Free Republic

CHAPTER FOUR: HOW TO DISCOVER WHETHER WE DISTRUST OURSELVES AND PLACE OUR CONFIDENCE IN GOD   THE PRESUMPTUOUS MAN is convinced that he has acquired a distrust of himself and confidence in God, but his mistake is never more apparent than when some fault is committed. For, if he yields to anger and despairs of advancing in the way of virtue, it is evident that he has placed his confidence in himself and not in God. The greater the anxiety and despondence, the greater is the certainty of his guilt.The man who has a deep distrust of himself and places...

I think I posted a similar essay last Great Lent, so forgive me for being repetitious. Many Orthodox Christians spend some extra time doing spiritual reading during Great Lent. To a certain extent, it is more important for most of us that we make the effort to read something than it is to read one particular thing. As the resident psaltis (as Kolokotronis calls me), I would like to pass on for those who are interested a few comments on the Lenten readings that are prescribed by the Orthodox Church. When a full cycle of services is being kept, as...