On God’s grace in our deeds

“…God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.” (James 4:6) Often, in the church and generally in life, we see the following: someone is putting all his efforts, one might say trying to jump out of his skin, in order to do good, to serve God and neighbour, but his efforts produce only …

About temptations

…Without temptations no one can be saved… Much can be said about someone based on his reaction to temptation. Some murmur quietly, some judge the offender, some make a loud fuss, and some altogether become enraged and seek vengeance; rarely, some quietly, with tears thank God for correction, offer Him a heart that is broken …

On giving of thanks

The holy apostle Paul teaches us to thank the Lord always and in all things. However, the feeling of gratitude, for the most part, is familiar to us only when all things are smooth, when everything is going our way. Alas, in times of temptations our first reaction is grumbling, vexation, irritation. All of this …

Transfiguration of the Lord

Thou wast transfigured on the mountain, O Christ God, and Thy disciples beheld Thy glory as far as they could bear it; so that when they should see Thee crucified, they would know that Thy suffering was voluntary, and would proclaim to the world that Thou art truly the Radiance of the Father.Kondakion of the …