☦️🕯️Never let anyone tell you that, in order to be Orthodox, you must be Eastern. The West was fully Orthodox for a thousand years, and her venerable liturgy is far older than any of her heresies.🕯️☦️

♰ St. John Maximovitch ♰

Sirach 31:23-24

Whoso is liberal of his meat, men shall speak well of him; and the report of his good housekeeping will be believed. 24. But against him that is a niggard of his meat the whole city shall murmur; and the testimonies of his niggardness shall not be doubted of.

Wine in our lives

Sirach 31:25-26

Shew not thy valiantness in wine; for wine hath destroyed many. 26. The furnace proveth the edge by dipping: so doth wine the hearts of the proud by drunkenness.

#Reflection #Discerning #Persecuted_Church #Evil

Wine in our lives

Sirach 31:27

Wine is as good as life to a man, if it be drunk moderately: what life is then to a man that is without wine? for it was made to make men glad.

Wine in our lives

Sirach 31:28-29

Wine measurably drunk and in season bringeth gladness of the heart, and cheerfulness of the mind: 29. But wine drunken with excess maketh bitterness of the mind, with brawling and quarrelling.

"He has providence for His creature. Where there is patience, things fall into place. God provides. We need patience, not logic. Since God is watching, He is observing us, we must surrender unconditionally to Him. You see, the Righteous Joseph did not say a thing when his brothers sold him into slavery. He could have said, 'I am their brother'. But he said nothing, until God spoke and made him king. But when one has no patience, he suffers. From that point on he wants things to come his way, as it suits him, and as is comfortable for him. But, of course, he does not find comfort that way, and things don't come out the way he wants them to come."

+ St Paisios the Athonite

Wine in our lives

Sirach 31:30
Drunkenness increaseth the rage of a fool till he offend: it diminisheth strength, and maketh wounds.

#Family #Millstone
God wants to build us up
The world wants our destruction
The world and God are at odds

Source: https://t.me/husbands_and_fathers/486

Wine in our lives

Sirach 31:31

Rebuke not thy neighbour at the wine, and despise him not in his mirth: give him no despiteful words, and press not upon him with urging him to drink.

#Reflection #Original_Faith

"Fire & water are incompatible; & so is judging one who wants to repent. If you see someone falling into sin at the very moment of his death, even then do not judge him, because the Divine judgment is hidden from men." ~ St. John Climacus

#Fear_Not #Knowing_Jesus #Carry_Your_Cross
Psalms 94:18-19
When I said, My foot slippeth; thy mercy, O LORD, held me up.
19 In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul.

"A discerning man takes only the ripe grapes & leaves the sour. Thus the discerning mind carefully marks the virtues which he sees in a person: a mindless man seeks out the sin. Even if you see someone sin, do not judge; for often even your eyes are deceived." ~ St. John Climacus

#God_Jesus #Jesus_Words #Knowing_Jesus

John 17:1
These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:

#Reflection #Original_Faith

"If you see a man who has sinned & you do not pity him, the grace of God will leave you. Whoever curses bad people, & does not pray for them, will never come to know the grace of God." ~ St. Silouan the Athonite