Be Always With Me and in Me (Part III)

My beloved spiritual children in Christ Our Only True God and Our Only True Savior,
CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE. Ο ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ ΕΝ ΤΩ ΜΕΣΩ ΗΜΩΝ! ΚΑΙ ΗΝ ΚΑΙ ΕΣΤΙ ΚΑΙ ΕΣΤΑΙ.

BE ALWAYS WITH ME AND IN ME (Part III)

By Saint John of Kronstadt

When during prayer you doubt in the possibility of the fulfillment of any of your petitions, then remember that to God it is possible to give you all things, excepting direct evil, which is only proper to the Devil--that the word itself, or your petition itself concerning anything, is already a sure guarantee on your part that its fulfillment is possible; for if you can only think of something, either possible or impossible to the Lord, to Whom the thought is already deed, if He pleases to fulfill it. Even for yourself the blessing already exists in the word, and only does not exist in the deed; but in order to fulfill a petition, God has the Son, the Creator, and the Holy Spirit the Accomplisher. To the possibility of accomplishing all things, add His Infinite Mercy, by which He is the Ever-Flowing source of being, as well as of all the gifts of being.

He is the God of gifts, the God of mercy and bounties. "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you," (Saint Matthew 7:47). Add to this God's great wisdom, by which, in bestowing gifts upon us, He chooses that which is best for us, and which corresponds to our spiritual and bodily state. On your part is required only firm, undoubting assurance in the possibility of the Lord's fulfillment of your petition, and also that your prayer should absolutely be good, for good, and not for anything evil. "Your Father, which is in heaven, it is said, shall give good things to them that ask him" (Saint Matthew 7:11).

When praying to God, we must have such firm, unshaken faith that doubt in anything would be difficult and even impossible, and therefore, we must have inscribed in our hearts and words: "with God all things are possible" (Saint Mark 10:27). We must also have the lively assurance that God fulfills everything; that His Being is love and mercy; that His business and, as though, His nature is to create, to give, to forgive, to be bountiful, to fulfill our requests. "And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer believing, ye shall receive" (St. Matthew 21:22). Also, we must carefully watch our heart, that it should not lie, that every word should come out of its depths:  "out of the depths have i cried unto thee, o lord!" (Psalm 130:1); that is, we must be most careful of the truth of the prayer, of that sincerity, which makes all the words of the prayer composed by others our own words, and which esteems every word as true.

"He that hath ears to hear, let him hear!"

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HOW TO PREPARE FOR A SALVIFIC CONFESSION
By Saint Theophan the Recluse

For a salvific confession, one must prepare himself sufficiently. Whoever has read this narrative thus far is ready. Proceed with reverence and faith!

(1) Firmly convinced of the necessity of this Sacrament (Mystery or Mysterion), go to it--not as though it were some new part of your life or just a simple custom, but with complete faith that for you as a sinner, this is the only possible way to be saved. By skipping it, you will be numbered among the condemned, and, consequently, you will be outside of any mercy. By not entering this clinic, your spirit will not regain its health and you will remain as you were, sick and disturbed. You will not see the Kingdom if you do not enter it through the door of repentance.

(2) By these convictions engender the desire for this Sacrament. Go to it not as to the slaughter, but as to fountain of blessings. Whoever vividly represents to himself the fruit born in us through the holy Sacrament of Confession could not but long for it. A man goes to it all in wounds from head to toe, and he returns from it healthy in all his members, alive, strong, and with a feeling of safety from future infection. He goes there weighed down by a heavy yoke--the whole sum of past sins on him. It torments him and deprives him of all peace. He returns light, joyful, and with a consoling disposition of spirit that he has received a charter of complete forgiveness. (Source: Orthodox Heritage)

(To be continued)

Please note: If for some reason, one feels embarrassed to go to confession to one's own parish priest, there is an option, and that option is to see a monk-priest, in one of our monasteries, or a priest from the another Orthodox parish nearby. However no one should feel embarrassed. The father confessor does not seat in judgment of one confessing. The priest embraces the penitent with love, respect, and compassion. He is there to offer spiritual support, encouragement to live a more virtues life and to offer fatherly guidance. And do not forget that one confesses to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for He is the Only One Who has the authority to forgive sins. It is imperative that the penitent who confesses, confesses with contrition of heart, sincerity, regret, tears, and most of all repentance.

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"Glory Be To GOD For All Things!"--Saint John Chrysostom

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With sincere agape in His Holy Diakonia,
The sinner and unworthy servant of God

+Father George