The Fathers say that those who do not make the sign of the Cross before and after eating resemble animals

 The Fathers say that those who do not make the sign of the Cross before and after eating resemble animals. There have been many people who, by saying a prayer before consuming food that was spoiled or poisoned, suffered absolutely no ill effects! Because they made the sign of the Cross with faith, the Grace of the Holy Spirit acted upon that food, rendering it edible and harmless!

However, when one fails to make the sign of the Cross before eating, even wholesome food can cause harm, for a demon may be lurking within the substance of the food itself! Demons have the power to enter into matter—especially water—which is why we should make the sign of the Cross before drinking water.

Everything we consume—whether food or drink—should be sealed by us with the sign of the Cross. This is why people in the past were stronger in body and mind; they possessed greater faith and made the sign of the Cross during every aspect of their lives, especially before eating and drinking.

Elder Ephraim of the Skete of Saint Andrew

To receive and to give

 There are two lakes in Palestine: the Sea of ​​Galilee and the Dead Sea.

They share a common characteristic: both receive the waters of the Jordan River.

However, the Sea of ​​Galilee receives the water and allows it to flow out toward the south.

The Dead Sea receives the waters of the Jordan and keeps them for itself.

In the Sea of ​​Galilee, there is abundant life—both within the lake and around it.

In the Dead Sea, there is not a trace of life.

The Dead Sea symbolically illustrates what happens when someone keeps things only for themselves.

To receive and to give— that is the secret to a fulfilled life.

Archbishop Anastasios of Albania.

The Holy Cross transformed from an object into a person, distinct from the Holy Trinity.

 Because the Blood of Christ was shed upon the Wood on which He was crucified, the Precious Cross—once merely an object—became a distinct entity, separate from the Holy Trinity. Thus, the Cross acts with its own omnipotence; depending on one's faith, it either heals or punishes. The Precious Cross possesses the very same power as God Himself! God willed this to be so because the Cross bears His All-Holy Blood—Blood that also contains the Divinity of Christ. The Precious Wood does not burn; furthermore, if placed in a glass of water, it does not float like ordinary wood but sinks to the bottom! Moreover, without the need for any prayer or the making of the Sign of the Cross, that water becomes Great Holy Water! Many have attempted to burn a fragment of the Precious Wood, only to be consumed by fire themselves! Shortly before the Second Coming, all the fragments of the Precious Wood distributed throughout the world will reunite to form the Precious Wood in its original state; it will then be raised high into the heavens, shining more brilliantly than a myriad of suns—a sign that the King of Glory, who was crucified upon that very Wood, is about to appear.

Elder Ephraim of the Skete of Saint Andrew

Is it, then, a lie?

 Is it, then, a lie?

You said, Lord, that You are Love. Yet around me, hatred reigns.

Is the power of love, then, a lie?

You said, Lord, that You are the Light. Darkness reigns around me. Is the significance of light, then, a lie?

You said, Lord, that You are the Way. Yet very few around me follow You. Is the true Way, then, a lie?

You said, Lord, "My peace I give to you." Yet around me, we see no true peace—neither in hearts, nor between individuals, nor, on a grand scale, between nations. Wars cease in some parts of the earth only to ignite new conflagrations elsewhere, with all the terrible consequences such situations entail. Is the offer of Your peace, then, a lie?

You said, Lord, that You are the Truth. Around me, I see the lie worshipped with a kind of frenzy.

Is the allure of truth, then, a lie?

You said, Lord, "Behold, I am with you... until the end of the age." Yet, the people around me live as if You never existed at all, as if You never set foot on our earth. And everything seems to show that You are the Great Absent One. Is our faith, then, a lie? Is it all a tragic delusion—as some proclaim with fanaticism and by every possible means?

My child,

I did not come to force upon anyone all that you mention and all that I proclaimed through word and deed; I said categorically: "Whoever wishes to come after Me... let him follow Me." "Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him." Even to those who accepted My invitation, I said—prompted by the departure of some who had rejected Me—"Do you also wish to go away?" Free from Me. I do not want anyone to follow Me by compulsion, but freely. How, then, could you not see the things you mention to Me, given that people do not wish to follow Me?

How could the things you observe not exist?

Indeed, Lord! These doubts are voiced by those who do not believe in You, Lord; that is why they deem unattainable the very things You both embody and impart. Indeed, You never sought to impose them. You asked that we follow You freely—those of us who wish to do so. Yet, for those of us who follow You freely and with all our hearts, we taste the blessings You offer and experience Your presence within us, wholeheartedly embracing the word of Your Grace. No matter how hard the world strives for these things without You, it will never taste them as realities during its fleeting earthly sojourn.

Therefore, I can never, in any way, accept these expressions of doubt, my Lord! I fervently beseech You: "Lord, increase our faith! Increase our faith! Increase our faith"—a faith steadfast and unshakable in Your all-holy Person and in all that You have assured us once and for all!

(From Father Eusebius’s book *Katoptrismoi* [Reflections])

The Blood of the Lamb in Holy Communion deeply sustains the soul and upholds the world

 "The Blood of the Lamb in Holy Communion deeply sustains the soul and upholds the world, enabling it to stand firm.

This is why the whole world ought to be at the Divine Liturgy, for the continuation of its life is a gift of the Divine Liturgy.

Therefore, as long as there are people who seek repentance and Holy Communion, Satan will have no power."

Saint Arsenius of Romania