Quote of the Day: Elder Ephraim of Philotheou

Compel yourselves; say the prayer; stop idle talk; close your mouths to criticism; place doors and locks against unnecessary words. Time passes and does not come back, and woe to us if time goes by without spiritual profit.

Quote of the Day: Elder Ephraim of Philotheou

Is there anyone who has entered paradise by a different path, a path without temptations, whom we can imitate? No. All the saints passed through fire and water, through various temptations and afflictions, and they glorified God with their patience and received crowns of eternal glory...when we are still in our youth, we must be tempted, for youth is easily derailed. In time, the war will cease and the desired grace will come. Just have courage and patience. Do not despair, no matter how much the passions may fight you...do not lose courage in the struggle; our Christ is invisibly standing by.

Quote of the Day: Elder Ephraim of Philotheou

"Be more afraid of interior criticism, criticism in thought - and this, because it does not come to light through the spoken word, where is it likely to be corrected by those who hear it. Be careful, I say, about criticism from within, which imperceptibly makes us fatally guilty and deprives us of the life of divine grace and offers, as a most bitter drink, the death of the soul."

American Orthodoxy?

There are some amazingly appalling websites out there purporting to represent the Orthodox Church. This article about the priestly spiritual children of Elder Ephraim (Philotheotis) of St. Anthony's Monastery in Arizona, however, takes the cake. I've heard it all before, but no one ever dared put the ridiculous things they were saying in writing. Or so I thought. God protect us...