Behold the Bridegroom No. 5 | Orthodox Christian Art Poster

Behold, the Bridegroom cometh in the middle of the night, and blessed is the servant whom He shall find watching, but unworthy is he whom He shall find in slothfulness. Beware, therefore, O my soul, and be not overcome by sleep, lest thou be given over to death and shut out from the Kingdom. But return to soberness and cry aloud: Holy, Holy, Holy, art Thou, O God, Through the Theotokos have mercy on us.

- Troparion of Bridegroom Matins

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In confession, penitents often asked why they always seem to have the same sins to confess. Sometimes I think the answer to this question is that the penitent has not yet begun to see him or herself as a sinner. They still think that they are merely sinning. Sinners know why they commit the same sin. They commit the same (in fact any) sins because they are sinners. They are not surprised by the vileness or recalcitrance they find in themselves because they know they are sinners. And this revelation breaks us. There is no one else to blame.

- Archpriest Michael Gillis