The World is a Contest No. 2 (St Isaac the Syrian) | Orthodox Christian Hoodie / Hooded SweatshirtThis world is a contest and a field for contest. This time is the time of struggle The King lays no limit on his warriors until the contest is over; then every man will be brought to the doors of the King of Kings and there tried as to whether he has gained the victory in the contest, or has turned his back. There is only one law there: to watch and resist. + St Isaac the Syrian, Directions on Spiritual Training, Text 103 For the ancient fathers, a

To trample down the malevolence of those who were laying snares against his life under a covering of deceit

What will God's decision be at the conclusion of the trial

That we may live in His sight

He asked Mary

exhorting us and saying: ‘pray ye that your flight be no

The Chi Rho itself points to Christ-as-Sun more specifically: both St Justin the Martyr and the Didache refer to its X shape as pointing to the line of the ecliptic (the pattern drawn across the sky by the sun over the course of a year) where it intersects the horizon

and all the angels with him

and the moon under her feet

- Romans 7:24

that we might receive power to tread upon serpents and scorpions (Luke 10

For having nothing he possesses everything

serving the Lord through obedience to the faith