Humility leads to Perfect Rest in God

St Silouan the Athonite and behind him Archimandrite Sophrony
of Essex (Αγιορειτική Φωτοθηκή)Source

"Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart...
and thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself; 
I am the Lord"
Brenton's Septuagint Leviticus 19:17-18, p.154


"Prayer is the best of all activities for the soul. Prayer
is the path to God. Through prayer we obtain humility,
patience and every good gift...

The Lord showed great pity on me and made me 
understand that I must weep all my life. Such is the way
of the Lord. And so I write now out of pity for those who
like me, are puffed up with pride, and therefore suffer. I
write that they may learn humility and find rest in God...

Only to the humble does the Lord reveal Himself in the
Holy Spirit, and if we do not humble ourselves we shall
not see God. Humility is the light in which we may behold
the Light which is God - in the words of the Psalmist:
'In thy light shall we see light' Psalm 36:9...

The humility of Christ dwells in the lowly ones - they are 
glad to be the least of men. The Lord gave me understanding
of this...

Be obedient, submit with a good conscience to those in 
authority. Be content with all things, and your mind will be 
cleansed of vain thoughts. Remember that the Lord sees 
you, and be fearful lest anywise you offend your brother.
Neither dispraise nor grieve him, even by a glance, an
expression on your face, and the Holy Spirit will love you
and Himself be your help in all things...

If you have upbraided, or passed judgment on, or 
vexed your brother, your peace is lost. If you have
been boastful, or have exalted yourself above your fellow,
you have lost grace. If you did not drive away forthwith
(immediately) that wanton (merciless and capricious) 
thought that came to you, your soul will lose love for God
and boldness in prayer.

If you are fond of power, or money, you will never know the
love of God. If you have followed your own will, then you are
vanquished by the enemy and despondency will come upon
your soul. If you detest your brother, it means that
you have fallen away from God, and an evil spirit
has taken possession of you...

The grace of God is not in the man who does not love his
enemies...

There are people who desire the destruction, the torment
in hell-fire of their enemies, or the enemies of the Church.
They think like this because they have not learnt divine love
from the Holy Spirit, for he who has learned the love of God
will shed tears for the whole world...

But if you will do good unto your brother, you will
gain quiet for your conscience. If you subdue your own
will, your enemies will be driven off and you will receive
peace in your soul. If you forgive your brother the affronts
he puts upon you, and love your enemies, then you will 
receive forgiveness for your sins and the Lord will give you
to know the love of the Holy Spirit...
And when you have entirely humbled yourself, you
will find perfect rest in God. 

The Lord reveals His mysteries to the humble soul. But if the
soul has not yet learned but is only learning humility, she will
be subject to vicissitudes; at times she will find herself in 
conflict with intrusive thoughts, and know no rest, while at
others she is released from such thoughts, and can 
contemplate the Lord and perceive His love. Wherefore the 
Lord said: 'Learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart; 
and ye shall find rest unto your souls' Matthew 11:29...


Oh Lord. grant me Thy spirit of humility that I lose not Thy
grace again, and weep for it as Adam wept for paradise and
for God....

Therefore brethren, with all your might preserve the peace
of God which is freely given to us, and when any man vexes
us, if needs be let us constrain ourselves to love him, and
the Lord, seeing our pains, will help us with His grace..."

With St Silouan, let us pray:

"O Lord in Thy manifold mercy bestow on us
a humble spirit, that our souls may find rest in Thee.

Most holy and gracious Mother of God, beseech God
to make us lowly in spirit.

All ye saints who dwell in heaven
and behold the glory of the Lord
and your spirits rejoice -
pray that we also may be with you,
for my soul, too, would fain see the Lord,
and yearns after Him humbly,
knowing herself unworthy of such blessing.

O merciful Lord, by Thy Holy Spirit
teach us Thy humility."


St. Silouan the Athonite in St Silouan the Athonite by 
Archimandrite Sophrony, Selections from p.269-p.504, 
St Vladimir Seminary Press 1991.

St Silouan sited, and holding a prayer rope
Source

Christ is Risen

Icon of the Resurrection by Manuel Panselinos 13c.
Source

St Lazarus, the Four Days Dead

Church of St Lazarus in Larnaca Cyprus
This church in Larnaca (Kittim), Cyprus was built over the
tomb of Lazarus,in the Ninth century by Emperor Leo VI
of Byzantium. According to Tradition, Lazarus had to flee
Bethany and went to Cyprus where he was consecrated
Bishop of Kittim by the Apostles. He died there and wasburied when he was around sixty years old. Some of his
relics are still preserved in this church. The fragments of
the relics that were taken to Constantinople, were latertaken to Marseilles, France after the sacking of
Constantinople in 1204. Those relics were lost. 

Lazarus's sarcophagus in the crypt of the Church
of St Lazarus This sarcophagus bears the inscription in Greek,
Lazarus four days dead and the friend of Christ

Below the relics still kept in Larnaca.

Source

The place of the tomb in Bethany, near Jerusalem is
also preserved and it is a very popular and holy place
of pilgrimage.

Lazarus tomb in Bethany, near Jerusalem Source
It was here where the Lord Jesus Christ, "cried out
with a loud voice,“Lazarus, come forth.” The man who
had died came forth, bound hand and foot with
wrappings, and his face was wrapped around with
a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let
him go." John 11:43-44 NASB

The actual tomb in Bethany Source

Troparion to the Raising of Lazarus - Tone 1  Source

By raising Lazarus from the dead before Your passion, 
You did confirm the universal Resurrection, O Christ God! 
Like the children with the palms of victory, 
We cry out to You, O Vanquisher of death; 
Hosanna in the Highest! 
Blessed is He that comes in the Name of the Lord!

Kontakion to the Raising of Lazarus - Tone 2

Christ the Joy, the Truth and the Light of all, 
The Life of the World and the Resurrection 
Has appeared in His goodness, to those on earth. 
He has become the Image of our Resurrection, 
Granting divine forgiveness to all!

Which is Greater, Fasting or Forgiveness?

The Prologue of Ohrid by St Nikolai Velimirovich in 2 vols.
is available from Amazon

Reflection for April 8

"There is heroism above heroism and asceticism above asceticism.
St. Epiphanius of Cyprus invited Hilarion the Great to dinner and
in order to show the greatest hospitality to his distinguished guest,
placed fried chicken on the table and offered it to him.

Hilarion said to him: "Forgive me, but ever since I was tonsured
a monk, I have eaten nothing butchered." To that Epiphanius
replied: "And I, ever since I was tonsured a monk, have never
laid down in bed until I first forgave my enemy."

Amazed, Hilarion said: "Your virtue is greater than mine, Oh holy
master!" This is a great lesson for all of us. Fasting is an
admirable thing but it is more admirable to forgive
insults.

Through fasting, man is preparing for charity but, by forgiving
insults, man shows charity. Fasting precedes forgiveness but
fasting alone, does not save without forgiveness." Source

Prologue of Ohrid by St Nikolai Velimirovich p.350, Sebastian
Press 2008

"Thou Forgavest the Wickedness of my Heart" by St Cyril of Jerusalem

St Cyril of Jerusalem (313-386) A.D. Source

"God is loving to man, and loving in no small measure. For say
not, I have committed fornication and adultery: I have done
dreadful things, and not once only, but often: will He forgive?
Will he grant pardon? Hear what the Psalmist says: How great
is the multitude of Thy goodness O Lord! Thine accumulated
offenses surpass not the multitude of God's mercies: thy
wounds surpass not the great Physician's skill.

Only give thyself up in faith: tell the Physician thine ailment:
say thou also, like David: I said I will confess me my sin unto
the Lord: and the same shall be done in thy case, which he
says forthwith: And Thou forgavest the wickedness of
my heart." Cathecesis II.6 Source

Therapy of Spiritual Illnesses by Dr Jean Claude-Larchet vol 2 p.24,
Translated by Fr Kilian Sprecher, 3 volume boxed set Copyright
@2012 Alexander Press, Montreal, Quebec, Canada 

Look here