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The Way of Shame and the Way of Thanksgiving
Read more: The Way of Shame and the Way of ThanksgivingThe language of “self-emptying” can have a sort of Buddhist ring. It sounds as we are referencing a move towards becoming a vessel without content – the non-self. Given our multicultural world, such a reference is understandable. It is, however, unfortunate and requires that we visit the true nature of Christian self-emptying. Our self-emptying is […]
Asceticism, Atonement, Knowledge of God, Mystical Theology, Reflections, Thankfulness, Union with God
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Life as a Fractal
Read more: Life as a FractalI have found the term “fractal” to be increasingly useful. Rather than thinking of one thing as a “copy” of another, I see the similarities that are, nevertheless, unique. I have three adult daughters, all of whom resemble their mother (and each other) with each them still being quite unique. Interestingly, I did not recognize […]
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The Sacrament of Humility – Part Two
Read more: The Sacrament of Humility – Part TwoIn my earlier article, I described humility as “our willingness to receive with thanksgiving those things (of whatever size) that come our way.” This describes humility as a virtue, but the article’s title described it as a “sacrament.” Oddly, I seemed not to have unpacked what that means. There are several ways to think about […]
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The Sacrament of Humility – Part One
Read more: The Sacrament of Humility – Part OneSome things are so obvious that you cannot see them. Their powers of invisibility do not lie so much within themselves as within those who cannot see them. We are hard-wired for danger, our eyes attuned to threats. We overlook the power of weakness and the vulnerability of humility – the queen and fount of […]
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The Sword that Pierces the Soul
Read more: The Sword that Pierces the SoulMary, the Theotokos, was described by St. Irenaeus in the 2nd century, as the “New Eve.” Like Eve, she is the “mother of us all,” if we have the eyes to see her properly. She is a quiet figure in the New Testament – not a preacher or worker of miracles. We see the […]
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Mother of Us All
Read more: Mother of Us AllA young friend recently lost his mother. It has been an occasion of reflection for me, thinking about the emptiness created by such a loss. Despite all of the confusion and conundrums in our contemporary culture surrounding gender issues – they only serve to underscore the fact that male-and-female, on the most fundamental level of […]
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Playing with God
Read more: Playing with GodThere are things that children understand instinctively. And the things that children know and understand are worth consideration. They have much to teach us. Among the most natural things children do is play. Depending on how you define play, it is among the first activities in which we engage. It comes to dominate the lives […]
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Of Whom I Am First
Read more: Of Whom I Am FirstIn the Orthodox Divine Liturgy, it is customary for a prayer to be offered by all who are coming to receive communion. I quote a portion: I believe, O Lord, and I confess that Thou art truly the Christ, the Son of the Living God, Who camest into the world to save sinners, of whom […]
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What To Do When God Is Everywhere
Read more: What To Do When God Is EverywhereIf there is no such thing as “secularism” (see my previous article), then how are we to live? If God is “everywhere present and filling all things,” how are we to spend our time in the day? It is possible to be distracted by such questions, to wonder whether Christians need to construct an alternative […]
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Yes , Matthew, I know how you take what I say., you make that clear regardless of what I say…
Thanks for your comments Fr. Stephen and Dee. Dee … one last thing … I am not extrapolating anything from…
I have not said that the Orthodox do not do horrific things. In fact I have mentioned specifically such history…
I have worshipped in many different traditions in my life. In some, Jesus was not detectible and Mary was not…
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Also I apologize to emphasize this additional point. I do this because I believe it is important to say. When…