lenten pantry

Leave a comment February 28, 2015 nourishinggrace

“it is important to know that the Church considers

the psalms to be an essential spiritual food

for the Lenten season”

Father Alexander Schmemann

Great Lent: A School of Repentance Its Meaning for Orthodox Christians

“…no soul can exist without God, without His Son,

without His Spirit. God is my being, my breath,

my light, my strength, my drink, my food.

He carries me as a mother

carries her infant in her arms.

More than this. Carrying me, my soul and body,

He dwells in me, and is united to me.”

Saint John of Kronstadt

My Life in Christ

This post is dedicated to Libby, a wonderful woman who has

been inspiring and organizing the Psalter Prayer Group

with an amazing group of women, for the last ten some years.

Wishing everyone a blessed and spiritually profitable Lent!

blessings in disguise

Leave a comment February 28, 2015 nourishinggrace

“A little fire softens a large piece of wax. So too, a small indignity often softens, sweetens and wipes suddenly all the fierceness and hardness of our heart.”

Saint John Climacus

to this we are called

Leave a comment February 27, 2015 nourishinggrace

“People forget that the path of Christianity

is indeed an ascetical labor. The Lord said,

“He that would come after Me,

let him take us his cross, deny himself and follow Me.

The Lord said this with great emphasis.”

Metropolitan Philaret of Moscow

our life is our Confession

Leave a comment February 25, 2015 nourishinggrace

“what does the Lord seek from you but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to be ready to walk with the Lord your God?”

Micah 6:8

pure repentance

Leave a comment February 24, 2015 nourishinggrace

“Like as the potter gives life to his clay, Thou hast bestowed upon me Flesh and bones, breath and life; Today, O my Creator, my Redeemer and My Judge, Receive me a penitent…”

Great Canon of Saint Andrew of Crete

Great Lent

The Canon of Saint Andrew of Crete is chanted the first week of Great Lent and

“is a real introduction to Lent, it sets its tone and spirit, it gives us—

from the very beginning—the true dimension of repentance.”

Fr Alexander Schmemman : Great Lent: A School of Repentance
Its Meaning for Orthodox Christians

the Lord is my strength and my song

Leave a comment February 23, 2015 nourishinggrace

For one day in your courts is better than a thousand; I chose to be an outcast in the house of my God rather than to dwell in the house of sinners. For the Lord God loves mercy and truth; He will give Grace and glory… “

Psalm 84:11

forgiveness Sunday

Leave a comment February 22, 2015 nourishinggrace

“The Church is unity and love in Christ. We all depend on each other, belong to each other, are united by the love of Christ… Repentance is primarily the recovery of the spirit of love: “By this shall all men know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another”

The condition for such real fasting is that we forgive each other as God forgives us—

“If you forgive men their trespasses, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you….”

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Great Lent: A School of Repentance Its Meaning for Orthodox Christians

Father Alexander Schmemann

all of creation rejoices

Leave a comment February 21, 2015 nourishinggrace

All the creatures, not the higher creatures alone, but also the lower, according to that which each of them has received in itself from God, each one raises it’s voice in testimony to that which God is…. each one after its manner exalts God, since it has God in itself.

Saint John of the Cross

unshakable peace

Leave a comment February 19, 2015 nourishinggrace

“Precious to all men is peace of soul. With those who have acquired peace of soul, the body can be in constant motion, at work, or in pain, but their souls, cleaving to God, remain always in unshakable peace. Saint Seraphim of Sarov teaches: “We must endeavor by every means to keep peace of soul.”

Bishop Nikolai Velimirovic

Prologue 15 February

rest in God

Leave a comment February 19, 2015 nourishinggrace

The soul that loves God has its rest in God and in God alone. In all the paths that men walk i the world, they do not attain peace until they draw nigh to hope in God.

Saint Isaac the Syrian