica
Our Thoughts Determine Our Lives
as we forgive
“Our life depends on the kind of thoughts we nurture. If our thoughts are peaceful, calm, meek, and kind, then that is what our life is like. If our attention is turned to the circumstances in which we live, we are drawn into a whirlpool of thoughts and can have neither peace nor tranquility.”
Why does the Lord command us to love our enemies and to pray for them? Not for their sake, but for ours! For as long as we bear grudges, as long as we dwell on how someone offended us, we will have no peace.
Our Thoughts Determine Our Lives
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