February 20, 7534
…I once saw a beautiful painting entitled The Shadow of the Cross. The Lord, still a Boy, is standing beside Joseph’s carpenter’s bench. He has just finished His work: wood shavings lie scattered on the floor and the bench. The Child—Christ—gazes through a narrow window in the humble room. It seems to be evening: the window…
There are two ways to live: completely lawfully and respectably, walking upon dry land—measuring, weighing, foreseeing. But one can also walk upon the waters. Then it is impossible to measure or foresee, and one must only believe at all times. A moment without faith—and you begin to sink. — Mother Maria (Skobtsova) On Bishop Mikhail…
By Bishop Mikhail Semyonov This Sunday is dedicated to the memory of St. John of the Ladder, the author of a remarkable book about the Path to Heaven—thirty steps of ascent “up the ladder”… to that place where the seraphim stand before the Divine Throne, covering their faces. The image of the ladder to heaven is…
We read of the true meaning and spiritual purpose of fasting in the writings of one of the brightest apologists of Orthodoxy in the early 20th century — Bishop Mikhail (Semyonov). What is fasting? Nowadays we hear many objections against fasting — often and from many directions. Why fast at all? “Not that which goeth into…
Man, in the conditions of this earthly existence, is like a prisoner in a “dungeon.” “In every person, in his soul, there is a noble captive whom he must set free. There is no one in the world in whose depths does not often clang and rattle the chains of a noble, tightly shackled prisoner…
by Bishop Mikhail Semyonov What is fasting? Nowadays, we hear objections against fasting more frequently than ever. Why is it necessary? “Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man, but that which cometh out of the mouth,” saith the Lord. Yes, He said it. He said it—He who fasted forty days and gave…
I have spoken about parents, mothers-in-law, daughters-in-law, but said nothing of children—of their duties to the family, to father and mother. On this subject, if I find time, I shall speak in detail. For now, just a word or two. More and more often now one hears such talk: “I owe nothing to my parents….
Bishop Mikhail (Semyonov) Now, about the Wife. “Wives, love your husbands… Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands.” What does it mean to “submit”? It means to obey in what is just and good. And more than that. Be attentive to your husband and to his will, for through humility you can accomplish a great…
Bishop Mikhail (Semyonov) I began to speak about how one may attain salvation while living in the world. According to the teaching of the Church, the family is itself a little Church… a school of Christian life and Christian love. From this alone it follows that life within the family is in itself a broad…
By Bishop Mikhail (Semyonov) The Old Believers are most frequently accused of “ritualism,” that is, of stubbornly venerating rituals even more than dogma. Their reverence for ritual is often regarded as little less than idolatry. But is ritual really something insignificant, of little importance in the order of spiritual life? We have already written briefly…