An occasional record of one man's struggle for the salvation of his soul; or, the intersection of the Faith once for all delivered to the saints with the life of a man and a father.
Question. My thought suggests to me that my material resources are tight and that i cannot feed myself or my household, and this causes me sorrow. What does this mean?
Response by Abba John
This sorrow is human; if we had hope in God, He would provide for us as he wants. “Therefore, cast your concern upon the Lord” (I Pet. 5.7), and he is able to take care of you and your own without sorrow and affliction. Say to him: ” Your will be done” (Mt. 6.10 and 26.42), and he will not allow you to grieve or be afflicted. May the Lord have mercy upon you and protect you with his right hand. Amen.- Letters from the Desert: Barsanuphius and John
I recently watched the film Facing the Giants, that little underdog of a movie put out by Sherwood Baptist Church down in Albany, Georgia. For a 100G outlay it made 10 mil. It’s got all the pluses and minuses of such films, but I enjoyed it. I will always love that straightforward, ya-need-Jeezus-as-yer-Savior preachin’ that is all over the film.
Some things it brought home to me are:
Football is a divinely ordained sport
Smalltown high school football is the purest form of football
If the Desert Fathers had known of high school football, it would be all over the Philokalia
The “Death Crawl” is a forgotten asketical discipline recovered just in time for the making of the film (see clip below)
There’s just something deeply satisfying about that sound of the smack of shoulderpads and helmets, the screaming of coaches, the gruntin’ and the trashtalkin’, the familiar catchphrases–mmm, yeah, breathe it in.
Generally speaking, Smalltown USA is where it’s at
Sometimes religious cliches are deeper than they appear
Music is powerful–which is why the first things I “memorized” in Orthodoxy were the hymns sung every Sunday
God answers prayer–and prayer changes us
Scripture really is meant to be quoted in the midst of everyday life–even if the application is a bit stretched
Psalm 17:1-3 [18:1-3] rocks
In life, it’s all about praising God when you win and praising God when you lose
One-sentence sermonettes belong in the midst of everyday life
Sometimes God will go ahead and honor reckless, shameless faith–which is why sometimes football teams win games
I think more Christians should feel more led more often to say something for the Lord to their fellow Christians: and the story about the farmers and the rain is always a good one
Fr. Seraphim (Rose) of Platina "We are told by the Holy Fathers that we are supposed to see in everything something for our salvation. If you can do this, you can be saved."
Father Seraphim Rose: His Life and Works
St. Herman of Alaska "The true Christian is a warrior making his way through the regiments of the invisible enemy to his heavenly homeland."
Fr. Seraphim (Rose) of Platina "Anyone who is attracted merely by glittering censors, incense and beautiful vestments, he, first of all, will fall down before Antichrist."
"Signs of the End Times"
Fr. Seraphim (Rose) of Platina "When I became Christian I voluntarily crucified my mind, and all the crosses that I bear have only been a source of joy for me. I have lost nothing, and gained everything."
Father Seraphim Rose: His Life and Works
Fr. Seraphim (Rose) of Platina "Do not trust your mind too much; thinking must be refined by suffering, or it will not stand the test of these cruel times."
Letters from Father Seraphim
St. Theophan the Recluse Here is a rule for reading:
Before reading you should empty your soul of everything.
Arouse the desire to know about what is being read.
Turn prayerfully to God.
Follow what you are reading with attention and place everything in your open heart.
If something did not reach the heart, stay with it until it reaches.
You should of course read quite slowly.
Stop reading when the soul no longer wants to nourish itself with reading. That means it is full. If the soul finds one passage utterly stunning, stop there and read no more.
The best time for reading the Word of God is in the morning. Lives of saints after the mid-day meal, and Holy Fathers before going to sleep. Thus you can take up a little bit each day.
The Path to Salvation
