My dear St. Theoctistus of Sicily, you served God and His people by raising up a monastery that became a place of refuge, rest, and protection for people suffering and dying under the tyranny of iconoclasm. Your compassionate tears, your unrelenting labor, and your constant prayer brought forth the uncreated silence of the Holy Spirit and the uncreated light of Christ for those you served. O Righteous One, I ask your intercession today for a brotherhood of men who commit themselves to contemplation and the healing of God's people through the sacraments of Confession and Anointing. I also beg your help in raising up a sisterhood of women who pledge their lives to contemplating God, healing the wounds of the afflicted, catechizing the minds of the ignorant, and comforting those in spiritual distress. Commemorated on 4 January, St. Theoctistus lived in the second half of the 8th century, during a period of violent iconoclasm. He was the founder and first abbot of the Monastery of St. Nicholas in Cucomo (now Caccamo in Palermo) in Sicily. St. Theoctistus was known to have sheltered many monks fleeing persecution. He died sometime around the year 800.

Late in the evening when the house is still, The quiet can feel like an absence. I have known that darkness and The prayer that comes with it. It makes the heart ache and The mind vacant. There's the Name too. It's hard to whisper in those moments Because the fear of His abandonment feels real And the desire for wisdom seems fake. I've been there. I'll bet you have, too. It makes you close your eyes and Hold your arms tightly across your waist. Eventually .... and There's always an 'eventually' When I open my eyes and Take a breath I remember something ... Something important ... The saints taught me that not every silence is empty or cold. In fact, beneath this 'silence of loss' Runs another silence, an older one, An ancient one, a pre-existing one. The uncreated silence of the Spirit, Who spoke at creation and Pentecost Who speaks to you and me. Who does not hurry and remains in love. That's why I stay too ... and sit or stand or kneel More comfortably ... more hopefully. Even if my mind wanders and My body grows tired ... I persevere And learn ... yet again ... That this does not require strength Just trust, and the decision to remain, Where God is quietly waiting. What I find ... slowly of course ... is that Something deeper than affection begins to grow. A love that no longer asks to be comforted first. A love that sits with the grieving. A love that let's go of those who inflicted the wounds and Keeps vigil with the world, which needs love and prayer. St. Isaac the Syrian called it 'A heart on fire for all creation.' I think it is also a heart that has been broken open. A better day is coming, prepared by this quiet. So, keep praying the Jesus Prayer and the Holy Spirit prayer. Keep loving, too. The light is nearer than the dark suggests. Traditional-oil-lamp-held-in-hands-at-night If you have a question or prayer request, please reach out here. If you can donate, please click here.

The Divine nature of Jesus was revealed on Mt. Tabor; Peter, James. and John were transfigured because of it. These three Apostles saw Jesus for what He has always been, still is, and shall be: the Eternal and Primordial Image of God. We know Sacred Scripture. We have the Sacraments. Why are we not transfigured? Because we have not fully committed ourselves to love God, to desire God, and to strive toward God. For this we must purify our worldly eyes, train our distracted minds, and devote our weakened hearts. We must let go of all things in order to be illumined by the Incorporeal light so that we may see the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as One Holy Trinity, One Radiance, and One Eternal Glory. Icon of the Transfiguration. If you have a question or prayer request, please reach out here. If you can donate, please click here

Halloween is the only time of year when adults take seriously the idea of spending a night in public as someone or something different. Whatever their reasons (e.g. cultural tradition, social engagement, etc.), they seem to revel in stalking the streets in costumes and cosmetics that they wouldn’t normally where in order to score some candy and secure a good time. Unfortunately, that’s not all that’s at play here. First, we’re living in a world that is seriously becoming anti-Christian. The confluence of activity among Christ deniers and haters is something the world hasn’t seen since the late 1920s. Thus, dressing up like a demon or an axe murderer doesn’t seem so funny when you think about what’s really going on out there. Second, and even more importantly, Christians are already people who are something different. Through the Incarnation and Resurrection, we have been given a share in the divine life of Christ. And through the sacraments, we are assured of a life spent in intimate union with God. Now, I know these are awfully tough statements to be using about a simple secular holiday, which lasts only a few hours. But we Christians spend so much time trying to be like the culture that we live in, that we don’t seem to look a whole lot like Christians anymore. To be clear, I do not mean here that we Christians ought to be trying to enforce a puritanical law on people, but rather, to be demonstrating more and more outwardly what it means to be a Christian. This is what St. Paul told the Galatians: "Now before faith came, we were confined under the law, kept under restraint until faith should be revealed. So that the law was our custodian until Christ came, that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a custodian; for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise" (Galatians 3:23-29). Think about what he is saying here. We are a people of faith. We are people who have faith in Jesus Christ. We are people who, through our Lord and Savior, are no longer slaves of anyone or anything else. So, why would we act like it? Again, I don’t mean that all of us should live in secluded communities where no one gets in or out. But to paraphrase St. Paul, have we really “put on Christ” at home and in the world? Thus, with Halloween’s claims on adults to try and be something different – perhaps tonight is actually a good night to try on a truly different costume, one that you already own. In the words of St. Athanasius: God “became man that men might be made gods” (Athanasius, On the Incarnation, 54). Let’s help each other look the part and live the part. Icon of the Transfiguration of Christ. If you have a question or prayer request, please reach out here. If you can donate, please click here

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 inspired uncreated silence and the concomitant Holy Spirit prayer: "Most Holy Spirit, save me from myself and sanctify me." An icon of St. Gregory Palamas. If you have a question or prayer request, please reach out here. If you can donate, please click here

You leaders of the bodiless powers ... you divine ministers ...you guardians ...you protectors of mankind ...we humbly ask you to intercede for us before God ...to deliver us from the wiles of the evil ones ...to teach us how to defend the faith ...and to strengthen us so that we can protect those who need our sheltering love. Today is the synaxis (i.e., coming together to praise) of the Archangel Michael and the other Bodiless Powers who are named in Holy Scripture and Holy Tradition. Michael: whose name means “who is like unto God.” Chief commander and faithful servant of God, Michael cast down Lucifer and the other fallen spirits when they rebelled against God. Michael summons all the angels to cry out: “Let us attend! Let us stand aright before our Creator and do not consider doing what is displeasing unto God!” Michael is depicted trampling the devil underfoot while holding a green date-tree branch on the left, and a spear (with a white banner) or sword on the right. Gabriel: whose name means "strength (power) of God." Gabriel is the herald and servant of Divine omnipotence (Dan 8:16, Luke 1:26), announcing the mysteries of God. Gabriel is depicted with a branch from Paradise, presented by him to the Theotokos, or with a shining lantern on the right and a mirror made of jasper on the left. Raphael: whose name means "the healing of God." Raphael is the curer of human infirmities (Tobit 3:16, 12:15) and is depicted holding a vessel with healing oils on the left. On the right, Raphael may also be leading Tobias who is carrying a fish for healing (Tobit 5-8). Uriel: whose name means "the fire or light of God" (2 Esdras 5:20). Uriel enlightens those with darkened minds and is depicted holding a sword at the level of the chest while a fiery flame sits in the left hand. Selaphiel: whose name means "the prayer of God." Selaphiel prays for mankind and impels humans to prayer (2 Esdras 5:15). Selaphiel is depicted in a prayerful posture, gazing downwards with hands folded on the chest. Jehudiel: whose name means "the glorifying of God." Jehudiel encourages exertion for the glory of the Lord and intercedes for the reward of those who show a strong effort. Jehudiel holds a golden crown on the right and a whip on the left. Barachiel: whose name means "the distributor of the blessings of God." Barachiel entreats the mercy of God for people and is depicted with a white rose on the chest. Jeremiel: whose name means "the raising up to God" (2 Esdras 4:36) and is shown holding balance-scales. Give thanks today for your guardian angel and for those angels sent to every nation. An Orthodox icon of the Archangels Michael, Raphael, and Gabriel. If you have a question or prayer request, please reach out here. If you can donate, please click here

To my dear brothers and sisters, and sons and daughters in Christ: Having spent a lifetime in constant observation and continual meditation (by the grace of God), it is clear to me that now is a time for every man, woman, and child to take specific and intentional steps to find their way back to God, His Most Holy Mother, the saints, and the sacraments. Here's how: GO TO CONFESSION. Too many people have come to ignore this beautiful and healing sacrament, which reproves the inner self and, ultimately, unburdens your mind, heart, and soul from needless fear and dangerous pride. Be willing to listen to what God is giving the priest to give to you. Make a firm amendment to stop the patterns that lead to the sins you commit repeatedly. Also, keep in mind, if you experience ACTUAL SPIRITUAL, EMOTIONAL, OR PHYSICAL ABUSE before, during, or after Confession or spiritual direction, please tell someone you know and trust in order to get help. Priests: if you have the privilege to hear confessions, you must invite and encourage your parishioners to come to the Sacrament of Confession and prove that you mean it by offering it as much possible. While being truthful and clear in Confession, you must learn to be equally merciful and loving, as you would want the Lord to be with you during His remembrance of your own sins at the dread judgment. Priests: You need Confession too. Seek a spiritual father and unburden your soul. This will give you the strength to weather the difficulties that frequently come your way and will only increase during these difficult times. PRAY: Too many people only pray in times of emergency, if at all. While God will always hear your anxious utterances, you must remember that long term, ongoing prayer takes deeper root when you take the time to be in the presence of God by saying the prayers you know, unburdening your thoughts of fear, emptying your mind and heart of images, being patient, sitting in silence, and listening patiently. Priests: Do you pray? I mean, do you actually pray? Don't let the constant work of your parish and/or family become a replacement for time within the illuminated darkness of God. SEEK SOLID CATECHESIS: Too many people these days lack a basic knowledge of the faith and have a hard time explaining why we believe what we believe and worship as we do. Do not misunderstand what I have written here. I DO NOT expect the vast majority of laity, or clergy for that matter, to be able to articulate complex theological statements or recite from the works of spiritual masters. I simply mean that is important to be informed for the sake of yourself, your children, and those God brings to you. Priests: Do you know enough to educate, aid, and give comfort to your parishioners? Or are you dangerous in that you ignore people's questions, stymie their desire to know more, and frustrate them by the lack of your own ability to explain the faith? On the other hand, do you intimidate people by constantly trying to prove how much you know? PARTAKE OF THE BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST: Too many people today have lost their belief in and practice of going to communion. This is the continual bloodless sacrifice of Christ who offered Himself at the last, holy, and mystical supper before His Crucifixion, Resurrection, and Ascension. Priests: Do you take your participation in the consecration for granted? Has Liturgy become a performance to you? Are you more worried about the choir or the number of congregants present? LOVE TO THE POINT OF DEATH: Too many Christians reserve their love for those whom it is easier to love. But we must extend that love to all those God intends for us to encounter. Is this easy? Absolutely not. Does this mean that we should not defend ourselves? Absolutely not. Does this mean we should stop proclaiming the truth of the Trinity, of Christ, of the Holy Spirit, of the Church, of the sacraments, of death, judgment, heaven, and hell? Absolutely not. Priests: Are you willing to sacrifice for your people (while also acknowledging the need for healthy relationships and adhering to proper boundaries)? It's not enough to 'manage' or 'direct.' It is necessary to give of yourself as Christ did and does. And this can only come about when you allow the Holy Spirit to overshadow you. While I am well aware that this list is not exhaustive, as well as that each of us sins and fails to live up to the promises we make to God and others, it is vital in these rather tumultuous times that we work every day to reflect the light, love, warmth, and mercy of God who speaks to us through His uncreated silence. May Almighty God bless you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen. An Orthodox icon of All Saints. If you have a question or prayer request, please reach out here. If you can donate, please click here

St. Basil the Great (329-379), one of the Early Church Fathers who lived in the Cappadocian Region (which today is central Turkey), defined for the Christian Church the theology of the Holy Spirit. Take a moment now to consider what he writes in Chapter 9, No. 23, in On the Holy Spirit*, about how the Third Person of the Trinity changes the Baptized and Chrismated. First, the Holy Spirit consoles, lifts up, and illuminates. Second, He provides us with supernatural spiritual gifts. "Through His aid hearts are lifted up, the weak are held by the hand, and they who are advancing are brought to perfection. Shining upon those that are cleansed from every spot, He makes them spiritual by fellowship with Himself. Just as when a sunbeam falls on bright and transparent bodies, they themselves become brilliant too, and shed forth a fresh brightness from themselves, so souls wherein the Spirit dwells, illuminated by the Spirit, themselves become spiritual, and send forth their grace to others. "Hence comes foreknowledge of the future, understanding of mysteries, apprehension of what is hidden, distribution of good gifts, the heavenly citizenship, a place in the chorus of angels, joy without end, abiding in God, the being made like to God, and, highest of all, the being made God. Such, then, to instance a few out of many, are the conceptions concerning the Holy Spirit, which we have been taught to hold concerning His greatness, His dignity, and His operations, by the oracles of the Spirit themselves." God, as Holy Spirit, is with us every single day. Make recourse to Him. Show Him your love, worship, and gratitude. Reorient your life toward His presence now. To aid you, pray this Prayer of the Holy Spirit: "Heavenly King, Comforter, Spirit of Truth, present in all places and filling all things; Treasury of Goodness and Giver of Life, come, abide in us, cleanse us from all stain of sin, and save our souls, O Good One." * Translated by Blomfield Jackson. From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, Vol. 8. Edited by Philip Schaff and Henry Wace. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1895.) Revised and edited for New Advent by Kevin Knight. . Icon of St. Basil If you have a question or prayer request, please reach out here. If you can donate, please click here

I walk along the water’s edge, Aware that I live in liminal spaces. One foot seemingly on solid ground, Relying on what’s familiar. Grasping for something that comforts, Stuck in the here and now. I walk along the water’s edge, Aware that I do not want to live in between. Remembering the familiar waters of Baptism, Relying on what cannot be seen. Reaching out beyond my capacity, Toward the there and then. I walk along the water’s edge, Aware of the rocks piercing my feet. Or is it my soul? Lingering in sin. Born of complacency. Hesitant to leave the world. I walk along the water’s edge, Aware of the cooling waters of mercy. Remembering the familiar Blood of Eucharist. Wash me clean, Then I shall be made whiter than snow. Diving into the Divine. I walk along the water’s edge, Aware of the Son who redeems me. Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God. Have mercy on me, A sinner. I walk along the water’s edge, Aware of the Spirit who sanctifies me. Heavenly King, Comforter. Save me from myself, Sanctify me. I walk along the water's edge. Aware of you, my God. Never forgetting. Always returning. With love and desire, You are my Everything.

When in the morning A light breeze awakens my mind, I remember You walked the earth. When in the afternoon A hot gust shutters my senses, I remember You suffered on the cross. When in the evening A cool wind enlivens my heart, I remember You resurrected on the third day. When in the night A silence settles over the cosmos, I remember You ascended into Heaven. All this? For me? For us? And there's more? Unworthy as I am, I ecstatically await With bated breath For the coming of the Holy Spirit. - Icon of the Ascension from St. Catherine's Monastery, Sinai, 6th century.

I stare high up at the sky and I see you. I peer deep into the ocean and I see you. And yet, I do not see you. I heed the echo of the mountains and I hear you. I hearken to the stillness of the desert and I hear you. And yet, I do not hear you. When the wind blows across my face, I feel you. When the waves wash over me, I feel you. And yet, I do not feel you. Taste and smell are Like that, too. Known and yet unknown... Again and again and again. Still... I know You are near me. I know You are in me. I know You are with me. I know and I know and I know. And yet, I want more. I crave the smallest possible space Between You and me. I desire it with bated breath. So, I ask. I pray. One thing. One thing alone. Whatever I cannot see now, Whatever I cannot hear now, Whatever I cannot touch now, Whatever I cannot taste and smell now... I will give it up - All of it. To be with you In eternity... Catching glimpses of the Illuminated Darkness. Hearing snippets of the Uncreated Silence. Everything for eternity Oh...what an eternity! This photo was downloaded on 24 January 2024. Red and Orange Galaxy Illustration · Free Stock Photo (pexels.com).

"A certain brother by the name of John came from the coastal country to the holy and great father Philemon, and clasping his feet, said to him: 'What must I do, Father, to be saved? I see that my mind is distracted and wanders hither and thither where it should not.' After a short silence, Philemon said to him: 'This is a sickness suffered by those who are external, and it remains in you because your love of God is not yet perfect; up till now the warmth of the love and the knowledge of God has not yet arisen in you.' The brother asked him, 'What then shall I do?' 'Go,' answered the father, and 'and for the time being practice secret meditation in your heart' this will cleanse your mind of its sickness.' The brother, not understanding what was told him, said to Philemon: 'What is this secret meditation, Father?' 'Go,' he answered, 'preserve sobriety in your heart, and in your mind repeat soberly, with fear and trembling, "Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy upon me." This is what the blessed Diadochos prescribed for beginners.' The brother left him, and by God's help and the prayers of the father he began to keep silence and to taste the sweetness of this secret meditation. But this lasted only for a short time. Since it suddenly departed from him and he could no longer maintain it or pray soberly, he came again to the father and told him what had happened. The father said: 'Now you have trod a little way on the path of silence and inner practice and tasted of its sweetness. Therefore, keep it always in your heart. Whether you eat or drink or talk to someone outside your cell or on the way somewhere, do not forget to recite this prayer with a sober and attentive mind, and to sing and meditate upon prayers and Psalms. Even if you are satisfying some essential need, do not allow your mind to be idle, but let it meditate and pray in secret. All the time -- when you drop off to sleep or wake up, when you eat or drink, or talk with someone -- keep your heart at work secretly, sometimes meditating on a verse from the Psalms, and sometimes praying, 'Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy upon me'." If you have a question or prayer request, please reach out here. If you can donate, please click here