falling and rising within you

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“True self discover occurs only within the consciousness of the Church. Becoming one with the Body of the Church, and living within its assurance and certitude enables you to be free from changes, anxiety and sadness.

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Troubles simply come come and go, passing by like waves, but they will never be able to drown you.  You have become like the shore, unmoved by the pounding of the sea.  The waves will come and crash all around but you no longer fear them.   Instead they remind you  of the endless waves of the Holy Spirit rising and falling within you.”

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Elder Aemilianos of Simonopetra

the Way of the Spirit

(p. 137-138)

nourishing grace

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What food is for the body, the Spirit is for my life. The Spirit is the foundation of my very existence, He gives life to all flesh. “By the Holy Spirit every soul is given life”

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Elder Aemilianos of Simonopetra

the Way of the Spirit (p. 122)

monastics in our midst

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Monastics in our midst…  A few weeks ago, from the choir loft, I caught a glimpse of monk (who I later learned was from Mount Athos), as he entered the altar, at the start of Liturgy.  I never saw him leave, and that is a wonderful thing and quite symbolic too.

Every now and again we have monastic visitors at our parish and it is always a tremendous blessing.  Our holy monastics pray for all of the souls in the world.  They keep a daily rhythm of worship and prayer and inner silence that, although with encouragement we seek, we can scarcely capture.

All our lives are greatly enriched by their prayers and we, the faithful, should pray for them too.  While they may not often join our parishes physically – having withdrawn from the world – they are always with the faithful spiritually.   They are the vanguard of Orthodoxy, and a source of salt and light for the Church.

Saint Nilus of Sinai says of monastics that although they have “withdrawn from all men, they are united with all men“.

Saint John Chrysostom says that the health of the Church is directly related to the presence of monasteries.

I am most grateful that we are finally realizing such an increase in the formation of so many monasteries in this country.

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O Lord save Thy people and bless Thine inheritance!

anaphora of love

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“Love isn’t something that comes from our hearts,

but rather from the heart of God.

And this love penetrates our hearts and minds,

from where it flows out to others,

ultimately returning to God”

Elder Aemilianos of Simonopetra Monastery

the way of the spirit (p.90)

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Thine own of Thine own.

rainbow of the soul

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“Just as the earth in the Spring is washed by the rain, warmed by the sun, and becomes warmed by greenery and flowers, so you beloved, wash your soul with tears of repentance, and warm it with the rays of God’s grace and feelings and intentions, which will indeed bring forth in you the fruit of the Spirit – love, joy, peace, long-suffering, meekness and faith (Gal. 5:22-23).”

Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk

from the book

Instructions and Teachings for the American Orthodox Faithful (1898-1907)

p. 81

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The dispersion of the light of Christ illumines and refracts the water droplets of the tears of repentance resulting in a rainbow of light in the soul – the colors of love, joy, peace, long-suffering, meekness and Faith – the fruits of the spirit – a rainbow of repentance.

stretch forth

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“Turning to God means I stretch forth to Him with perseverance.  Why?  Because I’m down here on  earth and He’s in heaven above.  Can I reach Him?  No, I can not ascend.  He must descend in order to find me.”

Elder Aemilianos of Simonopetra

Way of the Spirit (p. 74)

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The quote above recalls the image of the icon of the Resurrection.  Repentance – turning to God – is a gift God offers us.  We, each of us, falls every day.  We have not the strength to walk this life of repentance without Him.  He knows this, condescends,  outstretches His Hand, and lift us up.

Repentance is His goodness emptied into the deep heart of man, which in turn, man then offers back unto Him.  It is a never ending cycle of stretching forth and giving.  His self emptying and our self emptying.  The hope of the faithful : God has set His nebulous self-emptying Heart upon man (Job 7:17).

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In The Way of the Spirit, Elder Aemilianos, speaks of the timeless wisdom of the Orthodox Faith and the Orthodox experience of God.  He reminds the reader that God is the initiator, speaking to the deep heart within each of us – and the enduring steadfast love of our loving God – our pursuing God – our jealous, humble and self-emptying God.

Truly, He is mindful of us!

God bends toward the soul

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And just as the soul goes beyond its proper limits in order to encounter God, so too does God bend down toward the soul, abandoning its proper limits in order to give Himself to me, to surrender Himself to me.

Elder Aemilianos of Simonopetra

the way of the spirit (p. 35)