He loves us because He is Love, but He also desires that we love Him in return; that we love Him with our whole heart, soul and mind. When we do, we find the treasure hidden in the field and know the joy of it (Matt. 13:44). Love provides wings for all that we do. Even the everyday tasks of daily life are then lifted up, when done with love in our heart for our Lord.

“Christ is Joy,” as St. Porphyrios says; and when we keep our heart set on pleasing Him, we become partakers of His joy. Without this, even “interesting” things sooner or later become dreary, flat, lifeless. The spirit within us seeks for that which is eternal and true; when we lose sight of our desire to please God, and we become negligent in cultivating our love for the Lord, we open ourselves up to the spirit of boredom, that doorway to deathly despondency. We then begin looking outside ourselves for something more fulfilling to do, something that will make us “happy.” We know where this leads! If we find ourselves in such a state, a quick road back is to look into the heart. Have we forgotten our first love? Love requires the heart. Boredom flees when we elevate all that we do with thoughts of gratitude to Him for His mercy, with warmth of heart, and as an offering to the glory of His Name. Sometimes it is difficult to begin, but then all becomes much easier. One who puts this into practice understands the value of it as a means for dispelling the spirit of boredom and reuniting us with the One Who is our true joy.
– Abbess Michaela in the Newletter of St. Paisius Monastery in Arizona

**We are pleased to include writings from modern American Monasteries from time to time as well as our traditional Elders**