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The Holy Cross of Christ
Read more: The Holy Cross of ChristIn writing about our union with Christ I offered the following as the response some time ago to a question. It seemed to me, worth a posting of its own, though it be short. I have, however, added a few thoughts to it. This Sunday marks the Sunday of the Cross in the Orthodox journey of […]
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The Truth About the End Times
Read more: The Truth About the End TimesI live in the South – which means plenty of bumper stickers warning, “In case of rapture this car will be unmanned.” I grew up surrounded by preaching on the last days in a context that was decidedly Dispensationalist, Pre-Tribulation, etc. If you are a reader who does not know what all that means then […]
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Going Up the Ladder
Read more: Going Up the LadderFrom St. John Climacus’ The Ladder: A silly person feels hurt when accused or shouted at. He tries to answer back or else at once apologizes to his accuser, not for reasons of humility but to put a stop to his reproaches. In fact you should be silent when ridiculted. Accept patiently these spiritual cauterizations, […]
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It’s Not Just You
Read more: It’s Not Just YouIt’s not just you. St. Isaac the Syrian says: Whenever you wish to make a beginning in some good work, first prepare yourself for the temptations that will come upon you, and do not doubt the truth. For it is the enemy’s custom, whenever he sees a man beginning a good mode of life with […]
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Psalm 124:6-8 – Good News for the Day
Read more: Psalm 124:6-8 – Good News for the DayBlessed be the LORD, who hath not given us as a prey to their teeth. Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken, and we are escaped. Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth. May God keep us […]
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What Are You Eating? Or, Whose Food Are You?
Read more: What Are You Eating? Or, Whose Food Are You?During the first week of Great Lent, in praying the Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete, I noticed the recurring phrase one night, that we not be possessed nor become the food of demons. That’s a very reasonable prayer, considering the fact that Scripture warns us that “your adversary the devil prowls around like […]
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At the Annunciation – The Cause of All Things
Read more: At the Annunciation – The Cause of All ThingsI treasure the small volume of George Gabriel, Mary the Untrodden Portal of God. Gabriel occasionally strikes hard at the West and the book would perhaps be strengthened with a less combative approach to the differences of East and West in the faith (my own opinion), but I liked the book and found Gabriel addressing many […]
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He Burst the Yawning Gates of Hell
Read more: He Burst the Yawning Gates of HellWhom have we, Lord, like you – The Great One who became small, the Wakeful who slept, The Pure One who was baptized, the Living One who died, The King who abased himself to ensure honor for all. Blessed is your honor! St. Ephrem the Syrian For the West, today is Holy Saturday. Thus I […]
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Of Calendars and Christians
Read more: Of Calendars and ChristiansThis year the Gregorian Calendar and the Julian (and the Revised Julian) differ on the date of Pascha (Easter) by about as much as possible. The story of the calendars, both in the East and West is a very convoluted tale, sometimes requiring a knowledge of math (hence my reluctance to go into the matter). […]
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The Passions and the Reading of Scripture
Read more: The Passions and the Reading of ScriptureThe following comes from Dumitru Staniloae’s Orthodox Spirituality. It underscores the need for the struggle against the passions if we are to read Scripture rightly. “Man,” says St. Maximus, “has the absolute need for these two things, if he wants to keep the right way to God without error: the spiritual understanding of Scripture and […]
Going off Mark’s musings about Judas, I suspect there are always more layers and nuances than can be transmitted through…