"To Vent or Not to Vent", from the Orthodox Blog, 'Ancient Christian Wisdom'

Source

"Most people believe that when they are irritated, they need to get anger out of their system. There are plenty of pop psychology self-help manuals that suggest punching a pillow instead of the irritating person, so that we can have a cathartic release and let the pressure out of our own individual pressure cooker. It turns out that the theory of catharsis doesn't hold water, not even a single empirical drop. Recent studies show that 'venting one's anger' actually makes a person feel angrier and more distressed."

This amazing and soul saving article is available in full here, the Orthodox blog, 'Ancient Christian Wisdom'.

Injustice and False Accusation by St Theophan the Recluse

Available from ArchangelsBooks.com

Have you ever wondered what is the most effective way to respond
to slander, false accusations and injustice? When the ego goes into 
self-preservation drive, it can be pretty hard to hold back and 'do
nothing'. From what I read from the Church Fathers and holy 
monastics, I learn the unanimous counsel from them all, "Forgive
your enemies, pray for those who hurt you, etc" I have to confess
that at times I have been quite annoyed by these 'unrealistic
expectations'. Life can be very 'unfair' and something in my 
personality demands that all wrongs be made right, all evil 
confronted.

So I kept reading; and coming up with the same counsel decided to
take a look at what modern cognitive behavioral therapy has to say
about the subject; and in the process, received a great lesson which
finally settles this question for me.

In their book, "Cognitive Behavioral Therapy" p.329, by Rhena
Branch and Rob Wilson, published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
West Sussex, England, the authors write "Sometimes, life's just
plain unfair. Sometimes, people treat you unjustly and nothing
gets done to put the balance right. On top of being unfair, life's
unpredictable and uncertain a great deal of the time. And really,
that's just the way life is.You can still strive to be fair yourself,
but if you accept that unfairness exists you may be less outraged
and less horrified if and when justice simply doesn't prevail."

Notwithstanding my personal feelings during a moment in which
I have to face the 'injustices' of this life, I know that the well
trodden path of our monastics and holy ones is the path to the
healing of my soul. As such, I do not need secular science to
validate this truth. Much of secular psychology stands in
opposition to the patristic method for the healing of man but in
this case, cognitive therapy concurs with the ancient wisdom
of the Orthodox Church.

For example, St Theophan the Recluse, in his letters to a young
Russian lady which are compiled in the book, "The Spiritual Life
and How to be Attuned to It", published by St Herman Press,
Platina, CA 1996, writes in Letter no. 78 p.307,

"May the Grace of God be with you!
Again?! Injustices, wrongful accusations! It is probably from
somewhere outside. No matter where it is from, I would say to you,
do not just be courageous and stand fast , but rejoice. It means that
things with your soul are going well. The Lord is leading you to
cleansing, and the enemy is encountering strong opposition within
you. Stand your ground firmly. There is no need to be troubled by
injustices and wrongful accusations.

He who causes them will be judged by God, and he who 
suffers them must bear them with good cheer and give
thanks to God. Do not forget that there is another life in
which everything here will be answered for, in praise or
in remorse. What if you endure injustice? There will be
praise. If you do not? Remorse. Do not say, "That is not right."
Whether something is right or not is not your business to judge,
it will be said,"Why did you not bear it?"

Injustices do not come from God, but are permitted by God for
the good of the person to whom they are permitted. Truly for the
good! These are not just words, but a real thing. I cite for
you the example of the martyrs, who were tormented in every way
possible. And where was the Lord? He was there indeed, and
appeared to them comforted them, lessened their suffering, but
all the same left them to bear their torments to the end, so as to
receive the full crown. Similarly, each falsehood and
wrongful accusation prepares a crown. But the person to 
whom they befall must endure them. Now you have encountered
this necessity. Endure them with good cheer, if you will, as if they
did not exist. God wants this from you for your own benefit.

You say it is terrible to give yourself over to falsehoods for an
entire lifetime. Of course it is terrible. That is why it is said of
those who follow the Lord, "Be thou strong and of good courage!"
Deut. 31:6. Ahead of you is a cross. It appears that nothing more
remains other than to give yourself over to sorrows, privations
and wrongful accusations. This self denial, I would say to you,
is the beginning of the true path. Give yourself over to that! The
very moment you deny yourself, you begin following the Lord.
Think over all this and decide, if you will, in a Godly manner.
All success is from the necessary resolution of this point."

"Wrong will be right, when Aslan comes in sight,
At the sound of his roar, sorrows will be no more,
When he bares his teeth, winter meets its death
And when he shakes his mane, we shall have spring again."
Mr. Beaver in 'The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe'
p.74-75, C.S. Lewis, Collier Books Macmillan Publishing Company,
New York, 1970

Light or Darkness, a Choice that Must Be Made with the Heart

All the circumstances of our lives; past, present and future, are
an opportunity to make the disposition of our hearts manifest.
We must choose between light or darkness. This choice is not to
be made merely by a decision of our reasoning brains but by the
innermost movements of our hearts. How often do we deceive
ourselves into thinking that we are choosing wisely because we
agree that virtue is worth pursuing, but when pressed-upon by
our circumstances, our hearts manifest the darkness inside and
we knowingly or unknowingly embrace that darkness and act on
it.

While we are still alive, there is much we can do to purify
ourselves, with God's Grace and the wise use of our free will.
Therefore let us occupy ourselves with the one thing needful,
to attend to the inner healing of our soul that it may lean
towards the light and reject the darkness.


In the book 'The Gurus the Young Mand and Elder Paisios', by
Dionysios Farasiotis p.238-242, St Herman Press 2008, we read
the most amazing description of that moment when a search-
ing soul is presented with the terrifying choice, eternal life or
eternal death.

"The Choice between Light and Darkness"
One afternoon at the beginning of Holy Week, having made a
stop in Thessaloniki, I was by myself in our home there, when,
suddenly, my surroundings vanished. There were no images to
be seen, sounds to be heard, or objects to be touched. My five
senses had ceased functioning. It was as though the light switch
had been flicked and the room plunged into total darkness.
My mind turned its full attention to a spiritual realm that it found
utterly riveting and captivating. In one direction, I saw a soft
but intense light- brilliant yet gentle. In the other direction, I
saw a thick, cavernous darkness. Initially, I turned my attention
towards the awesome, yet fearful, darkness. It made my flesh
crawl, but I was overcome by curiosity, the desire to understand
what it was. My mind advanced towards the darkness, and I
began to sense the magnitude of its negation. The deeper I went,
the greater this negation became, and the thicker the darkness.
It had a vast power and, if I dare put it this way, a certain
grandeur. It represented a negative perspective on reality, un-
hesitatingly extending into reality as depth, even as the light
stretched infinitely into reality as height. On one side, there was
immense love; on the other immense hatred. The light was over-
flowing with unconditional altruism, while the darkness pulled
away in utter self-centeredness.

Though I could not see into the darkness, I could feel the presence
of souls in it, leaping about and shrieking with insane, wicked
laughter as they were pulled deeper and deeper into the ocean
of darkness , until the sound of their voices disappeared altogether.
Frightened by this savage madness, I headed towards the
light, seeking its protection. Just reaching its outskirts, I felt the
relief of having being rescued from a grave danger.

Although I didn't advance very far at all into the darkness, I was
able to fill the depths of its evil ocean. I could understand the
very essence of the enticing power of sin to tempt, as well as
its laughable powerlessness, utter dependence, and shadowy
non-existence. The darkness,I saw, is fearsome when it has won
you over, but it is absurd and feeble when you reject it- it can
not defeat even a small child if he does not fall on his own. In
the same way, I did not advance far into the light- only so to
speak, skating its edge -but even there I felt confident and
comforted by a fullness of life, peace, joy, and knowledge.
The light loved me greatly in spite of my unworthiness and
granted me its gifts, gifts I never dreamed existed.

At this point, I realized that the light created the world and
every living being. The existential space in which each person
dwells is itself a creation fashioned by the light, which also
fills and permeates these spaces. One being decided to stay
outside of the existential space created by the light, thus
creating a sort of space for itself, though only by denying the
light, turning from it and driving it away. The darkness has no
existence of its own, but only in that it denies the ever-existing
and sovereign light....

Just as the light's love wishes to unite all things, being the
source of existence and creation, so the hatred of the darkness
wants to divide all things, being the source of non-existence 
and destruction.

Within a matter of minutes, I had received a lesson of immea-
surable depth. It was not only a revelation beyond words, of
subtle differences of profound meaning and great importance,
but also -and even more- a test and trial of the deepest inclinations
and intentions of my heart, to see whom I would follow and whom
I would leave behind. Fortunately, although my heart initially
moved towards the darkness, it ultimately found repose in the 
light- and fortunately, the light still accepted me."

Available here

Dionysios Farasiotis is the pen name of 

Athanasios Racovalis

The Monastery of Prophet Elijah in the Island of Santorini, Greece

It is wonderful to see the monastic life restored to the island of
Santorini, Greece in spite of all the tourism, materialism and
nightlife. Please click on CC for English subtitles.



In 2011 the Monastery of Prophet Elijah in Thera (Santorini)
commemorated 300 years since its foundation. This new video
by Mr. Panagiotis Spiliopoulos is devoted to the history of the
monastery and the life of the new brotherhood. It consists of 7
parts: 
1) Background
2) The program of the Monks
3) Chapel's treasures-
4) Metochia
5) Monastery of Anafi Kalamiotissa
6) Feast of the Holy Monastery (Prophet Elias)
7) Easter at the Monastery

The Jesus Prayer

Icon of Christ in the Church of St Panteleimon Thessaloniki, Greece


"Lord Jesus Christ , Son of God, have mercy on me."

or

"Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me,
a sinner."

The Jesus Prayer is an invocation to the living Christ. In the
Jesus Prayer we confess Christ as Lord and ask Him for His
mercy. The Jesus Prayer combines St Paul's doxology
(Phil. 2:11- "and that every tongue will confess that Jesus
Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."), the tax
collector's spirit of repentance (Luke 18:13- "But the tax
collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling
to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying,
‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’), and the blind man's plea
for enlightenment (Mk. 10:47,51- When he heard that it was
Jesus the Nazarene, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son
of David, have mercy on me!”, "And answering him, Jesus said,
“What do you want Me to do for you?” And the blind man said
to Him, “Rabboni, I want to regain my sight!”). "The divine
name of Jesus Christ holds in itself the whole gospel truth,"
wrote the author of The Way of a Pilgrim.

The Jesus Prayer is appropriate for every Christian and may
be recited in all circumstances - while kneeling, sitting, standing,
walking, eating, traveling, working, or falling asleep. It may be
offered at regular prayer times, during breaks at home and office,
even in the bustle of commuting to and from work or while
shopping and preparing meals. Its brevity makes it useful as a
way of centering the inner consciousness on Christ, guarding
against temptations and finding ready spiritual strength.

The effectiveness of the Jesus Prayer comes from the power and the
grace of Christ who hears our fervent invocation, cleanses our heart
from evil and comes to dwell in us as personal Lord. The fruits of the
Jesus Prayer are repentance, contrition, forgiveness, joy, peace and
above all, as the pilgrim put it, "a burning love for Jesus Christ and
for all God's creatures." Developed to maturity, the Jesus Prayer
becomes a mystical prayer of the heart, an unceasing breath of the
Holy Spirit praying within the believer, an inner spiritual fire
energizing the Christian in all things.

From the believer's side the Jesus Prayer requires a sincere and
humble spirit rather than a particular method. In quiet moments
of concentrated prayer it may be recited rhythmically in order to
establish inner attention, (Pray "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God"
while breathing in, and "have mercy on me" while breathing out.)
But far more important are the constant attention to the words
of the prayer and the fervent personal appeal to Christ for whom
the soul yearns. Trust in the love and mercy of God. Seek the
presence of Christ in your heart. Pray to Christ calmly and
unhurriedly by enclosing your thoughts and feelings in each word
of the Jesus Prayer.

From My Orthodox Prayer Book, p. 64-66, Greek Orthodox
Archdiocese of North and South America, Brookline, MA 1985, 
5th Printing 1994.

This prayer book was my first book of prayers which I received
as a gift from the Greek Orthodox Priest who introduced me
to the Orthodox Church, Fr Demetrios Tsigas, then Priest of the
Greek Orthodox Church of The Holy Trinity in Portland, OR.
It has been sixteen years but the moment I received this gift
has been indelibly imprinted in my memory. Fr Dimitri gave
this book to me during the winter of 1996, after a conversation
we had in his office in which I expressed my desire to join the
Orthodox Church. He walked with me to the church's bookstore,
bought the book and surprised me with it. This book has been
my dear and faithful companion for many years. On Great and
Holy Monday 1997, Fr Dimitri made me a catechumen of the
Orthodox Church. I was baptized the next year, Pascha 1998,
by Fr Nicholas Letten.

My Orthodox Prayer Book is available from Light & Life Publishing
Description:
A pocket-size book designed to help Orthodox Christians in private and family

devotions. Reflecting the treasures of Orthodox worship, it contains the basic
cycles of daily and other prayers. Includes Morning and Evening Prayers,
Occasional Prayers, Confessional Prayers, Communion Prayers, etc. 

Source

King David’s Psalm of Deliverance

Statue of King David by Nicolas Cordier, in the basilica of

Santa Maria Maggiore, Rome  Source

David’s Psalm of Deliverance
2 Samuel 22 from Bible Gateway
New American Standard Bible (NASB) 

22 And David spoke the words of this song to the Lord in the day that the Lord delivered him from the [a]hand of all his enemies and from the [b]hand of Saul. 2 He said,

"I Love you, O Lord, my strength" (This is the opening sentence of this
Psalm as it appears in Psalm 18 NASB)

“The Lord is my [c]rock and my fortress and my deliverer;
3 [d]My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge,
My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge;
My savior, You save me from violence.

4 “I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised,
And I am saved from my enemies.
5 “For the waves of death encompassed me;
The torrents of [e]destruction [f]overwhelmed me;
6 The cords of [g]Sheol surrounded me;
The snares of death confronted me.

7 “In my distress I called upon the Lord,
Yes, I [h]cried to my God;
And from His temple He heard my voice,
And my cry for help came into His ears.

8 “Then the earth shook and quaked,
The foundations of heaven were trembling
And were shaken, because He was angry.
9 “Smoke went up [i]out of His nostrils,
Fire from His mouth devoured;
Coals were kindled by it.

10 “He bowed the heavens also, and came down
With thick darkness under His feet.
11 “And He rode on a cherub and flew;
And He [j]appeared on the wings of the wind.

12 “And He made darkness [k]canopies around Him,
A mass of waters, thick clouds of the sky.
13 “From the brightness before Him
Coals of fire were kindled.
14 “The Lord thundered from heaven,
And the Most High uttered His voice.
15 “And He sent out arrows, and scattered them,
Lightning, and [l]routed them.

16 “Then the channels of the sea appeared,
The foundations of the world were [m]laid bare
By the rebuke of the Lord,
At the blast of the breath of His nostrils.
17 “He sent from on high, He took me;
He drew me out of many waters.

18 “He delivered me from my strong enemy,
From those who hated me, for they were too strong for me.
19 “They confronted me in the day of my calamity,
But the Lord was my support.

20 “He also brought me forth into a broad place;
He rescued me, because He delighted in me.
21 “The Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness;
According to the cleanness of my hands He has recompensed me.

22 “For I have kept the ways of the Lord,
And have not acted wickedly against my God.
23 “For all His ordinances were before me,
And as for His statutes, I did not depart from [n]them.
24 “I was also [o]blameless toward Him,
And I kept myself from my iniquity.

25 “Therefore the Lord has recompensed me according to my righteousness,
According to my cleanness before His eyes.

26 “With the [p]kind You show Yourself [q]kind,
With the [r]blameless You show Yourself [s]blameless;
27 With the pure You show Yourself pure,
And with the perverted You show Yourself [t]astute.

28 “And You save an afflicted people;
But Your eyes are on the haughty whom You abase.
29 “For You are my lamp, O Lord;
And the Lord illumines my darkness.

(This was the prayer of St Gregory Palamas also, 

"Illumine my darkness")

30 “For by You I can [u]run upon a troop;
By my God I can leap over a wall.

31 “As for God, His way is [v]blameless;
The word of the Lord is tested;
He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.
32 “For who is God, besides the Lord?
And who is a rock, besides our God?

33 “God is my strong fortress;
And He [w]sets the [x]blameless in [y]His way.
34 “He makes [z]my feet like hinds’ feet,
And sets me on my high places.

35 “He trains my hands for battle,
So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

36 “You have also given me the shield of Your salvation,
And Your [aa]help makes me great.
37 “You enlarge my steps under me,
And my [ab]feet have not slipped.

38 “I pursued my enemies and destroyed them,
And I did not turn back until they were consumed.
39 “And I have devoured them and shattered them, so that they did not rise;
And they fell under my feet.

40 “For You have girded me with strength for battle;
You have [ac]subdued under me those who rose up against me.
41 “You have also made my enemies turn their backs to me,
And I [ad]destroyed those who hated me.

42 “They looked, but there was none to save;
Even to the Lord, but He did not answer them.
43 “Then I pulverized them as the dust of the earth;
I crushed and stamped them as the mire of the streets.

44 “You have also delivered me from the contentions of my people;
You have kept me as head of the nations;
A people whom I have not known serve me.
45 “Foreigners pretend obedience to me;
As soon as they hear, they obey me.
46 “Foreigners [ae]lose heart,
And [af]come trembling out of their [ag]fortresses.

47 “The Lord lives, and blessed be my rock;
And exalted be [ah]God, the rock of my salvation,
48 The God who executes vengeance for me,
And brings down peoples under me,
49 Who also brings me out from my enemies;
You even lift me above those who rise up against me;
You rescue me from the violent man.

50 “Therefore I will give thanks to You, O Lord, among the nations,
And I will sing praises to Your name.
51 “He is a tower of [ai]deliverance to His king,
And shows lovingkindness to His anointed,
To David and his [aj]descendants forever.”

Footnotes:
a-2 Samuel 22:1 Lit palm
b-2 Samuel 22:1 Lit palm
c-2 Samuel 22:2 Lit crag
d-2 Samuel 22:3 Lit God of my rock
e-2 Samuel 22:5 Heb Belial
f-2 Samuel 22:5 Or terrified
g-2 Samuel 22:6 I.e. the nether world
h-2 Samuel 22:7 Or called
i-2 Samuel 22:9 Or in His wrath
j-2 Samuel 22:11 Many mss read sped
k-2 Samuel 22:12 Or pavilions
l-2 Samuel 22:15 Lit confused
m-2 Samuel 22:16 Or uncovered
n-2 Samuel 22:23 Lit it
o-2 Samuel 22:24 Lit complete; or having integrity
p-2 Samuel 22:26 Or loyal
q-2 Samuel 22:26 Or loyal
r-2 Samuel 22:26 Lit complete; or having integrity
s-2 Samuel 22:26 Lit complete; or having integrity
t-2 Samuel 22:27 Lit twisted
u-2 Samuel 22:30 Or crush a troop
v-2 Samuel 22:31 Lit complete; or having integrity
w-2 Samuel 22:33 Or sets free
x-2 Samuel 22:33 Lit complete; or having integrity
y-2 Samuel 22:33 Another reading is my
z-2 Samuel 22:34 Another reading is His
aa-2 Samuel 22:36 Lit answering
ab-2 Samuel 22:37 Lit ankles
ac-2 Samuel 22:40 Lit caused to bow down
ad-2 Samuel 22:41 Or silenced
ae-2 Samuel 22:46 Lit languish
af-2 Samuel 22:46 Lit gird themselves
ag-2 Samuel 22:46 Lit fastnesses
ah-2 Samuel 22:47 Lit the God of the rock
ai-2 Samuel 22:51 I.e. victories; lit salvation
aj-2 Samuel 22:51 Lit seed

"Before Thy Cross we Bow Down in Worship"

Holy Cross Orthodox Church, Yakima, WA, U.S.A.

"Before Thy Cross, we bow down in worship, O Master, and Thy holy
Resurrection we glorify." from the service for the Sunday of the Holy
Cross.

One of my favorite prayers is found in the, "Prayers before Sleep"
from the Holy Trinity Monastery Prayer-book, Jordanville, N. Y.
In it I am instructed to "Kiss thy cross and make the sign of the 
cross [with the cross] from the head to the foot of the bed, and 
likewise from side to side, while saying the prayer, "Compass me 
about O Lord with the power of Thy precious and life-giving cross
and preserve me from every evil." p.59

I have always felt very safe and protected after saying this prayer.