He was drawn from the water, and then Drawn into fire. We remember Moses, Who fled to Midian and Found on Horeb A bush that burned Without being consumed. Light without heat, Presence without possession. He led Israel through the sea As though it were dry ground, and Climbed Nebo To die within sight of a Promised Land he would not enter. Yet he entered. On Tabor he stood beside Elias In the uncreated light, His long waiting was fulfilled in Christ, Glorified and Transfigured.

Five weeks from today, on August 6, we celebrate the great Feast of the Transfiguration, when Christ ascended Mount Tabor and shone before Peter, James, and John with a light not of this world. I have stood on that mountain. Tabor rises alone from the Jezreel Valley. The road to its summit climbs in tight switchbacks that force you to slow, to turn, to ascend in earnest. At the top, looking out over the green hills of Galilee, I felt my own calling to the contemplative life q

Heavenly Father ... Through the life of St. Anthony the Great, You reveal the beauty of Complete surrender. He heard Your call, Left everything behind, and Sought You alone In the silence of the desert. Though tempted and Tested by the enemy, His heart remained fixed on You. Grant us, O Lord, Even a measure of his courage, To release our attachments To embrace simplicity, and To trust in Your provision. May his example kindle deep within us A deeper hunger for prayer and Stil

Each week I send a short reflection to help you deepen your relationship with the Holy Spirit. If you have a question or a prayer request, please reach out here . Read : "By the Holy Spirit all creation is renewed and thus returns to its first state" (Matins, Antiphon 2, 7 Dec 25). Ponder : How much do you reflect on the past and present? Do you wish things were different? Does that make you feel regret? How often? Daily? Weekly? Think about it. If you are like most people, y

In this noisy, chaotic, and increasingly violent world, people everywhere want to be released from the darkness that surrounds them. That is why Giving Tuesday , December 2, 2025, is so important. It is a reminder that our generosity can be an instrument of grace, creating ripples of goodness far beyond ourselves. And that's why we need you! Your donation to holysilence.org will help sustain a ministry that guides people toward authentic spiritual growth, deep healing, real

Intercede for me and pray for my spiritual sons and daughters so that we may have a stable foundation of deep prayer and a ministry of healing the afflicted. Please keep me close so that I may have strength to walk with everyone who comes for confession and spiritual guidance. Thank you for guiding me during the earliest days of my life. You have always exemplified for me a life of contemplative prayer and servant leadership. A depiction of St. Hugh of Lincoln.

Intercede for me and pray for my spiritual sons and daughters so that we may have a stable foundation of deep prayer and a ministry of healing the afflicted. Please keep me close so that I may have strength to walk with everyone who comes for confession and spiritual guidance. Thank you for teaching me about essence, energies, uncreated light, and the Jesus Prayer. I am especially grateful for your wise and holy counsel because it gave me a pathway to explain the divinely ins

We talk a lot about praying, but why do we do it? Prayer Brings Us Close to the Holy Spirit "Virtues are formed by prayer. Prayer preserves temperance, suppresses anger, restrains pride and envy, draws down the Holy Spirit into the soul and raises man to heaven" (St Ephraim the Syrian, in Moore, Orthodox Prayer , p. 22). Prayer Keeps Us Steady "Hold on to the staff of prayer and you will not fall. And even a fall will not be fatal, since prayer is a devout, persistent coercin

Intercede for me and pray for my spiritual sons and daughters so that we may have a stable foundation of contemplative prayer and a ministry of healing the afflicted. Mary, my dear mother in heaven, I am deeply, deeply grateful for your protection and eternally humbled by my priesthood. Please keep me close and give me strength to walk with everyone who comes for confession and spiritual guidance. An icon representing the Feast of the Protection of the Theotokos.

Intercede for me and pray for my spiritual sons and daughters so that we may have a stable foundation of deep prayer and a ministry of healing the afflicted. An icon of Edward the Confessor written by Aidan Hart .