Two Commands of Love

"The last type in Mother Maria’s analysis is the ‘evangelical’ type. She begins by distinguishing this from the way ‘evangelical’is often used –which she sees as marked by sectarianism, moralism and a ‘distorted and impoverished view of salvation’–and also from attempts to ‘Christianize’ or ‘enchurch’ society, which are only milder versions of the same thing.

O Cross of Christ

"Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. Amen.

The cross that is raised today is like a multi-faceted diamond. The cross that is raised is what our enemies, the enemies of the faith, call us; we are, "The People of the Cross."

We are the People of the Cross, this is how we are defined by the people who martyr our brother and sisters... "The People of the Cross" - that means you, and me, and all of us here, we are the People of the Cross. 

And the cross is the revelation of who God is, the cross is the revelation of how God saves, the cross is the revelation also of what is behind human fear and violence. This is the same cross that today we see in our churches, the same cross that St. Paul said in his epistle I want to be crucified on, this is the cross that St. Paul says is the only reality he wants to know; "I only want to know among you Jesus Christ and Him crucified."

Forgiveness

FORGIVENESS

That God forgives us, let us forgive men,

As temporary guests, we are on this earth.

Prolonged fasting and prayer, in vain is

Without forgiveness and without true mercy.

God is the true Physician; sins are leprosy,

Whoever God cleanses, God also glorifies.

God rewards with mercy, every mercy of men,

That one perishes without mercy, who returns sin with sin,

With pus from pus – infected wounds, pus is not cleansed,

Neither is darkness from the dungeon dispelled by darkness,

But pure balm heals the wound of pus,

But the darkness of the dungeon, a light disperses.

To the seriously wounded, mercy is like a balm,

As a torch, in her [mercy] everyone rejoices.

This the ignorant says: I have no need of mercy!

But, when he is overcome by misery, he cries out for mercy!

Men bathe upon the mercy of God,

That mercy of God awakes us to life!

That God forgives us, let us forgive men,

As temporary guests, we are all on this earth.

+ Hymn of Praise from The Prologue of Ohrid, http://thehandmaid.wordpress.com/2013/03/17/that-god-forgives-us/

Inner Conviction

"Many preachers speak about personal appearance and decorum and stress the importance of keeping a dignified outer appearance, while the important thing is really the purity of the heart. for if the love of God enters into the heart, all traces of immodesty disappear automatically without the need for preaching.  Correcting the inside is the foundation. Yet we tell young men off for the length of their hair, and we tell the girls off for their clothes and long fingernails, and we forget the heart!

Our young people need to know what strength means, and what beauty is, in a spiritual way... Likewise, they ought to know the meaning of real freedom; is it an internal freedom from sin, or is it an indifference or not caring?! Perhaps this change of outlook is what the Apostle Paul meant by his words: “but be transformed by the renewing of your mind,” (Rom 12:2). We want a generation and people who judge values by spiritual standards which they are convinced are true.  Then all their energies can be directed towards the Good. The outward appearance is a sign of something in the heart, and its goodness or its correction will come about through inner conviction not through censure and force. So let us begin with the inside then!"

+ HH Pope Shenouda III

The Treasure Within

"the Church must convey the importance of the rites and rituals of the faith, starting with the initiatory rites of Baptism and Chrismation. Our life in Christ begins at Baptism; it ought to supply for us a firm foundation upon which we can build our lives. The Lectionary provides a wellspring of lessons on Baptism; through the ordinary proclamation of the Scriptures, priests can bring to the fore the importance of Baptism. Likewise, the Church year itself—especially the feasts of Epiphany, Easter, and Pentecost—offers many wonderful examples of renewing of our lives in Christ through water and the Spirit. The Collects, chants, and prayers of these festivals supply ample material to inspire such preaching and teaching."

+ Fr William C. Mills

Marketing of Spirituality

The Marketing of "Spirituality": Discerning its Spirit

Fr. Michael Plekon (From Jacob's Well, Fall 1996)

Any trip to the bookstore these days is bound to bring one smack up against not only a substantial market trend in publishing, but something much bigger, namely the booming business in spirituality. At Waldenbooks, Barnes & Noble, or even at the local CostCo, or other discount megastores, there is a parade of teachers of the spiritual life, from entrepreneurs such as Marianne Williamson and DeePak Chopra, from respected authors such as the American Trappist monk Thomas Merton and the Philokalia (the classic collection of Eastern Church teachers), to best selling writers such as Thomas Moore (Care of the Soul) and the incredible record of psychiatrist M. Scott Peck, whose book, The Road Less Traveled, this summer celebrated over 660 weeks on the NY Times bestseller list, with bulk orders still being made by booksellers!

Justification is theosis

"Justification is theosis, through which we receive the divine light and therefore life." + Seraphim Hamilton http://onbehalfofall.org/theosis-and-justification-in-pauls-second-letter-to-the-corinthians/

The Nonexistent Athiests

"Some say that they are atheists, but there is no such thing as an atheist... No such thing. Even the devil believes and trembles (cf. James 2:19), but he refuses to do good. There is no such thing as a person who does not believe in God, and there is no rational being on earth that does not long after life with all his heart. We will give anything to live eternally, and we all long after perfect love, love that never changes but lasts forever. God is life, He is love, peace, and joy. There are those who oppose Him, but they can do nothing to hurt Him. It is we who complicate our own lives with our negative thoughts."

+ Elder Thaddeus, Our Thoughts Determine Our Lives, 147.

Knowledge Needs Reality

"Despite 20 years teaching experience I was to discover that the real teacher was not me, but mission life and the poor themselves. Knowledge in and of itself is not enough; it needs to find a reality." 

+ FrDn Pawel Mucha

http://svotssynaxis.wordpress.com/2011/11/11/st-john-the-compassionate-mission-toronto-on/

Praying for Enemies

In light of Beruit, Paris, Syria, Kenya, Egypt and reported or unreported acts of violence....Lord have mercy on us all. 

A Prayer for Enemies
By Bishop Nikolai Velimirovic 

A Serbian Bishop and writer of the spiritual book called the Orchid

A prayer composed by Bishop Nikolai Velimirovic, Serbian Bishop who spoke out against the Nazi regime, was arrested, and taken to Dachau.