The Recipe of Salvation According to Elder Paisios (repost)

From the outstanding blog 'Mystagogy' by John Sanidopoulos.

- Seek for a lifeline near to God. Contain your material needs, because they create huge burdens and anxieties.

- Do not envy people that have money, comforts, fame and power, but rather those who live with virtue, reason and piety.

- Do not ask God for things that only support your body, but especially what is good and beneficial for your soul.

- Change your life, discover the meaning of life, gain the time lost in this process so far on earth.

- Do not trust the mindset of secular people.

- Be healed of the illnesses that dominate the lives of people that did not learn to fast, to be chaste, to pray, to hope.

- Do not despair. God is omnipresent and loves humanity.

- Cut off every relationship with evil, live freely, according to the will of the Lord.

- Prove your faith with works of love toward your neighbor.

- Decide what you want most: the sympathy of the world or a return near to God?

- Almost all problems start from the mouth (what you say) and, likewise, by the amount you depend on your passions.

- Love your wife more than yourself. With works, not with words. And do not ever talk to her badly, because sometimes the tongue kills and destroys love. Also, be careful, because some parents spoil their children very much and always do them favors. And when a child is too spoiled, they will become selfish and take a crooked path. Many parents care more about providing material things for their children. This is wrong. The body has many material desires, but a short life. The soul continues along another course. The soul does not end up in the dirt, but with God. Today everyone deals with their body, not with the needs of their soul.

- The needs of the soul are different. The joys of the soul are different from the joys of the body. The body is easily managed, not the soul. If you have money and enter a big store, the body is all set. But what can you find in a, what do you call those big stores, yes, a supermarket, for your soul? The soul needs other things. The soul has need of peace, quiet, communion with God. To sustain the body, you need silver and daily bread. To sustain the soul, divine talents and heavenly Bread are needed.

From the book Four Hours With Fr. Paisios (Τέσσερις ώρες με τον π. Παίσιο). Translated by John Sanidopoulos.

Psalm II (modern)

Psalm II

1.   Why fumeth in fight : the Gentiles spite,
in fury raging stout?
Why taketh in hand : the people fond,
Vain things to bring about?

2.   The kings arise : the lords devise,
in counsels met thereto :
Against the Lord : with false accord,
against his Christ they go.

3.   Let us they say : break down their ray,
of all their bonds and cords :
We will renounce : that [which] they pronounce,
their laws [?] as stately lords.

4.   But God of might : in heaven so bright,
Shall laugh them all to scorn :
The Lord on high : shall them defy,
they shall be once forlorn.

5.   Then shall his ire : speak all in fire,
to them again therefore :
He shall with threat : their malice beat,
in his displeasure sore.

6.   Yet am I set : a king so great,
on Sion hill full fast :
Though me they kill : yet will that hill,
my law and word outcast.

7.   God’s words decreed : I (Christ) will spread
For God thus saved to me :
My son I say : thou art, this day,
I have begotten thee.

8.   Ask thou of me : I will give thee,
to rule all Gentile lands :
Thou shalt possess : in sureness,
the world how wide it stands.

9.   With iron rod : as mighty God
all rebels shall thou bruise :
And break them all : in pieces small,
as shards the potters use.

10. Be wise therefore : ye kings the more,
Receive ye wisdom’s lore :
Ye judges strong : of right and wrong,
advice you now before.

11. The Lord in fear : your service bear,
with dread to him rejoice :
Let rages me : resist not ye,
him serve with joyful voice.

12. The son kiss ye : lest wroth he be,
lose not the way of rest :
For when his ire : is set on fire,
who trust in him be blessed.

¶ The Collect.

Break asunder O Lord the bonds of our sins, that we may be faithfully yoked to the precepts of thy law, serve thee in fear and reverence, the laud of thy holy name. Through Christ,&c.

Psalm II

Psalme II.

1. Why fumeth in fight : the Gentils ſpite,
in fury raging ſtout?
Why taketh in hond : the people fond,
Uayne thinges to bring about?

2. The kinges ariſe : the lordes deuiſe,
in counſayles mett thereto :
Agaynſt the Lord : with falſe accord,
againſt his Chriſt they go.

3. Let vs they ſay : breake downe their ray,
of all their bondes and cordes :
We will renounce : that they pronounce,
their loores as ſtately lordes.

4. But God of might : in heauen ſo bright,
Shall laugh them all to ſcorne :
The Lord on hie : ſhall them defie,
they ſhall be once forlorne.

5. Then ſhall his ire : ſpeake all in fire,
to them agayne therefore :
He ſhall with threate : their malice beate,
in his diſpleaſure ſore.

6. Yet am I ſet : a king ſo great,
on Sion hill full faſt :
Though me they kill : yet will that hill,
my lawe and worde outcaſt.

7. Gods wordes decréed : I (Chriſt) wil ſprede
for God thus ſayd to mée :
My ſonne I ſay : thou art, this day,
I haue begotten thée.

8. Aſke thou of mée : I will geue thée,
to rule all Gentils londes :
Thou ſhalt poſſeſſe: in ſuerneſſe,
the world how wide it ſtondes.

9. With iron rod : as mighty God,
all rebels ſhall thou bruſe :
And breake them all : in pieces ſmall,
as ſherdes the potters vſe.

10. Be wiſe therfore : ye kinges the more,
Receyue ye wiſdomes lore :
Ye iudges ſtrong : ofright and wrong,
aduiſe you now before.

11. The Lorde in feare : your ſeruice beare,
with dread to him reioyce :
Let rages be : reſiſt not ye,
him ſerue with ioyfull voyce.

12. The ſonne kiſſe ye : lest wroth he be,
lose not the way of reſt :
For when his ire : is ſet on fire,
who truſt in hym be bleſt.

¶ The Collecte.

Breake a ſonder O Lorde the bondes of our ſinnes that we may bee faithfully yoked to the preceptes of thy law, ſerue thee in feare and reuerence, to the laude of thy holy name. Through Chriſt,&c.

Psalm I (modern)

Psalm I.

1.   Man blessed no doubt : who walketh not out,
in wicked mens’ affairs :
And stands no day : in sinners’ way
nor sits in scorners’ chairs.

2.   But holds even still : God’s law in will,
with all his heart’s delight :
And will him use : on it to muse,
to keep it day and night.

3.   He like shall be : the planted tree,
nigh set the river’s course :
Which fruits in tide : whose leaves abide,
all prospers what he does.

4.   Not so, not so : the wicked do,
like dust or chaff they be :
Uphoist by wind : as light by kind,
from face of earth to see.

5.   Therefore these men : so wicked then,
in judgement shall not stand :
Nor sinners be : in company,
of righteous men of hand.

6.   The Lord doth know : and will avow,
man’s ways that are of God :
Where shall decay : the beaten way,
of wicked men so broad.

¶ The Collect.

O Blessed father make us to be as fruitful trees before thy presence, so watered by the dew of thy grace, that we may glorify thee, by the plenteousness of sweet fruit in our daily consecration, through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Psalm I

Psalme I.

1. Man bleſt no doubt : who walketh not out,
in wicked mens affayres :
And ſtondth no daie : in ſinners waigh
nor ſitth in ſcorners chayres.

2. But holdth euen ſtill : Gods lawe in will,
with all his hartes delight :
And will him vſe : on it to muſe,
to kéepe it day and night.

3. He like ſhall bée : the planted trée,
nie ſet the riuers course :
Which fruth in tyde : whose leaues abide,
all proſperth what he doeſe.

4. Not ſo, not ſo : the wicked do,
lyke duſt or chaffe they bée :
Uphoyſt by winde : as light by kynde,
from face of earth to ſée.

5. Therefore theſe men : ſo wicked then,
in iudgement ſhall not ſtand :
Nor ſinners bée : in companie,
of righteous men of hand.

6. The Lord doth know : and will auow,
mans wayes that are of God :
Where ſhall decaie : the beaten waie,
of wicked men ſo brode.

¶ The Collecte.

O Bleſſed father make vs to be as fruitfull trees before thy preſence, so watered by the dewe of thy grace, that we may glorifie thee, by the plenteouſnes of ſweete fruite in our daily conuerſation, thorough Chriſt our Lorde, Amen.

Matthew Parker's Psalter Project

I have a few weeks of spare time in which to delight myself in some project or other.

Something I enjoy is the study of old English translations of the Sacred Scriptures.
Upon obtaining a digital copy of Matthew Parker's Psalter I have decided to take it upon myself to digitise the whole psalter in searchable text, and also in digital typography. The second stage is to transcribe the psalms into a more standardised spelling which is better understood by the modern reader. Particular attention is made to keep the vocabulary of the text, only the spelling itself will be modernised to the type found in the King James Version commonly available today.

For example:

1. Man bleſt no doubt : who walketh not out,
in wicked mens affayres :
And ſtondth no daie : in ſinners waigh
nor ſitth in ſcorners chayres.

Becomes:

1.   Man blessed no doubt : who walketh not out,
in wicked mens’ affairs :
And stands no day : in sinners’ way
nor sits in scorners’ chairs.

The Pelagian Controversy

A very interesting introduction to the Pelagian controversy with particular reference to the dialogue with Augustine of Hippo.

Click here to be directed to the BBC website where the podcast may heard.

Ancient Faith Radio on Syria

The news coverage of the Syrian situation is difficult to follow because of the varying layers of complexity which affect the situation.

On the 8th of September, Ancient Faith Radio covered the story in "Ancient Faith Today".

The podcast is available here.

Experience as Guidance

“Let them take courage who are humbled by their passions. For even if they fall into every pit and are caught in every snare, when they attain health they will become healers, luminaries, beacons and guides to all, teaching about the forms of every sickness and through their own experience saving those who are about to fall.”- St. John Climacus, (580-650 A.D)., The Ladder of Divine Ascent