The Lord is a refuge for the poor
and a source of strength in times of trouble.
Westerners reference the line at Psalm 9:9
Forgive
The Stranniki (Russian for Runaways or Wanderers) are the strong Pomorsky Old Believers who rejected prayers for Tsar Peter and all government papers (identification, passports, money, etc). They would not wear clothing contrary to Old Orthodox Russia, nor eat with those of contrary Faith and Practice. Keeping themselves separate from the antichrist society they went far into the Siberian wilderness. This blog is about these people and my effort to conform my life to theirs.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
The 2nd Kathisma, from the Psalter
As times continue to only get worse and worse, with the worst right around the corner, it is helpful to be reciting the Psalter. In the second Kathisma we have an encouraging line which goes something like this.
Westerners reference the line at Psalm 9:9
Forgive
Westerners reference the line at Psalm 9:9
Forgive
Friday, April 17, 2009
Who Can Be Saved?
If the righteous are scarcely saved, who can be saved?
“So great is the depravity of the times, that if a stranger were to compare the precepts of the gospel with the actual practice of society, he would infer that men were not the disciples, but the enemies of Christ.”
St. John Chrysostom - on the priesthood
One day Saint John Chrysostom, preaching in the cathedral in Constantinople and considering these proportions, could not help but shudder in horror and ask, “Out of this great number of people, how many do you think will be saved?” And, not waiting for an answer, he added, “Among so many thousands of people, we would not find but a hundred who are saved, and I even doubt for the one hundred.”
If in the days of Byzantium, with preachers such as St. John Chrysostom, society was still so terribly sick, how must we look at our degraded days? If we are reasonable we must conclude that it is doubtful if in any nation even 100 people are working out their salvation. I hope that there are at least two or three people working out their salvation in every nation.
“So great is the depravity of the times, that if a stranger were to compare the precepts of the gospel with the actual practice of society, he would infer that men were not the disciples, but the enemies of Christ.”
St. John Chrysostom - on the priesthood
One day Saint John Chrysostom, preaching in the cathedral in Constantinople and considering these proportions, could not help but shudder in horror and ask, “Out of this great number of people, how many do you think will be saved?” And, not waiting for an answer, he added, “Among so many thousands of people, we would not find but a hundred who are saved, and I even doubt for the one hundred.”
If in the days of Byzantium, with preachers such as St. John Chrysostom, society was still so terribly sick, how must we look at our degraded days? If we are reasonable we must conclude that it is doubtful if in any nation even 100 people are working out their salvation. I hope that there are at least two or three people working out their salvation in every nation.