Christ the Savior-Holy Spirit Orthodox Church
Archpriest Steven C. Kostoff
4285 Ashland Ave, Cincinnati OH 45212 - (513) 351-0907
Mother Paula of Transfiguration Monastery: Remaining Christ Centered

October 25, 2015

 

Dear Parish Faithful,


The following is from Steve Korach, who took notes during Mother Paula's talk to the parish during the post-Liturgy discussion on October 25.  This could serve as an excellent summary of Mother Paula's talk for those who would want to retain the main points of her wonderful presentation; and a summary for those who were not in attendance.  The actual audio of Mother Paula's talk is below.


Fr. Steven

_____


"On Living a Christ-Centered Life"


3 C’s: Christ, the Cross, God’s Commandments

 

(Adapted from the Teachings of Fr. Thomas Hopko)

1. Christ

Do we know who Christ is? We need to establish a relationship with Christ.
It’s done through Prayer. Pray as you can. Pray simply and pray always.
Make prayer a part of your priorities due to the many distractions of life.  
Prayer helps us to forgive.

2. The Cross

We belong to Christ. Deny ourselves and take up our Cross.
The Cross is our protection. You have a Cross from baptism.
Wear your Cross and use it to fight the passions.
Committing to Christ is not a one time event.

3. God’s Commandments

Love God and our neighbors. Give yourself to others.
Matthew 11:29-30: "Christ’s yoke is good." The soul is refreshed through Him.

(The actual Greek word usually translated as "easy" in v30 really means 'good', 'virtuous', or 'upright'.)
Do everything with repentance and humility.
Repentance is “getting back on target”.
We need to ask for help: from the Mother of God, from the Saints, and from God.


Mother Paula's message to the high school youth as they return to school:

Remain faithful; trust in God; stay close to Christ.
Be mindful of the 5 S’s: Scripture, Services, Sacraments, Saints and Suffering
A recent book that she recommends is 30 Steps to Heaven.
It is a practical interpretation of the Ladder of Divine Ascent.

The goal is the Kingdom of Heaven. The objective is purity of heart.

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