PHILOKALIA MINISTRIES

The Cross is not decoration. It is invasion. “He raised up your cross to span the jaws of death like a bridge.” Many wear the cross who do not wish to be saved by it. They hang it on walls, place it around the neck, print it on books, carve it into churches, kiss it with the lips, and flee it with the heart. They want a cross that blesses their preferences, protects their comfort, and ornaments their religion. But the Cross of Christ is not an ornament. It is war. Saint Ephra

On Fear, Regret, and the Mercy That Stands at the Door “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. — Book of Revelation 22:20 There are many who ask now, quietly or aloud, When is Christ coming again. It is not always curiosity. Often it is weariness speaking. A long life has been lived. The body no longer obeys as it once did. The world feels unfamiliar, even hostile. Sorrows have accumulated, not passed. And within the heart something begins to stir with greater int