Devotional - March 5, 2010

“Cry out, O sinner, with all your might, for the Lord is merciful and loves those who repent. As soon as you repent, your Father will come out to meet you and rejoice with you.” — St. Ephraim the Syrian

Beloved in Christ,

Our third Little Compline with Akathistos Hymn to the Theotokos will be sung tonight at 7:00 p.m.

This Sunday is the Adoration of the Precious Cross, marking the half-way point of Great Lent. The following is a quote from a sermon given by St. Theodore the Studite (+826) on the 3rd Friday in Lent.

“Fasting then is good, because it tames the passions and subjects the flesh to the spirit; weeping is good, because it wipes clean and washes the heart of sins and sets it pure before the Lord; prayer is good, because it gives the mind wings and makes it a companion of God; love is good, because it disregards what concerns itself for the advantage of the neighbor; zeal is good, because it lightens toils and makes the spirit young, as it makes the elder young again. Therefore let us become cheerful, let us be eager. The moment for psalmody? Let us advance keenly. The moment for work? Let us work earnestly. The moment for stillness? Let us be still reasonably. The time for talk? Let us talk suitably. And to speak simply, doing everything decently and in order,[1 Cor. 14,40.] as we have been instructed; let us remain outside tumult and all idle chatter.”

In Christ,

Fr Michael