Interrupting the Silence

Category: Asceticism

  • The Feast of St. John of the Cross – Mystic of the Dark Night

    Today, December 14, we commemorate St. John of the Cross, a new addition to the Episcopal liturgical calendar. He is probably best known for the term “the dark night of the soul,” which is also the poem in which he wrote about “the soul’s happiness in having passed through the dark night of faith, in Read more

  • Brother Lawrence – Chapel of the Heart

    It is not necessary to be always in church to be with God, we can make a private chapel of our heart where we can retire from time to time to commune with Him, peacefully, humbly, lovingly; everyone is capable of these intimate conversations with God, some more, others less; He knows what we can Read more

  • The Seven Rules of a Monk

    These are the seven rules of a monk: In the first place, as scripture says, “Love God with all your soul and all your mind.” Then, love your fellow human beings as you love yourself. Fast from all evil. Never pass judgment on anyone, for any cause. Never do evil to anyone. Discipline yourself and Read more

  • Sermon For Advent 2C

    The collect and readings for yesterday, the Second Sunday of Advent may be found here. The appointed gospel was Luke 3:1-6. In the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother Philip ruler of the region of Ituraea and Read more

  • Some Thoughts On Repentance

    John the Baptist went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. (Luke 3:3) Repentance … is as much or more about our heart as it is about our actions. is returning our gaze to God. is changing the direction of our life in order to Read more

  • The Season of Advent – Holy Waiting and Watching

    A new liturgical year begins this coming Sunday, November 29, 2009, with the First Sunday of Advent. The Season of Advent consists of the four Sundays before Christmas. The liturgical color for Advent is purple or sometimes blue. We will begin a new liturgical cycle of seasons, feasts and fasts, and scripture lessons. This year Read more

  • Detachment – Opening the Way to Salvation

    A brother came to see Abba Macarius the Egyptian, and said to him, “Abba, give me a word, that I may be saved.” So the old man said, “Go to the cemetery and abuse the dead.” The brother went there, abused them and threw stones at them; then he returned and told the old man Read more

  • The Treasury of Poverty – Mark 12:38-44

    The collect and readings for today can be found here. The appointed gospel is Mark 12:38-44. Teaching in the temple, Jesus said, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, 39and to have the best seats in the synagogues and places of Read more

  • Sobriety, the Guardian of the Spirit

    Sobriety is a guardian of the spirit. It stands on guard day and night at the gates of the heart, to sort out the thoughts that present themselves, to listen to their suggestions and to observe their intrigues. In the first place, control the imagination strictly: it is the only route by which Satan can Read more