19
Jun 2020
DAILY REFLECTION • JUNE 18 Martyrs Leontius, Hypatius and Theodulus, at Tripoli in Syria A scientist examines natural phenomenon with great attention and we, with greater attention, should examine the phenomena and the actions of the grace of God. Behold, what one of the great spiritual fathers’ witnesses about the act of Holy Communion. Father John of Kronstadt writes: “I am amazed at the greatness and the life-giving power of divine Communion. An elderly woman, who was spitting blood and was so completely exhausted from not being able to eat anything, began......
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17
Jun 2020
DAILY REFLECTION • JUNE 17 • Martyrs Emanuel, Sabel, and Ismael of Persia The adversaries of Christ, through their efforts against Christ, always achieved the opposite results. Instead of stopping the river of Christianity, they have widened it, deepened it and made it louder. Instead of drying Christianity up they have, so to speak, caused a flood throughout the entire world. Where one martyr fell, a company of Christians was created; where shame was committed, glory sprouted; where it was said the end of Christianity, there was the beginning of luxuriant crops.......
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16
Jun 2020
DAILY REFLECTION • JUNE 15 • Holy Prophet Amos It is not always easy to conquer the spirit of vanity and conceit in oneself. In this, only the great spiritual directors have succeeded, primarily with God’s grace, with constant vigilance over their souls and with very delicate spiritual sensitivities and distinctions. At one time, Abba Nisteroes was walking with one of his brethren. Suddenly, they spotted a serpent on the road. The brother quickly moved aside and the great Nisteroes fled after him. “Are you also afraid, father?” the monk asked Nisteroes.......
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13
Jun 2020
DAILY REFLECTION • JUNE 13 • Martyr Acquilina of Byblos in Syria Meekness and kindness adorned our saints and it gave them strength and understanding not to return evil for evil. When Emperor Constantius, the son of the Emperor Constantine the Great, became ill in Antioch he summoned St. Spiridon to offer prayers for him. St. Spiridon, in the company of Triphyllius his deacon departed Cyprus and arrived at Antioch before the imperial palace. Spiridon was clad in poor clothing. He wore a simple woven cap on his head, in his hand......
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12
Jun 2020
DAILY REFLECTION • JUNE 12 • Venerable Onuphrius the Great Great and wonderful is the Mystery of Holy Communion. Even the anchorites and hermits craved for nothing else as much as to be given the possibility to receive Holy Communion. St. Mary the Egyptian begged St. Zosimas to bring her the Holy Mystery on the Jordan and to communicate her. Returning from visiting St. Onuphrius, Venerable Paphnutius found a humble community of four young ascetics in the desert. When Paphnutius asked them whether and how do you receive Holy Communion,......
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12
Jun 2020
DAILY REFLECTION • JUNE 11 • Holy Apostles Bartholomew and Barnabas A true friend prays to God for his friend. A true friend is concerned about the salvation of the soul of his friend. To dissuade a friend from false paths and to direct him on the path of truth, that is precious friendship. The saints of God are the best friends of mankind. Two youths, Barnabas and Paul, were friends while together they were attending the school of Gamaliel. When Barnabas became a Christian, he persistently and tearfully prayed to God......
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10
Jun 2020
JUNE 10 Hieromartyr Timothy, Bishop of Prusa It is not the same to eat your meal with a blessing and to eat it without a blessing. Every meal is God’s table, which God Himself has set for us. This is why it is necessary to thank God as our Host and beg His blessings. Food that has been blessed is more tasty and more satisfying, while unblessed food is unpalatable, unsatisfying and unhealthy. On one occasion, Emperor Theodosius the Younger went for a walk in the surroundings of Constantinople and, seeing the......
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10
Jun 2020
JUNE 9 St. Cyril, Archbishop of Alexandria We sin if we consider it our duty to hate those whom our relatives hate. This hatred is passed on to us like a family sickness. In adopting the love of our relatives, we also adopt their hatred. Sometimes even great spiritual giants have succumbed to that weakness. Patriarch Theophilus disliked St. John Chrysostom and remained his bitter enemy even until death. Saint Cyril, his kinsman and successor to the throne of Alexandria, inherited that hatred against the holy Chrysostom and, for a long time,......
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08
Jun 2020
JUNE 8 DAY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT Translation of the Relics of the Greatmartyr Theodore Stratelates Fear in suffering and fear of not suffering–this is one and the same fear, and it signifies the fear of a spiritual man as to whether or not God has distanced Himself from him. When St. Catherine suffered many difficult tortures, the Lord appeared to her and she asked Him: “Where were You until now, O Lord, to comfort me in so many sufferings?” The Lord answered her: “I was here in your heart.” But as......
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07
Jun 2020
JUNE 6 Venerable Bissarion, Wonderworker of Egypt Malicious joy is a sordid garment which our spirit sometimes dons with great satisfaction. The very moment that you rejoice in the sinful fall of your brother you have also fallen to the joy of the devil who, with one hook, snared two fish. Brotherhood, according to the flesh, is a great bond but brotherhood, according to the spirit, is even greater. When you are grieved by the sin of a brother according to the flesh, why then would not the sin of a brother......
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