Monasticism/ St. Anthony, St. Gerasimos, and St. Seraphim

We will be studying this week the development of monasticism, with a special telling of the stories of St. Anthony, St. Gerasimos, and St. Seraphim. 

Home Activities:

• Reread these stories with your children; at least one of them should be in any book of saints’ lives.
• What a wonderful way to work into Great Lent.  Try a monastic week – no TV, services every morning and evening, light diet, prayer and work all day.  Have your child wear a “habit”, maybe a bathrobe or a hooded cloak, to remind him that today he is a monk.. 
• Visit the bears at the zoo and tell the story of St. Seraphim and the bear.

Prayer: Pray each day the prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian, another great monk, “O Lord and Master of my life!  Take from me the spirit of sloth, despair, lust of power and idle talk. (Prostration) But give rather the spirit of chastity, humility, patience, and love to Thy servant. (Prostration)  Yea, O Lord and King! Grant me to see my own transgressions and not to judge my brother, for blessed art Thou, unto ages of ages. Amen. (Prostration).