Archive for the ‘theophan the recluse’ Category

It’s Never Too Late (St. Theophan)

Tuesday, August 12th, 2008

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On Fasting (St. Theophan the Recluse)

Tuesday, July 29th, 2008

St. Theophan the Recluse. Thought for every day of the year.

(Translated from the Russian below by N. Park. Corrections are welcome.)

(1 Cor 7:12-24; Mt 14:35 – 15:11). “Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.” The Lord did not say this because he did not approve of fasting or because he considered fasting unnecessary – indeed, He Himself fasted, and taught His disciples to do so, and established fasts in His Holy Church. He said this, then, not to discourage fasting. Rather, he says it to teach us that when we fast we should not limit ourselves merely to eating little and avoiding cooked foods, but should also refrain from indulging the appetites and passionate inclinations of the soul. This is, of course the most important thing. Fasting, in its turn, serves a powerful means of accomplishing this. The passions are rooted in the flesh. When the flesh is weakened through fasting, then it is as if the fortress of the passions has been undermined, and its strength crumbles. On the other hand, to overcome the passions without fasting would be as remarkable as standing in a fire without being burnt. How is it possible for one who continually indulges his flesh with food, sleep and rest to maintain any sort of attention and purpose in spiritual matters? For such a one to turn from the earth, directing his attention to invisible things and striving them, is just as difficult as it is for an enfeebled bird to rise up from the earth.

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(from days.pravoslavie.ru)

(1 ???. 7, 12-24; ??. 14, 35-15, 11). “?? ??, ??? ?????? ? ????, ?????????? ????????; ?? ??, ??? ??????? ?? ???, ?????????? ????????”. ??????? ?????? ??? ?? ??????, ???? ?? ?? ?????????? ? ????? ??? ?????? ??? ?? ?????? ??? ???, - ???, ? ??? ?? ????????, ? ????????? ?????? ????, ? ? ?????? ????? ?????? ????????? ?????, ? ?????? ??? ??? ????, ?????, ???????, ?? ?? ?????????????? ????? ??????????? ??? ???????????, ?? ?????????? ??? ???? ? ???? ???? ??????? ? ?????, ?? ???????? ?? ?????????? ? ????????? ?????????. ? ??? ???????. ???? ?? ?????? ?????????????? ???? ?????????. ?????? ???????? ? ?????; ????? ????????? ?????, ????? ?????? ?????? ???????? ??? ??????? ? ???????? ?? ???????. ??? ????? ?? ??????? ??????? - ???? ?? ?????, ??????? ?? ??, ????? ???? ? ???? ? ?? ????????. ? ????, ??? ???????????? ?????????? ????? ???? ?????, ???? ? ??????, ??? ????????? ????-?????? ????????? ?? ???????? ? ??????????? ?????????? ?? ????? ? ????? ? ?????????? ????????? ????? ? ?????????? ? ??? ??? ????? ?? ??????, ??? ??????????? ????? ????????? ?? ?????.

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Temptation / ?????????

Thursday, July 24th, 2008

St. Theophan the Recluse. Thoughts on every day of the year.

(1 Cor 3:18-23; Mt 13:36-43) “And they shall cast them (those who offend of do iniquity) into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth; then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father.” In this manner, evil and good, light and darkness will be divided. Now, during this life, they are commingled, as it was pleasing to the Lord to order things such that his creation would grow and become stronger in good through the struggle against evil. Evil is allowed to freely exist within us and to influence us from without, but it does not determine our actions. Rather, it tempts us. When tempted, we must not fall but fight. Gaining the victory, we are freed from one temptation, and move onward and upward to meet a new temptation, and thus it is until the end of our life. O, when will we understand the meaning of the evil which tempts us, so as to order our life in accordance with this understanding! Those who struggle are crowned, and in the end, pass on to another life, where there is no sorrow or sickness externally, and where internally, like God’s angels, they will be pure, without the defilement of tempting movements and thoughts. Thus we may be prepared for the festival of light and good, which will be revealed in all its glory in the last day of the world.

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(1 ???. ?, 18-23; ??. 13, 36-43). “? ???????? ??” (???????? ???????? ? ??????????) “? ???? ????????; ??? ????? ???? ? ??????? ?????; ????? ?????????? ????????, ??? ??????, ? ??????? ???? ??”. ??? ?????????? ?????????? ????? ? ???, ????? ? ????. ?????? ????? ?????? ???????? ??. ??????? ?????? ???? ??? ????????, ????? ??????? ??????? ?????????? ? ?????? ? ????? ????? ?????? ?? ????; ??? ???????? ? ? ?????????????? ? ???????? ??????, ? ? ??????????????? ? ????????? ?? ???. ??? ?? ??????????, ? ????????. ???????????? ????????? ?????????? ?? ??????, ? ???????? ? ??????. ??????????? ???????????? ?? ?????? ?????????, ? ??????????? ?????? ? ?????, ????? ??? ???????? ? ????? ?????????. ??? ?? ?????? ????? ?????. ?, ????? ?? ????????? ??? ??? ???????? ??????????? ??? ???, ????? ?? ????? ?????????? ???????? ? ????? ????! ????? ????????????, ???????, ???????? ? ?????? ?????, ??? ??? ?? ??????? ? ???????? ?? ???, ? ??? ??? ????????, ??? ?????? ?????, ?????????? ??????? ??? ?????????? ????????????? ???????? ? ??????. ??? ????????????? ????????? ????? ? ?????, ??????? ?? ???? ????? ????? ????????? ? ????????? ???? ????.

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