Tag: trust in the Lord
In the midst of chaos and pain, the Lord is our refuge
Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge. I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you.—Ps 16: 1-2 One way of learning about oneself on a deeper level, is to pay attention to the stream of conscious thoughts that goes through the mind just before… Read More ›
Psalm 49(48): 14-21: God will ransom me!
1. As it gradually develops, the Liturgy of Vespers presents to us the sapiential Psalm 49[48], whose second part has just been proclaimed (cf. vv. 14-21). This section of the Psalm, like the previous part (cf. vv. 1-13) on which we have already reflected, also condemns the illusion to which idolizing riches gives rise. This… Read More ›
Psalm 21(20): For the king trusts in the Lord!
1. At the heart of Psalm 21[20], the Liturgy of Vespers has left out the part we have just heard and omitted another section with an imprecatory tone (cf. vv. 9-13). The remaining preserved part speaks in the past and in the present of the favours God has granted the king, while the omitted part… Read More ›
Psalm 20(19): Grant victory, O Lord!
1. The final invocation: “Give victory to the king, O Lord, give answer on the day we call” (Ps 20[19]: 10), reveals to us the origin of Psalm 20[19] that we have just heard and upon which we will now meditate. We are looking, therefore, at a royal Psalm of ancient Israel that was proclaimed during a… Read More ›
The careful shepherd watches over Christ’s flock
In her voyage across the ocean of this world, the Church is like a great ship being pounded by the waves of life’s different stresses. Our duty is not to abandon ship but to keep her on her course. The ancient fathers showed us how we should carry out this duty: Clement, Cornelius and many… Read More ›
No one can avoid affliction
No one on this earth can avoid affliction; and although the afflictions which the Lord sends are not great men imagine them beyond their strength and are crushed by them. This is because they will not humble their souls and commit themselves to the will of God. But the Lord Himself guides with His grace… Read More ›
Prayers for the Faithful departed
Psalm 130 De Profundis Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord; Lord, hear my voice. Let Your ears be attentive to my voice in supplication. If You, O Lord, mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand? But with You is forgiveness, that You may be revered. I trust in the Lord; my soul… Read More ›
Trust in the Lord and you will lack for nothing
There was another holy man called Helenus who had been serving the Lord since boyhood. Schooled in the ways of chastity and moderation in all things, he had become a very praiseworthy person. While he was still a boy in the monastery, if he needed to ask a neighbor for fire, he would carry burning… Read More ›
Faith and Trust
It was said of Abba Macarius the Egyptian that one day when he was going up from Scetis with a load of baskets, he sat down, overcome with weariness and began to say to himself, “My God, you know very well that I cannot go any farther,” and immediately he found himself at the river…. Read More ›
The Lord Is Watching Over Your Struggle
There was another brother fiercely attacked by a spirit of fornication who got up in the middle of the night in order to go and confess his temptations to a certain holy old man who had a reputation of great wisdom. When the old man had heard him he gave him some spiritual advice on… Read More ›