Sanctified Life

*"Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." How are to seek first the kingdom of God? In the following manner: let us suppose that you wish to walk, or drive, or else go in a boat somewhere on any wordly, temporal business; before doing so, first pray to the Lord that He may correct the ways of your heart, and then also your present bodily way, or that He may direct the way of your life in accordance with His commandments; desire this with all your heart, and often renew your prayer concerning this. The Lord, seeing your sincere desire and endevour to walk in accordance with His commands, will, by degrees, correct all your ways. Further, for instance, if you wish to get pure air into your room, or if you go for a walk in the fresh air, think of the pure and of the unclean heart. Many of us like to have pure air in the rooms (and this is an excellent habit), or are fond of walking in the fresh air, but they do not even think of the necessity of the purity of the spirit or heart (of, so to say, spiritual air, the breath of life); and , living in the fresh air, they allow themselves to indulge in impure thoughts, impure movements of the heart, and even impurity of language, and most impure carnal actions. Again, when seeking material light, remember the spiritual light which is indespensible for the soul, and without which it remains in the darkness of the passions, in the darkness of spiritual death. "I am come a light into the world," says the Lord, "that whosoever believeth on Me, should not abide in darkness." If you see the fury and hear the howling of the tempest, or read of shipwrecks, think of the storm of human passions causing daily groans and disturbance in the hearts of human society; and pray fervently to the Lord the He may subdue the tempest of sins, as He once subdued the tempest at sea by His word, and that He may root out our passions from our hearts, and re-establish in them unceasing tranquillity. If you experience a feeling of hunger or thirst, and wish to eat and drink, think of the hunger or thirst of the soul (it thrists after righteousness, for justification, Christ,  for sanctification), which, if you do not satisfy, your soul may die from hunger, crushed by the passions, weakened and exhausted; and in satisfying your bodily hunger, do not forget to appease, above all and before all, your spiritual hunger, by conversing with God, by heart-felt repentance for your sins, by reading the story and precepts of the Gospel, and especially by the communion of the Divine Mysteries of the Body and Blood of Christ. If you are fond of dressing elegantly, or when you put on your clothes, think of the incorruptible garment of righteousness, in which our souls should be arrayed, or of Jesus Christ Who is our spiritual raiment, as it is said: "For as many of you as have been baptised into Christ, have put on Christ." A passion for dress often entirely thrusts out from the heart the very thought of the incorruptible raiment of the soul, and turns the whole life into vain care about elegance in dress. If you are a scholar, a student in any educational establishment, or an offical in some ministry, or officer in any of the branches of the military service, or a technologist, a painter, a sculpter, a manufacturer, a mechanic--remember that the first science for each one of you is to be a true Christian, to believe sincerly in the Holy Trinity, to converse daily with God in prayer, to take part in the Divine service, to observe the rules and regulations of the Church, and to bear in your heart, before your work, during your work, and after your work, the name of Jesus, for He is our light, our strength, our holiness, and our help.* -St. John of Kronstadt

Mystery of Love

*God, deem me worthy of insight into the mystery of your love which is depicted in your dispensation for the perceptible world, in the works of your creation, and in the mystery of the Slaughter of your beloved Son.* -St. Isaac the Syrian

Υπεραγία Θεοτόκε, σώσον ημάς

In a grave they laid Thee; yet, O Christ, Thou art life. And they now have laid the Mother of Life as well: both to angels and to men a sight most strange!

We exalt thee greatly, Theotokos most pure, and now we glorify thy holy Dormition, as we bow before thine honoured and precious tomb.

In thy womb thou heldest Him who cannot be contained; thou art life to all the faithful: how canst thou die, and thy body be contained within a tomb?

Thou didst bring forth, Pure Maiden, God the heavenly King, and today in manner royal art carried forth to the Kingdom of the Heavens as a Queen.

                Holy Mother of God, thou hast passed from this world, yet in departing thou hast not forsaken those left on earth, but dost deliver this world from every ill.

All the earth sings in glory at Thy grave side, O Christ, with due reverence; and, O Master, we also praise the entombment of thy Mother, ever Pure.

                Overcome with wonder are the Angels, in awe in beholding thee, Pure Maiden, laid out as one dead; for from thee hast Light shone forth into all the world.

                O Maiden Pure and Spotless, our Heavenly Queen, once more hath God sent Gabriel down to earth with the joyful news, now that thou shouldst leave this life.

                Now the Bridegroom calls thee to rejoice in a manner both divine and most beautiful, O Bride of God, in the Bridal Chamber, holy and divine.

                Thou, O Virgin, comest today to the throne and seat of God, where the awesome and unapproachable Light shineth forth from the Trinity, illumining the place where thou dost repose.

                Departing from the earth, thou hast appeared before God. Thou wert not, O Mother of God, removed from Him, nor hath God been parted from His mother’s heart.

                Thy most honoured Body, O Mother of God, remained uncorrupted by decay as thou layest entombed; but it passed with thee from earth to heaven.

                Thine all-holy face shineth, Purest Maiden, in death; and thy countenance appeareth now as Paradise, breathing forth to all believers grace and life.

                We thy children offer lamentations and love unto thee who art our Mother: accept our gift which we offer from the depths of our souls.

                Look upon thy children who are gathered together today: may thine honoured eyes be open, that thou beholdest those who glorify with honour thy sacred repose.

                Grant us thy blessing in the opening of thy lips, O Most Holy Mother of God, departing now at the end of thy time upon the earth.

Abandon us not as orphans when thou leavest us on earth; for, O Mother, thou art taken now to heaven, to abide there with thy Son and thy God.

                Gathered at your bedside, we cry out to thee, our all-holy Virgin Mother, with fervent voice: “Save the faithful and have mercy upon us!”

                Mother Anna, join us: come and stand in our midst! Come and lead the celebration of this glad feast of thy holy daughter, the Mother of our God!

                Come, let us lift up praise and glory to God who hath summoned to the Holy of Holies today one who is yet greater than the holiest of Saints.

                Filled with gladness, Heaven receiveth her Queen; for the Mother of creation cometh in glory and appeareth in glory, reigning with her God.

                Now the God of Glory takes His mother to Him and the Son who hath received thee, O Purest One, hath prepared for thee a seat at His right Hand.

Glory to the Father and the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

                Unto the Father and the Holy Spirit we with gladness sound forth hymns today, O Word and God of all, and we glorify Thy divine countenance.

Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

                Every generation calls thee blessed, and thy holy, pure Dormition we glorify, O Mother of God, ever-Virgin, Sovereign Queen!

                 In a grave they laid Thee; yet, O Christ, Thou art life. And they now have laid the Mother of Life as well: both to angels and to men a sight most strange!

-First Stasis of the Lamentations for the Dormition of the Theotokos