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The Mystery of Providence
Read more: The Mystery of ProvidenceThe entire mystery of the economy of our salvation consists in the self-emptying and abasement of the Son of God – St. Cyril of Alexandria +++ Among the most troublesome thoughts to my modern mind are those surrounding God’s providence. A popular morning prayer from the Elders of Optina reads: O Lord, grant that […]
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The Despair of Modernity – It Might Not Be All Bad
Read more: The Despair of Modernity – It Might Not Be All BadIt is a commonplace in the Fathers to describe despair or sadness as the result of failing to get what we want. It sounds quite simple, but it cuts to the very heart of our sadness. There is a melancholy of our age that is born from the expectations of modernity. The mantra of progress […]
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When Chaos Ruled the World – Part II
Read more: When Chaos Ruled the World – Part IIThe imagery of a cosmic battle with chaos described in part one, is properly the foundation for the Christian life. “Chaos” is a metaphor for so much that threatens God’s good creation and makes war against His saints. It is also an understanding that is almost completely lost in the modern world. We generally […]
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When Chaos Ruled the World – Part I
Read more: When Chaos Ruled the World – Part IIn the ancient civilizations of the Near East there were strange stories about the place of chaos in the beginning of all things – and the chaos is specifically located in water. It seems odd to me that people who largely lived in arid countries should imagine the world beginning as a watery chaos – […]
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Theophany – The Waters Were Afraid
Read more: Theophany – The Waters Were AfraidWhen I was seven years old, I “went forward” one Sunday morning in response to a preacher’s invitation. I wasn’t at all certain what was going on, but I mostly thought that I was “choosing sides.” Later that week, the preacher came and visited my home. He met privately with me and plied me with […]
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At the Name of Jesus
Read more: At the Name of JesusOn the eighth day after His birth, the eternal Son of God, in accordance with the Law, would have been circumcised and given His name. The name He received was quite common. It is the same Hebrew name as “Joshua.” It means, “God saves.” No other name is spoken as often with such tenderness and […]
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Are You Like Him?
Read more: Are You Like Him?Years ago when I was in seminary, I served a small mission in Chicago. The priest was something of a mentor for me during that time. There was a young girl in the congregation, between two and three years-old. She was convinced that the priest was Jesus. (Well, he was wearing a white robe and […]
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Christ is Born! The Angels Sing!
Read more: Christ is Born! The Angels Sing!A Serbian Christmas Song – lyrics by St. Nikolai Velimirovich Andjeli Pevaju Noć prekrasna i noć tija, nad pećinom zvezda sija, u pećini mati spi, nad Isusom andjel bdi. Andjeli pevaju, pastiri sviraju, andjeli pevaju mudraci javljaju: Što narodi čekaše, što proroci rekoše, evo sad se u svet javi, u svet javi i objavi: Rodi […]
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Put the Dickens Back in Christmas
Read more: Put the Dickens Back in ChristmasIn the late 1600’s in colonial Boston, the celebration of Christmas was against the law. Indeed, anyone evidencing the “spirit of Christmas” could be fined five shillings. In the early 1800’s, Christmas was better known as a season for rioting in the streets and civil unrest. However, in the mid-1800’s some interesting things changed the […]
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I’ll Be Small for Christmas
Read more: I’ll Be Small for ChristmasChildren today are raised with dreams of greatness. Cultural affirmations of our limitless potential, well-intentioned, have not produced a generation of over-achievers, but have indeed brought forth hordes of great dreams. This is nothing new in American culture. We are the world’s longest sustained pep-talk. Ronald Reagan loved to quote the 1945 Johnny Mercer hit: […]
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Matthew, You’re making some leaps and connections that are not at all necessary and possibly even unhelpful. You seem to…
What could be more experiential than inner, ontological change? Anything less than this is simply mind gymnastics. It seems to…
Diedert, It is difficult to say what Orthodoxy would say about how to deal with religious experience. It is important…
For me real spiritual experience keeps getting smaller
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Well … even if I don´t emotionally or physically experience something when I take communion (for example) … I think…