Never believe in earthly lies that you are absolutely alone and in a little while you are lost forever

  Never believe in earthly lies that you are absolutely alone and in a little while you are lost forever. "Appearances are deceiving" as he liked to say to Koustenis. "Because there are times when we believe, sometimes it is true and sometimes it is a lie of course and in imagination, that no one wants us, that we are alone, that we are abandoned at the bottom of the  earth and so much more. And we suffer and become bitter and sad and suffer so much and so much. Let us know only one thing: That even if no one wants us and we are of no use to anyone, the Lord wants us and we are of use to Him, we are precious to Him, we are unique to Him! ". Whether you believe it or not, the sweetest Jesus Christ is looking only at you at this moment so that you can say to Him a "rejoice, Lord!" and to keep company only with you of all the people on Earth while at the same time He is looking at all the others, each one separately and one by one and makes them feel warm and waits for at least a "hello" with His eyes, gentle, sweet, humble, attached to us invisibly, to each one exclusively and to all of us together, because He is God and He can.

Do not worry about tomorrow

 “Do not worry about tomorrow, do not fight with your thoughts, do not seek solutions only with your mind. Cast all your burden on Christ and say to Him with simplicity: “You know, You can, take care!” And from that moment you feel that everything becomes light. It is no longer yours, it is God’s.”

 

Saint Porphyrios of Kavsokalyvite

For the Sacred Tradition, passages from the Holy Bible

 

Psalms 77 or 78, 3-4

Which we have heard and known, And our fathers have told us.

We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come,

The praises of the LORD, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done.

Joel 1,3

Tell it to your children,   and let your children tell it to their children,  and their children to the next generation.

2 Thessalonians 2, 15

So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the teachings[c] we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.

2 Thessalonians 3, 6

In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers and sisters, to keep away from every believer who is idle and disruptive and does not live according to the teaching you received from us.

1 Corinthians 11,2

I praise you for remembering me in everything and for holding to the traditions just as I passed them on to you.

Philippians 4, 9

Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

 

2 John12

I have much to write to you, but I do not want to use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to visit you and talk with you face to face, so that our joy may be complete.

3 John13-14

I have much to write you, but I do not want to do so with pen and ink.  I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face.

 

When the Hexapsalmos is being read…

We may make the sign of the Cross at the beginning and at the end of the Hexapsalmos. During its entire reading, however—even in the middle, when we say the “Glory… Both now… Alleluia…”—we do not make the sign of the Cross, but rather follow “in all silence and compunction” the Reader, who “with reverence and the fear of God” reads the Hexapsalmos.

For this time of reading prefigures the time of the Second Coming of the Lord, during which, with fear and trembling, we shall await His final judgment upon us.

And just as it will be then, so now we must, in silence, standing, motionless, without moving about or—most of all—without making the slightest noise, follow this reading attentively.

(Particular attention is needed during the evening services of Holy Week, which are in fact the Orthros of the following day. For at that time, distracted, we often enter the church without noticing that the Hexapsalmos is being read. In such cases we must remain still at the entrance of the main nave and, only after the reading has ended, move to take our place.)

The Hexapsalmos consists of the following psalms:

Psalm 3: Symbolizes the steadfast hope of the soul in God.

Psalm 37: A lament of the soul for the burden of sins.

Psalm 62: A gentle, comforting morning prayer.

Psalm 87: A supplication of a soul crushed by misfortunes.

Psalm 102: A prayer of thanksgiving for God’s blessings.

Psalm 142: A fervent plea for help.

The Hexapsalmos is the compunctious reading (with everyone standing) of the above six out of the 150 psalms written by David. It is at once hymn, supplication, and prophecy.

SOURCE: “Saint Minas” – Quarterly Publication of the Holy Metropolis of Kastoria

The drunkard is possessed as long as his drunkenness lasts.

 The drunkard is possessed as long as his drunkenness lasts.

The entire demon of drunkenness enters his head in order to throw him into sin, e.g. fornication, blasphemy, anger, murder, etc.

Drunkenness and drugs are demons.

The demon of drunkenness is greater and stronger than the demon of drugs, but drugs cause more damage than alcohol.

The drunkard, if he does not stop his passion, is condemned.

And indeed, he is condemned directly, he is not even put through the tollhouses!

Drunkenness is counted among the deadly sins.

The Fathers said a saying:

The first glass is of God.

The second is of men.

The third is of reason.

The fourth is of passion, and

the fifth is of the devil.

And from then on, man is drunk…

Elder Ephraim, Skete of Saint Andrew, Mount Athos +