Spiritual life

Look around you

Look around you

06 June 2014

Priest Ernesto Obregon

Monks stop permanently. They leave the world, in a sense, to learn to look around them and to really see this world and the people and creatures that God has created.

On Prayer XII: Prayer For the Departed

On Prayer XII: Prayer For the Departed

05 June 2014

Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeyev)

We, who remain on earth, can ask God that He lighten this person’s lot. And the Church believes that the departed’s posthumous lot is lightened by the prayers of those who pray for him here on earth.

On Prayer XI: Prayer For Our Neighbors

On Prayer XI: Prayer For Our Neighbors

03 June 2014

Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeyev)

We should pray for our neighbors not because God does not know how to save them, but because He wants us to participate in one another’s salvation. Of course, He Himself knows what everyone needs: ...

On Prayer X: Prayer Before Icons

On Prayer X: Prayer Before Icons

31 May 2014

Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeyev)

One can see here the difference between Protestant and Orthodox prayer. In the Orthodox tradition, prayer is more concrete. Contemplating the icon of Christ, we look as if through a window opening up ...

On Prayer IX: The Disposition of the Body at Prayer

On Prayer IX: The Disposition of the Body at Prayer

27 May 2014

Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeyev)

The fact is that body and spirit are inextricably linked in man, and the spirit cannot act completely autonomously from the body. It was no accident that the ancient Fathers said: “If the body does ...

Christian Life: A User Manual

Christian Life: A User Manual

26 May 2014

Hieromonk Makary (Markish)

Can one write a brief guide to Christian life? Yes, one can. And there will only be one rule in it.

On Prayer VIII: The Danger of Habituation

On Prayer VIII: The Danger of Habituation

23 May 2014

Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeyev)

Prayer is only valuable when we feel that, thanks to it, something changes in us, that we begin to live differently.

On Prayer VII: Prayer Rules

On Prayer VII: Prayer Rules

21 May 2014

Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeyev)

It seems to me that, for someone living in the world, not only fifteen but even five minutes of morning and evening prayer can be enough to be a true Christian – as long, of course, as they are said ...

On Prayer VI: Orthodox Prayer Books

On Prayer VI: Orthodox Prayer Books

17 May 2014

Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeyev)

People who daily “read through” the morning and evening prayers constantly have the temptations of reading the “rule” as quickly as possible in order to get on with the business of the day.

On Prayer V: Prayer and Life

On Prayer V: Prayer and Life

15 May 2014

Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeyev)

If our life is not a preparation for prayer, then it can be very difficult for us to pray. Prayer is the gauge of our spiritual life, a kind of litmus test. We need to construct our life in such a ...

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