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Thank you for listening and most importantly, thank God for giving us the opportunity to share, learn and profit spiritually.

I take it to mean the impossibility of sharing the spiritual treasures we have collected on the day of judgement or even before. Abraham could not even share a cup of water with the rich man (Luke 16:26). I also take it as a reminder to go and buy some of this oil from the vendors while we have...

Sorry for the late response, my donkey (body) had to work for his daily hay. Hay of course are the pleasures of our five bodily senses, which the five foolish virgins wasted their life satisfying (1 Corinthians 3:12). The oil on the other hand, which the wise virgins as lambs following the Lamb...

I don't know much about Francis of Assisi to comment, but I find the Desert Fathers fascinating. Even if their zeal for perfection (Matthew 19:21) is beyond my reach, by reading their stories I can't help it but be humble about my own indifference. Their gentleness is especially noteworthy. Even...

There's a story in Saint John Cassian's Conferences, when discussing the gift of discernment (discretion), that illustrates the exact same sentiment you have just expressed: There was once a very zealous brother who was greatly troubled by the demon of fornication. He went to a certain father...

Indeed! Very much like Heraclitus' philosophy about the Logos, which comes very close in describing Christ, hence the use by St John the Evangelist, Tao is the word of choice when translating Logos into Chinese: "In the beginning was the Tao..."

Which is very unfortunate, as the greatest teaching of Christ (imo) was His silence when accused and during His sufferings. As a certain wise man said: The gentlest thing in the world overcomes the hardest thing in the world. That which has no substance enters where there is no space. This...

There's a story in the Desert Fathers, if you allow me... Abba Daniel said, ‘At Babylon the daughter of an important person was possessed by a devil. A monk for whom her father had a great affection said to him, “No-one can heal your daughter except some anchorites (hermits) whom I know; but if...

Demons don't need to possess us in order to influence us in doing those things. They 'whisper' thoughts in our heart all the time and because of our inattentiveness we accept them as our own and they gradually shape our beliefs, emotions and behavior until we reach the point of committing all...

Gentile slave, if spoken without gender distinction is the body in as much as it is foreign (of a different nature) to the soul, which is always our point of reference. Μale gentile slave is anger (θυμός) and female gentile slave is desire (επιθυμία), both powers of our animal nature which we...

Hebrew slave is the reason or if you wish, common sense that serves the mind (the owner) in accomplishing the works of virtue (the number six) as if ordering and maintaining his house (soul). Before the soul is established in virtue, reason (along with the mind) is subject to whatever passion(s)...

It seems to me that you 've put a lot of work into that post, not counting the hours you 've spent in the past praying (watering) and studying (planting) those verses, and though you are downplaying the importance of those works by your words, the effort you have just expended proves otherwise...

But ViJ our part is the only part that we should be concerned - it's our part after all - namely to cultivate the divine seed and if it grows and bears fruit, acknowledge that to God who gave the increase belongs all glory. 1 Corinthians 3:6-8 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the...

Scripture condemns rather sharply those who ask that question. LXX Psalms 73:6,8,9,11,12 Therefore pride has possessed them; they have clothed themselves with their injustice and ungodliness... They have taken counsel and spoken in wickedness: they have uttered unrighteousness loftily. They...

Persons 2 and 3 are doing great spiritual work (humility), especially the last one. Yes, charity is a good work, but where there's no humility (person 1) all is rotten. In doubting one's a good Christian, persons 2 and 3 are working out their salvation with fear and trembling... with humility...

I thought it was intentional... but maybe it was just providential, as my mind associated it with the valley of dry bones and the rather animated re-animation of the saints: Ezekiel 37:7-10 : So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I prophesied, there was a sound, and behold, a rattling, and...

But the Christian way is more like 1 Corinthians 6:7 or even like the following: Saint Longinus lived in the reign of the Emperor Tiberius (AD 15-34). He came from Cappadocia and served as a centurion in the Roman army, under the orders of Pilate, the Governor of Judaea. He and his men were...

Peculiar choice of word... perhaps you are making an association with a certain valley (Ezekiel 37:1-14)?

The way you asked the question you have already provided the answer. Let me rephrase it: There is heaven where Jesus is. I only had to crucify (replace) the letter W (as in the World), with the cross like letter T to experience it/Him.

I suspect what I'm about to say is not what you expect, but here it goes: There are four different kinds of Sabbaths, each representing successive stages in our spiritual maturity. The first, the weekly Sabbath, is spiritually celebrated when, with God’s help (always) we cease from sinning in...