On reading the Word of God

 

A monk came to his spiritual father and said: “Father! I will stop reading the word of God.” “Why is that?” asked the elder. “I don’t understand what is written,” answered the monk. “Child,” the elder then said to him, “when sheep find a fertile pasture, they greedily grab the grass and swallow it without chewing, trying only to grab as much as possible, then, having eaten their fill, they chew it. So you, while you have time and opportunity, read the divine books as much as possible without laziness, and the dark will become light for you. For thanks to habit you will understand the incomprehensible, or you will learn from the fathers and teachers of the Church, or finally, if there is no one to explain it to you, the Lord Himself will enlighten you.”

Archpriest V. Guryev

If you are a Christian, you don't have your own city on earth. Even if we gain the whole universe, we will remain wanderers and aliens in it. We are written in heaven. That's where our town is. - St. John Chrysostom

 

Antipascha

The Sunday after Pascha is the Sunday of St. Thomas, also known as Antipascha. This does not mean "opposed to Pascha," but "in place of Pascha.". So, starting this Sunday, every Sunday is a "Little Pascha" celebration. The Church remembers the Apostle Thomas' vision of Christ after eight days.

The Lord “sleeps” bodily in the tomb

The Lord “sleeps” bodily in the tomb; in soul He has descended

into Hades and preached salvation to the souls there. The Old Testament Saints were not in Heaven, although they abode in

the consoling faith that they would be brought there as soon as the Promised One came to earth, since they had lived by faith in Him.

There also the Forerunner foretold His coming.

When the Lord descended, all who believed cleaved to Him and were lifted up by Him into Heaven. But even that Heaven is only the threshold of the true Paradise which will be revealed after the general resurrection and Judgement.

Although all of the New Testament Saints are also blessed

in Heaven, they await an even more perfect bliss in the age to

come, with a new Heaven and new earth (cf. Rev. 21:1), when

God will be all in all (cf. I Cor. 15:28)

St. Theophan the Recluse

Christ is Risen

 

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Holy Thursday, They Have Stripped Me of My Garments (English Orthodox ...

St Gabriel Urgebadze

Someone who prays according to the Typicon every day, that is, reads morning and evening prayers, can be compared to the owner of a house who has built a large fence around his yard and is protected from others.
And the one who does not pray can be compared to a landlord whose yard has no fence, and anyone can enter his yard.