Thoughts for Lent…

Evil is corrected by good; faults by love, kindness, meekness, humility and patience. Acknowledge yourself as the greatest of sinners. Of those who appear to you to be sinners, or are sinners in fact, consider yourself worse and lower than all. Be rid of all pride and malice against your neighbor, all impatience and bad-temper, and only then – with love and long-suffering towards them – try to cure others.

Until then, cover the sins of others with your indulgent love.

St. John of Kronstadt

Someone Once Said…

“You are what you eat” and there’s a truth to that. This truth, in part, is why we should prepare ourselves and partake of the Eucharist on a regular basis.

While Scanning Facebook…

I became aware of this quote…

A description of mercy: “Every person that does any evil, that gratifies any passion, is sufficiently punished by the evil he has committed, by the passion he serves, but chiefly by the fact that he withdraws himself from God, and God withdraws Himself from him: it would therefore be insane and most inhuman to nourish anger against such a man; it would be the same as to drown a sinking man, or to push into the fire a person who is already being devoured by the flame.

To such a man, as to one in danger of perishing, we must show double love, and pray fervently to God for him; not judging him, not rejoicing at his misfortune.”

~ St John of Kronstadt

h/t to Michelle

A Challenge…

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Don’t wage your Christian struggle with sermons and arguments, but with true love. When we argue, others react. When we love people, they are moved and we win them over. When we love we think that we offer something to others, but in reality we are the first to benefit.

Elder Porphyrios