2018

There’s no other factor that’s so effective as various sorrows, self-inflicted or otherwise, in bringing the mind to a humble outlook. The impossibility of its redemption teaches it in practical terms just how insignificant and inconsequential it is. Then the Lord’s words ‘You can do nothing without me’ (Jn. 15, 5) become perfectly clear and, with the assistance of Grace, the mind ascends to the real world of the kingdom above.

The 3rd Ecumenical Synod dealt with the heresy of Nestorios, the Patriarch of Constantinople. It condemned him and defined the faith as regards the theanthropic Christ and Our Most Holy Lady the Mother of God. This was after an agreement, known as the Formula for Reunion, was reached in 433 between Saint Cyril of Alexandria and John of Antioch. After the demise of these two Patriarchs, however, their fanatical disciples re-opened the issue, in the belief that both of them had retreated from their previously-held positions, and this caused a number of problems for the Church. One of the protagonists was Eftykhis (Eutyches) who taught that our Lord Jesus Christ did, indeed, have two natures, before they were unified, but recognized only ...

When you give yourself completely to the power and love of God, you’ll realize that everything happens because God wants it to, or that He allows it.

What is the greatest glory of Saint Paul the Apostle? What was the greatest of God’s gifts to him? Why should we call him blessed and envy him? Saint John Chrysostom answers: ‘I call Paul blessed not so much because he was caught up into Paradise as because he was imprisoned for Christ. I don’t call him blessed so much because he heard ineffable words as because he suffered in chains for Christ. Paul himself confirms this when he writes to the Ephesians. He doesn’t say: “I urge you as a person who has heard ineffable words”, but “I beg you as a prisoner in Christ”’. ‘The hands of Saint Paul weren’t so worthy when he cured the cripple in Lystra as they ...