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The essence of prayer lies not in the words of the prayer, but in the spirit (desire) with which we fill these words: it is either humility and entrusting ourselves (and everyone and everything) to God, or an attempt to change God and circumstances by our own efforts – to escape, to come down from the Cross! Prayer is life itself (in Christ), and the words (texts of prayers) are just an Orthodox tuning fork that the ascetic of prayer (life in God, in the name of Jesus Christ) uses when needed to restore the tone (or pitch) of humble constant joy and gratitude for everything to God, the tone of good deeds, fulfilling God’s will, commandments, and giving oneself wholly to Christ God (and: “Thy will be done; not as I will, but as Thou wilt, O Lord!”).
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“No matter how heavy the cross a person carries, the tree from which it is made grew in the soil of their heart.” (The cross itself does not bring blessings! One must look at it through the eyes of Christ, crucify oneself with Christ (crucify one’s ego, ingratitude, and pride)! With humility (“according to my deeds”) and thanksgiving (“glory to Thee, O God”, “remember me, O Lord, in Thy Kingdom”) drink the cup of sorrows given to us by the Father-Love, and from which the Son of God first drank for me!
All reality (at every moment) is an ocean of Love (God’s), from which I have not yet tasted a single drop. The cross is an opportunity to partake of God, God’s Love. The only possibility! Outside the Cross, there is no joy!
“If you see that you have no love, but wish to have it, then do deeds of love, at first even without love (as a servant, fulfill God’s commandments). The Lord will see your desires and efforts and will put LOVE in your heart” (become a good and faithful servant to eventually become a son). “Living simply is best. Don’t overthink. Pray to God. The Lord will arrange everything. Don’t torture yourself with thoughts about how and what to do. Let it be as it happens – this is living more simply.” “Do not be afraid, do not torment yourself (about tomorrow, about the future, you have enough worries and concerns now, here and now!) – God will arrange everything for good and salvation.” “Live without sorrow, do not judge anyone, do not bother anyone, and give everyone my respect (humility before all).” “Living according to the heart means not interfering in others’ affairs and seeing all good in others” (St. Ambrose of Optina).
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God is the Creator and Lord of heaven and earth, and as such, He is essentially invisible, incomprehensible, dwelling in the mystery of His transcendence. But He reveals Himself. People do not reveal God; God reveals Himself to people. And He reveals Himself not to the proud, who consider themselves wise and intelligent, but to the humble, the little “children,” “infants,” “poor in spirit,” remaining hidden from the haughty. As the apostle Paul rhetorically asks: “Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this world? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?” (1 Cor. 1:20). Being a believing Christian does not mean knowing all the teachings and theories about the New Testament, about Jesus Christ (all sorts of theologies, all of Scripture)… Faith is knowledge not about Christ, but knowledge of Christ Himself (knowledge of the Meek and Humble). And such knowledge is attained not by dubious earthly wisdom, but by the revelation of heavenly Grace (which only the humble, the “poor in spirit” can receive, while others cannot contain it!).
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The devil does not sleep – he sings lullabies (lulling the dead so that none of them might hear the voice of God and rise from the dead)! But the Lord awakens (with sorrows, troubles, illnesses, sufferings, catastrophes, pandemics…) to Eternal Life!
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Christianity (the Church, the Eucharist) is a personal relationship of a person with God, with Jesus Christ! Not impersonal relationships – with commandments, rituals, ranks, that is, it is not religious piety, but life in Christ, it is hypostatic life in love for the Person of Jesus Christ (the Holy Trinity, the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit), for the Christ’s (Mother of God, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and all the saints). The Church of Christ is not a religion! The human heart changes (heals) not from pious religious actions, but from personal repentant-grateful relationships with Christ, with the Living Person (in the Holy Spirit), and not with the dead formal letter of the law-religion-Scripture!
The Church (being Love in Christ, Love for Jesus Christ) teaches us to love Jesus Christ. Life in the Church develops relationships, but these are personal, hypostatic relationships between a person and Christ (and in Christ with the Father and the Holy Spirit, and with the whole world), and not between a person and the teaching of Christ. The Gospel, the Sacraments, the rites, rituals – these are what help us reach the pinnacle of love for the Lord Jesus Christ. The main thing is not labor and work, but Love. We are created not for work in the sweat of our face, but for Love, for the Eternal Wedding Feast in the Kingdom of God, in the peace (that is, blessedness) of the Holy Trinity. We are called from non-existence to existence, that is, to the Wedding (see the parable of those invited to the supper). And at the wedding, the guests do not work but only rejoice for the Host of the celebration and for the fellow feasters!