love God abundantly

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Let us make a good beginning so that God may grant us repentance (turning to God), because the person who has repentance does not have pride or egotism. May God grant us awareness of ourselves so that we may have humility. When we humble ourselves, saying, “Forgive me,” and “May it be blessed,” the will of God will be done. The last shall be first and the first shall be last; whoever goes to the back, God will bring to the front. Therefore we should love God abundantly, because we all depend on Him…

Gerontissa Makrina

Words from the Heart

the first shall be last

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We have a Father who is all affection, all love. We have guides with so much faith and love. God ha made us worthy to fall into such hands. Therefore, let us struggle! We lead a beautiful angelic life! One must only devote himself to watchfullness. He needs to place his thoughts beautifully in order, in other words, with reason and good sense. He should say, “I must become last of all so that I can be saved.” Whoever goes up to the front, Christ takes to the back, and whoever is in the back, Christ will bring to the front.

Gerontissa Makrina

♥️Words of the Heart ♥️

knock again and again

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Red Door of Paris, France

There was a man who was deprived of divine grace for thirty years, but he did not despair; he put his hope in Christ and would say, “My Christ, better late than never,” because Christ does not lie. He is not like us. As perfect God, He is all love, all affection, all joy and peace. Seeing us knocking persistently on the door, with much love and forbearance. Christ will open to us. When we go to a house and ring the doorbell, if they do not open to us, then we ring again and again, waiting because they may be somewhere inside. In the end they come and open to us. If we had left, we would have missed out.

Let us persistently knck on the door, and the Lord will open to us, because He loves us. He loves us so much!

Gerontissa Makrina

♥️ Words of the Heart ♥️

Saint Nicholas Church – Skopelos Greece
Hosios Loukas Monastery Greece

carry out their words

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A few brothers who had lay  persons approached Abba Felix and begged him to say a word to them.  But the old man kept silent.  After they had asked for a long time he said to them “you wish to hear a word,” they said “yes Abba”. Then the old man said to them “there are no such words nowadays.   When the brothers used to consult their elders, and when they did what was asked of them, God would show them how to speak.  However now, because they ask without doing that which they hear , God has withdrawn the grace of His Word from the elders, and they do not find anything to say, because there is no longer anyone who carries out their words.”   Hearing this the brothers groaned, saying “Pray for us Abba”

Metropolitan Nafpaktos Hierotheos

A Night in the Desert of the Holy Mountain

sunflower garden 2019

bumblebee on sunflower resting

a faith that satisfies

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An experience of God is, first of all, an inner assurance that through faith in God, the Christian finds the true meaning of his life. He feels that his faith in Christ is a faith that satisfies him internally, that give meaning to his live and guides him – that is a strong light which is enlightens him. When he thus feels the Christian faith inside him, he has started to live the Grace of God, God is not something external for him.

Archimandrite George

Abbot of the Holy Monastery of Saint Gregorios of Mount Athos
Experiences of the Grace of God

our task :: our work :: and God’s Grace

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sunflowers of the garden 2019

For the soul to repent it must first be awake. It is in this awakening that the miracle of repentance occurs. This is where human will plays a role. The awakening however is not something that rests solely with the man or the woman. The individual alone is not able to bring it about. God intervenes. Then Divine Grace comes. Without Grace a person can not repent. The love of God does everything. He may use something — an illness, or something else — it depends — in order to bring a person to repentance. Accordingly, repentance is achieved through divine grace. We simply make a move towards God and from then on Grace supervenes.

Saint Porphyrios

the humble person

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theotokos and flowers on my kitchen window sill

The humble person believes that all things depend on Christ and that Christ gives His grace and in that way he makes progress. The person who possesses holy humility lives even now in the earthly uncreated Church. He always has the joy of Christ even in the most displeasing circumstances. We see this in the lives of the saints. What was Saint Paul? He was a man like us. But what happened? He became and instrument of God, a chosen vessel. His words bear witness to this. ‘It is not I who live but Christ lives in me… for me to live is Christ and to die is gain.” He was consumed by burning love for Christ. His humility raised him up to that state. To burn for God…. that is everything.

Saint Porphyrios : Wounded by Love

comforting the sick

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You should rejoice because you are a daughter of Christ our God. What a great honor, and a great joy that we are called brothers of god. This indicates His great love for us. Those whom God loves are tested and those who are tested a little receive crowning honors. The Holy Spirit tells us, those who are sick, whom God loves, He witnesses to see their patience, faith and love and He will reward them greatly. He will give them the Eternal Kingdom and all the goodness of Paradise.

“Spiritual Advice of the Elder Philotheos Zervakos”

Translated by Archimandrite Polycarpos Rameras


concerning prayer {cling to Christ}

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“To become children of God and gods by Grace, let us always pray. All good things are given from above by the Father of Lights. If we wish to be children of God, let us entreat and pray continuously to make us worthy of such a grace.

Let our souls cling to God as the prophet David says, “my soul clings to you and my right hand upholds you” Saint Gregory the Theologian says, “remembrance of God brings us rest.” The God Bearing Maximos the Confessor writes, “The mind unified in prayer and Love of God becomes wise, good, merciful, and long-suffering, reflecting all the Divine energies in itself.”

Let us love God with all our strength and our neighbors as ourselves, that we may be worthy to be children of God and gods by Grace. Amen.”

“Spiritual Advice of the Elder Philotheos Zervakos”

Translated by Archimandrite Polycarpos Rameras

good works are by grace

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“It is for us to confess with contrition of heart that all the good words are done by the grace and help of God. We people, without God can do nothing. Whatever we have, our being, our life, health, strength, wisdom, and riches are gifts of God. We ourselves are nothing, for out of nothing were we created. Every good thing, therefore that we do is by the grace of God. The Apostle Paul, who worked and suffered greatly said in humility, not me but the grace of God that is in me. We may labor, but if we do not have the Grace of God or the intercessions of the Saints our labors will amount to nothing.

Let us then humble ourselves and ask the Lord to give us true and fervent faith…

“Spiritual Advice of the Elder Philotheos Zervakos” Translated by Archimandrite Polycarpos Rameras