It’s the reason we have Lenten self-discipline and Lenten liturgical services in the Church…to guide us toward the miracle of seeing our own mistakes. (с)

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«Русскому человеку лучше всего удаётся невозможное!»
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«Родиться русским – слишком мало… Им надо быть. Им надо стать!»
И. Северянин

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«Русскому человеку лучше всего удаётся невозможное!»
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«Родиться русским – слишком мало… Им надо быть. Им надо стать!»
И. Северянин

May 24 - Day of Slavonic Literature and Culture

The holiday is inseparably connected with the honor of the saints Equal-apostles Cyril and Methodius - Slavic educators, creators of the Slavic alphabet.
Based on the Greek alphabet, Cyril and Methodius changed Slavic significantly to convey the Slavic sound system more accurately.
Educators have translated several worship books from Greek to Slavic (including selected readings from the Gospel, the Apostolic Epistles, and the Psalms).

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«Русскому человеку лучше всего удаётся невозможное!»
***
«Родиться русским – слишком мало… Им надо быть. Им надо стать!»
И. Северянин

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«Русскому человеку лучше всего удаётся невозможное!»
***
«Родиться русским – слишком мало… Им надо быть. Им надо стать!»
И. Северянин

Truly He is Risen!

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«Русскому человеку лучше всего удаётся невозможное!»
***
«Родиться русским – слишком мало… Им надо быть. Им надо стать!»
И. Северянин

Me: I want to be a "saint".
The Church: Here's tons of services and stories about monks and martyrs.
Me: Ummm. I'm married with 6 kids and job, I can barely make it to church.
The Church: Here's a best selling book called "Everyday Saints".
Me: Ummmm.... It's about monks again.....
The Church: Let me dig around. OH! Here's some stories about some of the greatest monastic saints, including St. Anthony who surpassed all monastics in piety, but they were all sent into the world to ordinary people like you who surpassed them in holiness to humble them.
Me: Cool! Where can I read about them and where's their icons and services? I mean, if they were greater than the greatest monastics and they lived "my life" it would be great to know how they lived...
The Church: Ummmm... welllllllllll, there aren't any stories, teachings, icons or services or prayers or hymns to any of them. We don't even know their names. Sorry, they’re just kind of footnotes in the stories about the monks really, and I guess no one thought it was important at the time. But a lot of lay people were martyrs, so if you get killed.....
Me: Ummm... if I die at my job of a heart attack does that count?
Church: .........Oh hey, we canonized a new saint recently! You want an Akathist to another monk?
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I don't know if anyone else has hit that brick wall with the focus the Church seems to have on the monastic saints (and a VERY small representation of married saints). The monk stories are cool. They are "encouraging" but can lead to despondency too because well, we're NOT monks and don't live in controlled spiritual environments.
So, how DO we live as true "everyday saints" in the world? I hope this is at least a beginning of some thought and regard for what sainthood with 5 kids and a mortgage might look like for most of us.

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«Русскому человеку лучше всего удаётся невозможное!»
***
«Родиться русским – слишком мало… Им надо быть. Им надо стать!»
И. Северянин

When St. Monica went weeping to St. Ambrose of Milan because her son Augustine was not a Christan,
Ambrose replied, "Dear lady, a son, whose mother sheds tears like these will never be lost." His words were prophetic.

_________________
«Русскому человеку лучше всего удаётся невозможное!»
***
«Родиться русским – слишком мало… Им надо быть. Им надо стать!»
И. Северянин