St. John of Kronstadt Retreat

This conference, as small and local as it was, was amazing in terms of everything that I learned. The topic was absolutely applicable to our daily lives. The first talk was about the life of St. John, given by Fr. Roman and the second talk was given by Fr. Daniel. I would like to write out the second talk here, because it is more applicable to our everyday lives.

How to be fit for the life of Heaven

How can Fr. John help us?

• His life situation is similar to our modern world
• He chose to stay and live his life in Kronstadt
• thought of becoming a missionary but decided to stay (had a calling to become a priest)

Basic behaviors

1. read Scriptures (Old and New Testaments)

• plan for salvation
• place to start

2. Read the lives of Saints

• read the lives of those who know the works of salvation

3. Know the services of the Church

• great Spiritual benefit
• our faith is not a complicated thing

4. We must believe simply - child like

• "love without reasoning... for faith/hope is simple"
  
• omnipresent and all
• deeply and simply
• manifestation of God everywhere
• be the Light of the World
• know the essential steps

5. Pray and contemplate God

• "constant companion"
  
• peace daily
• "breath of soul" impossible without Holy Spirit
  
• "created world is a witness to the Creator" - way to make our prayers [art of daily lives
• "constant, grateful frame of mind"
  
• moment of gratitude
• not numerous, but attentive supplication offered from the whole heart
  

6. Examine your thoughts

• "constant vigilance"
• know thyself
• spiritual landscape: grudges, fears. pain, triggers to anger
• thought=desire (one acted, one didn't) Beginning continue into words and actions
• in every word there is action
• God's thought becomes action because it's pure
• word is a beginning of life
• HUMULITY
• at the end of the day, look into what I thought today (also affects others and our actions)
• potential thoughts in someone else helps us explain them (their actions)
  

GET tired of praying?

Because you don't picture the living God in front of you...

Prayers

• "Our Father..." prayer
• God's children, His presence understand & live Christ in himself
• book of St. John "My life in Christ"
  
• God's treasure of Grace

If done inner journey, then it will cause us to act out in Christ<==== " Be like Christ"

• a way of real teaching of faith
• understand a closeness of God. spurs us into action
• 1 path - from the beginning look for salvation in that past

End


The part that stuck out to me is that we should read the lives of Saints everyday because they are real life examples of people leading ordinary lives, struggling, but living life fully in Christ. It is inspiring, and the day that I learned about St. John made me think more about my own actions and how it is possible to live out in the World and still being able to follow our Heavenly Father. These were also the words of Bishop Peter. who visited St. Vladimir's past weekend. So much to learn!!!!! :-)

Darina


Picture we took together before people started to leave.