From The Way of the Pilgrim
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[God's Call to the Pilgrim.]
"BY the grace of God I am a Christian man, by my actions a great sinner, and by calling a homeless wanderer of the humblest birth who roams from place to place. My worldly goods are a knapsack with some dried bread in it on my back, and in my breast pocket a Bible. And that is all.
On the 24th Sunday after Pentecost I went to church to say my prayers there during the Liturgy. The first Epistle of St. Paul to the Thessalonians was being read, and among other words I heard these--" Pray without ceasing." It was this text, more than any other, which forced itself upon my mind, and I began to think how it was possible to pray without ceasing, since a man has to concern himself with other things also in order to make a living. I looked at my Bible, and with my own eyes read the words which I had heard, i.e, that we ought always, at all times and in all places, to pray with uplifted hands. I thought and thought, but knew not what to make of it. " What ought I to do! " I thought. " Where shall I find someone to explain it to me! I will go to the churches where famous preachers are to be heard; perhaps there I shall hear something which will throw light on it for me." I did so. I heard a number of very fine sermons on prayer; what prayer is, how much we need it, and what its fruits are; but no one said how one could succeed in prayer. I heard a sermon on spiritual prayer, and unceasing prayer, but how it was to be done was not pointed out. Thus listening to sermons failed to give me what I wanted, and having had my fill of them without gaining understanding, I gave up going to hear public sermons. I settled on another plan--by God's help to look for some experienced and skilled person who would give me in conversation that teaching about unceasing prayer which drew me so urgently.
For a long time I wandered through many places. I read my Bible always, and everywhere I asked whether there was not in the neighborhood a spiritual teacher, a devout and experienced guide, to be found..."
[Note that a spiritual director or teacher is often essential to spiritual life and growth. However we cannot often find the right person immediately so we pray the Lord will lead us to him and we search.]
"At last towards evening [one day] I was overtaken by an old man who looked like a cleric of some sort. In answer to my question he told me that he was a monk belonging to a monastery some six miles off the main road. He asked me to go there with him. " We take in pilgrims," said he, "and give them rest and food with devout persons in the guest house." I did not feel like going.1 So in reply I said that my peace of mind in no way depended upon my finding a resting-place, but upon finding spiritual teaching. Neither was I running after food, for I had plenty of dried bread in my knapsack. " What sort of spiritual teaching are you wanting to get" he asked me. " What is it puzzling you !" ...
"Well, it's like this, Father", said I. "About a year ago, while I was at the Liturgy, I heard a passage from the Epistles which bade men pray without ceasing. Failing to understand, I began to read my Bible, and there also in many places I found the divine command that we ought to pray at all times, in all places; not only while about our business, not only while awake, but even during sleep,'I sleep, but my heart waketh.' This surprised me very much, and I was at a loss to understand how it could be carried out and in what way it was to be done. A burning desire and thirst for knowledge awoke in me. Day and night the matter was never out of my mind. So I began to go to churches and to listen to sermons. But however many I heard, from not one of them did I get any teaching about how to pray without ceasing. They always talked about getting ready for prayer, or about its fruits and the like, without teaching one how to pray without ceasing, or what such prayer means. I have often read the Bible and there made sure of what I have heard. But meanwhile I have not reached the understanding that I long for, and so to this hour I am still uneasy and in doubt."
Then the old man crossed himself and spoke. " Thank God, my dear brother, for having revealed to you this unappeasable desire for unceasing interior prayer. Recognize in it the call of God, and calm yourself. Rest assured that what has hitherto been accomplished In you is the testing of the harmony of your own will with the voice of God. It has been granted to you to understand that the heavenly light of unceasing interior prayer is attained neither by the wisdom of this world, nor by the mere outward desire for knowledge, but that on the contrary it is found in poverty of spirit and in active experience in simplicity of heart. That is why it is not surprising that you have been unable to hear anything about the essential work of prayer, and to acquire the knowledge by which ceaseless activity in it is attained. Doubtless a great deal has been preached about prayer... But what is prayer! And how does one learn to pray ! Upon these questions, primary and essential as they are, one very rarely gets any precise enlightenment from present-day preachers. For these questions are more difficult to understand than all their arguments ..., and require mystical knowledge, not simply the learning of the schools. And the most deplorable thing of all is that the vain wisdom of the world compels them to apply the human standard to the divine. Many people reason quite the wrong way round about prayer, thinking that good actions and all sorts of preliminary measures render us capable of prayer. But quite the reverse is the case, it is prayer which bears fruit in good works and all the virtues... [T]he Apostle Paul says, ' I exhort therefore that first of all supplications he made ' (1 Tim. ii,1) The first thing laid down in the Apostle's words about prayer is that the work of prayer comes before everything else: ' I exhort therefore that first of all . . .' The Christian is bound to perform many good works, but before all else what he ought to do is to pray, for without prayer no other good work whatever can be accomplished. Without prayer he cannot find the way to the Lord, he cannot understand the truth, he cannot crucify the flesh with its passions and lusts, his heart cannot be enlightened with the light of Christ... None of those things can be effected unless they are preceded by constant prayer...
[The basic method.]
He took my request kindly and asked me into his cell. " Come in," said he;... We went into his cell and he began to speak as follows. " The continuous interior Prayer of Jesus is a constant uninterrupted calling upon the divine Name of Jesus with the lips, in the spirit, in the heart; while forming a mental picture of His constant presence, and imploring His grace, during every occupation, at all times, in all places, even during sleep. The appeal is couched in these terms, Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me. One who accustoms himself to this appeal experiences as a result so deep a consolation and so great a need to offer the prayer always, that he can no longer live without it, and it will continue to voice itself within him of its own accord. Now do you understand what prayer without ceasing is!" (Emphasis added.)
"Yes indeed, Father, and in God's name teach me how to gain the habit of it," I cried, filled with joy.
He opened the book [The Philokalia], found the instruction by St. Simeon the New Theologian, and read: " Sit down alone and in silence. Lower your head, shut your eyes, breathe out gently and imagine yourself looking into your own heart. Carry your mind, i.e, your thoughts, from your head to your heart. As you breathe put, say Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me.' Say it moving your lips gently, or simply say it in your mind. Try to put all other thoughts aside. Be calm, be patient, and repeat the process very frequently."
I listened closely and with great delight, fixed it in my memory, and tried as far as possible to remember every detail.
[The Pilgrim found a place to stay in a village nearby. As he tried to practice this new way of prayer he found himself] "tired, lazy, bored and overwhelmingly sleepy, and a cloud of all sorts of other thoughts closed round me." [His friend and spiritual director, the monk, said] "My dear brother, it is the attack of the world of darkness upon you. To that world, nothing is worse than heartfelt prayer on our part. And it is trying by every means to hinder you and to turn you aside from learning the Prayer. But all the same the enemy only does what God see fit to allow, and no more is than is necessary for us...2
He turned to the teaching of Nicephorus [in The Philokalia] and read, " ' If after a few attempts you do not succeed in reaching the realm of your heart in the way you have been taught, do what I am about to say, and by God's help you will find what you seek. The faculty of pronouncing words lies in the throat. Reject all other thoughts (you can do this if you will) and allow that faculty to repeat only the following words constantly, " Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me." Compel yourself to do it always. If you succeed for a time, then without a doubt your heart also will open to prayer. We know it from experience.'
"There you have the teaching of the holy Fathers on such cases," said my [director], " and therefore you ought from today onwards to carry out my directions with confidence, and repeat the Prayer of Jesus as often as possible. Here is a rosary. Take it, and to start with say the Prayer three thousand times a day. Whether you are standing or sitting, walking or lying down, continually repeat 'Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me'. Say it quietly and without hurry, but without fail exactly three thousand times a day without deliberately increasing or diminishing the number. God will help you...
[Later his director told him to say the prayer 12,000 times a day.] I did as he bade me. The first day I scarcely succeeded in finishing my task of saying twelve thousand prayers by late evening. The second day I did it easily and contentedly. To begin with, this ceaseless saying of the Prayer brought a certain amount of weariness, my tongue felt numbed, I had a stiff sort of feeling in my jaws, I had a feeling at first pleasant but afterwards slightly painful in the roof of my mouth. The thumb of my left hand, with which I counted my beads, hurt a little. I felt a slight inflammation in the whole of that wrist, and even up to the elbow, which was not unpleasant. Moreover, all this aroused me, as it were, and urged me on to frequent saying of the Prayer. For five days I did my set number of twelve thousand prayers, and as I formed the habit I found at the same time pleasure and satisfaction in it.
Early one morning the Prayer woke me up as it were. I started to say my usual morning prayers, but my tongue refused to say them easily or exactly. My whole desire was fixed upon one thing only--to say the Prayer of Jesus, and as soon as I went on with it I was filled with joy and relief. It was as though my lips and my tongue pronounced the words entirely of themselves without any urging from me. I spent the whole day in a state of the greatest contentment... [The Pilgrim wished to increase the times that he said the prayer and so went to see his spiritual director.]
He heard me out and then said, " Be thankful to God that this desire for the Prayer and this facility in it have been manifested in you. It is a natural consequence which follows constant effort and spiritual achievement.... Now you see with what admirable gifts God in His love for mankind has endowed even the bodily nature of man. You see what feelings can be produced even outside a state of grace in a soul which is sinful and with passions un-subdued, as you yourself have experienced. But how wonderful, how delightful and how consoling a thing it is when God is pleased to grant the gift of self-acting spiritual prayer, and to cleanse the soul from all sensuality! It is a condition which is impossible to describe, and the discovery of this mystery of prayer is a foretaste on earth of the bliss of Heaven. Such happiness is reserved for those who seek after God in the simplicity of a loving heart. Now I give you my permission to say your Prayer as often as you wish and as often as you can. Try to devote every moment you are awake to the Prayer, call on the Name of Jesus Christ without counting the number of times, and submit yourself humbly to the will of God, looking to Him for help. I am sure He will not forsake you, and that He will lead you into the right path."
Under this guidance I spent the whole summer in ceaseless oral3 prayer to Jesus Christ, and I felt an absolute peace in my soul..."
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1. Often we feel negative about doing something that we produce great good. However, there will be other signals to indicate that it is God's will, or we will see intellectually that the negative feeling is unreasonable. I have come to associate it with the demon who is trying to stop us before good is done.
2. This sort of reaction, finding difficulty in prayer, is common to other forms of prayer such as meditation and contemplation. We need to recognize it for what it is and to remember that God's grace is sufficient for us. He will make sure we can continue to pray and grow spiritually if we do not give up.
3. Remember that the Jesus Prayer can also be a mental prayer, which is perhaps more useful to us immersed in the normal life of the modern world.
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"The events described in the book appear to belong to a Russia [before] ...1861. " The reference to the Crimean War in the Fourth Narrative gives 1853 as the other limit of time." "Of the Pilgrim's identity nothing is known. In some way his manuscript, or a copy of it, came into the hands of a monk on Mount Athos, in whose possession it was found by the Abbot of St. Michael's Monastery at Kazan. The Abbot copied the manuscript, and from his copy the book was printed at Kazan in 1884.
In recent years [1930] copies of this ... edition have become exceedingly difficult to get. There appear to be only three or four copies in existence outside Russia, and I am deeply indebted to friends in Denmark and Bulgaria for the loan of copies from which this translation was made..." R.M.French from the introduction, p. viii.
________________________________________
The Way of a Pilgrim and The Pilgrim Continues His Way, translated from the Russian by R. M. French,
S.P.C.K., London, first published in 1930, reprinted in 1963, pp. 1-17.
The black and white images used here are by Rembrandt. They are taken from Rembrandt, Des Meisters Radierungen in 402 Abbildungen, Herausgegeben von Hans Wolfgang Singer, 1906.
Saturday, December 8, 2007
A Few Tasty Recepies
Spaghetti Sauce
1 lb Ground beef or ground pork (for fasting leave the meat out)
1 1/2 c Sliced fresh mushrooms
1/2 c Chopped onion
1/2 c Chopped green pepper
2 Cloves garlic; minced
2 16-oz cans tomatoes; cut up
6 oz Can tomato paste
1 ts Sugar
1 ts Dried oregano; crushed
1 ts Dried basil; crushed
1/2 ts Dried thyme; crushed
1 Bay leaf
Quick Vegetable Soup
1 lb Ground beef (for fasting leave the meat out)
1 pk (16-oz) frozen mixed soup vegetables
4 c V-8 cocktail juice
4 c Water
2 tb Beef flavor instant bouillon
1 ts Basil leaves
1 ts Marjoram leaves
1 ts Salt
1/2 ts Onion salt
1/2 ts Pepper
1/4 ts Garlic powder
1/2 lb Package spaghetti broken Into thirds and uncooked
Fresh Tomato Soup
1/4 c Olive oil
4 lb Tomatoes, coarsely chopped
Parsley,chives,chopped fine
Allspice, to taste
Large sweet onion, chopped
1/4 c Fresh basil, finely chopped
Black pepper, to taste
1 lb Ground beef or ground pork (for fasting leave the meat out)
1 1/2 c Sliced fresh mushrooms
1/2 c Chopped onion
1/2 c Chopped green pepper
2 Cloves garlic; minced
2 16-oz cans tomatoes; cut up
6 oz Can tomato paste
1 ts Sugar
1 ts Dried oregano; crushed
1 ts Dried basil; crushed
1/2 ts Dried thyme; crushed
1 Bay leaf
Quick Vegetable Soup
1 lb Ground beef (for fasting leave the meat out)
1 pk (16-oz) frozen mixed soup vegetables
4 c V-8 cocktail juice
4 c Water
2 tb Beef flavor instant bouillon
1 ts Basil leaves
1 ts Marjoram leaves
1 ts Salt
1/2 ts Onion salt
1/2 ts Pepper
1/4 ts Garlic powder
1/2 lb Package spaghetti broken Into thirds and uncooked
Fresh Tomato Soup
1/4 c Olive oil
4 lb Tomatoes, coarsely chopped
Parsley,chives,chopped fine
Allspice, to taste
Large sweet onion, chopped
1/4 c Fresh basil, finely chopped
Black pepper, to taste
Saturday, November 24, 2007
Guard Your Mouth, Guard Your Heart
Guard Your Mouth, Guard Your Heart
The wise know when to speak and when to keep silent.
by Saint Ambrose of Milan
Now what ought we to learn before everything else, but to be silent, that we may be able to speak? Otherwise, our voice might condemn us before the voice of another can acquit us, for it is written: "By your words you will be condemned" (Mt. 12:37). Why, then, should we hasten to undergo the danger of condemnation by speaking, when we can be safer by keeping silent?
How many people have I seen fall into sin by speaking, yet scarcely anyone have I ever seen sin by keeping silent! And so it is more difficult to know how to keep silent than how to speak. I know that most persons speak because they do not know how to keep silent. In fact, it is seldom that anyone is silent even when speaking profits him nothing.
He is wise, then, who knows how to keep silent. Therefore the saints of the Lord loved to keep silence, because they knew that a man's voice is often the utterance of sin, and a man's speech is the beginning of human error. David, the saint of the Lord, said: "I will take heed to my ways, that I may not sin with my tongue" (Ps. 39:1).
We are chastised by the silent reproaches of our thoughts and by the judgment of our conscience. In a similar way, we are chastised by the lash of our own voice, when we say things by which our soul is mortally injured, and our mind is sorely wounded. But who is there who has his heart so clean from the impurities of sin that he does not offend in his tongue? And so, as David saw there was no one who could keep his mouth free from evil speaking, he laid upon himself a law to maintain innocence by a rule of silence, with a view to avoiding by silence those faults which he could only with difficulty escape in speaking.
Hearing the Lord
Let us harken, then, to the master of precaution: "I said, ‘I will take heed to my ways.'" One can take heed if one is not hasty in speaking. The law says: "Hear, O Israel" (Dt. 6:4). It does not say "speak" but "hear."
The first word from God says to you: Hear! If you hear, you will take heed to your ways; and if you have fallen, quickly amend your ways. For "how does a young man amend his way, except in taking heed to the word of the Lord?" (Ps. 119:9). Be silent, therefore, first of all, and listen to God, so that you will not fail to speak rightly.
What then? Are we to be always mute? Certainly not. For "there is a time to keep silence and a time to speak" (Eccl. 3:7). If, then, we will have to give an account for every idle word (see Mt. 12:36), let us take care that we will not have to give an account also for an idle silence. David, therefore, did not enjoin on himself total silence but rather watchfulness.
Bind up your words so that they do not run riot, and grow wanton, and gather up sins for themselves through too much talking. Rather let them be confined and held back within their own banks. An overflowing river quickly gathers mud. Sobriety of mind has its reins by which it is directed and guided.
Let there be a door to your mouth, so that it may be shut when need arises; and let it be carefully barred, so that no one may rouse your voice to anger, provoking you to pay back abuse with abuse. You have heard: "Be angry and do not sin" (Ps. 4:4). Therefore, although we may be angry (this arises from the motions of our nature, not from our will), let us not utter with our mouth one evil word, lest we fall into sin; but let there be a yoke and a balance to our words—that is, humility and moderation, so that our tongue may be subject to our mind.
Let the tongue be held in check with a tight rein; let it have its own means of restraint, by which it can be recalled to moderation. Let it utter words tried by the scales of justice, so that there may be seriousness in our meaning, weight in our speech, and due measure in our words.
Guarding Your Heart
Let us guard our hearts, even as we guard our mouths. Both have been written about in Scripture. As we have noted, we are bidden to take heed to our mouth; in another place we are told: "Keep your heart with all diligence" (Prov. 4:23).
A pure inner life is a valuable possession. Hedge in, then, this possession of yours, enclose it with thought, guard it with thorns—that is, with pious care—lest the fierce passions of the flesh should rush upon it and lead it captive, lest strong emotions should assault it and, overstepping their bounds, carry off its fruit. Guard your inner life. Do not neglect or disregard it as though it were without worth, for it is a valuable possession; truly valuable indeed, for its fruit is not perishable and only for a time, but is lasting and of use for eternal salvation. Cultivate, therefore, this possession—your heart—as the ground you carefully tend.
The wise know when to speak and when to keep silent.
by Saint Ambrose of Milan
Now what ought we to learn before everything else, but to be silent, that we may be able to speak? Otherwise, our voice might condemn us before the voice of another can acquit us, for it is written: "By your words you will be condemned" (Mt. 12:37). Why, then, should we hasten to undergo the danger of condemnation by speaking, when we can be safer by keeping silent?
How many people have I seen fall into sin by speaking, yet scarcely anyone have I ever seen sin by keeping silent! And so it is more difficult to know how to keep silent than how to speak. I know that most persons speak because they do not know how to keep silent. In fact, it is seldom that anyone is silent even when speaking profits him nothing.
He is wise, then, who knows how to keep silent. Therefore the saints of the Lord loved to keep silence, because they knew that a man's voice is often the utterance of sin, and a man's speech is the beginning of human error. David, the saint of the Lord, said: "I will take heed to my ways, that I may not sin with my tongue" (Ps. 39:1).
We are chastised by the silent reproaches of our thoughts and by the judgment of our conscience. In a similar way, we are chastised by the lash of our own voice, when we say things by which our soul is mortally injured, and our mind is sorely wounded. But who is there who has his heart so clean from the impurities of sin that he does not offend in his tongue? And so, as David saw there was no one who could keep his mouth free from evil speaking, he laid upon himself a law to maintain innocence by a rule of silence, with a view to avoiding by silence those faults which he could only with difficulty escape in speaking.
Hearing the Lord
Let us harken, then, to the master of precaution: "I said, ‘I will take heed to my ways.'" One can take heed if one is not hasty in speaking. The law says: "Hear, O Israel" (Dt. 6:4). It does not say "speak" but "hear."
The first word from God says to you: Hear! If you hear, you will take heed to your ways; and if you have fallen, quickly amend your ways. For "how does a young man amend his way, except in taking heed to the word of the Lord?" (Ps. 119:9). Be silent, therefore, first of all, and listen to God, so that you will not fail to speak rightly.
What then? Are we to be always mute? Certainly not. For "there is a time to keep silence and a time to speak" (Eccl. 3:7). If, then, we will have to give an account for every idle word (see Mt. 12:36), let us take care that we will not have to give an account also for an idle silence. David, therefore, did not enjoin on himself total silence but rather watchfulness.
Bind up your words so that they do not run riot, and grow wanton, and gather up sins for themselves through too much talking. Rather let them be confined and held back within their own banks. An overflowing river quickly gathers mud. Sobriety of mind has its reins by which it is directed and guided.
Let there be a door to your mouth, so that it may be shut when need arises; and let it be carefully barred, so that no one may rouse your voice to anger, provoking you to pay back abuse with abuse. You have heard: "Be angry and do not sin" (Ps. 4:4). Therefore, although we may be angry (this arises from the motions of our nature, not from our will), let us not utter with our mouth one evil word, lest we fall into sin; but let there be a yoke and a balance to our words—that is, humility and moderation, so that our tongue may be subject to our mind.
Let the tongue be held in check with a tight rein; let it have its own means of restraint, by which it can be recalled to moderation. Let it utter words tried by the scales of justice, so that there may be seriousness in our meaning, weight in our speech, and due measure in our words.
Guarding Your Heart
Let us guard our hearts, even as we guard our mouths. Both have been written about in Scripture. As we have noted, we are bidden to take heed to our mouth; in another place we are told: "Keep your heart with all diligence" (Prov. 4:23).
A pure inner life is a valuable possession. Hedge in, then, this possession of yours, enclose it with thought, guard it with thorns—that is, with pious care—lest the fierce passions of the flesh should rush upon it and lead it captive, lest strong emotions should assault it and, overstepping their bounds, carry off its fruit. Guard your inner life. Do not neglect or disregard it as though it were without worth, for it is a valuable possession; truly valuable indeed, for its fruit is not perishable and only for a time, but is lasting and of use for eternal salvation. Cultivate, therefore, this possession—your heart—as the ground you carefully tend.
Monday, August 27, 2007
First Peter chapter 5 verse 8-9 reads: "Be sober, be vigilant,
because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion,
seeking who he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith,
knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood
in the world." The notes in the Orthodox New Testamnet says" The
Devil and his angels explore us individually; looking for our
weakness. The enemy offers appealing visions to our eyes, music to
our ears, to each of our senses setting forth whatever might tempt us
to sin. He arouses our tounges to speak evil about others, and urges
our hands to injure them. He sets forth profits to be earned by shady
and immoral means, and holds out earthly honors and false values to
be preferred to heavenly ones. When he is unable to tempt us, he
brings forth a threat of persecution so that fear may cause us to
betray the faith. Thus we must always be alert for his many-faceted
attacks, ready to resist him at every turn."
Saint Ambrose of Milan teaches us in his exposition on the Gospel
According to Luke that the disciple who cut off Malchus ear was non
other than Peter.
Luke 22:50 Saint Ambrose: "The zeal of the disciples was not lacking.
So Peter, skilled in the law, ready with good will, who knew that it
was counted to Phineas for righteousness that he killed the
blasphemers {Num. 25:7-11}, struck the servant of the chief priest."
Luke 22:51. Saint Ambrose: "The Lord turned away the bloody wounds
and substituted divine mysteries, so that the servant of the prince
of the world... incurred a wound to his ear, because he had not
hearkened to the words of wisdom... But the good Lord restored his
hearing, showing according to the words of the prophet that even
those who were wounded at the Lord's Passion can be saved, if they
are converted.... Why Peter? Because it was he who received the keys
of heaven; for he who absolves also condemns [Mt.
16:19]....Comprehend if you can, how pain passes at the contact of
the Savior's hand. The clay recognizes its Maker, and the flesh
follows the hand of the Lord who formed it, for the Creator repairs
His work as he wishes...These wretches did not understand the mystery
nor did they revere such compassion of piety, because He did not
suffer even His enemies to be wounded. They inflicted death upon the
Righteous One, and He healed the wounds of His persecutors."
1 Peter 5:5-7;10-11 says"...and be clothed with humility, for"God
reists the proud, but gives grace to the Humble." Therefore humble
yourself under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due
time." "But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal
glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect,
establish, strengthen, and settle you. To Him be glory and the
dominion forever and ever. Amen"
Hang in there we all share this same burden weather we are in the
same Jurisdiction or not it effects all of us. We need to fight
against our passions, get down on our knees and pray To God to have
Mercy on us Sinners and then pray that His will and not ours be done.
Because of His Love
Ambrose Stapleton
because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion,
seeking who he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith,
knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood
in the world." The notes in the Orthodox New Testamnet says" The
Devil and his angels explore us individually; looking for our
weakness. The enemy offers appealing visions to our eyes, music to
our ears, to each of our senses setting forth whatever might tempt us
to sin. He arouses our tounges to speak evil about others, and urges
our hands to injure them. He sets forth profits to be earned by shady
and immoral means, and holds out earthly honors and false values to
be preferred to heavenly ones. When he is unable to tempt us, he
brings forth a threat of persecution so that fear may cause us to
betray the faith. Thus we must always be alert for his many-faceted
attacks, ready to resist him at every turn."
Saint Ambrose of Milan teaches us in his exposition on the Gospel
According to Luke that the disciple who cut off Malchus ear was non
other than Peter.
Luke 22:50 Saint Ambrose: "The zeal of the disciples was not lacking.
So Peter, skilled in the law, ready with good will, who knew that it
was counted to Phineas for righteousness that he killed the
blasphemers {Num. 25:7-11}, struck the servant of the chief priest."
Luke 22:51. Saint Ambrose: "The Lord turned away the bloody wounds
and substituted divine mysteries, so that the servant of the prince
of the world... incurred a wound to his ear, because he had not
hearkened to the words of wisdom... But the good Lord restored his
hearing, showing according to the words of the prophet that even
those who were wounded at the Lord's Passion can be saved, if they
are converted.... Why Peter? Because it was he who received the keys
of heaven; for he who absolves also condemns [Mt.
16:19]....Comprehend if you can, how pain passes at the contact of
the Savior's hand. The clay recognizes its Maker, and the flesh
follows the hand of the Lord who formed it, for the Creator repairs
His work as he wishes...These wretches did not understand the mystery
nor did they revere such compassion of piety, because He did not
suffer even His enemies to be wounded. They inflicted death upon the
Righteous One, and He healed the wounds of His persecutors."
1 Peter 5:5-7;10-11 says"...and be clothed with humility, for"God
reists the proud, but gives grace to the Humble." Therefore humble
yourself under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due
time." "But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal
glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect,
establish, strengthen, and settle you. To Him be glory and the
dominion forever and ever. Amen"
Hang in there we all share this same burden weather we are in the
same Jurisdiction or not it effects all of us. We need to fight
against our passions, get down on our knees and pray To God to have
Mercy on us Sinners and then pray that His will and not ours be done.
Because of His Love
Ambrose Stapleton
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Dont Shoot the Wounded
DON'T SHOOT THE WOUNDED
(by Chuck Girard)
Don't shoot the wounded, they need us more than ever.
They need our love no matter what it is they've done.
Sometimes we just condemn them, and don't take time to hear their story.
Don't shoot the wounded, someday you might be one.
It's easy to love the people who are standing hard and fast.
Pressing on to meet that higher calling.
But the ones who might be struggling, we tend to judge too harshly, and refuse to try and catch them when they're falling.
We put people into boxes and we draw our hard conclusions, and when they do the things we know they should not do, we sometimes write them off as hopeless, and we throw them to the dogs.
Our compassion and forgiveness sometimes seem in short supply, so I say...Don't shoot the wounded!
We can love them and forgive them when their sin does not exceed our own. For we too have been down bumpy roads before but when they commit offenses outside the boundaries we have set,we judge them in a word and we turn them out, and we close the door.
Myself I've been forgiven for so many awful things. I've been cleansed and washed and bathed so many times that when I see a brother who has fallen from the way I just can't find the license to convict him of his crimes.
So I say... Don't shoot the wounded!
That doesn't mean we turn our heads when we see a brother sin and pretend that what he's doing is all right.
But we must help him see his error, we must lead him to repent. Cry with those who cry, but bring their deeds into the light .
For it's the sick that need the doctor, and it's the lame that need the crutch. It's the prodigal who needs the loving hand.
For a man who's in despair, there should be kindness from his friends. 'Lest he should forsake the fear of Almighty God and turn away from God and man, So I say...Don't shoot the wounded!
©1982 Sea of Glass Music/ASCAP
Because of His Love
Ambrose Stapleton
(by Chuck Girard)
Don't shoot the wounded, they need us more than ever.
They need our love no matter what it is they've done.
Sometimes we just condemn them, and don't take time to hear their story.
Don't shoot the wounded, someday you might be one.
It's easy to love the people who are standing hard and fast.
Pressing on to meet that higher calling.
But the ones who might be struggling, we tend to judge too harshly, and refuse to try and catch them when they're falling.
We put people into boxes and we draw our hard conclusions, and when they do the things we know they should not do, we sometimes write them off as hopeless, and we throw them to the dogs.
Our compassion and forgiveness sometimes seem in short supply, so I say...Don't shoot the wounded!
We can love them and forgive them when their sin does not exceed our own. For we too have been down bumpy roads before but when they commit offenses outside the boundaries we have set,we judge them in a word and we turn them out, and we close the door.
Myself I've been forgiven for so many awful things. I've been cleansed and washed and bathed so many times that when I see a brother who has fallen from the way I just can't find the license to convict him of his crimes.
So I say... Don't shoot the wounded!
That doesn't mean we turn our heads when we see a brother sin and pretend that what he's doing is all right.
But we must help him see his error, we must lead him to repent. Cry with those who cry, but bring their deeds into the light .
For it's the sick that need the doctor, and it's the lame that need the crutch. It's the prodigal who needs the loving hand.
For a man who's in despair, there should be kindness from his friends. 'Lest he should forsake the fear of Almighty God and turn away from God and man, So I say...Don't shoot the wounded!
©1982 Sea of Glass Music/ASCAP
Because of His Love
Ambrose Stapleton
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Some light during a rather dark time
It is true as Brian Martin of the Kodiak Daily Mirror has pointed out “There is a dark cloud hanging over St. Herman’s Seminary right now”. As a part time seminarian, a fairly new resident to Kodiak, and a member of Holy Resurrection Cathedral I find this “dark cloud” to be a unique source of healing and an opportunity for us to come together as a community and reach out to those who are in a time of need. This isn’t a time for us to sit back on our pedestals and cast judgments and hateful comments but a time for us to ask what can we do to help, how should we pray for you?.
My first experience here in Kodiak was back in the early 90’s while serving as a deck hand aboard the USCG Yoconna, after getting out of the service I remained here for a while doing odd jobs, I also managed the transient workers campground at the old Gibson Cove camp site for one summer. After that I moved across the bay to Homer where I met my beautiful wife got married and had our first son, we moved to the lower 48’s for school when tragedy struck and our first son passed away at the age of 6 weeks. We spent a lot of time moving and trying to rebuild our family, which we now have three wonderful boys. Back in 99/2000 we moved back to Kodiak with the intentions of setting our roots down and meet a lot of great people unfortunately just as we were starting to settle down I became gravely Ill and was diagnosed with Cohn’s disease. Medical help was very difficult for us to find mostly the expense of the medicine so we once again moved back to the lower 48’s all with the dream of returning some day. During our stay in Texas, Virginia, and Arizona we worked hard to instill love and values that was shown to us through the people of Alaska that influenced our live over the years, into our children and tried to gain training and skills that would help us to become productive members of this great land and to be able to give back to those who are in need. We don’t have much but if all we can give is a kind word, or some sober and sound advice, or maybe you need help getting you bag to the garbage can or you need a friend or your hurting inside don’t know what to do. We try to help those who are in a time of need the best we can. When we were in a time of need, help was given to us, love, compassion, shelter, food, friendship, a shoulder to cry on, and a strong arm to hold onto when ours was failing.
Just last summer a “Dark Cloud” was hanging over my family while I set in the Hospital bed in Anchorage not sure if I was going to live or die during the surgery, which was believed to be cancer. I survived the surgery, blessed to not have cancer even though approximately 3 feet of my large intestine had to be removed. While in the Hospital Bishop Nickoli visited me, twice and prayed for me as a loving father would for his son, Father Chad, Father Yaakov visited and prayed for me and helped me in my times of needs. Before going to Anchorage for surgery I was in and out of the emergency room because of so much pain and feeling like I was going to die Fr. Innocent was there holding my hand at one time he help me over to the sink and stood by my side as I was throwing up. Father Innocent spends a lot of time praying with and for the people of this community, weather they are in the hospital or at home, he spends a lot of time in tears in the homes and hearts of who he serves and those whom he serves he has come to love and protect.
It is true there are a lot of things going on at the Seminary which gives those of us who are faithful to Gods command an opportunity to love and serve each other, and not just those directly involved but those in the community weather they reject message of the Church which is Christ Love or embrace it. These “Dark Clouds” just reinforce the need for the words of this prayer of Saint Herman ;”… May the hearts of your spiritual children be filled with that faith and love of the Holy Church which you manifested in your holy life; pray Him to deliver us from the temptations which cause us to fall; renew in us a child-like faith in our Heavenly Father; teach us to place our trust in God, and in Him alone; satisfy our thirst for the true knowledge of God; show us how to serve God faithfully; transfigure our life that it may truly reflect the image and likeness of God within us. O Holy Father and Patron of the Church in America: be a physician to the weak in faith; be a support to the fallen; be a defender to the defenseless; be a bulwark of strength to the weary in spirit; be a guide to the travelers by sea, by land and by air; be our heavenly intercessor. O Venerable Father Herman of Alaska, together with all the saints and the heavenly hosts, pray to God that on each of us He will bestow wisdom for our mind, strength for our will, light for our spirit, enabling us to attain to the true peace of life which is from God alone. We praise with joyous and grateful hearts, the Life-Creating Trinity: Father Almighty, Only-Begotten Son, Comforter, Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.”
This is a dark time not just for St. Herman’s Seminary or for the Holy Resurrection Cathedral, but a dark time for the community of Kodiak and the whole state of Alaska. We need people to gather around us and help pray that God will be blessed and those who do not know God will be able to see and believe in our Heavenly Protector and lover of Mankind. Now is the time to come home and pray.
Because of His Love
Ambrose Stapleton
My first experience here in Kodiak was back in the early 90’s while serving as a deck hand aboard the USCG Yoconna, after getting out of the service I remained here for a while doing odd jobs, I also managed the transient workers campground at the old Gibson Cove camp site for one summer. After that I moved across the bay to Homer where I met my beautiful wife got married and had our first son, we moved to the lower 48’s for school when tragedy struck and our first son passed away at the age of 6 weeks. We spent a lot of time moving and trying to rebuild our family, which we now have three wonderful boys. Back in 99/2000 we moved back to Kodiak with the intentions of setting our roots down and meet a lot of great people unfortunately just as we were starting to settle down I became gravely Ill and was diagnosed with Cohn’s disease. Medical help was very difficult for us to find mostly the expense of the medicine so we once again moved back to the lower 48’s all with the dream of returning some day. During our stay in Texas, Virginia, and Arizona we worked hard to instill love and values that was shown to us through the people of Alaska that influenced our live over the years, into our children and tried to gain training and skills that would help us to become productive members of this great land and to be able to give back to those who are in need. We don’t have much but if all we can give is a kind word, or some sober and sound advice, or maybe you need help getting you bag to the garbage can or you need a friend or your hurting inside don’t know what to do. We try to help those who are in a time of need the best we can. When we were in a time of need, help was given to us, love, compassion, shelter, food, friendship, a shoulder to cry on, and a strong arm to hold onto when ours was failing.
Just last summer a “Dark Cloud” was hanging over my family while I set in the Hospital bed in Anchorage not sure if I was going to live or die during the surgery, which was believed to be cancer. I survived the surgery, blessed to not have cancer even though approximately 3 feet of my large intestine had to be removed. While in the Hospital Bishop Nickoli visited me, twice and prayed for me as a loving father would for his son, Father Chad, Father Yaakov visited and prayed for me and helped me in my times of needs. Before going to Anchorage for surgery I was in and out of the emergency room because of so much pain and feeling like I was going to die Fr. Innocent was there holding my hand at one time he help me over to the sink and stood by my side as I was throwing up. Father Innocent spends a lot of time praying with and for the people of this community, weather they are in the hospital or at home, he spends a lot of time in tears in the homes and hearts of who he serves and those whom he serves he has come to love and protect.
It is true there are a lot of things going on at the Seminary which gives those of us who are faithful to Gods command an opportunity to love and serve each other, and not just those directly involved but those in the community weather they reject message of the Church which is Christ Love or embrace it. These “Dark Clouds” just reinforce the need for the words of this prayer of Saint Herman ;”… May the hearts of your spiritual children be filled with that faith and love of the Holy Church which you manifested in your holy life; pray Him to deliver us from the temptations which cause us to fall; renew in us a child-like faith in our Heavenly Father; teach us to place our trust in God, and in Him alone; satisfy our thirst for the true knowledge of God; show us how to serve God faithfully; transfigure our life that it may truly reflect the image and likeness of God within us. O Holy Father and Patron of the Church in America: be a physician to the weak in faith; be a support to the fallen; be a defender to the defenseless; be a bulwark of strength to the weary in spirit; be a guide to the travelers by sea, by land and by air; be our heavenly intercessor. O Venerable Father Herman of Alaska, together with all the saints and the heavenly hosts, pray to God that on each of us He will bestow wisdom for our mind, strength for our will, light for our spirit, enabling us to attain to the true peace of life which is from God alone. We praise with joyous and grateful hearts, the Life-Creating Trinity: Father Almighty, Only-Begotten Son, Comforter, Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.”
This is a dark time not just for St. Herman’s Seminary or for the Holy Resurrection Cathedral, but a dark time for the community of Kodiak and the whole state of Alaska. We need people to gather around us and help pray that God will be blessed and those who do not know God will be able to see and believe in our Heavenly Protector and lover of Mankind. Now is the time to come home and pray.
Because of His Love
Ambrose Stapleton
Christ is in our midst
As many of you know Saint Herman Seminary, Holy Resurrection Cathedral and the Dioce of Alaska is going through some very tough times right now. Glory Be to God that we are going through these struggles and that we can do this together. I am reminded of a scripture verse in Proverbs 4:23 which say’s: “Keep thine heart with all diligence; for out of it flow forth the issues of life.”
We are faced with an opportunity to guard our hearts and to pray and help one another to do the same, and not only within the Orthodox community but for the community of Kodiak at large. It is so easy for us to focus on the wrongs that were committed and to make more or less of the accusations that were brought up, and to judge the hearts of those who are in a position to act upon these charges, especially if we see them not acting at our pace or with our understanding.
This is a time for us to humble ourselves, as well as praying and fasting for those who are in involved, that God blesses them and raises them up to be the leaders they were called to be. Let us pray for the healing of both their souls and bodies.
We are in the midst of a turmoil which will only destroy us if we allow it to. We need to hold people accountable for their actions, just like you would if someone broke into your house and stole your jewelry. You would make sure that guy was caught and brought to trial and have justice served on him. It’s no different in this situation we are facing together as a community. Most importantly we need to get down on our knees and pray asking God for his forgiveness of our sins and for His great mercy on our souls. We need to prepare our hearts through repentance and confession and strengthen it through partaking of the holy and life giving mysteries of Christ By consuming His body and Drinking His blood and when we meet one of those involved in these scandals we can embrace them and give them a thrice holy kiss and ask how we can pray for them.
St. Theophan suggests: “In the morning, after prayer, sit and figure out what you must do during the day, where you will be, with what and whom you will meet, and, when applicable, determine ahead of time what to think, where, what to say, how to keep your spirit and body and so on. This means, that the true Christian must “control himself,” keep control over the actions of his soul, and not permit them to crawl wherever they want. He must be the ruler of his internal condition.”
We need to Guard our hearts and allow the Life Giver to flow forth for all to see and upon seeing they may believe and be Blessed of God. Hang in there dear friends and pray and when prayer just doesn’t seem enough, pray some more.
Because of His Love
Ambrose Stapleton
We are faced with an opportunity to guard our hearts and to pray and help one another to do the same, and not only within the Orthodox community but for the community of Kodiak at large. It is so easy for us to focus on the wrongs that were committed and to make more or less of the accusations that were brought up, and to judge the hearts of those who are in a position to act upon these charges, especially if we see them not acting at our pace or with our understanding.
This is a time for us to humble ourselves, as well as praying and fasting for those who are in involved, that God blesses them and raises them up to be the leaders they were called to be. Let us pray for the healing of both their souls and bodies.
We are in the midst of a turmoil which will only destroy us if we allow it to. We need to hold people accountable for their actions, just like you would if someone broke into your house and stole your jewelry. You would make sure that guy was caught and brought to trial and have justice served on him. It’s no different in this situation we are facing together as a community. Most importantly we need to get down on our knees and pray asking God for his forgiveness of our sins and for His great mercy on our souls. We need to prepare our hearts through repentance and confession and strengthen it through partaking of the holy and life giving mysteries of Christ By consuming His body and Drinking His blood and when we meet one of those involved in these scandals we can embrace them and give them a thrice holy kiss and ask how we can pray for them.
St. Theophan suggests: “In the morning, after prayer, sit and figure out what you must do during the day, where you will be, with what and whom you will meet, and, when applicable, determine ahead of time what to think, where, what to say, how to keep your spirit and body and so on. This means, that the true Christian must “control himself,” keep control over the actions of his soul, and not permit them to crawl wherever they want. He must be the ruler of his internal condition.”
We need to Guard our hearts and allow the Life Giver to flow forth for all to see and upon seeing they may believe and be Blessed of God. Hang in there dear friends and pray and when prayer just doesn’t seem enough, pray some more.
Because of His Love
Ambrose Stapleton
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