St Elisabeth Convent. Orthodox Life And Chants

HOW TO AVOID MAKING FASTING A FORMALITY
by Priest Alexei Taakh
Today we’re going to talk about observing the fast, or rather, about what fasting should really look like and about what many people have turned it into.
While Christ was on Earth, He constantly called the Pharisees hypocrites and denounced their religious formality. And for this (in part) He was then crucified. He preached that faith must be accompanied by works of love. And He was indignant at what we now call Pharisaism: insincere faith in God, based only on the formal performance of actions.
This is a broad topic and concerns many moments in the Christian life, but now, in the Nativity Fast, let’s focus on what fasting is, how the Church understands it, and, alas, what it’s turned into for many people.
Fasting is an expression of our love for God and a time for repentance and intense prayer. In fact, fasting is a voluntary feat. We love the Lord, we’re grateful to Him for all His mercy and we desire to make at least some effort for Him. Like a child who brings his parents a drawing: so clumsy, unsightly, but made with sincere love. Needless to say, at that moment, the parental heart melts.
That’s about what our fasting is like before God. It’s not ideal. We can’t completely give up food for forty days like Christ—such abstinence would only ruin the simple, unprepared man. Therefore, in Orthodoxy, it was decided to make fasting reasonable: to give up some of the pleasures we’re used to during the fasting period.
And probably we all know that giving up animal products is just the tip of the iceberg. The most interesting thing is the depth. There are many sayings that reveal the whole essence of temperance for us: “Fasting without prayer is just a diet,” “Fast with the spirit, not with the belly,” “If fasting was in the food, then cows would be saints,” and so on.
And my favorite phrase: “The most important thing in fasting is not to eat other people,” that is, to refrain from resentment, condemnation, irritation, anger, lies, and other evils inside us. In general, we should try to observe such a fast all the time, but in the fasting periods, we should pay increased attention to it.
And we all know, of course, about concessions. For the pregnant and breastfeeding, and for the seriously ill, the food fast is canceled—it’s better to refrain from the television, from sweets, and other excesses. And those who have a “forced ration” should eat what the Lord has sent. This includes those on the road, those who are visiting, or those who have to eat in the cafeteria at work or school. At home, we fast according to the canons, but there we eat what’s available.
With regard to all other pleasures, like sweets, favorite TV shows, computer games, music, and other enjoyments, you have to consider them according to your conscience. Everyone determines his own measure of fasting independently in these things, because fasting is a personal feat—it’s a relationship between God and man, so fasting can only be voluntary: whoever wants to, keeps the fast.
You would think this is all familiar to us, and there are no problems. But quite often I see people for whom fasting isn’t a feat of love, but an imposed abuse. Instead of voluntary abstinence for God, people perceive fasting, and even all of Orthodoxy, as a system of prohibitions. The ancient Holy Fathers called such a perception of faith one of the types of demonic prelest, that is, delusion. The devil is able to pervert almost any good, but this happens especially often with fasting.
Such people fast not because they love the Lord, but out of fear: “If you don’t abstain from animal products, you’ll burn in hell!” Without love, fasting becomes for them a kind of Jewish kashruth (the teaching about clean and unclean foods, that is, kosher and not kosher). They study the ingredients of the food they buy in detail so as “not to defile themselves,” otherwise they might eat some whey. If you eat such a food you’ll go to hell. At other people’s houses, they pick the meat out of a dish, constantly complaining about it with loved ones, and condemning to the point of hatred anyone who doesn’t follow the same rules in life. And of course, they can’t go without lecturing about how it’s a terrible sin to have fun during a fast.
Often such people dress in darker clothes, and go about with “fasting” faces, directly violating the words of Christ: Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward (Mt. 6:16).
For them, everything and everywhere is a sin. No music, no movies, no fiction books. All of this, in their view, is a road to hell. And if they become the heads of families, it’s a pity for those families—no concessions, even for the pregnant. And it doesn’t matter that this is a canon of the Church, it doesn’t matter that the mother and child can die or get sick from such abstinence. A child reaches for some candy—a slap on the hand and a shout: “Not allowed! It’s the fast!” Someone in the family allows themselves to laugh—the domestic religious tyrant quickly and publicly brings this “sinner” to “repentant” tears. And then they wonder how it happened that their children grew up to be against the Church, to be atheists. Really, how did that happen?
But from the child’s point of view, it’s quite simple: He didn’t see Christian love from grandma; he saw only fear before the torments of hell in her, which she read about in a book, and fierce anger towards everyone who doesn’t understand it and tries to object. For children in such families, Orthodoxy is a religion of fear and hatred, and it disgusts them. They don’t see love, but only severity and anger. Everything you want is a sin; any alternative opinion is a sin; basically everything all around is sin, and that means—a road to hell.
For such “Orthodox,” who have forgotten about love and frantically fulfill all the rules, there’s no joy in Christ. They inure both themselves and their loved ones to such a formal religion. The morning and evening prayer rules and regular church attendance are heavy burdens for them. They obviously don’t want to do all of this, but they slavishly do it all, lest they “burn in hellfire.”
Their life is like an obstacle course: God forbid that you say or think something wrong; that you not cross yourself when passing by an icon; that you accidentally wash yourself with scented soap during the fast; that you accidentally hear secular music during the fast… For them, God is a cruel tyrant, Who will punish anyone who slips up even a little bit in life. And this tyrant, of course, will send them to hell if they don’t denounce all sinners to their faces with rage and hatred, whether they want to or not.
Unfortunately, it’s precisely such figures who most often actively speak on the street, in church, and online. There are no authorities for them; they “convict everyone of their sins,” they condemn everyone except themselves, and they hate everyone who thinks differently, and therefore they repel many people from the faith. Actually, this is the plan of satan, who seduces them.
Why is it practically impossible to persuade them otherwise? If you think about it, they’re used to slavish malice and fear of punishment. They suffer from it, and therefore they hate those who live easily and freely; those who rejoice in fasting and prayer, for whom prayerful communion with God is a manifestation of faith, hope, and love. Moreover, they like suffering. They don’t want to be free, because they’re filled with pride that they’re much “holier” than others. They’re proud of their sufferings and they get pleasure from this pride. In fact, I even feel sorry for them, but it's very hard to pull such people out.
You and I are children of God, although we voluntarily call ourselves His slaves, emphasizing that we faithfully serve our Heavenly Father with the love of children. We live in joy over the fact that God loves us. And all the components of the Christian life, such as prayer, fasting, and alms, are a manifestation of love and joy in the Lord for us. The temptation of laziness, unwillingness to fast and pray periodically overtakes every one of us. Then it’s necessary to remind ourselves who we are and Who we serve with our lives. We arise to pray with love, because this is communication with our loving Creator; we lovingly refrain from excess, because we offer this sacrifice to the Lord as our humble gift, personally made by us for Him. And we know that our Father will overshadow us with His love for these acts of love.
If you have such acquaintances who are tempted through hatred and fear, be careful. Don’t directly denounce them, otherwise you’ll run into anger. Just remind them that God loves us all and wants us to love Him in return.
The Lord doesn’t force us to fast—this labor must come from us. I sincerely wish everyone to surmount the current period of fasting, as well as all future ones, in love and joy!

20 hours ago | [YT] | 321

St Elisabeth Convent. Orthodox Life And Chants

THE FOURTH SUNDAY IN GREAT LENT
by Metropolitan Philaret (Voznesensky)
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
More than once, brethren, the fact has been mentioned that on each Sunday in the Great Fast (i.e., Lent) there are other commemorations besides that of the Resurrection. Thus, on this day, the Church glorifies the righteous John of the Ladder, one of the greatest ascetics, which the Church, in speaking of them, calls "earthly angels and Heavenly men."
These great ascetics were extraordinary people. They commanded the elements; wild beasts willingly and readily obeyed them. For them, there were no maladies they could not cure. They walked on the waters as on dry land; all the elements of the world were subject to them, because they lived in God and had the power of grace to overcome the laws of terrestrial nature. One such ascetic was St. John of the Ladder.
He was surnamed "of the Ladder" (Climacus) because he wrote an immortal work, the "Ladder of Divine Ascent." In this work, we see how, by means of thirty steps, the Christian gradually ascends from below to the heights of supreme spiritual perfection. We see how one virtue leads to another, as a man rises higher and higher and finally attains to that height where there abides the crown of the virtues, which is called "Christian love."
Saint John wrote his immortal work especially for the monastics, but in the past his "Ladder" was always favorite reading in Russia for anyone zealous to live piously, though he were not a monk. Therein the Saint clearly demonstrates how a man passes from one step to the next.
Remember, Christian soul, that this ascent on high is indispensable for anyone who wishes to save his soul unto eternity.
When we throw a stone up, it ascends until the moment when the propelling force ceases to be effectual. So long as this force acts, the stone travels higher and higher in its ascent, overcoming the force of the earth’s gravity. But when this force is spent and ceases to act, then, as you know, the stone does not remain suspended in the air. Immediately, it begins to fall, and the further it falls the greater the speed of its fall. This, solely according to the physical laws of terrestrial gravity.
So it is also in the spiritual life. As a Christian gradually ascends, the force of spiritual and ascetical labours lifts him on high. Our Lord Jesus Christ said: "Strive to enter in through the narrow gate." That is, the Christian ought to be an ascetic. Not only the monastic, but every Christian. He must take pains for his soul and his life. He must direct his life on the Christian path, and purge his soul of all filth and impurity.
Now, if the Christian, who is ascending upon this ladder of spiritual perfection by his struggles and ascetic labours, ceases from this work and ascetic toil, his soul will not remain in its former condition; but, like the stone, it will fall to the earth. More and more quickly will it drop until, finally, if the man does not come to his senses, it will cast him down into the very abyss of Hell.
It is necessary to remember this. People forget that the path of Christianity is indeed an ascetical labour. Last Sunday, we heard how the Lord said: "He that would come after Me, let him take up his cross, deny himself, and follow Me." The Lord said this with the greatest emphasis. Therefore, the Christian must be one who takes up his cross, and his life, likewise, must be an ascetic labour of bearing that cross. Whatever the outward circumstance of his life, be he monk or layman, it is of no consequence. In either case, if he does not force himself to mount upwards, then, of a certainty, he will fall lower and lower.
And in this regard, alas, people have confused thoughts. For example, a clergyman drops by a home during a fast. Cordially and thoughtfully, they offer him fast food (i.e., food prepared according to the rules of the Fast), and say: "For you, fast food, of course!" To this, one of our hierarchs customarily replies: "Yes, I am Orthodox. But who gave you permission not to keep the fasts?" All the fasts of the Church, all the ordinances, are mandatory for every Orthodox person. Speaking of monastics, such ascetics as St. John of the Ladder and those like him fasted much more rigorously than the Church prescribes; but this was a matter of their spiritual ardour, an instance of their personal ascetic labour. This the Church does not require of everyone, because it is not in accord with everyone’s strength. But the Church DOES require of every Orthodox the keeping of those fasts which She has established.
Oftentimes have I quoted the words of Saint Seraphim, and once again shall I mention them. Once there came to him a mother who was concerned about how she might arrange the best possible marriage for her young daughter. When she came to Saint Seraphim for advice, he said to her: "Before all else, ensure that he, whom your daughter chooses as her companion for life, keeps the fasts. If he does not, then he is not a Christian, whatever he may consider himself to be." You see how the greatest saint of the Russian Church, Saint Seraphim of Sarov, a man who, better than we, knew what Orthodoxy is, spoke concerning the fasts?
Let us remember this. Saint John Climacus has described the ladder of spiritual ascent: then let us not forget that each Christian must ascend thereon. The great ascetics ascended like swiftly-flying eagles; we scarcely ascend at all. Nonetheless, let us not forget that, unless we employ our efforts in correcting ourselves and our lives, we shall cease our ascent, and, most assuredly, we shall begin to fall. Amen.

1 day ago | [YT] | 622

St Elisabeth Convent. Orthodox Life And Chants

THE LADDER TO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN
by Archpriest Andrey Lemeshonok
Living in this world, we are searching for the paths which can lead us to eternal life . God says: “I am the way” (John, 14:6), and “I am the light” (John, 8:12), “And the light shineth in darkness” (John, 1:5). Perhaps, each of us felt inspired when we came to God. Everything becomes bright and pure, because God dwells in you, and He protects you from the lies and filth of this world. You can see the main thing, and nothing can disturb you from this, because the knowledge of God has struck you. This joy revealed the sense of life to you. You were choking on this earth before, for everything is the same there: always the same menu, always the same laws. The rulers are changed by other rulers. Everyone wants to be the head, to outperform his competitors… People constantly choose something or someone. But we choose Christ, and we do this not through certain manifestations or bulletins, but through our life.
It is so difficult to say “I am with Christ”, when everything crashes in your life, when you suffer, when no one can understand you, and you do not understand what is going on in the world, when it seems to you that what is going on around you is just madness.
Most people judge their spiritual condition by how they feel. However, this is quite naive. We cannot focus on ourselves, because we are corrupted by sin. We partake of Holy Communion not just to make our soul soar, to restore peace inside, or to make all problems disappear. We need Holy Communion to burn the old “self”, which tells us how to live, which deceives us while we believe him. And this is why we cannot know right from wrong.
Fr. Sophrony (Sakharov) said that it is impossible to live in this world like Christians. We can only die for this world like Christians. But we want to live here and now. And God gives us such an opportunity. He lets us see the blue sky and the sun, which is warming already, by the way. However, no matter how good this life is, it will end. This is why we should harden ourselves. If someone suffers and thinks that God does not hear his prayers, he should not believe this condition. He should not believe his grievance and despair, which dwell in a person when he does not see the effect of his prayer. There is always effect, but God did not come into this world to make our life great here and now. He came to this world so that we all could prevail over death. He wants us to take part in our own resurrection.
The forthcoming week is devoted to a great ascetic – Saint John Climacus. Spiritual life is a ladder, which leads to the Heavenly Kingdom. We climb it, we fall down, we hit the ground, we stand up and we fall again. The thing is, we need to stand up over and over again. The ascetics, who devoted their lives to studying spiritual laws and struggling against sin have left to us a number of works for edification. However, we need to be prudent. It can happen that a person, who came from the world, has read the works of the ascetics, but still does not understand the main point of Orthodox teaching. The main thing is to humble yourself - to acknowledge your own weakness and to let God enter your life. You do not need to surprise people with your feats and talents. The Lord speaks simply in the Gospel: “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls” (Matthew, 11:29).

2 days ago | [YT] | 565

St Elisabeth Convent. Orthodox Life And Chants

THE FOURTH SUNDAY OF GREAT LENT. ST. JOHN CLIMACUS
by Metropolitan Anthony (Bloom) of Sourozh
***
Repentance is our reconciliation with God.
—St. John Climacus

Lent is a time of repentance—a time when our stony hearts should be transformed by the power of God from insensible to sensitive, from cold and hardened to warm and open—open to others and to God Himself.
Lent is a time of renewal, when as in springtime, all is once again become new; when our life that has gradually ebbed away to nothing and barely flickering, once again comes to life with the power that God can give us, joining us to His Holy Spirit, making us through the Holy Sacraments and in the direct gift of Himself communicants of divine nature.
This is the time of reconciliation, and reconciliation is God’s joy and our joy; it is a new beginning.
Today we celebrate the memory of St. John Climacus, and I want to read a few of his words to you that are especially significant for this period of the Church year, which we are now experiencing. Repentance is our return to God, the renewal of our baptism; it is an ascetic labor performed to renew our union with God, our vow to change our lives. It is a time when we can learn humility; that is, peace—peace with God, peace with ourselves, peace with all creatures. Repentance is born of hope and the decisive rejection of despair. And he who repents is one who deserves condemnation, yet departs from the judgment seat without shame or disgrace, because repentance is our reconciliation with God. And this is achieved through a worthy life, through a struggle with the sins that we committed in the past. Repentance is the cleansing of our conscience. Repentance is readiness, without words of murmuring and in transformation through love, to bear any sorrow or pain.
And if we ask ourselves how, in what way we can achieve this, how can we respond to God Who receives us as the father received his prodigal son; how can we respond to God, Who waited so long for us, languishing when we rejected Him, yet He never turned away from us—how can we respond to such a God? Answering this is yet another brief excerpt on prayer: “Do not strive for sophistication and eloquence in prayer, because our Heavenly Father often rejoices in the timid and artless babbling of children. Do not be loquacious when you converse with God, because as you search for words, you can get tangled in them. God had mercy on the publican for just one word; just one word of faith saved the thief on the cross. Loquaciousness in prayer disperses the mind and fills it with an abundance of images. But a single word addressed to God will gather the mind in His presence. And if when you pray a word strikes your heart and reaches to your innermost depths, hold onto that word, repeat it, for in such moments your guardian angel is praying with you, because then we are being truthful and faithful to ourselves and to God.
Let us remember what St. John Climacus says, even if my explanations be forgotten; let us remember his words; for he was a man who knew what it means to turn to God and remain with Him, to be a joy to God and to rejoice in Him. The memory and image of St. John Climacus is offered to us now as we ascend to the days of the Passion, as an example of how God’s grace can transform an ordinary, simple person into a light for the world.
Let us learn from him, begin to follow his example, and rejoice over what God, with His power, can do with a person. And with conviction, with hope, with exultant and at the same time quiet, unshakable joy, let us follow this advice to listen to God, Who beseeches us to find the path of life, and tells us that with Him and in Him we will live—for He is the Truth, but also the Way, and Life eternal. Amen.

3 days ago | [YT] | 466

St Elisabeth Convent. Orthodox Life And Chants

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4 days ago | [YT] | 371

St Elisabeth Convent. Orthodox Life And Chants

ON THE VENERATION OF THE CROSS
St. John of Damascus
The word “Cross” is foolishness to those that perish, but to us who are saved it is the power of God (1 Corinthians 1:23). For he that is spiritual judges all things, but the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit. For it is foolishness to those who do not receive in faith and who do not consider God's goodness and omnipotence, but search out divine things with human and natural reasonings. For all the things that are of God are above nature and reason and conception. For should any one consider how and for what purpose God brought all things out of nothing and into being, and aim at arriving at that by natural reasonings, he fails to comprehend it. For knowledge of this kind belongs to spirits and demons. But if any one, under the guidance of faith, should consider the divine goodness and omnipotence and truth and wisdom and justice, he will find all things smooth and even, and the way straight. But without faith it is impossible to be saved (Hebrews 11:6). For it is by faith that all things, both human and spiritual, are sustained. For without faith neither does the farmer cut his furrow, nor does the merchant commit his life to the raging waves of the sea on a small piece of wood, nor are marriages contracted nor any other step in life taken. By faith we consider that all things were brought out of nothing into being by God's power. And we direct all things, both divine and human, by faith. Further, faith is assent free from all meddlesome inquisitiveness.
Every action, therefore, and performance of miracles by Christ are most great and divine and marvelous: but the most marvelous of all is His precious Cross. For no other thing has subdued death, expiated the sin of the first parent, despoiled Hades, bestowed the resurrection, granted the power to us of contemning the present and even death itself, prepared the return to our former blessedness, opened the gates of Paradise, given our nature a seat at the right hand of God, and made us the children and heirs of God, save the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. For by the Cross all things have been made right. So many of us, the apostle says, as were baptized into Christ, were baptized into His death Romans 6:3, and as many of you as have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ. Galatians 3:27 Further, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God (1 Corinthians 1:24). Lo! The death of Christ, that is, the Cross, clothed us with the enhypostatic wisdom and power of God. And the power of God is the Word of the Cross, either because God's might, that is, the victory over death, has been revealed to us by it, or because, just as the four extremities of the Cross are held fast and bound together by the bolt in the middle, so also by God's power the height and the depth, the length and the breadth, that is, every creature visible and invisible, is maintained.
This was given to us as a sign on our forehead, just as the circumcision was given to Israel: for by it we believers are separated and distinguished from unbelievers. This is the shield and weapon against, and trophy over, the devil. This is the seal that the destroyer may not touch you (Exodus 12:23), as says the Scripture. This is the resurrection of those lying in death, the support of the standing, the staff of the weak, the rod of the flock, the safe conduct of the earnest, the perfection of those that press forwards, the salvation of soul and body, the aversion of all things evil, the patron of all things good, the taking away of sin, the plant of resurrection, the tree of eternal life.
So, then, this same truly precious and august tree, on which Christ has offered Himself as a sacrifice for our sakes, is to be worshipped as sanctified by contact with His holy body and blood; likewise the nails, the spear, the clothes, His sacred tabernacles which are the manger, the cave, Golgotha, which brings salvation, the tomb which gives life, Sion, the chief stronghold of the churches and the like, are to be worshipped. In the words of David, the father of God, We shall go into His tabernacles, we shall worship at the place where His feet stood. And that it is the Cross that is meant is made clear by what follows, Arise, O Lord, into Your Rest. For the resurrection comes after the Cross. For if of those things which we love, house and couch and garment, are to be longed after, how much the rather should we long after that which belonged to God, our Savior, by means of which we are in truth saved.
Moreover we worship even the image of the precious and life-giving Cross, although made of another tree, not honoring the tree (God forbid) but the image as a symbol of Christ. For He said to His disciples, admonishing them, Then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in Heaven Matthew 24:30, meaning the Cross. And so also the angel of the resurrection said to the woman, You seek Jesus of Nazareth which was crucified (Mark 16:6). And the Apostle said, We preach Christ crucified (1 Corinthians 1:23). For there are many Christs and many Jesuses, but One crucified. He does not say speared but crucified. It behooves us, then, to worship the sign of Christ. For wherever the sign may be, there also will He be. But it does not behoove us to worship the material of which the image of the Cross is composed, even though it be gold or precious stones, after it is destroyed, if that should happen. Everything, therefore, that is dedicated to God we worship, conferring the adoration on Him.
The tree of life which was planted by God in Paradise pre-figured this precious Cross. For since death was by a tree, it was fitting that life and resurrection should be bestowed by a tree. Jacob, when He worshipped the top of Joseph's staff, was the first to image the Cross, and when he blessed his sons with crossed hands (Hebrews 11:21) he made most clearly the sign of the cross. Likewise also did Moses' rod, when it smote the sea in the figure of the cross and saved Israel, while it overwhelmed Pharaoh in the depths; likewise also the hands stretched out crosswise and routing Amalek; and the bitter water made sweet by a tree, and the rock rent and pouring forth streams of water (Numbers 20), and the rod that meant for Aaron the dignity of the high priesthood (Exodus 4): and the serpent lifted in triumph on a tree as though it were dead, the tree bringing salvation to those who in faith saw their enemy dead, just as Christ was nailed to the tree in the flesh of sin which yet knew no sin. The mighty Moses cried, You will see your life hanging on the tree before your eyes, and Isaiah likewise, I have spread out my hands all the day unto a faithless and rebellious people (Isaiah 65:2). But may we who worship this obtain a part in Christ the crucified. Amen.

5 days ago | [YT] | 617

St Elisabeth Convent. Orthodox Life And Chants

6 days ago | [YT] | 964

St Elisabeth Convent. Orthodox Life And Chants

HOMILY ON THE SUNDAY OF THE CROSS
by St. John of Kronstadt
***
Before Thy Cross, we fall down, O Master, and Thy Holy Resurrection we glorify (Troparion to the Cross).
***
When the Holy Church brings from out of the depths of the altar from the holy table the Life-giving Cross of the Lord and presents it to the faithful to bow down before and kiss, what thought does it have? The thought that its true children, who have passed along the path of the fast and have struggled with their much-suffering flesh and with the devil—who during the fast especially ignites his arrows against their flesh—will behold the cross and vividly imagine the sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ, which He endured in His most pure flesh for our sakes; that they would be strengthened through it for the struggle with their flesh, with their passions and lusts; and so that they would not regret crucifying it in its passions, and would courageously war with the enemy that has taken up arms against them with various temptations. Look, how the Lord as if announces to us from the Cross what He has endured for us. This is what I have accepted, He says, for your salvation through my most pure flesh, untouchable by any kind of sin. Do you refuse to crucify in the flesh your various passions and lusts? Do you not endure some of the bitterness of fasting? Do you not endure depravation from sweetness in order to tame the flesh, which, the more enjoyment you give it and satiate it, the more enraged it becomes? Do you not endure the fiery arrows of the enemy, when I allowed him to pierce My divine flesh with all manner of arrows? This is the thought with which the cross is now brought out for the faithful to bow down before and kiss. Thus, do not be downcast from fasting and from the struggle with the passions and the devil, but struggle courageously, calling for help upon Him Who suffered for us and through the Cross has conquered our enemies. And be victorious. Amen.

1 week ago | [YT] | 591

St Elisabeth Convent. Orthodox Life And Chants

ST. EPHRAIM THE SYRIAN ON THE CROSS OF CHRIST
Death trampled our Lord underfoot, but He in His turn treated death as a highroad for his own feet. He submitted to it, enduring it willingly, because by this means he would be able to destroy death in spite of itself. Death had its own way when our Lord went out from Jerusalem carrying his cross; but when, by a loud cry from that cross, he summoned the dead from the underworld, death was powerless to prevent it.
Death slew Him by means of the body which He had assumed, but that same body proved to be the weapon with which He conquered death. Concealed beneath the cloak of his manhood, His godhead engaged death in combat; but in slaying our Lord, death itself was slain. It was able to kill natural life, but was itself killed by the life that is above the nature of man.
Death could not devour our Lord unless He possessed a body, neither could hell swallow him up unless He bore our flesh; and so He came in search of a chariot in which to ride to the underworld. This chariot was the body which he received from the Virgin; in it he invaded death’s fortress, broke open its strong room and scattered all its treasures.
At length He came upon Eve, the mother of all the living. She was the vineyard whose enclosure her own hands had enabled death to violate, so that she could taste its fruit; thus the mother of all the living became the source of death for every living creature. But in her stead Mary grew up, a new vine in place of the old. Christ, the new life, dwelt within her. When death, with its customary impudence, came foraging for her mortal fruit, it encountered its own destruction in the hidden life which that fruit contained. All unsuspecting, it swallowed Him up, and in so doing, released life itself and set free a multitude of men.
He who was also the carpenter’s glorious son set up His cross above death’s all-consuming jaws, and led the human race into the dwelling place of life. Since a tree had brought about the downfall of mankind, it was upon a tree that mankind crossed over to the realm of life. Bitter was the branch that had once been grafted upon that ancient tree, but sweet the young shoot that has now been grafted in, the shoot in which we are meant to recognize the Lord whom no creature can resist.
We give glory to You, O Lord, who raised up Your cross to span the jaws of death like a bridge, by which souls might pass from the region of the dead to the land of the living. We give glory to You who put on the body of a single mortal man, and made it the source of immortality for every other mortal man. You are incontestably alive. Your murderers sowed Your body in the earth as farmers sow grain, but it sprang up and yielded an abundant harvest of men raised from the dead.
Come then, my brothers and sisters, let us offer our Lord the great and all-embracing sacrifice of our love, pouring out our treasury of hymns and prayers before Him who offered His cross in sacrifice to God for the enrichment of us all.

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St Elisabeth Convent. Orthodox Life And Chants

PARENTAL SATURDAY. Remembrance of the dead
At Saint Elisabeth Convent, we remember the departed at every Divine Liturgy and memorial service. If you have loved ones who have reposed, you may send us their names, and we will pray for them.

➤ Submit your prayer requests here 👉 obitel-minsk.org/prayer-request-youtube
📜 Send us the names of your departed loved ones — parents, spouses, children, relatives, friends, and all whom you hold in your heart. We will remember them:
- At the Proskomedia (preparation of the Holy Gifts)
- During the Divine Liturgy
- At Memorial Services (Panikhida).

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