One less project

I was recently enlightened, with the fonar’ of Felix Culpa, that selected letters of Igumen Nikon have already been translated and published and, therefore, I will cease their publication on this blog and proceed to other projects I have in mind. As you, hopefully, have seen, the letters of Igumen Nikon are nutritious nourishment for [...]

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Letters to Spiritual Children, Part XIII

I received your letter about Fr. V. The very fact that you are uneasy witnesses to your error. Hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye. [Matt 7:5] This points to a deep psychological fact. If [...]

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Letters to Spiritual Children, Part XII

… Concerning the spiritual life, I don’t think I need to write to you. The most important thing demanded of you is to try with all your strength to preserve peace with your household and if you get upset then ask forgiveness and grant forgiveness as soon as possible. The enemy will try to take [...]

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Letters to Spiritual Children, Part XI

Think more often about death and who will meet you there. Bright angels may meet you or dark, evil demons may surround you. From one look at them you could lose your mind. In this our salvation consists: to be saved, that is, to not fall into the hands of the demons but to be [...]

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Letters to Spiritual Children, Part X

My dearest M! You are already despairing and becoming flustered from a small temptation. The Lord is allowing it so that you would know your weakness and understand how much is lurking in the soul of man, and what kind of toil you have to bear in order to cleanse yourself from passions, become a [...]

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Letters to Spiritual Children, Part IX

I received your letter. It wouldn’t be worth it to answer but then, if I didn’t answer you might think that I was offended by you so I decided to write a reply. 1. My opinion had to have been stamped upon your mind: I am not able in any way to direct in the [...]

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Letters to Spiritual Children, Part VIII

The Lord wants the salvation of every man but not every person wants salvation in deed. According to their words everyone wants salvation but in their deeds they reject salvation. How do they reject it? Not by sins, for there were great sinners such as thieves, as Mary of Egypt and others. They repented of [...]

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Time for Repentance

While statistically it may not be 100% true, I believe this thought sums up the the plague of cancer as well as the other long-term, mostly terminal ails of the modern world. It’s evident that God has a particular determination that a majority of people die from cancer. The sickness is without hope and gives [...]

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Letters to Spiritual Children, Part VII

Dear M. and K.! Peace to you and the Lord’s salvation! I received your letter. The Lord has visited you with an illness because, of course, it is necessary for your salvation. “We must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God,” [Acts 14:22] is a spiritual law. The Apostles, martyrs, monastics and all [...]

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Letters to Spiritual Children, Part VI

The closer someone is, in reality and not in one’s fantasy, to God, the more they feel unworthy, sinful and more sinful than all people. This is how the Holy Fathers felt; there are many examples of which you yourself know. The publican felt sinful for another reason. But admitting to his sinfulness he did [...]

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Letters to Spiritual Children, Part V

Another letter with words of wisdom from Igumen Nikon (Vorobyov). The closer someone is, in reality and not in one’s fantasy, to God, the more they feel unworthy, sinful and more sinful than all people. This is how the Holy Fathers felt; there are many examples of which you know. The publican felt sinful for [...]

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Penitential letter from Igumen Nikon (Vorobyov) to Fr. Raphael (Sheichenko) of Optina

At the time that Igumen Nikon was a parish priest at Kozelsk, Fr. Raphael (Sheichenko), who had been at Optina until it was closed, was freed from work camp and returned to Kozelsk to be the second priest at the church with Igumen Nikon. At some point the wiles of the devil sewed discord between [...]

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Letters to Spiritual Children, Part IV

“Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness.” [Matt. 6:33] With his own power can man provide for himself? If you labor bodily you need to labor spiritually as well. You need to work as much on your heart, probably more, than on a garden. If a man pays hired workers will the [...]

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Letters to Spiritual Children, part IV

Another translation I have made from the letters of Igumen Nikon (Vorobyov). The soul can’t but be in pain until it feels that it has received forgiveness for the multitude of sins committed. As for repentance, we are only able to repent poorly. If someone is repenting of their sins while at the same time [...]

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Letters to Spiritual Children, Part III

Another letter from Igumen Nikon (Vorobyov) to a spiritual daughter; written in 1952. Revealing itself to me more and more is the deep fallenness of humanity and, in turn, the meaning of our Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ. Deeds can in no way save any soul; there is only one salvation: Christ, who saves those [...]

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Letters to Spiritual Children, Part II

My dears! Peace be to you, the peace of God which is superior to all understanding and unites man to God. In order for this peace to overshadow man it is necessary to labor to acquire a peaceful disposition of soul, tolerating the deficiencies of one another and forgiving all people all sorts of offenses. [...]

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Letters to Spiritual Children, Part I

One thing that I have found out since being in Russia is that there were a lot more elders and spiritual fathers of a great degree during the Soviet years. I had long been under the impression that with the death of the last Optina elder the sources were pretty much dried up. This, however, [...]

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Kickin’ it with the OSB

As the web-log-o-sphere (at least the part that I frequent) is humming with feelings from discontent and worse to glee concerning the “Orthodox Study Bible,” I figured I might as well throw caution to the wind and contribute some comments. Having always been a fan of a little Bible study, when I started exploring the [...]

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