Saturday, Lent III

“When we must be helped, God will send someone to us. We are all fellow-travellers.” ~Mother Gavrilia

Friday, Lent III

“No act of virtue can be great if it is not followed by advantage for others. So, no matter how much time you spend fasting, no matter how much you sleep on a hard floor and eat ashes and sigh continually, if you do no good to others, you do nothing great.” ~Saint John Chrysostom

Thursday, Lent III

Make your prayer simple, as simple as you can; reason little, love much, and you will pray well.~Fr. Willie Doyle

Wednesday, Lent III

“Silence is the cross upon which we must crucify our ego.” ~Saint Seraphim of Sarov

For God alone my soul waits in silence, for my hope is from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken. On God rests my deliverance and my honor; my mighty rock, my refuge is in God. (Psalm 62:5-7)


Tuesday, Lent III

“It is not an external enemy we dread. Our foe is shut up within ourselves. An internal warfare is daily waged by us.” ~St. John Cassian

For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 6:12)

The Annunciation

Shape us in the likeness of the divine nature of our Redeemer, whom we believe to be true God and true man, since it was your will, Lord God, that he, your Word, should take to himself our human nature in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen

Saint Oscar Romero

“A church that suffers no persecution but enjoys the privileges and support of the things of the earth – beware! – is not the true church of Jesus Christ. A preaching that does not point out sin is not the preaching of the Gospel. A preaching that makes sinners feel good, so that they are secured in their sinful state, betrays the Gospel’s call.” ~Saint Oscar Romero

Sunday, Lent III

God our Father, in your infinite love and goodness you have shown us that prayer, fasting, and almsgiving are remedies for sin. Accept the humble admission of our guilt, and when our conscience weighs us down let your unfailing mercy raise us up. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen

Saturday, Lent II

“Since He has held nothing back for your sake, hold nothing back from Him. Put on the armor of light and live as if in the daylight – this is our pathway home. After Christ has suffered so much for your sake, do you think He will refuse your repentance or that your contrition will not be the source of heaven’s joy?  The Good Shepherd will bind your wounds and help you find rest. The Lamb of God is ready to walk with you through any dark valley that you face, and not even the shadow of death can stand between you and the love He has for you. With eager longing, He longs to sup with you. More than merely managing along, He yearns for you to share in an abundant banquet of love that He shares with the Father. Untold riches are yours for the asking. A fount of mercy waits to quench your parched lips. With an overflowing cup of blessing, He is eager to give you cause to rejoice even in the face of your enemies. He knocks at the door even now hoping that you might open to Him. Fear not to open wide the doors to Christ.” ~Dr. Anthony Lilles

Friday, Lent II

“Trusting is hard. It means ceding control. And we all like control. I like control. The only way to the Resurrection was for Christ to go to the cross, for Him to give His whole life in order to pave the way to Paradise for us. The only way we can be given salvation is to give our whole life to Christ. This is why we pray in the petitions in our services ‘Let us commend ourselves and one another and our whole life to Christ our God.’ If the ideal and the goal is to commend our whole life to Christ, then we need to give Him the first and the best, not the leftovers.” ~Fr. Stavros Akrotirianakis