The Signs of the Divine Otherness in Saint Sophrony (II)
Sunday Zoom Talk
All Saints – An Image of the Holy Spirit
Zoom Talk on the Sunday of All Saints God formed man with His hands from the dust of the ground. Ιn a priestly manner, He performed the mystery of Pentecost by breathing into Adam’s nostrils ‘the breath of life’, His Holy Spirit, ‘and man became a living soul’. However, man foolishly disobeyed the divine precept …
Talk of Father Zacharias to the public at St. Tikhon’s theological seminary on Hesychasm
In my paper about hesychasm I wanted to express that all Orthodox people form one Body. Many of the things I said about hesychasm are surely familiar to you because we all live them in the Divine Liturgy, the greatest school and treasure that God has given us upon earth. Unless we leave aside all …
Talk of Father Zacharias to the public at St. Tikhon’s theological seminary on Hesychasm Read More »
Sermon on the Sunday of the Samaritan Woman
The Gospel which we heard today in the Liturgy describes the encounter of the Samaritan woman, Photini, with the Lord by Jacob’s well. Jacob was an Old Testament figure that had struggled to understand the judgments of God and to attract His blessing, and God revealed to him the vision of a ladder which united …
The Source of Inspiration for the Life to Come
Sunday of the Myrrhbearers One might ask why this long preparation for the gift of both the Resurrection and Pentecost is needed, since God never ceases to bestow His benefits on us. It is because being defiled by sin, man is not able to receive even a little grace from God. He must cultivate within …
The Godly Competition of the Saints
Fifth Sunday of Great Lent: Sunday of Saint Mary of Egypt In the person of St Mary of Egypt, whom we feast today, we can clearly discern the fact that whosoever embraces the Cross of Christ, finds healing and is led into a supernatural transformation of his existence, in which the indestructible power of the …
Painting the icon of my Elder, Saint Sophrony
It is a great event when someone that one has known alive suddenly becomes a saint. With Father Sophrony it was not unexpected, as I had considered him holy ever since I met him, yet the fact of it being confirmed by the whole church was a very strong experience. It was awe-inspiring and frightening …
The Otherness of Love – extracts
Monasticism is indeed paradoxical in the eyes of the world, whose natural tendency is to throw off the yoke of humility and avoid pain and suffering. Whereas the monk, in his endeavour to remain continuously in the ‘earthquake’ of God’s presence, takes upon himself the yoke of humility and is granted experience of its hidden …
Vespers of Forgiveness Sunday
God longs to receive us as His children into His eternal Kingdom, and for this reason the Church is filled during this period with great grace, which is offered to all people who thirst for a taste of the Resurrection by following her programme. Lent is a journey. In the Gospel of St Matthew, God …