Read good books a little at a time.

I am continuing to listen to Fr. Evan Armitas's class, "I'm a Christian, Now What?" exploring Fr. Thomas Hopko's 55 Maxims. This year in our homeschooling, I have already noticed the truth of this maxim. Sometimes its tempting to stay up all night reading a new book (as my 8 year old is wont to do). Reading slowly through good books helps you stay in the story longer, reveling in it, and so, getting to know the material more intimately, you remember it better. The girls and I have been slowly reading Royal Monastic. There is so much history that needs explanation for them, so it takes us more time to get through each chapter. Yet, now, we've been living with Princess Illeana for so long, I do feel so endeared to her.

This is maxim number 16. If you're looking for other places to read about the 55 maxims, check out Fr. Stephen's post (and comments) here. Hope you enjoy this little printable!

Be always with Christ.

I am listening to Fr. Evan Armitas class, "I'm a Christian, Now What?" in which he explores Fr. Tom's 55 Maxims. These are so lovely to meditate on again and again. I have found in the past, however, that when I put up the list somewhere in my home, I just see a big block of text, and I don't really read them much. So this time, I thought maybe I'd spend a little more time thinking about some of these maxims.  Carefully lettering and reading one at a time. Here's number 1, we'll see if I get around to doing more. <3 Hope you enjoy this little printable!

55 maxims: living an integrated faith

Like many others, I've enjoyed returning to Fr. Hopko's 55 maxims from time to time. Fr. Stephen wrote about them recently as way of living an integrated Orthodox life, a survival skill when living as strangers in a strange land.

It prompted to make a new pretty printable. As I finished I noted his comments on the blog, encouraging you not to post them in a prominent place, which might tempt you to keep these as strict list. Glad I didn't make the check list version! I may be hanging these in my office (in a not so prominent place) to return to study them again when needed.

Please feel free to print and share. Its 300 dpi - you may want to check "fit to printable area" when printing.

Fr. Hopko's 55 Maxims for Christian Living

 

click on the images to enlarge for letter size printables

Hear Fr. Hopko discuss these maxims in this podcast. 

1. Be always with Christ and trust God in everything
2. Pray as you can, not as you think you must
3. Have a keepable rule of prayer done by discipline
4. Say the Lord’s Prayer several times each day
5. Repeat a short prayer when your mind is not occupied
6. Make some prostrations when you pray
7. Eat good foods in moderation and fast on fasting days
8. Practice silence, inner and outer
9. Sit in silence 20 to 30 minutes each day
10. Do acts of mercy in secret
11. Go to liturgical services regularly
12. Go to confession and holy communion regularly
13. Do not engage intrusive thoughts and feelings
14. Reveal all your thoughts and feelings to a trusted person regularly
15. Read the scriptures regularly
16. Read good books, a little at a time
17. Cultivate communion with the saints
18. Be an ordinary person, one of the human race
19. Be polite with everyone, first of all family members
20. Maintain cleanliness and order in your home
21. Have a healthy, wholesome hobby
22. Exercise regularly
23. Live a day, even a part of a day, at a time
24. Be totally honest, first of all with yourself
25. Be faithful in little things
26. Do your work, then forget it
27. Do the most difficult and painful things first
28. Face reality
29. Be grateful
30. Be cheerful
31. Be simple, hidden, quiet and small
32. Never bring attention to yourself
33. Listen when people talk to you
34. Be awake and attentive, fully present where you are
35. Think and talk about things no more than necessary
36. Speak simply, clearly, firmly, directly
37. Flee imagination, fantasy, analysis, figuring things out
38. Flee carnal, sexual things at their first appearance
39. Don’t complain, grumble, murmur or whine
40. Don’t seek or expect pity or praise
41. Don’t compare yourself with anyone
42. Don’t judge anyone for anything
43. Don’t try to convince anyone of anything
44. Don’t defend or justify yourself
45. Be defined and bound by God, not people
46. Accept criticism gracefully and test it carefully
47. Give advice only when asked or when it is your duty
48. Do nothing for people that they can and should do for themselves
49. Have a daily schedule of activities, avoiding whim and caprice
50. Be merciful with yourself and others
51. Have no expectations except to be fiercely tempted to your last breath
52. Focus exclusively on God and light, and never on darkness, temptation and sin
53. Endure the trial of yourself and your faults serenely, under God’s mercy
54. When you fall, get up immediately and start over
55. Get help when you need it, without fear or shame