God, the Father almighty, raised Jesus from the dead and he will give life to our own mortal bodies. We pray to him in faith: – Lord, bring us to life in Christ. Holy Father, we have been buried with your Son in baptism to rise with him in glory; may we always live in Christ and not see death for ever.

Unfortunately, today the ascetical part of our spiritual life does not have many admirers, still less, followers. Many would like to reach the peak of perfection in a very short time, without any mortification or self-denial. To them it seems that love is all that is needed because it is the bond of perfection. What they say is correct but incomplete – they do not fully understand how many sacrifices are demanded by Christian love. We cannot really love God and our brothers if we do not die to ourselves. In order to love perfectly God and our neighbor, we must practically give up many things and accept many sacrifices. Love asks for courageous and generous sacrifices “Love must hurt us,” said Mother Teresa of Calcutta

They passed the withered fig tree on their way, and Jesus spoke to his companions about the importance of faith. Later that afternoon, Jesus left the city and went with his disciples to the Mount of Olives, which sits due east of the Temple and overlooks Jerusalem.

On this day the Church commemorates the withering of the fruitless fig tree (Matthew 21:18–22), a symbol of judgement that will befall those who do not bring forth the fruits of repentance

It is the third day of Holy Week in Eastern Christianity, after Lazarus Saturday and Palm Sunday, and the second day of Holy Week in Western Christianity, after Palm Sunday

Monday of Holy Week (sung by anticipation, now on Palm Sunday Evening) commemorates the blessed and noble Joseph and the fig tree which was cursed and withered by the Lord. The withering of the fig tree was a miracle of special symbolism, since the tree had leaves, but no fruit. It is symbolic of the many people who claim ethical and religious identity, but who in reality have empty lives that yield no fruit. This was also the case with some of the Pharisees of that period. Jesus cursed the tree: “May no fruit ever come from you again!” (Matt. 21:19) The reference to the story of the virtuous Joseph of the Old Testament (Genesis 37-41) is made only for contrast, since the life of Joseph was a model of propriety and sincere observance of ethical principles.

Praise God! Praise him who comes n the name of the Lord………..and a few days latter they chant and call for the Christ to be nailed to a tree.

Barabbas, in the New Testament, a prisoner mentioned in all four Gospels who was chosen by the crowd, over Jesus Christ, to be released by Pontius Pilate in a customary pardon before the feast of Passover.

In Matthew 27:16 Barabbas is called a “notorious prisoner.” In Mark 15:7, echoed in Luke 23:19, he was “in prison with the rebels who had committed murder during the insurrection” against the occupying Roman forces. John 18:40 describes him as a bandit.

Who was the true Rebel? Barabbas? Or Jesus Christ? It is Christ, the leader of the last true rebellion. The Final of the Final Solution.

Where is your lamb? Will it live in your house with you for 4 days?

Humility is the only thing that no devil can imitate.

John Climacus

Living isolated from other people can be difficult, but there are some individuals who freely choose living alone and cut off from the rest of the world. These men and women are called hermits, and for centuries they have perfected the way of living alone.

For their inspiration, they look to the Bible, where the psalmist proclaims, “Seven times a day I praise you because your judgments are righteous” (Psalm 119:164). Religious nuns and monks, as well as hermits, took this phrase and developed a basic daily schedule where they stopped whatever they were doing to pray throughout the day.

St. Benedict of Nursia (who lived in the 6th century) built upon these seven times of prayer and added an eighth, which occurs in the middle of the night. Eight is the biblical number of the “new creation” as Jesus rose from the dead on the eighth day, the day after the Jewish sabbath (which is Saturday).

Here is a typical schedule of prayer of a Christian hermit, based on what other monasteries have developed over the centuries.

• Matins (during the night, often at midnight); also called Vigils or Nocturns (Night Office)
• Lauds or Morning Prayer (at Dawn, or 3 a.m.)
• Prime or Early Morning Prayer (First Hour, around 6 a.m.)
• Terce or Mid-Morning Prayer (Third Hour, around 9 a.m.)
• Sext or Midday Prayer (Sixth Hour, around noon)
• None or Mid-Afternoon Prayer (Ninth Hour, around 3 p.m.)
• Vespers or Evening Prayer (around 6 p.m.)
• Compline or Night Prayer (before going to bed, typically at 8 p.m. or 9 p.m.)

What this does is add a needed variety in a hermit’s daily schedule. Sometimes people believe hermits literally pray all day long, but that is not true. They work and pray, interrupting their daily activities to praise God.

What is fascinating is how this schedule has remained virtually untouched for centuries, though adapted by different religious orders and hermits to meet their specific needs. In essence, this is how many hermits live around the world.

This daily schedule also helps to keep the focus on God, as it can be easy to become so engrossed in the activity we are doing that we forget who is truly in charge of the situation.

If you want to know how to stay sane while being at home, learn from the hermits, and develop a daily schedule that keeps the focus on God, while also adding variety.

Those who have truly decided to serve the Lord God should practice the remembrance of God and uninterrupted prayer to Jesus Christ, mentally saying: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.

Seraphim of Sarov

As often as I have been among men, said one writer, I have returned less a man. We often find this to be true when we take part in long conversations. It is easier to be silent altogether than not to speak too much. To stay at home is easier than to be sufficiently on guard while away. Anyone, then, who aims to live the inner and spiritual life must go apart, with Jesus, from the crowd. No man appears in safety before the public eye unless he first relishes obscurity. No man is safe in speaking unless he loves to be silent. No man rules safely unless he is willing to be ruled. No man commands safely unless he has learned well how to obey. No man rejoices safely unless he has within him the testimony of a good conscience.

Kempis, Thomas à. The Imitation of Christ

Galatians 2:20: says “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.”

“Everything in this life passes away — only God remains, only He is worth struggling towards. We have a choice: to follow the way of this world, of the society that surrounds us, and thereby find ourselves outside of God; or to choose the way of life, to choose God Who calls us and for Whom our heart is searching.” ~ Seraphim Rose