Holy Myrrhbearer and Equal of the Apostles Mary Magdalene

Sensing Thy divinity, O Lord,
a woman of many sins,
takes it upon herself
to become a myrrh-bearer
and in deep mourning
brings before Thee fragrant oil
in anticipation of Thy burial; crying:
"Woe to me! For night is to me,
a dark and moonless madness
of wild-desire, an eros of sin.
Receive the springs of my tears
Thou Who gatherest the waters of the oceans into clouds,
bend to me, to the sorrows of my heart,
Thou who bendedst down the heavens
in Thy self-emptyingIncarnation,
I will kiss with my lips Thine immaculate feet
and dry them with the locks of my hair;
those very feet
whose sound Eve heard at the dusk in Paradise
and hid herself in fear.
Who shall count the multitude of my sins
or the depth of Thy judgment,
O Saviour of my soul?
Do not ignore Thy handmaiden,
O Thou whose mercy is endless".

- Hymn of Kassina

O woman of the gleaming hair,
(Wild hair that won men's gaze to thee)
Weary thou turnest from the common stare,
For the shuiler Christ is calling thee.

O woman of the snowy side,
Many a lover hath lain with thee,
Yet left thee sad at the morning tide,
But thy lover Christ shall comfort thee.

O woman with the wild thing's heart,
Old sin hath set a snare for thee:
In the forest ways forspent thou art
But the hunter Christ shall pity thee.

O woman spendthrift of thyself,
Spendthrift of all the love in thee,
Sold unto sin for little pelf,
The captain Christ shall ransom thee.

O woman that no lover's kiss
(Tho' many a kiss was given thee)
Could slake thy love, is it not for this
The hero Christ shall die for thee?

- "Song for Mary Magdalene" by Padraic Pearse

Icon: Sophia, the Holy Wisdom

This is a Russian icon based on Proverbs 9:1, which is inscribed across the top:

Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars:

In the center is Mary, holding Jesus, enthroned. Above her is God the Father and God the Holy Spirit (uncharacteristically presented as an old man and a dove). The rest of the icon is arranged in sevens:

• Seven archangels are in the clouds with St. Michael directly to the left and St. Gabriel (holding a lily symbolic of the Annunciation) to the right.
  
• Seven steps, each with a different virtue
1. Glory
2. Grace
3. Humility
4. Purity
5. Love
6. Hope
7. Faith
• 
  
• Standing on the seven steps are seven men who are harder to identify. I think the ones to the left are Solomon (the wise king), Aaron (the first High Priest) and Moses (the lawgiver). The ones on the right probably represent the New Covenant, but I can't tell who they are.
• There are seven pillars, each with a symbol. Of the ones I can identify:
• What appears to be the Bible
• The seven branched Menorah or candlestick from Revelation
  
• Seven horns, probably from Revelation 8, although possibly from Joshua and the Battle of Jericho
• Seven stars, probably from Revelation 1, 2 and 3 or from Amos 5:8

• Seek him that maketh the seven stars and Orion,
  and turneth the shadow of death into the morning,
  and maketh the day dark with night:
  that calleth for the waters of the sea,
  and poureth them out upon the face of the earth:
  The LORD is his name.

• Seven cups/bowls/vials of wrath from Revelation 15
  
• Seven ears of corn from Genesis 41 (Joseph in Egypt)
  

It's a very interesting icon. I am told by Orthodox friends that it is rather Western (for instance, the representation of the Trinity) and rather late (19th c.) for an icon. Here is an icon of Christ as Holy Wisdom which is supposed to be based on an 18th c. Russian icon called "Holy Silence" (an odd name for "The Word of God"):


This is a 12th. c. drawing by Hildegard of Bingen of Holy Wisdom:


And, finally, a more "official" Russian icon of Holy Wisdom from the 14th c. Novgorod school. Note that, unlike the first one, Jesus and Mary are separate from the person of Wisdom.

O come, Thou Wisdom, from on high,
and order all things far and nigh;
to us the path of knowledge show,
and teach us in her ways to go

Maundy Thursday

If you live alone, whose feet will you wash?
- St. Basil

Of Thy Mystical Supper, O Son of God,
accept me today as a communicant;
for I will not speak of Thy Mystery to Thine enemies,
neither like Judas will I give Thee a kiss.
But like the Thief will I confess Thee:
Remember me, O Lord, in Thy Kingdom.
- Orthodox hymn for Holy Thursday

Earth cannot bar flame from ascending,
Hell cannot bind light from descending,
Death cannot finish life never ending.
- Christina Rossetti

O God of Love, O God of Love
You gave to us a new command
That even as you gave us Love
We give ourselves to all of man.

The Love you gave us was Your Son
The One Begotten of You, He
Our life and our salvation won.
May we give of ourselves as free.

Though sinful servants, we request
Through all the struggles of our days
A mind forgetful of the past
A heart to love all, and your ways.
- Hymn based on an ancient Coptic prayer (below)

O God of love, who gave us a commandment
that we should love one another,
even as you loved us and gave your beloved Son
for our life and salvation;
we pray you to give us, your servants,
in all times of our life on the earth,
a mind forgetful of past ill-will,
and a heart to love our brothers and sisters.
- From the liturgy of St. Gregory


Love is but a song to sing
Fear’s the way we die
You can make the mountains ring
Or make the angels cry
Though the bird is on the wing
And you may not know why

Some may come and some may go
We shall surely pass
When the one that left us here
Returns for us at last
We are but a moment’s sunlight
Fading in the grass

If you hear the song I sing
You will understand
You hold the key to love and fear
All in your trembling hand
Just one key unlocks them both
It’s there at you command

Come on people now
Smile on your brother
Everybody get together
Try to love one another
Right now

An Altar for St. Joseph's Day

There is a tradition in New Orleans, with roots going back to medieval times, of the St. Joseph's Day Altar. So, for this St. Joseph's Day, I have constructed an online altar for the foster-father of Jesus.

An Orthodox hymn

Joseph, when He beheld the greatness of this wonder,
thought that he beheld a mortal wrapped as a babe in swaddling clothes;
but from all that come to pass he understood that He was the true God

Another Orthodox hymn by St. Ephrem the Syrian, from his Hymns on the Nativity

Joseph caressed the Son as a babe;
he ministered to Him as God.
He rejoiced in Him as the Good One,
yet he was greatly bewildered and awestruck at Him as the Just One

"Who hath given me the Son of the Most High to be a Son to me?
I was jealous of Thy Mother, and I thought to put her away,
and I knew not that in her womb was hidden a mighty treasure,
that should suddenly enrich my poor estate.
David the king sprang from my race, and wore the crown;
and I have come to a very low estate,
who instead of a king am a carpenter.
Yet a crown hath come to me,
for in my bosom is the Lord of crowns!"

A more recent Christmas song by 4 Him which captures the spirit of the previous two:

Why me, I'm just a simple man of trade
Why Him, with all the rulers in the world
Why here inside this stable filled with hay
Why her, she's just an ordinary girl
Now I'm not one to second guess what angels have to say
But this is such a strange way to save the world

The Fathers of the Church spent some time talking about the reasons why Mary and Jesus needed Joseph, what role he played in the Gospel story. This first excerpt is from the Venerable Bede:

Blessed Mary had then a husband
who would be the most reliable witness of her integrity
and most faithful custodian of our Lord and Saviour.
For the Child Jesus, Joseph would bring to the temple
the victims of sacrifice prescribed by the law;
in the hour of persecution he would take Him
and His Mother into Egypt and bring them back;
and finally he would provide many other services
called for by the fragility of the nature assumed.

The guarantee afforded by Joseph's genealogy,
the protection of Mary against stoning as an adulteress,
and the concealment of the virginal birth from the evil one.

Echoing this same idea is St. Jerome:

In His boundless wisdom, God employs the simplest of means.
What was the best way to effect the incarnation of the Son of God?
To reveal openly the all-holy Virgin's virginal state
would have meant to bring attention to the Lord Jesus prematurely,
without proper preparation.
A threefold purpose was accomplished by Joseph's betrothal to the Virgin:
quiet obscurity was assured for Christ until the appointed moment,
an impenetrable defense was provided for both her and the divine infant.
All this was accomplished by the sacred betrothal of St. Joseph to the Virgin-Mother.

One of the most interesting, and unknown, aspects of the life of Jesus is his relationship to his foster-father. We have no record of interaction between the two in Scripture, and Joseph was dead when Jesus was crucified. According to the most ancient tradition, dating from the time of the Apostles, Christ Himself heard his confession, an account of his entire life. Here is the end of an apocryphal account of that confession. Jesus says:

Hail, my father Joseph, thou righteous man.

Joseph answers,

Hail, my well-beloved Son.
Indeed the agaony and fear of death has encompassed me.
But as soon as I heard Thy voice, my soul was at rest.
O Jesus of Nazareth! Jesus, my Saviour!
Jesus, O sweetest name in my mouth, and in the mouth of all that love it!
O Eye that seest and Ear that hearest, hear me!
I am Thy servant; this day I most humbly reverence Thee
and before Thy face I pour out my tears.
Thou art altogether my God.

In this song by Michael Card, the devotion of St. Joseph to Jesus is represented as well:

How could it be this baby in my arms
Sleeping now, so peacefully
The Son of God, the angel said
How could it be Lord I know He's not my own
Not of my flesh, not of my bone
Still Father let this baby be
The son of my love

Pope John Paul II summarized the silent witness of St. Joseph this way:

Sacred Scripture says little of him.
It does not record even one word spoken by Joseph, the carpenter of Nazareth.
And yet, even without words, he shows the depth of his faith, his greatness.
Saint Joseph is a man of great spirit.
He is great in faith, not because he speaks his own words,
but above all because he listens to the words of the Living God.
He listens in silence.
And his heart ceaselessly perseveres in the readiness to accept the Truth
contained in the word of the Living God.

This sonnet praises the "silent saint," who nevertheless has been named patron of the Universal Church (and about a hundred other things):

Saints know thee best, oh, hidden, silent saint!
And would that I could feel a little part
Of that great love Theresa's kindred heart
Felt for thee, Foster-father! But the taint,
The chill, is on my soul; and few and faint
The prayers that from this earthly bosom dart
Up to that heavenly throne whereon thou art
ln glory, not too high to hear my plaint.
Patron of all who work in humble ways!
Pray that from pure and earnest motive I
May fill with patient toil the moments flying;
Patron of happy death-beds! when my days
Have reached their term, be thou, dear Joseph! nigh,
With Mary and with Jesus, while I'm dying.

The Joys and Sorrows

of St. Joseph

Mighty Joseph, son of David! High and glorious is thy state— Of our Lord the Foster-father, Mary's spouse immaculate. The Almighty's faithful servant, Of the Holy Family Head and father. Oh! I pray thee, Be a father unto me. Sorely was thy bosom troubled Till the mystery was revealed Which the Lord had wrought in Mary Who in patience all concealed. But an angel soon from heaven Bids thy loving doubts to cease; So may every care and trial Turn for me to joy and peace. With the Virgin young and tender, In the winter-time forlorn, Thou to Bethlehem didst journey That our Lord might there be born. As thy God thou didst adore Him, While He in the manger lay; Now is He in heaven exalted— Turn to Him for us and pray! Flying at the angel's -warning, Far from Herod's fury wild, Long in Egypt didst thou tarry With the Virgin and the Child. By thy toil, thy pain, thy sadness, In that exile dark and drear, Help me in the cares and sorrows Which may be my portion here.

Home from Egypt's land returning, Thou wouldst rest in Galilee, But to Nazareth art bidden, That the Child secure may be. Souls retiring, sweet, and humble, Thou dost still for Jesus seek: That my heart may be his garden, Make it humble, pure, and meek. Thou didst search, with loving anguish, For the little Jesus lost; But, in finding Him, what rapture Purchased at that sorrow's cost! Thee, my light, my life, my Jesus, May I never lose by sin! May my heart be pure and simple, So that thou may'st rest therein ! Jesus, Mary, hung above thee On that sad yet happy day When, with their fond arms around thee, Passed thy gentle soul away. Oh ! when death shall come to take me, All its terrors I'll defy, If, with Jesus and with Mary, Thou, dear Joseph, wilt be nigh. Thus, O glorious Saint, my homage I thy grateful client pay. Hear my prayer and smile upon me, Guide and guard me on my way. May I 'neath thy kind protection Safely reach my journey's close, And with thee, in heaven's bright palace, Through eternity repose!

Finally, a Litany to St. Joseph. In these times where we are too loud to hear the Lord, too proud to do the humble (yet infinitely necessary) tasks he asks of us, and too selfish to put others first; may his prayers and his example lead us to be silent, humble and loving.

Litany to St. Joseph:
Renowned offspring of David,
Light of Patriarchs,
Spouse of the Mother of God,
Chaste guardian of the Virgin,
Care father of the Son of God,
Diligent protector of Christ,
Head of the Holy Family,
Joseph most just,
Joseph most chaste,
Joseph most prudent,
Joseph most strong,
Joseph most obedient,
Joseph most faithful,
Mirror of patience,
Lover of poverty,
Model of artisans,
Glory of home life,
Guardian of virgins,
Pillar of families,
Solace of the wretched,
Hope of the sick,
Patron of the dying,
Terror of demons,
Protector of Holy Church,
Holy Joseph, pray for us.

Father Brown on the Reasonableness of Reason

Reason and justice grip the remotest and the loneliest star. Look at those stars. Don't they look as if they were single diamonds and sapphires? Well, you can imagine any mad botany or geology you please. Think of forests of adamant with leaves of brilliants. Think the moon is a blue moon, a single elephantine sapphire.

But don't fancy that all that frantic astronomy would make the smallest difference to the reason and justice of conduct. On plains of opal, under cliffs cut out of pearl, you would still find a notice-board, "Thou shalt not steal."

- From "The Blue Cross" by G.K.Chesterton

How to be a peacemaker

Blessed are the peace-makers, for they shall be called the children of God-the children because they set the Father on the throne of the Family.

The main practical diffculty, with some at least of the peace-makers, is, how to carry themselves toward the undoers of peace, the disuniters of souls. Perhaps the most potent of these are not those powers of the church visible who care for canon and dogma more than for truth, and for the church more than for Christ; who take uniformity for unity; who strain at a gnat and swallow a camel, nor knowing what spirit they are of; such men, I say, are perhaps neither the most active nor the most potent force working for the disintegration of the body of Christ. I imagine also that neither are the party-liars of politics the worst foes to divine unity, ungenerous, and often knowingly false as they are to their opponents, to whom they seem to have no desire to be honest and fair. I think, rather, they must be the babbling liars of the social circle, and the faithless brothers and unloving sisters of disunited human families.

But why inquire? Every self-assertion, every form of self-seeking however small or poor, world-noble or grotesque, is a separating and scattering force. And these forces are multitudinous, these points of radial repulsion are innumerable, because of the prevailing passion of mean souls to seem great, and feel important. If such cannot hope to attract the attention of the great-little world, if they cannot even become 'the cynosure of neighbouring eyes,' they will, in what sphere they may call their own, however small it be, try to make a party for themselves; each, revolving on his or her own axis, will attempt to self-centre a private whirlpool of human monads.

To draw such a surrounding, the partisan of self will sometimes gnaw asunder the most precious of bonds, poison whole broods of infant loves. Such real schismatics go about, where not inventing evil, yet rejoicing in iniquity; mishearing; misrepresenting; paralyzing affection; separating hearts. Their chosen calling is that of the strife-maker, the child of the dividing devil. They belong to the class of the perfidious, whom Dante places in the lowest infernal gulf as their proper home.

Are we to treat persons known for liars and strife-makers as the children of the devil or not? Are we to turn away from them, and refuse to acknowledge them, rousing an ignorant strife of tongues concerning our conduct? Are we guilty of connivance, when silent as to the ambush whence we know the wicked arrow privily shot? Are we to call the traitor to account? or are we to give warning of any sort? I have no answer. Each must carry the question that perplexes to the Light of the World. To what purpose is the spirit of God promised to them that ask it, if not to help them order their way aright?

One thing is plain-that we must love the strife-maker; another is nearly as plain-that, if we do not love him, we must leave him alone; for without love there can be no peace-making, and words will but occasion more strife. To be kind neither hurts nor compromises. Kindness has many phases, and the fitting form of it may avoid offence, and must avoid untruth.

We must not fear what man can do to us, but commit our way to the Father of the Family. We must be nowise anxious to defend ourselves; and if not ourselves because God is our defence, then why our friends? is he not their defence as much as ours? Commit thy friend's cause also to him who judgeth righteously. Be ready to bear testimony for thy friend, as thou wouldst to receive the blow struck at him; but do not plunge into a nest of scorpions to rescue his handkerchief. Be true to him thyself, nor spare to show thou lovest and honourest him; but defence may dishonour: men may say, What! is thy friend's esteem then so small? He is unwise who drags a rich veil from a cactus-bush.

Whatever our relation, then, with any peace-breaker, our mercy must ever be within call; and it may help us against an indignation too strong to be pure, to remember that when any man is reviled for righteousness-sake, then is he blessed.

- "The Hope of the Gospel" by George MacDonald

The Word of God?

Sad, indeed, would the whole matter be, if the Bible had told us everything God meant us to believe. But herein is the Bible itself greatly wronged. It nowhere lays claim to be regarded as the Word, the Way, the Truth. The Bible leads us to Jesus, the inexhaustible, the ever unfolding Revelation of God. It is Christ "in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge," not the Bible, save as leading to him.

And why are we told that these treasures are hid in him who is the Revelation of God? Is it that we should despair of finding them and cease to seek them? Are they not hid in him that they may be revealed to us in due time-that is, when we are in need of them? Is not their hiding in him the mediatorial step towards their unfolding in us? Is he not the Truth?-the Truth to men? Is he not the High Priest of his brethren, to answer all the troubled questionings that arise in their dim humanity?

Unspoken Sermons, Volume 1, The Higher Faith

Cool Christmas Icon

"Twixt the Two" by George MacDonald

Star high,
Baby low
'Twixt the two
Wise men go;
Find the baby,
Grasp the star---
Heirs of all things
Near and Far!

This image is of a rocket attack over Bethlehem.

"Christmas Carol" by G.A. Studdert

COME worship the King,
That little white thing,
Asleep on His Mother's soft breast.
Ye bright stars, bow down,
Weave for Him a crown,
Christ Jesus by angels confessed.

Come, children, and peep,
But hush ye, and creep
On tiptoe to where the Babe lies;
Then whisper His Name
And lo! like a flame
The Glory light shines in His eyes.

Come, strong men, and see
This high mystery,
Tread firm where the shepherds have trod,
And watch, 'mid the hair
Of the Maiden so fair,
The five little fingers of God.

Come, old men and grey,
The star leads the way,
It halts, and your wanderings cease;
Look down on His Face,
Then, filled with His Grace,
Depart ye, God's servants, in Peace.

15th c. Christmas Prayer

Lo, in the silent night
a child to God is born
And all is brought again
That ere was lost or lorn

Could but thy soul, o man
Become a silent night!
God would be born in thee
And set all things aright.

Syriac Christmas Hymn

Jesus Christ, radiant center of glory,
image of our God, the invisible Father,
revealer of His eternal designs,
prince of peace;
Father of the world to come.
For our sake he took the likeness of a slave,
becoming flesh in the womb of the Virgin Mary,
for our sake, wrapped in swaddling bands
and laid in a manger
adored by the shepherds
and hymned by the angelic powers, who sang:
Glory to God in the heavens
and on earth peace and good to men.
Make us worthy, Lord, to celebrate and to conclude in peace
the feast which magnifies the rising of your light,
by avoiding empty words, working with justice,
fleeing from the passions,
and raising up the spirit above earthly goods.
Bless your Church, formed long ago
to be united with yourself through your life-giving blood.
Come to the aid of your faithful shepherds,
of the priests and the teachers of the Gospel.
Bless your faithful whose only hope is in your mercy;
Christian souls, the sick, those who are tormented in spirit,
and those who have asked us to pray for them.
Have pity, in your infinite clemency, and preserve us
in fitness to receive the future, endless, good things.
We celebrate your glorious Nativity
with the Father who sent you for our redemption,
with the life-giving Spirit,
now and for ever and through all ages. Amen

" Moonless darkness stands between" by Gerald Manley Hopkins

Moonless darkness stands between.
Past, the Past, no more be seen!
But the Bethlehem-star may lead me
To the sight of Him Who freed me
From the self that I have been.
Make me pure, Lord: Thou art holy;
Make me meek, Lord: Thou wert lowly;
Now beginning, and alway:
Now begin, on Christmas day.

"The Oxen" by Thomas Hardy

Old Christmas or Little Christmas (Nollaig Bheag in Irish) is one of the traditional names for January 6.. It is so called because it was, until the adoption of the Gregorian calendar, the day on which Christmas Day was celebrated.

On Old Christmas Eve, we'd sit 'fore the fire and Mom and Dad and Granny'd tell us about the baby Jesus born in a stable on this night, and they'd say that if we'd go out at midnight we'd see the old elderberry bush blooming in the fence corner right in the show, and that if we peeped in through a chink in our stable and made no racket at all, we'd see the cow and the old mule kneeling down - paying honor to the King of Kings.

All of us would try to stay up until midnight so we could go see the elderberry blossoms, and the bruted kneeling down, but we were all used to going to bed at the edge of dark and we never could keep awake that long. That used to be our Christmas.

It was a good, peaceful kind of time ... Now I guess everybody celebrates the Day this (new) was ... but in the evening of the fifth day of January, I always remember Granny Katty sitting bowed over the fire, singing of the little Babe with dew drops a shining on his cradle.
- Jean Ritchie

Christmas Eve, and twelve of the clock.
"Now they are all on their knees,"
An elder said as we sat in a flock
By the embers in hearthside ease.
We pictured the meek mild creatures where
They dwelt in their strawy pen,
Nor did it occur to one of us there
To doubt they were kneeling then.
So fair a fancy few would weave
In these years! Yet, I feel,
If someone said on Christmas Eve,
"Come; see the oxen kneel
"In the lonely barton by yonder coomb
Our childhood used to know,"
I should go with him in the gloom,
Hoping it might be so.

"A Christmas Hymn" by Richard WIlber

A stable-lamp is lighted
Whose glow shall wake the sky;
The stars shall bend their voices,
And every stone shall cry.
And every stone shall cry,
And straw like gold shall shine;
A barn shall harbor heaven,
A stall become a shrine.
This child through David's city
Shall ride in triumph by;
The palm shall strew its branches,
And every stone shall cry.
And every stone shall cry,
Though heavy, dull, and dumb,
And lie within the roadway
To pave his kingdom come.
Yet he shall be forsaken,
And yielded up to die;
The sky shall groan and darken,
And every stone shall cry.
And every stone shall cry
For stony hearts of men:
God's blood upon the spearhead,
God's love refused again.
But now, as at the ending,
The low is lifted high;
The stars shall bend their voices,
And every stone shall cry.
And every stone shall cry,
In praises of the child,
By whose descent among us,
The worlds are reconciled.

"The Sending of the Magi" by Carmen Bliss

In a far Eastern country
It happened long of yore,
Where a lone and level sunrise
Flushes the desert floor,
That three kings sat together
And a spearman kept the door.
Gaspar, whose wealth was counted
By city and caravan;
With Melchior, the seer
Who read the starry plan;'
And Balthasar, the blameless,
Who loved his fellow man.
There while they talked, a sudden
Strange rushing sound arose,
And as with startled faces
They thought upon their foes,
Three figures stood before them
In imperial repose.
One in flame-gold and one in blue
And one is scarlet clear,
With the almighty portent
Of sunrise they drew near!
And the kings made obeisance
With hand on breast, in fear.
"Arise," said they, "we bring you
Good tidings of great peace!
To-day a power is wakened
Whose working must increase,
Till fear and greed and malice
And violence shall cease."
The messengers were Michael,
By whom all things are wrought
To shape and hue; and Gabriel
Who is the lord of thought;
And Rafael without whose love
All toil must come to nought.
Then Rafael said to Balthasar,
"In a country west from here
A lord is born in lowliness,
In love without a peer.
Take grievances and gifts to him
And prove his kingship clear!
"By this sign ye shall know him;
Within his mother's arm
Among the sweet-breathed cattle
He slumbers without harm,
While wicked hearts are troubled
And tyrants take alarm."
And Gabriel said to Melchior,
"My comrade, I will send
My star to go before you,
That ye may comprehend
Where leads your mystic learning
In a humaner trend."
And Michael said to Gaspar,
"Thou royal builder, go
With tribute to thy riches!
Though time shall overthrow
Thy kingdom, no undoing
His gentle might shall know."
Then while the kings' hearts greatened
And all the chamber shone,
As when the hills at sundown
Take a new glory on
And the air thrills with purple,
Their visitors were gone.
Then straightway up rose Gaspar,
Melchior and Balthasar,
And passed out through the murmur
Of palace and bazar,
To make without misgiving
The journey of the Star.

"Christmas" by George Herbert

All after pleasures as I rid one day,
My horse and I, both tir’d, bodie and minde,
With full crie of affections, quite astray ;
I took up in the next inne I could finde.

There when I came, whom found I but my deare,
My dearest Lord, expecting till the grief
Of pleasures brought me to him, readie there
To be all passengers most sweet relief?

O Thou, whose glorious, yet contracted light,
Wrapt in night's mantle, stole into a manger ;
Since my dark soul and brutish is thy right,
To Man of all beasts be not thou a stranger :

Furnish and deck my soul, that thou mayst have
A better lodging, than a rack, or grave.


THE shepherds sing ; and shall I silent be?
My God, no hymne for thee?
My soul ’s a shepherd too : a flock it feeds
Of thoughts, and words, and deeds.
The pasture is thy word ; the streams, thy grace
Enriching all the place.
Shepherd and flock shall sing, and all my powers
Out-sing the day-light houres.
Then we will chide the sunne for letting night
Take up his place and right :

We sing one common Lord ; wherefore he should
Himself the candle hold.

I will go searching, till I finde a sunne
Shall stay, till we have done ;
A willing shiner, that shall shine as gladly,
As frost-nipt sunnes look sadly.
Then we will sing, and shine all our own day,
And one another pay :
His beams shall cheer my breast, and both so twine,
Till ev’n his beams sing, and my musick shine.

"The Journey of the Magi" by T.S. Eliot

"A cold coming we had of it,
Just the worst time of the year
For a journey, and such a long journey:
The ways deep and the weather sharp,
The very dead of winter."
And the camels galled, sore-footed, refractory,
Lying down in the melting snow.
There were times we regretted
The summer palaces on slopes, the terraces,
And the silken girls bringing sherbet.
Then the camel men cursing and grumbling
And running away, and wanting their liquor and women,
And the night-fires gong out, and the lack of shelters,
And the cities hostile and the towns unfriendly
And the villages dirty, and charging high prices.:
A hard time we had of it.
At the end we preferred to travel all night,
Sleeping in snatches,
With the voices singing in our ears, saying
That this was all folly.
Then at dawn we came down to a temperate valley,
Wet, below the snow line, smelling of vegetation;
With a running stream and a water-mill beating the darkness,
And three trees on the low sky,
And an old white horse galloped away in the meadow.
Then we came to a tavern with vine-leaves over the lintel,
Six hands at an open door dicing for pieces of silver,
And feet kicking the empty wine-skins.
But there was no information, and so we continued
And arrived at evening, not a moment too soon
Finding the place; it was (you may say) satisfactory.
All this was a long time ago, I remember,
And I would do it again, but set down
This set down
This: were we led all that way for
Birth or Death? There was a Birth, certainly,
We had evidence and no doubt. I have seen birth and death,
But had thought they were different; this Birth was
Hard and bitter agony for us, like Death, our death.
We returned to our places, these Kingdoms,
But no longer at ease here, in the old dispensation,
With an alien people clutching their gods.
I should be glad of another death.

St. Romanos the Melodist Christmas Hymn

Today the Virgin gives birth to him who is above all being,
and the earth offers a cave to him whom no one can approach.
Angels with shepherds give glory,
and magi journey with a star,
for to us there has been born

a little Child, God before the ages. (Isaias 9.5, Psalm 73(74).12.)

Bethlehem has opened Eden, come, let us see;
we have found delight in secret, come, let us receive
the joys of Paradise within the cave.
There the unwatered root (A double allusion to Isaias 11.1 and the virgin birth.)
whose blossom is forgiveness has appeared.
There has been found the undug well
from which David once longed to drink. (2 Kingdoms (2 Samuel) 23.13-17, 1 Chronicles 11.17-19)
There a virgin has borne a babe
and has quenched at once Adam’s and David’s thirst.
For this, let us hasten to this place where there has been born

a little Child, God before the ages

The mother’s Father has willingly become her Son,
the infants’ saviour is laid as an infant in a manger.
As she who bore him contemplates him, she says,
"Tell me, my Child, how were you sown, or how were you planted in me?
I see you, my flesh and blood, and I am amazed,
because I give suck and yet I am not married.
And though I see you in swaddling clothes,
I know that the flower of my virginity is sealed,
for you preserved it when, in your good pleasure, you were born

a little Child, God before the ages.

"High King, what have you to do with beggars?
Maker of heaven, why have you come to those born of earth?
Did you love a cave or take pleasure in a manger?
See, there is no place for your servant in the inn,
I do not say a place, not even a cave,
for that too belongs to another.
To Sara, when she bore a child, (Isaac, the beloved son of Abraham, is one of the most frequent types of Christ.)
a vast land was given as her lot. To me, not even a fox hole. (Matthew 8.20.)
I used the cavern where willingly you made your dwelling,

a little Child, God before the ages."

Brodsky's Christmas Poem

. . . God
has lighted in the blue immense
the planets, icon lamps to glow
before the face we cannot know.

. . . and you
half wish to clench your eyes, or step into
a different galaxy, in whose wastes there shine
more lights than there are sands in Palestine. .

"The Savior must have been a docile Gentleman" by Emily Dickinson

The Savior must have been
A docile Gentleman—
To come so far so cold a Day
For little Fellowmen—

The Road to Bethlehem
Since He and I were Boys
Was leveled, but for that 'twould be
A rugged Billion Miles—

Hamlet on Christmas

Some say that ever 'gainst that season comes
Wherein our Saviour's birth is celebrated,
This bird of dawning singeth all night long;
And then, they say, no spirit dare stir abroad,
The nights are wholesome, then no planets strike,
No fairy takes, nor witch hath power to charm,
So hallow'd and so gracious is the time.

"The Mystic's Christmas" by John Greenleaf Whittier

"All hail!" the bells of Christmas rang,
"All hail!" the monks at Christmas sang,
The merry monks who kept with cheer
The gladdest day of all their year.

But still apart, unmoved thereat,
A pious elder brother sat
Silent, in his accustomed place,
With God's sweet peace upon his face.

"Why sitt'st thou thus?" his brethren cried,
"It is the blessed Christmas-tide;
The Christmas lights are all aglow,
The sacred lilies bud and blow.

"Above our heads the joy-bells ring,
Without the happy children sing,
And all God's creatures hail the morn
On which the holy Christ was born.

"Rejoice with us; no more rebuke
Our gladness with thy quiet look."
The gray monk answered, "Keep, I pray,
Even as ye list, the Lord's birthday.

"Let heathen Yule fires flicker red
Where thronged refectory feasts are spread;
With mystery-play and masque and mime
And wait-songs speed the holy time!

"The blindest faith may haply save;
The Lord accepts the things we have;
And reverence, howsoe'er it strays,
May find at last the shining ways.

"They needs must grope who cannot see,
The blade before the ear must be;
As ye are feeling I have felt,
And where ye dwell I too have dwelt.

"But now, beyond the things of sense,
Beyond occasions and events,
I know, through God's exceeding grace,
Release from form and time and space.

"I listen, from no mortal tongue,
To hear the song the angels sung;
And wait within myself to know
The Christmas lilies bud and blow.

"The outward symbols disappear
From him whose inward sight is clear;
And small must be the choice of days
To him who fills them all with praise!

"Keep while you need it, brothers mine,
With honest seal your Christmas sign,
But judge not him who every morn
Feels in his heart the Lord Christ born!"

"Ecce Puer" by James Joyce

Of the dark past
A child is born;
With joy and grief
My heart is torn.

Calm in his cradle
The living lies.
May love and mercy
Unclose his eyes!

Young life is breathed
On the glass;
The world that was not
Comes to pass.

A child is sleeping:
An old man gone.
O, father forsaken,
Forgive your son!

"The Thread of Life" by Christina Rossetti

The irresponsive silence of the land,
The irresponsive sounding of the sea,
Speak both one message of one sense to me: —
Aloof, aloof, we stand aloof, so stand
Thou too aloof bound with the flawless band
Of inner solitude; we bind not thee;
But who from thy self—chain shall set thee free?
What heart shall touch thy heart? what hand thy hand?—
And I am sometimes proud and sometimes meek,
And sometimes I remember days of old
When fellowship seemed not so far to seek
And all the world and I seemed much less cold,
And at the rainbow's foot lay surely gold,
And hope felt strong and life itself not weak.

Thus am I mine own prison. Everything
Around me free and sunny and at ease:
Or if in shadow, in a shade of trees
Which the sun kisses, where the gay birds sing
And where all winds make various murmuring;
Where bees are found, with honey for the bees;
Where sounds are music, and where silences
Are music of an unlike fashioning.
Then gaze I at the merrymaking crew,
And smile a moment and a moment sigh
Thinking: Why can I not rejoice with you ?
But soon I put the foolish fancy by:
I am not what I have nor what I do;
But what I was I am, I am even I.

Therefore myself is that one only thing
I hold to use or waste, to keep or give;
My sole possession every day I live,
And still mine own despite Time's winnowing.
Ever mine own, while moons and seasons bring
From crudeness ripeness mellow and sanative;
Ever mine own, till Death shall ply his sieve;
And still mine own, when saints break grave and sing.
And this myself as king unto my King
I give, to Him Who gave Himself for me;
Who gives Himself to me, and bids me sing
A sweet new song of His redeemed set free;
He bids me sing: O death, where is thy sting?
And sing: O grave, where is thy victory?

Cool Christmas Icon

I came across this interesting illumination from the Paris Psalter which incorporates a lot of Greek mythological imagery in the service of a Christian meaning. Many thanks to Silouan who decoded most of this for me.

Symbolism:

• The lady in black is Nyx, which means night.
• The man in the middle is Esaias (Isaiah). The iconograoher painted him to look like John the Baptist, though it makes sense.
• The child with the torch is Orthros, which means daybreak (it's also the Greek name for the Matins service.)
• The hand in the clouds is making a Chi Rho (the first two letters of Christ in Greek) which Orthodox priests use when blessing.

Thus, this picture is of Isaiah receiving his vision from the preincarnate Christ at the end of night and the beginning of a new morning - or at the end of an age and beginning of the next. Or, as Isaiah put it (9:2):

The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.

This is a really fascinating icon for another reason. Roman Mithras was depicted with his two companions, the young men called dadophores. One held his bright torch up and the other held his guttering torch down. This artist has borrowed that motif, though he's certainly put his own stamp on it.

The race that long in darkness pined,
Have seen a glorious Light;
The people dwell in day, who dwelt
In death's surrounding night.

Emmanuel and Elmanuim

The people who were wandering in darkness cried out to heaven, 0
"Great God, come quickly to our aid! Loving Lord, hasten to help us!" 1
Hearing their prayers, God took counsel with Himself.
In a three-fold voice He said, "It is time," and the heavens hushed in wonder.

So the Son stripped Himself of His robes of glory.
He removed His regal crown
His power and wealth were set aside.
And while all things were in quiet silence,
and night was in the midst of her swift course,
the Almighty Word, leapt down out of His royal throne. 2, 3

He came to us in such a poor, pitiful state,
devoid of crown, throne, robes and power; 4
and coming He asked us what we had to give Him.

"My children, I have no clothes, for I have set them aside for love of you.
What have you to give me, to cover my nakedness?"
"We have only the womb of a Virgin. Of her you may take our flesh
though it is diseased with death and stained with sin."
"This will I take," He replied.
Yet, in the taking, He made the flesh clean and living.

"My children, I have no house, for I have left My Father for love of you.
What home have you to give me, to shelter me from the wind?"
"We have only the stable of this Inn, where the sheep and oxen sleep."
"This will I take," He replied.
Yet, in the taking, He made that stable the palace of the wide world and high heavens.

"My children, I have no throne, for I have set aside My seat for love of you.
What throne have you to give me, from which I may administer justice and peace?"
"We have only this manger, the feeding place of ox and donkey."
"This will I take," He replied.
Yet, in the taking, He made that manger more holy than the Ark of the Covenant.

"My children, I have no way to travel, for I who was once all places
have bound myself to this one place for love of you.
What steed have you to give me, that I might ride to your rescue?"
"We have only this donkey, who is used to bear the burdens of his owner."
"This will I take," He replied.
Yet, in the taking, He made that donkey the bearer of the most noble Son of God.

"My children, I have no food, for I who once had no need have made myself needful for love of you.
What meal have you to give me, that I might be nourished for the great battle?"
"We have only this bread and this wine, which will be used for Passover."
"This will I take," He replied.
Yet, in the taking, He made it His broken Body and His blessed Blood.

"My children, I have no crown, for I have laid aside my diadem for love of you.
What crown have you to give me, to show that I am your King?"
"We have only this crown of thorns, which will pierce your brow."
"This will I take," He replied.
Yet, in the taking, He made it more noble than any golden laurel that ever adorned a Caesar.

"My children, I have no sword, for I have laid aside all my power for love of you.
What weapon have you to give me, that I might free you from your oppressors?"
"We have only this cross, on which to hang you."
"This will I take," He replied.
Yet, in the taking, He defeated both death and sin.

"My children, I have no bed, for I Who was once tireless have become tired in my labors to free you.
What resting place have you to give me, that I may take my Sabbath?"
"We have only this borrowed barrow, the grave of a stranger."
"This will I take," He replied.
Yet, in the taking, He made it the doorway to harrowed Hell and hallowed Heaven.

And the people who had walked in darkness saw the great Light.
God had become naked for them.
God had become homeless for them.
God had become throneless for them.
God had become limited for them.
God had become hungry for them.
God had become thirsty for them.
God had become crownless for them.
God had become weaponless for them.
God had died for them.
God had become one of them.
And they said, "We call Him Emmanuel, for God is truly with us."

And so it was that, in obedience and humility, the Son took all that He was given and made it blessed.
And all that had been laid aside was returned to Him, power, throne, crown, robes and glory. 6
He turned again to earth and said,

"My children, you have no gifts, for all that was once Mine is restored to me.
What tribute have you to give me, that I may know of your love?"
"We have only our failing flesh, our weak wills and our poor hearts,
but we give them to You to do with as you would."
"These will I take," He replied.
Yet, in the taking, God-with-us changed our names to we-with-God.

I wrote this poem for my father's Christmas Cantata, to go between two versions of Veni, Veni Emmanuel (one for Christmas and one for Holy Week). It was meant to bridge the Cradle and the Cross. I melded three things together for the final product. The first is an Orthodox Vespers prayer for Christmas Night:

What shall we offer thee, O Christ,
Who for our sakes hast appeared on earth as man?
Every creature made by thee offers thee thanks.
The angels offer thee a hymn;
The heavens a star;
The magi, gifts;
The shepherds, their wonder;
The earth, its cave;
The wilderness, the manger:
And we offer thee a Virgin Mother.
O God from everlasting, have mercy upon us.

The second is the Good Friday Reproaches, spoken by Christ on the Cross to His people:

My people, What have I done to you?
How have I offended you? Answer me!
I led you out of Egypt; but you led your Savior to the Cross.
For forty years I led you safely through the desert,
I fed you with manna from heaven,
and brought you to the land of plenty;
But you led your Savior to the Cross.
O, My people!
What have I done to you that you should testify against me?

Holy God. Holy God. Holy Mighty One. Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us.
The final is the final verse of In the Bleak Midwinter:

What then shall I give him, poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd, I would give a lamb.
If I were a Wise Man, I would do my part.
But what I can I give Him, give Him my heart.

...

"Gloria in Profundis" by G.K. Chesterton

There has fallen on earth for a token
A god too great for the sky.
He has burst out of all things and broken
The bounds of eternity:
Into time and the terminal land
He has strayed like a thief or a lover,
For the wine of the world brims over,
Its splendour is split on the sand.

Who is proud when the heavens are humble,
Who mounts if the mountains fall,
If the fixed stars topple and tumble
And a deluge of love drowns all-
Who rears up his head for a crown,
Who holds up his will for a warrant,
Who strives with the starry torrent,
When all that is good goes down?

For in dread of such falling and failing
The fallen angels fell
Inverted in insolence, scaling
The hanging mountain of hell:
But unmeasured of plummet and rod
Too deep for their sight to scan,
Outrushing the fall of man
Is the height of the fall of God.

Glory to God in the Lowest
The spout of the stars in spate-
Where thunderbolt thinks to be slowest
And the lightning fears to be late:
As men dive for sunken gem
Pursuing, we hunt and hound it,
The fallen star has found it
In the cavern of Bethlehem.

Excerpts from C.S. Lewis Regarding the True Myth

If ever a myth had become a fact, had been incarnated, it would be just like this. And nothing else in all literature was just like this. Myths were like it in one way. Histories were like it in another. But nothing was simply like it . . . Here and here only in all time the myth must have become fact; the Word, flesh; God, man. This is not "a religion," nor "a philosophy." It is the summing up and actuality of them all.
- Surprised By Joy

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

...now what Dyson and Tolkien showed me was this: that if I met the idea of sacrifice in a Pagan story I didn t mind it at all; again, that if I met the idea of a god sacrificing himself to himself... I liked it very much and was mysteriously moved by it: again, that the idea of the dying and reviving god (Balder, Adonis, Bacchus) similarly moved me provided I met it anywhere except in the Gospels.

The reason was that in the Pagan stories I was prepared to feel the myth as profound and suggestive of meaning beyond my grasp even tho I could not say in cold prose what it meant.

Now the story of Christ is simply a true myth: a myth working on us in the same way as the others, but with this tremendous difference that it really happened: and one must be content to accept it in the same way, remembering that it is God s myth where the others are mens myths: i. e. the Pagan stories are God expressing Himself through the minds of poets, using such images as He found there, while Christianity is God expressing Himself through what we call real things. Therefore it is true, not in the sense of being a description of God (that no finite mind can take in) but in the sense of being the way in which God chooses to (or can) appear to our faculties.

The doctrines we get out of the true myth are of course less true: they are translations into our concepts and ideas of that which God has already expressed in a language more adequate, namely the incarnation, crucifixion, and resurrection. Does this amount to a belief in Christianity? At any rate I am now certain

• That this Christian story is to be approached, in a sense, as I approach the other myths.
• That is the most important and full of meaning. I am also nearly certain that it really happened.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Now as myth transcends thought, Incarnation transcends myth. The heart of Christianity is a myth which is also a fact. The old myth of the Dying God, without ceasing to be myth comes down from the heaven of legend and imagination to the earth of history. It happens - at a particular date, in a particular place, followed by definable historical consequences. We pass from a Balder or an Osiris, dying nobody knows when or where, to a historical Person crucified (it is all in order) under Pontius Pilate. By becoming fact it does not cease to be myth: that is the miracle...Those who do not know that this great myth became Fact when the Virgin conceived are, indeed, to be pitied. But Christians also need to be...reminded that what became Fact was a Myth, that it carries with it into the world of Fact all the properties of a myth. God is more than a god, not less; Christ is more than Balder, not less. We must not be ashamed of the mythical radiance resting in our theology.
- God in the Dock

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

He [God] sent the human race what I call good dreams. I mean those queer stories scattered all through heathen religions about a god who dies and comes to life again, and by his death, has somehow given new life to men.
- Mere Christianity

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Death and re-birth - go down to go up - it is a key principle. Through this bottleneck in Nature, this belittlement, the highroad nearly always lies... The pattern is there in Nature because it was first there in God...The total pattern...is the real Death and Re- birth: for certainly no seed ever fell from so fair a tree into so dark and cold a soil as would furnish more than a faint analogy to this huge descent and re-ascension in which God dredged the salt and oozy bottom of Creation...The Corn-king is derived (through human imagination) from the facts of Nature, and the facts of Nature from her Creator; the Death and Re-birth pattern is in her because it was first in Him. On the other hand, elements of Nature-religion are strikingly absent from the teaching of Jesus and from the Judaic preparation which lead up to it precisely because in them Nature's Original is manifesting Itself.
- Miracles

St. Comgan and the Jewels

St. Comgan heard about a miser who owned a fabulous collection of jewels. The miser kept the jewels in a safe. Comgan called on the miser, and said: "I hear you have a fabulous collection of jewels. Would you allow me to see them?"

The miser replied: "It would be a pleasure. I haven't looked at them myself for many years, so I too shall enjoy seeing them." He opened the safe, took out a gold box and carefully placed the box on a table. He unlocked the box, and lifted the lid. Both Comgan and the miser stared with open mouths at the diamonds, rubies, emeralds, and sapphires which it contained. The miser dipped his hand in the box, and let the precious stones run through his fingers. Then after a few minutes he closed the box, and returned it to the safe.

"Thank you for giving me those jewels," Comgan said.

The miser replied: "I haven't given them to you; they belong to me."

Comgan said: "I have had as much pleasure as you from looking at them. So there is no difference between us - except that you have the expense and anxiety of buying and looking after them."

That day the miser gave away one jewel to every household in the town. There were just enough - with one left over for himself.

"Phoenix" by D.H. Lawrence

Are you willing to be sponged out, erased, cancelled,
made nothing?
Are you willing to be made nothing?
dipped into oblivion?

If not, you will never really change.

The phoenix renews her youth
only when she is burnt, burnt alive, burnt down
to hot and flocculent ash.
Then the small stirring of a new small bub in the nest
with strands of down like floating ash
shows that she is renewing her youth like the eagle,
immortal bird.

St. Comgan and the Grieving Widow

An old couple were admired by everyone in their village for the happiness of their marriage. They never quarreled, and were always loving and affectionate toward each other.

Eventually the husband died, and the wife was overcome with grief. Her children and her neighbors tried to console her, but to no avail. Weeks and months passed, and still the old woman was grieving and inconsolable; tears of grief rolled down her cheeks from morning till night.

St. Comgan heard about her. He asked one of his wealthy friends to lend him a ring with a precious jewel set in it. He took it to the old woman, and said to her: "I want you to find a family which has no sorrows, and give that family this ring."

The woman set off in search of a family with no sorrows. She visited every home in the region and talked to
every family. Finally she returned home, and gave the ring back to Comgan. Her grief had gone.

St. Clement of Rome

The strong must make sure that they care for the weak.
The rich must be certain to give enough to supply all the needs of the poor.
The poor must thank God for supplying their needs . . .
We all need each other: the great need the small, the small need the great.
In our body, the head is useless without the feet and the feet without the head.
The tiniest limbs of our body are useful and necessary to the whole.

St. Ephrem the Syrian's Hymn on Fasting

1.1
The is the fast of the First Born, the first of his victories.
Let us rejoice in his coming; for in fasting he has overcome.
Though he could have overcome by any means,
He revealed for us the strength hidden in fasting, Overcomer of All.
For by means of it a man can overcome that one who with fruit overcame Adam;
He became greedy and gobbled it. Blessed is the First-Born who encompassed
Our weakness with the wall of his great fasting.

Res:
Blessed is the King who adorned the Holy Church with Fasting, Prayer and Vigil.

1.2
This is the fast which exalts; which appeared from the First Born
So as to extol the younger ones. There is occasion for delight for the discerning ones in fasting;
When one sees how much he has grown. Fasting secretly purifies the soul
So it can gaze on God and grow by the vision of Him.
For the weight that is from the earth, bends it back to the earth.
Blessed is he who gave us fasts,
The sheer wings by which we fly to him.

1.3
Fasting is bright and beautiful for any who bright enough
To gaze on God. The Turbid One, stirred up by anything
Cannot fix the eye on that Clear One. He who possesses a clear eye
He can gaze upon him; as much as it is given to him to gaze.
Instead of the clarifying wine, let us clarify our thought
So that we will be able to see the Clear One
Who overcame the Evil Oneby means of fasting, that Disturber of All.

1.4
This is the fast through which greed escapes
The peoples at the top of the mountain ; clothed in fasting he overcame the Greedy One.
Who had clothed himself with the food of Adam's house.
The Lord of Victories gave us his weapon, he ascended on high to be an observer.
Who would not run to the weapon by which God overcame
It is a shameful thing, my brothers, to be bested by the weapon
Which overcomes and causes to overcome all creation.

1.5
Because the enemy is not visible, let us purge our thinking so that he sees that we see him.
He is able to steal some of those whom he sees
That they have not noticed him.
When a soul undertakes a fast,
The the fast bears it and gives it back to its counterpart.
Amid the volleys of sharpened arrows, hiddren from view, the hidden eye
Is polished to see from whence they come.

1.6
This is the instructive fast, it teaches the athlete the ways of the contest.
Draw near to it, study, learn to struggle shrewdly.
Behold he instructed us to fast with our mouths and hearts,
Let us not fast from bread and think thoughts
In which the hidden poison of death is hidden.
Let us confess on the fast day the First Born
Who gave us the word of life to meditate on.

1.7
Let the scriptures be for us like a mirror, let us see in them our fast
For the Bible descriminates between fasts and prayer.
It chooses one type of fast and rejects another
Some fasters appease God and others anger him.
There is a prayer which is sinful, and another which is the medicine of life
O Lord let us rejoice in our fast
As he rejoiced, my brothers, in his own fast.

1.8
The fast is not defiling for the Holy One, for through it he descended and shone
Another mixing made the fast defiled, though itself is pure.
Examine nature! Are not desirable fruit
Polluted by loathsome fruit?
Our thoughts are repelled by them though they be washed many times.
Blessed is the Pure One who receives those fruits
Which all the penitent having purified them give to him.

1.9
The Troubler mixes filth with our Clarity,
So as to make the first-fruits of our prayer and fasting hateful.
It is possible by his jealousy, that our gift be rebuked.
Take away your deceits from your fasts, remove mockery from your praise.
May your voices wash your mouths from lies.
Allow us, O First Born in your mercy
To uproot hidden weeds from our thoughts

1.10
Do not be hindered O Simple Ones regarding that Deceiver who robs Fasters.
For when he sees someone abstaining from bread,
He is filled with anger. When he sees someone standing to pray
He fills his mind with one distraction after another.
He steals from his heart the prayer of his mouth,
O Lord of ours give us an eye to see,
How he steals the truth in deceit.

1.11
Come be gathered, my brothers, on this fast day let us sit and marvel at how evil is the Evil One
When he makes a transaction (gives and takes), he impoverishes us by what is his.
And does he become wealthy through what is ours; the truth that he steals suits him not.
The deceit he gives to us does not avail.
It is similar to the whore his companion, who is neither ours nor his.
Judge O Lord, between us and him,
For it is through you that Solomon judged the unclean women.

1.12
Let us seek the trace of truth on the fast day; Let us go forth by it to the place of abodes
For the Blind People run, on a fast day with pride and wandering
Though there is a fast in their mouth, yet an idol is in the heart;
Prayer is on their lips, but divination in their heart
Their stomach is devoid of bread, but full of lies;
Though they wash their hands all day,
Hidden blood still screams against them.

1.13
Blessed is he who endured and sustained and his head is crowned in exaltation.
With a bold voice, as one who deserves a payment, he demands his wage
He is not like me, who is too weak to fast, too lowly for the vigil
The first to be overcome. My enemy possesses skill
When he overcomes me, he lets me rise that he might again cast me low.
O Sea of mercies give me a handful of mercies

"Weeping with Christ" and other sayins of St. Isaac

Do not despise the sinner for we are all guilty.
If, for love of God, you rise up against him, mourn for him instead.
Why do you despise him?
Despise his sins but pray for him so that you may be like Christ,
who did not get annoyed with sinners but prayed for them.
Can't you see how he wept over Jerusalem?
For we, too, have been duped by the devil more than once.
So why despise him whom the devil, who mocks us all, has deceived just like us?
Why, O man, despise the sinner?
Is it because he is not as just as you are yourself?
But what happens to your justice from the moment you are without love?
Why did you not weep for him?
Instead, you persecute him.
It is through ignorance that certain people get upset,
believing themselves to have discernment into the deeds of sinners.

Let yourself be persecuted, but do not persecute others.
Be crucified, but do not crucify others.
Se slandered, but do not slander others.
Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep: such is the sign of purity.
Suffer with the sick.
Be afflicted with sinners.
Exult with those who repent.
Be the friend of all, but in your spirit remain alone.
Be a partaker of the sufferings of all, but keep your body distant from all.
Rebuke no one, revile no one, not even those who live very wickedly.
Spread your cloak over those who fall into sin, each and every one, and shield them.
And if you cannot take the fault on yourself and accept punishment in their place, do not destroy their character.

What is a merciful heart?
It is a heart on fire for the whole of creation, for humanity, for the birds,
for the animals, for demons, and for all that exists.
By the recollection of them the eyes of a merciful person pour forth tears in abundance.
By the strong and vehement mercy that grips such a person’s heart,
and by such great compassion, the heart is humbled
and one cannot bear to hear or to see any injury or slight sorrow in any in creation.
For this reason, such a person offers up tearful prayer continually even for irrational beasts,
for the enemies of the truth, and for those who harm her or him,
that they be protected and receive mercy.
And in like manner such a person prays for the family of reptiles
because of the great compassion that burns without measure
in a heart that is in the likeness of God.

The person who is genuinely charitable not only gives charity out of his own possessions,
but gladly tolerates injustice from others and forgives them.
Whoever lays down his soul for his brother acts generously,
rather than the person who demonstrates his generosity by his gifts.

God is not One who requites evil, but who sets evil right.
Paradise is the love of God, wherein is the enjoyment of all blessedness.
The person who lives in love reaps the fruit of life from God,
and while yet in this world, even now breathes the air of the resurrection.
In love did God bring the world into existence;
in love is God going to bring it to that wondrous transformed state,
and in love will the world be swallowed up
in the great mystery of the One who has performed all these things;
in love will the whole course of the governance of creation be finally comprised.

Question: When is a person sure of having arrived at purity?
Answer: When that person considers all human beings are good, and no created thing appears impure or defiled. Then a person is truly pure in heart.

Love is sweeter than life.
Sweeter still, sweeter than honey and the honeycomb
is the awareness of God whence love is born.
Love is not loath to accept the hardest of deaths for those it loves.
Love is the child of knowledge.
Lord, fill my heart with eternal life.

As for me I say that those who are tormented in hell
are tormented by the invasion of love.
What is there more bitter and violent than the pains of love?
Those who feel they have sinned against love
bear in themselves a damnation much heavier than the most dreaded punishments.
The suffering with which sinning against love
afflicts the heart is more keenly felt than any other torment.
It is absurd to assume that the sinners in hell are deprived of God’s love.
Love is offered impartially.
But by its very power it acts in two ways.
It torments sinners, as happens here on earth
when we are tormented by the presence of a friend to whom we have been unfaithful.
And it gives joy to those who have been faithful.

That is what the torment of hell is in my opinion: remorse.
But love inebriates the souls of the sons and daughters of heaven by its delectability.


If zeal had been appropriate for putting humanity right,
why did God the Word clothe himself in the body,
using gentleness and humility in order to bring the world back to his Father?


Sin is the fruit of free will.
There was a time when sin did not exist,
and there will be a time when it will not exist.


God’s recompense to sinners is that,
instead of a just recompense,
God rewards them with resurrection.


O wonder!
The Creator clothed in a human being enters the house of tax collectors and prostitutes.
Thus the entire universe, through the beauty of the sight of him,
was drawn by his love to the single confession of God, the Lord of all.


Will God, if I ask, forgive me these things
by which I am pained and by whose memory I am tormented,
things by which, though I abhor them, I go on backsliding?
Yet after they have taken place the pain they give me
is even greater than that of a scorpion’s sting.
Though I abhor them, I am still in the middle of them,
and when I repent of them with suffering I wretchedly return to them again.


This is how many God-fearing people think,
people who foster virtue and are pricked with the suffering of compunction,
who mourn over their sin;
They live between sin and repentance all the time.
Let us not be in doubt, O fellow humanity, concerning the hope of our salvation,
seeing that the One who bore sufferings for our sakes is very concerned about our salvation;
God’s mercifulness is far more extensive than we can conceive,
God’s grace is greater than what we ask for.


When we find love, we partake of heavenly bread
and are made strong without labor and toil.
The heavenly bread is Christ,
who came down from heaven and gave life to the world.
This is the nourishment of angels.
The person who has found love eats and drinks Christ every day and every hour
and is thereby made immortal. …
When we hear Jesus say, “Ye shall eat and drink at the table of my kingdom,”
what do we suppose we shall eat, if not love?
Love, rather than food and drink, is sufficient to nourish a person.
This is the wine “which maketh glad the heart.”
Blessed is the one who partakes of this wine!
Licentious people have drunk this wine and become chaste;
sinners have drunk it and have forgotten the pathways of stumbling;
drunkards have drunk this wine and become fasters;
the rich have drunk it and desired poverty,
the poor have drunk it and been enriched with hope;
the sick have drunk it and become strong;
the unlearned have taken it and become wise.


Repentance is given us as grace after grace,
for repentance is a second regeneration by God.
That of which we have received an earnest by baptism,
we receive as a gift by means of repentance.
Repentance is the door of mercy, opened to those who seek it.
By this door we enter into the mercy of God,
and apart from this entrance we shall not find mercy.


Blessed is God who uses corporeal objects continually
to draw us close in a symbolic way to a knowledge of God’s invisible nature.
O name of Jesus, key to all gifts, open up for me the great door to your treasure-house,
that I may enter and praise you with the praise that comes from the heart.


O my Hope, pour into my heart the inebriation that consists in the hope of you.
O Jesus Christ, the resurrection and light of all worlds,
place upon my soul’s head the crown of knowledge of you;
open before me all of a sudden the door of mercies,
cause the rays of your grace to shine out in my heart.


O Christ, who is covered with light as though with a garment,
who for my sake stood naked in front of Pilate,
clothe me with that might which you caused to overshadow the saints,
whereby they conquered this world of struggle.
May your Divinity, Lord, take pleasure in me,
and lead me above the world to be with you.


I give praise to your holy Nature, Lord,
for you have made my nature a sanctuary for your hiddenness
and a tabernacle for your holy mysteries,
a place where you can dwell,
and a holy temple for your Divinity.

Fare the Well - Free, O Lord

+ Fare thee well in Christ. Peace be with thee. Amen.

As thy soul goes forth from this world, let it go forth in peace.
In the Name of God the Father Almighty Who created thee.
In the Name of Jesus Christ the Son of the Living God Who suffered for thee.
In the Name of the Holy Spirit Who is poured forth in thee.
In the Name of the Angels and Archangels,
Patriarchs, Prophets, Apostles,
Innocents, Martyrs, Confessors, Virgins,
and all of the souls of the Saints who are pleasing to God.

Today mayest thou be placed with them in peace,
may thy place and habitation be in the Holy Heavenly Jerusalem.
May Saint Michael the Archangel, who was meritorious to lead the heavenly armies, take thee up.
May the Holy Angels lead thee and guide thee into the Heavenly Jerusalem.
May Saint Peter the Apostle to whom the Lord handed down the keys to the heavenly kingdom, take thee up.
Go forth in peace, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,
Who will illuminate thee in life eternal and raise thee in the first resurrection in the newest Day.

Lord Jesus Christ the Good Shepherd,
receive the soul of Thy servant N. in peace,
and forgive all of his (her) sins.
Receive, O Lord, Thy servant in the good,
and free his (her) soul from all the dangers of hell,
and from the snares of punishments, and from all tribulations.

Free, O Lord, the soul of Thy servant,
as Thou didst free Noah from danger.
Free, O Lord, the soul of Thy servant,
as Thou didst free Elijah and Enoch from tasting death in the world.
Free, O Lord, the soul of Thy servant,
as Thou didst free Abraham through faith and believing.
Free, O Lord, the soul of Thy servant,
as Thou didst free Lot from Sodom and the flaming fire.
Free, O Lord, the soul of Thy servant,
as Thou didst free Isaac from the hand of his father Abraham.
Free, O Lord, the soul of Thy servant,
as Thou didst free Jacob through the benediction of Thy majesty.
Free, O Lord, the soul of Thy servant,
as Thou didst free Moses from the hand of Pharaoh, king of the Egyptians.
Free, O Lord, the soul of Thy servant,
as Thou didst free Job from his sufferings.
Free, O Lord, the soul of Thy servant,
as Thou didst free Jonah from the belly of the whale.
Free, O Lord, the soul of Thy servant,
as Thou didst free David from the hand of Saul the king, and Goliath,
and from all of the chains of his sins.
Free, O Lord, the soul of Thy servant,
as Thou didst free Daniel from the Lion's den.
Free, O Lord, the soul of Thy servant,
as Thou didst free three youths, from the fiery furnace
and the hand of the iniquitous king.
Free, O Lord, the soul of Thy servant,
as Thou didst free Suzanna from false accusation.
Free, O Lord, the soul of Thy servant,
as Thou didst free the human race by Thy Passion.
Free, O Lord, the soul of Thy servant,
as Thou didst free Peter and Paul from prison.
Free, O Lord, the soul of Thy servant,
as Thou didst free Thecla from the three torments.

Thus be pleased to free, O Lord, the soul of this human being,
and allow him to dwell with Thee in the heavenly good things of Thy kingdom,
Who with the Father and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns unto ages of ages. Amen.

St. Marcellus, St. Martin and Pacificsm

During the consulship of Faustus and Gallus [298], on the 5th day before the kalends of August [28 July], when the former centurion of the first cohort had been brought in, the praeses Fortunatus said, "What were you thinking to discard your belt and hurl down your sword and staff ?"
Marcellus replied, "I have already told you on 21 July, loudly and in public, before the standards of this legion, when you were celebrating the anniversary of your emperor, that I am a Christian and cannot observe this oath unless to Jesus Christ the Son of the Living God."
The praeses Fortunatus said, "I cannot conceal your rash behaviour and so I will report these things to the ears of our lords the Augusti and Caesars. You, of course, will be sent to the court of my lord Aurelius Agricolanus, the vice-praetorian prefect, under armed guard by the consular official Cecilius.

Manilius Fortunatus sends greetings to his lord Agricolanus. On the anniversary most happy and blessed throughout the whole world of our same lords the Augusti and Caesars, when we were willingly celebrating the festival, lord Aurelius Agricolanus, the centurio ordinarius Marcellus, seized by what madness I do not know, wantonly disgirded himself of belt and sword and decided to hurl down the staff which he was carrying before the very headquarters of our lords. I have decided that it was necessary to report what was done to your power, even for him to have been sent to you also.

During the consulship of Faustus and Gallus, at Tingis, on the third day before the kalends of November, when Marcellus, the former centurion of the first cohort, had been brought in, an official announced, "The praeses Fortunatus has sent him to your power. There is here for your greatness also a letter concerning his case which I
will read out if you so direct."
Agricolanus said, "Let it be read out.". When it had been read out, Agricolanus said, "Did you say those
things which are recorded in the praeses' record ?"
Marcellus said, "I did."
Agricolanus said, "Were you serving as a centurio ordinarius ?"
Marcellus said, "I was."
Agricolanus said, "What madness possessed you to cast aside aside your oath and say such things ?"
Marcellus said, "No madness possesses him who fears God."
Agricolanus said, "Did you make these separate statements which are recorded in the praeses' record ?"
Marcellus said, "I did."
Agricolanus said, "Did you hurl down your weapons ?"
Marcellus said, "I did. It is not proper for a Christian man, one who fears the Lord Christ, to engage in earthly military service."
Agricolanus said, "Marcellus' actions are such that they ought to be disciplined." And so he stated, "It pleases (the court) that Marcellus, who defiled the office of centurion which he held by his public rejection of the oath and, furthermore, according to the praeses' records, gave in testimony words full of madness, should be executed by the sword."

St. Martin Renounces His Weapons by Simone Martini (1317)

In this fresco we see St. Martin, as an officer in the Roman army face to face with the enemy, announcing his decision:

I am a soldier of Christ and I cannot fight.

To the left, in the Roman camp with Emperor Julian, we see a group of soldiers and the treasurer distributing money to the mercenaries. To the right, waiting for the battle, behind the hill, we see the barbarian army with their armour and their spears. St. Martin (still a knight, but carrying a cross and shown in the act of blessing) is looking towards the Emperor but walking towards the enemy. His battle is the struggle against paganism, and his only weapon is the word of Christ.

WASTE of Muscle, waste of Brain,
Waste of Patience, waste of Pain,
Waste of Manhood, waste of Health,
Waste of Beauty, waste of Wealth,

Waste of Blood, and waste of Tears,
Waste of Youth's most precious years,
Waste of ways the Saints have trod,
Waste of Glory, waste of God,--
War!

"Written at the Bottom of a Crucifix" by Victor Hugo

You who cry, come to this God, for He cries.
You who suffer, come to Him, for He cures.
You who tremble, come to Him, for He smiles.
You who pass, come to Him, for He remains.

An Exposition of The Mysteries (Mar Narsai, 437 AD)

He was laid in a manger and wrapped in swaddling clothes, as Man;
and the watchers extolled Him with their praises, as God.
He offered sacrifices according to the Law, as Man;
and He received worship from the Persians, as God.
Simeon bore Him upon his arms, as Man;
and he named Him 'the Mercy' who showth mercy to all, as God.
He kept the Law completely, as Man;
and He gave His own new Law, as God.

He was baptized in Jordan by John, as Man;
and the heaven was opened in honour of His baptism, as God.
He went in to the marriage-feast of the city of Canna, as Man;
and He changed the water that it became wine, as God.
He fasted in the wilderness forty days, as Man;
and watchers descended to minister unto Him, as God.
He slept in the boat with His disciples, as Man;
and He rebuked the wind and calmed the sea, as God.

He set out and departed to a desert place, as Man;
and He multiplied the bread and satisfied thousands, as God.
He ate and drank and walked and was weary, as Man;
and He put devils to flight by the word of His mouth, as God.
He prayed and watched and gave thanks and worshipped, as Man;
and He forgave debts and pardoned sins, as God.
He asked water of the Samaritan woman, as Man;
and He revealed and declared her secrets, as God.

He sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, as Man;
and He forgave the sinful woman her sins, as God.
He went up into the mountain of Tabor with His disciples, as Man;
and He revealed His glory in their sight, as God.
He shed tears and wept over Lazarus, as Man;
and He called him that he came forth by His mighty power, as God.
He rode upon a colt and entered Jerusalem, as Man;
and the boys applauded Him with their Hosannas, as God.

He drew nigh to the fig-tree and shewed that He was hungered, as
Man;
and His mighty power caused it to wither on a sudden, as God.
He washed the feet of His twelve, as Man;
and He called Himself Lord and Master, as God.
He ate the legal passover, as Man;
and He exposed the treachery of Iscariot, as God.
He prayed and sweated at the time of His passion, as Man;
and He scared and terrified them that took Him, as God.

The attendants seized Him and bound His hands, as Man;
and He healed the ear that Simon cut off, as God.
He stood in the place of judgement and bore insult, as Man;
and He declared that He is about to come in glory, as God.
He bore His Cross upon His shoulder, as Man;
and He revealed and announced the destruction of Zion, as God.
He was hanged upon the wood and endured the passion, as Man;
and He shook the earth and darkened the sun, as God.

Nails were driven into His body, as Man;
and He opened the graves and quickened the dead, as God.
He cried out upon the Cross 'My God, My God,' as Man;
and promised Paradise to the thief, as God.
His side was pierced with a spear, as Man;
and His nod rent the temple veil, as God.
They embalmed His body and He was buried in the earth, as Man;
and He raised up His temple by His mighty power, as God.

He remained in the tomb three days, as Man;
and the watchers glorified Him with their praises, as God.
He said that He had received all authority, as Man;
and He promised to be with us for ever, as God.
He commanded Thomas to feel His side, as Man;
and He gave them the Spirit for an earnest, as God.
He ate and drank after His resurrection, as Man;
and He ascended to the height and sent the Spirit, as God.

Deadly Sins and Heavenly Virtues

Sin	Virtue	Importance
Pride (vanity)	Humility (modesty)	Most
Envy (jealousy)	Kindness (admiration)
Wrath (anger)	Forgiveness (composure)
Sloth (laziness/idleness)	Diligence (zeal/integrity/Labor)
Greed (avarice)	Charity (giving)
Gluttony (over-indulgence)	Temperance (self-restraint)
Lust (excessive sexual appetites)	Chastity (purity)	Least

Fear and Love

Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
Love of the Lord is the end.
- The Poor Brother

Naturally, the first emotion of man towards the being he calls God, but of whom he knows so little, is fear. Where it is possible that fear should exist it is well that it should exist, cause continual uneasiness, and be cast out by nothing less than love.... Until love, which is the truth towards God, is able to cast out fear, it is well that fear should hold; it is a bond, however poor, between that which is and that which creates--a bond that must be broken, but a bond that can be broken only by the tightening of an infinitely closer bond.

Verily God must be terrible to those that are far from Him: for they fear He will do--yea, is doing--with them what they do not, cannot desire, and can ill endure... While they are such as they are, there is much in Him that cannot but affright them: they ought, they do well, to fear Him... To remove that fear from their hearts, save by letting them know His love with its purifying fire, a love which for ages, it may be, they cannot know, would be to give them up utterly to the power of evil.

Persuade men that fear is a vile thing, that it is an insult to God, that He will have none of it--while they are yet in love with their own will, and slaves to every movement of passionate impulse--and what will the consequence be? That they will insult God as a discarded idol, a superstition, a falsehood, as a thing under whose evil influence they have too long groaned, a thing to be cast out and spit upon. After that, how much will they learn of Him?

... George MacDonald (1824-1905), "The Fear of God," Unspoken Sermons, Second Series [1885]

In Praise of Mary

I thought I would take a crack at a hymn of praise to Mary, highlighting the Old Testament imagery which points to her:

Hail, fleece of Gideon, soaked with dew though the ground was dry.
Hail, bush of Moses, that burned but was not consumed.
Hail, rod of Aaron, that blossomed though without root.
Hail, gate of Ezekiel, closed after the King had entered.
Hail, tongs of Isaiah, which hold the Fire of Heaven
Hail, ladder of Jacob, by which God descended as Man
Hail, mountain of Daniel, from which Christ was cut by the Hand of God
Hail, Ark of the Covenant, who bore the Law of God and Bread of Heaven.
Hail, Holy of Holies, in whom the Presence of God dwelt
We hail thee, maid and mother, bearer and borne,
Pray for us.

There are many hymns which use these images in praise of Mary. I found another one recently from the 13th c.:

Latin lyrics	English translation
Gedeonis area celitus perfusa rore; flamma rubus ignea radiat absque calore. nucleus et nuclea testa prodit lutea, lux aurea! Granum exit palea, oleastris olea, liquetur petra liquore. - Philippe le Chancelier	Gideon's courtyard is wet with dew from heaven; the bush, with fiery flame radiates without heat. The fruit and seed come forth from the shell; as a golden light! Grain comes forth from the chaff, the olive from the olive tree, the rock is made liquid from liquid. - Philip the Chancellor

Here is another translation of the same hymn:

Gideon's threshing floor is
dreched with the dew from heaven,
and the flame burning in the bush
shines without heat.
The earthen vessel
brings forth the seed from a seed,
the golden light!
The good grain comes out of the chaff,
the olive from the olive trees,
and the rock flows with water.

Feastday of St. Lazarus the Poor

Lazar and Dives lyveden diversly,

And divers gerdon hadden they therby.
- Summoner from Canterbury Tales

"Rich Lazarus! richer in those gems, thy tears,
Than Dives in the robes he wears:
He scorns them now, but oh they'll suit full well
With the purple he must wear in hell."
- Richard Cranshaw "On Lazarus and His Tears"

Top panel: Lazarus at the rich man's door
Middle panel: Lazarus' soul is carried to Paradise by two angels; Lazarus in Abraham's bosom
Bottom panel: Dives' soul is carried off by two devils to Hell; Dives is tortured in Hell

A slave spiritual about the parable:

Antiphon:
Dip your finger in the water, come and cool my tongue,

cause I'm tormented in the flame.

Verses:
Poor man Lazarus, sick and disabled,
He had to eat crumbs from the rich man's table.

Rich man Dives he lived so well,
And when he died he went straight to hell,

I love to shout, I love to sing,
I love to praise my heavenly King,

Child Ballad #56: Lazarus and Dives

Version A

Version B

AS it fell out upon a day, Rich Dives he made a feast, And he invited all his friends, And gentry of the best. Then Lazarus laid him down and down, And down at Dives’ door: ‘Some meat, some drink, brother Dives, Bestow upon the poor.’ ‘Thou art none of my brother, Lazarus, That lies begging at my door; No meat nor drink will I give thee, Nor bestow upon the poor.’ Then Lazarus laid him down and down, And down at Dive’s wall: ‘Some meat, some drink, brother Dives, Or with hunger starve I shall.’ 'Thou art none of my brother, Lazarus, That lies begging at my wall; No meat nor drink will I give thee, But with hunger starve you shall.’ Then Lazarus laid him down and down, And down at Dive’s gate: ‘Some meat, some drink, brother Dives, For Jesus Christ sake.’ ‘Thou art none of my brother, Lazarus, That lies begging at my gate; No meat nor drink will I give thee, For Jesus Christ his sake.’ Then Dives sent out his merry men, To whip poor Lazarus away; They had no power to strike a stroke, But flung their whips away. Then Dives sent out his hungry dogs, To bite him as he lay; They had no power to bite at all, But licked his sores away. As it fell out upon a day, Poor Lazarus sickened and died; Then came two angels out of heaven His soul therein to guide. ‘Rise up, rise up, brother Lazarus, And go along with me; For you’ve a place prepared in heaven, To sit on an angel’s knee.’ As it fell out upon a day, Rich Dives sickened and died; Then came two serpents out of hell, His soul therein to guide. ‘Rise up, rise up, brother Dives, And go with us to see A dismal place, prepared in hell, From which thou canst not flee.’ Then Dives looked up with his eyes, And saw poor Lazarus blest: ‘Give me one drop of water, brother Lazarus, To quench my flaming thirst. ‘Oh had I as many years to abide As there are blades of grass, Then there would be an end, but now Hell’s pains will ne’er be past. ‘Oh was I now but alive again, The space of one half hour! Oh that I had my peace secure! Then the devil should have no power.’

AS it fell out upon one day, Rich Diverus he made a feast, And he invited all his friends, And gentry of the best. And it fell out upon one day, Poor Lazarus he was so poor, He came and laid him down and down. Evn down at Diverus’ door. So Lazarus laid him down and down Even down at Diverus’ door: ‘Some meat, some drink, brother Diverus, Do bestow upon the poor.’ ‘Thou art none of mine, brother Lazarus, Lying begging at my door: No meat, no drink will I give thee, Nor bestow upon the poor.’ Then Lazarus laid him down and down, Even down at Diverus’ wall: ‘Some meat, some drink, brother Diverus, Or surely starve I shall. ‘Thou art none of mine, brother Lazarus, Lying begging at my wall; No meat, no drink will I give thee, And therefore starve thou shall.’ Then Lazarus laid him down and down, Even down at Diverus’ gate: ‘Some meat, some drink, brother Diverus, For Jesus Christ his sake.’ 'Thou art none of mine, brother Lazarus, Lying begging at my gate; No meat, no drink will I give thee, For Jesus Christ his sake. Then Diverus sent out his merry men all, To whip poor Lazarus away; They had not power to whip one whip, But threw their whips away. Then Diverus sent out his hungry dogs, To bite poor Lazarus away; They had not power to bite one bite, But licked his sores away. And it fell out upon one day, Poor Lazarus he sickened and died; There came two angels out of heaven, His soul thereto to guide. ‘Rise up, rise up, brother Lazarus, And come along with me; There is a place prepared in heaven, For to sit upon an angel’s knee.’ And it fell out upon one day Rich Diverus he sickened and died; There came two serpents out of hell, His soul thereto to guide. ‘Rise up, rise up, brother Diverus, And come along with me; There is a place prepared in hell, For to sit upon a serpent’s knee.’ - Dives is Latin for "rich."

Blessed Pentecost

Only-begotten of God, from the heart of the Father you sent to
Those upon earth once again other Advocate, Spirit divine,
Bringing, in tongues made of fire, of the pure, immaterial Godhead,
Sign of your nature and grace for those who are minstrels of praise.

The slow of tongue, covered in divine darkness,
Proclaimed the law written by God;
For shaking the dust from his mind's eye,
He sees the One Who Is, and is initiated
Into knowledge of the Spirit, praising with songs inspired.

The revered and august mouth spoke,
"For you my friends there will be no parting.
For I, once seated with him on my Father's lofty throne,
Will pour out the copious grace of the Spirit
To shine on those who yearn."

The firm Definition, most precise Word,
Brings calm perfection to the heart;
For, his work accomplished, Christ gladdened his friends,
With a mighty wind and tongues of fire,
Apportioning the Spirit, as he had promised.

Only the prayer of Anna, the prophetess
Of old, who brought a broken spirit
To the Might One and God of knowledge,
Broke the fetters of a childless womb
And the harsh insult of one with many children.

Inapprehensible is the Godhead;
For it revealed the unlettered to be orators,
Bridling the mouths of sophists in abundance with a word,
And raising from deep night
Unnumbered peoples by the Spirit's lightning flash.

From the unbegotten Light proceeded
The imperishable Splendor, illuminating with almighty operation,
Whose fiery sound in Sion now reveals
To the nations the consubstantial beacon
Of the Father's authority through the Son.

Monarch of monarchs, Alone from the Lone,
Word issuing from the Father who has no cause,
As Benefactor you have unerringly sent out
To the Apostles your Spirit, equal in strength,
As they sing, "Glory to your might, O Lord!"

Having by a word mixed the divine bath of rebirth
With a compounded nature,
You rain down upon me a stream from your immaculate,
Pierced side, O Word of God,
Sealing me with the fervor of the Spirit.

All things bend the knee to the Advocate,
To the Offspring of the Father, to the consubstantial Father;
For they know unerringly in three Persons
One, unapproachable, timeless Essence;
For the grace of the Spirit has caused light to shine.

As many as are worshippers of the Essence with the Triple Light,
All be consecrated to the Godhead.
For, as our Benefactor, Christ perfects supernaturally
And lights a fiery torch for our salvation,
Furnishing all grace of the Spirit.

O light-formed children of the Church,
Receive the Spirit's fire-breathing dew,
A redeeming purification of offences;
For now a law has gone out from Sion,
The torch-tongue-formed grace of the Spirit.

As he was well-pleased, of his own authority
The un-mastered Spirit comes down from the Father,
Making the Apostles wise with tongues,
Might of the Father, one in form, setting the seal
Upon the life-bearing word, which the Savior spoke.

God the Word, all-sovereign, healed the minds
Of the Apostles of sin, and made ready
An immaculate dwelling for himself,
Now the light of the Spirit dwells in them,
Equal in strength and consubstantial.

As pardon and salvation for us,
Christ, our Master, you shone from the Virgin,
That like the prophet Jonas from the belly
Of the sea beast, you might snatch from corruption
The whole fallen face of Adam.

Almighty, renew a cherished, aa right Spirit
Within us, to hold it eternally,
Who is ever united and proceeding from the Father,
Purging hateful matter, burning
Defilements and filth of minds.

For the Apostles who awaited your coming
In Sion you establish with fiery wind
A longed for dignity, O Spirit,
Knowledge of the Word begotten of the Father,
Swiftly exposing the harsh chatter of the nations' cajoleries.

Harmonious melody of instruments decreed
Reverence to the lifeless idol wrought of gold.
But the Advocate's life-bearing grace
Inspires with reverence to cry, "Only Trinity,
Equal in strength, without beginning, blessed are you!"

Fools did not recognize the voice spoken of
In prophecy, called it drunkenness wrought of wine,
When the strange sayings of the Apostles were heard.
We, the devout, inspired by God, cry out to you,
"Renewer of the universe, blessed are you!"

The seer Joel, inspired by God, thundered an oracle
Of the divine Word, who said,
"Those on whom I pour my Spirit
Will cry out together, 'Nature,
Shining-with-threefold-splendour, blessed are you!'"

The third house was blessed with grace,
To indicate that we should worship
Three Persons in singleness of authority;
But now on the one Lord of days,
Son, Father, Spirit, blessed are you!

The triple radiant type of Godhead's source
Looses the bonds and turns the flame to dew;
Youths give praise; while all created nature
Blessed the only Savior and Creator
Of all as Benefactor.

Coming to rest in appearance like-fiery-tongues,
The Spirit, cause remembrance of the mortal-saving words
Which Christ, heard-as-from-the-Father, spoke
To the Apostles. Creation, once estranged,
Now reconciled, sings of you as blessed.

As Saviour, coming of his own authority,
Light shining of itself and provider of light,
You sent to the Apostles, bringing himself
As a precious wind. While to your servants
You distribute the Spirit so earnestly prayed for.

The spirit-filled mouth of Prophets sang
Of your sojourning, high Lord, in bodily form.
And your Spirit proceeding from the Father's bosom,
Uncreated-cofasioning-cothroned,
You send to believers for the worship of the incarnation.

Hail, Queen, glory of virgins and mothers;
For every mouth fluent and eloquent
With oratory has not the stregth to sing your worthily;
But every mind is dizzy when it seeks to understand
Your giving birth; therefore with one accord we glorify you.

It is right to sing of the Maiden who produced life;
For she alone concealed in the vortex of her womb
The Word, who heals the ailing nature of mortals.
Now seated on the couch at the right hand
Of the Father, he has sent the grace of the Spirit.

On as many as the grace which flows from God has breathed,
Resplendent, dazzling, transformed
With a strange, most glorious transformation,
We have come to know the Essence of equal might, indivisible,
Wise, of triple radiance; and we give It glory.

Atonement and Theosis

The Typical Western Belief:

Why did Jesus even have to manifest Himself in the Incarnation? God needed a ransom so that man might be forgiven, but only He could meet his own demands. God both declares us guilty and pays our debt. Only He can satisfy His own requirements. A Savior less than God would be disqualified. Because Jesus is the God-man, He was qualified to pay the penalty charged against humanity.

In Eastern Orthodoxy this viewpoint is almost absent. They do not believe the ransom was paid to God. Here's a quote from St. Gregory of Nyssa (In Sanctum Pascha) regarding the debt Christ paid and to whom it was paid:

To whom was that blood offered that was shed for us, and why was it shed? I mean the precious and glorious blood of God, the blood of the High Priest and of the Sacrifice. We were in bondage to the devil and sold under sin, having become corrupt through our concupiscence. Now, since a ransom is paid to him who holds us in his power, I ask to whom such a price was offered and why? If to the devil it is outrageous!

But if the price is offered to the Father, I ask first of all, how? For it was not the Father who held us captive. Why then should the blood of His only begotten Son please the Father, who would not even receive Isaac when he was offered as a whole burnt offering by Abraham, but replaced the human sacrifice with a ram?

Is it not evident that the Father accepts the sacrifice not because He demanded it or because He felt any need for it, but on account of economy: because man must be sanctified by the humanity of God, and God Himself must deliver us by overcoming the tyrant through His own power, and drawing us to Himself by the mediation of the Son who effects this all for the honour of God, to whom He was obedient in everything.

Again he says:

It was Another Who ransomed us both from Death and Sin with His own blood,
Who redeemed us, and yet showed no contempt of those whom He has redeemed,
calling them though He does from deadness to life,
and healing every infirmity of their souls and bodies.

And again:

The Father accepts Christ's sacrifice without having demanded it;
The Son offers it to honour him; and the result is the defeat of the Evil One.
This is as much as we shall say of Christ; the greater portion shall be reverenced with silence.

Yet again, in the Liturgy of St. Basil, the Orthodox pray:

He lived in this world and gave us commandments for salvation.
He released us from the delusions of idolatry
and brought us to the knowledge of You, true God and Father.
He procured us for Himself as a chosen people, a royal priesthood and a holy nation.
Having purified us with water, He sanctified us with the Holy Spirit.
He gave Himself as a Ransom to death, by which we were held captive,
having been sold into slavery by sin.
He descended into the realm of death through the Cross,
that He might fill all things with Himself.
He loosed the sorrow of death and rose again from the dead on the third day,
for it was not possible that the Author of Life should be conquered by corruption.
In this way He made a way to the resurrection of the dead for all flesh.
Thus, He became the first-fruits of those who have fallen asleep,
the first-born of the dead, that He might be first in all ways among all things.
Ascending into heaven, He sat at the right hand of your Majesty on High,
and He shall come again to reward each person according to his deeds.

So, instead of coming to pay a ransom to an unforgiving Father, He came to destroy death and sin. Their Easter prayer goes:

Christ is risen from the dead,
Trampling down death by death,
And upon those in the tombs
Bestowing life!

Also, it is commonly held that Christ would have come REGARDLESS of the sin of Adam and Eve. His purpose was always to join the Divine to Dust, thus making theosis (becoming God-like, not becoming God) possible. Here are a bunch of Scriptures, quotes from the Church Fathers and some more recognizable people (like C.S. Lewis) about theosis and the ransom paid by Christ:

My dear people, we are already the children of God but what we are to be in the future has not yet been revealed; all we know is, that when it is revealed we shall be like him because we shall see him as he really is.
—St. John, I John 3:2

It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest and most uninteresting person you talk to may one day be a creature which, if you saw it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship. . .
—C. S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory

Jesus answered: Is it not written in your Law: I said, you are gods? So the Law uses the word gods of those to whom the word of God was addressed, and scripture cannot be rejected.
- John 10:34-35

And when everything is subjected to him, then the Son himself will be subject in turn to the One who subjected all things to him, so that God may be all in all.
—St. Paul, I Cor. 15:28

St. Irenaeus explained this concept in Against Heresies, Book 5, in the Preface:

...the Word of God, our Lord Jesus Christ, who did, through His transcendent love, become what we are, that He might bring us to be even what He is Himself.

St. Maximus the Confessor wrote:

A sure warrant for looking forward with hope to deification of human nature is provided by the incarnation of God, which makes man god to the same degree as God Himself became man." and "let us become the image of the one whole God, bearing nothing earthly in ourselves, so that we may consort with God and become gods, receiving from God our existence as gods." For it is clear that He who became man without sin (cf. Heb. 4:15) will divinize human nature without changing it into the divine nature, and will raise it up for His own sake to the same degree as He lowered Himself for man's sake. This is what St. Paul teaches mystically when he says, '...that in the ages to come He might display the overflowing richness of His grace' (Eph. 2:7).

Felix Peccatum Adae

I have been rereading Perelandra by C.S. Lewis. It is definitely my favorite of his Space Trilogy and, in my estimation, one of his more theologically rich works of fiction. An earthling by the name of Ransom is taken by the eldil (a kind of cross between an angel and an alien) Malacandra, the Oyarsa of Mars, to Venus or Perelandra. On Perelandra their first man and woman are about to be tested, specifically the woman. Ransom has been sent as the emissary of Maleldil, or Jesus, while Ransom's nemesis, Weston, has been sent as a kind of possessed vessel of the Bent One or Satan, the Oyarsa of Earth (or Thulcandra) to tempt the woman.

One of the most profound parts for me came early in the debates between Ransom and Weston. Weston is attempting to persuade the Lady to sleep on the fixed land (all other land are floating islands), which is prohibited by Maleldil. Ransom briefly tells the story of Adam and Eve and all the evil that befell. Weston (or the Bent One using Weston's body) replies:

He has not told you that it was this breaking of the commandment which brought Maleldil to our world and because of which He was made man. He dare not deny it.

Ransom is hard put to find an adequate response to this. He thinks:

How if the enemy were right after all? Felix peccatum Adae. Even the Church would tell him that good came of disobedience in the end.

That phrase, which translates "Happy sin of Adam," refers to an Easter hymn, the Exultet, from the Roman Catholic liturgy. Somewhere in the middle the hymn makes this interesting statement:

Latin lyrics	English translation
O certe necessarium Adae peccatum, quod Christi morte deletum est! O felix culpa, quae talem ac tantum meruit habere Redemptorem!	O truly needful sin of Adam, which was blotted out by the death of Christ! O happy fault, that merited so great a Redeemer!

I have to admit that I find that phrasing somewhat disturbing. Needful? Necessary? Happy? I get the sentiment, but I am otherwise quite put off. After reading this hymn, I was immediately reminded of a Christmas carol I first heard on the Medieval Baebes album, Salve Nos. The 14th c. carol, Adam Lay Ybounden, says, in modern English, "If the apple had not been taken, then our Lady would not have been Queen of Heaven." It ends:

Blessed be the time
That apple taken was.
Therefore we may singen
Deo gratias!

It praises God for the Original Sin. It is expressing gratitude for the advent of rebellion and death. It seems to me that both this carol and the Exultet agree with the argument of Satan/Weston. I was speaking about this with my brother-in-law and he mentioned a theological concept called Supralapsarianism. It states that God planned the Fall (lapsare) in order to facilitate the coming Redemption. It falls in line with Predestination.

Fortunately, for a world that has the Exultet, Adam Lay Ybounden and John Calvin; there are also some sane voices. I can't find a citation at the moment, but I believe St. Gregory of Nyssa, one of the most influential Church Fathers, believed the Incarnation had been planned regardless of the Fall. It took on a new meaning and purpose, but the goal of uniting the Divine to Dust was always in the mind of God. And, of course, there is Mr. Lewis himself who says, through the character of Ransom replying to the Lady:

Of course good came of it. Is Maleldil a beast that we can stop His path, or a leaf that we can twist His shape? Whaever you do, He will made good of it. But not that good He had prepared for you if you had obeyed Him. That is lost forever. The first King and first Mother of our world did the forbidden thing; and He brought good of it in the end. But what they did was not good; and what they lost we have not seen.

Amen. God allows us to follow Him of our own God-given will, but His plan will not be thwarted! This idea is further reinforced later in the book as the King, the Lady, the eldil Perelandra, the eldil Malacandra and Ransom speak together of the Great Dance. In one section, they say:

All which is not itself the great Dance was made in order that He might come down into it. In the Fallen World He prepared for Himself a body and was united with the Dust and made it glorious forever. This is the end and final cause of all creating, and the sin whereby it came is called Fortunate and the world where this was enacted is the centre of worlds. Blessed be He!

"Communion" by George Herbert

Not in rich furniture, or fine array,
Nor in a wedge of gold,
Thou, who from me wast sold,
To me dost now thy self convey;
For so thou should'st without me still have been,
Leaving within me sin:

But by the way of nourishment and strength
Thou creep'st into my breast;
Making thy way my rest,
And thy small quantities my length;
Which spread their forces into every part,
Meeting sin's force and art.

Yet can these not get over to my soul,
Leaping the wall that parts
Our souls, and fleshly hearts;
But as th'outworks, they may control
My rebel-flesh, and carrying thy name,
Affright both sin and shame.

Only thy grace, which with these elements comes,
Knoweth the ready way,
And hath the privy key,
Op'ning the soul's most subtle rooms;
While those to spirits refin'd, at door attend
Dispatches from their friend.

Give me my captive soul, or take
My body also thither,
Another lift like this will make
Them both to be together.

Before that sin turn'd flesh into stone,
And all our lump to leaven,
A fervent sigh might well have blown
Our innocent earth to heaven.

For sure when Adam did not know
To sin, or sin to smother;
He might to heav'n from Paradise go,
As from one room t'another.

Thou hast restor'd to us this ease
By this thy heav'nly blood;
Which I can go to, when I please,
And leave th'earth to their food.

"Prayer to St. Jude" by Kathleen Norris

O, great Saint Jude
Whose traitor-sounding name
By man's perceptions crude
Confused is with the obloquy and blame
Of him who to our gain and his disaster
Betrayed so kind a Master;
We, seeing more clear, concede thee what was thine;
The glory of a place beside that board
Whereon, awaiting their predestined hour
Of bowing to all-Good, all-Love, all-Power,
Lay bread and wine
Before that Host adored
Through whom our hope and our salvation came;
Thy kinsman, and our Lord.

O, thou, the sad day done,
Taking the homeward road
To thine obscure abode
In the long shadows of the setting sun,
To meet the frightened crowd
Sobbing aloud,
With thine Aunt Mary silent in their midst,
Leaning upon
The faithful arm of John;
Saint Jude, who didst
Join them in unbelief
And utter agony of grief,
And in a voice of pain and terror cried:
"Saw'st thou--and thou--
Saws't thou indeed my Cousin crucified?"
O, by the memory of that hour of birth
Wherein Heaven's door opened to us of earth,
Befriend--befriend us now!

"Easter Wings" by George Herbert

Lord, Who createdst man in wealth and store,
     Though foolishly he lost the same,
           Decaying more and more,
                   Till he became
                     Most poore:
                     With Thee
                   O let me rise,
           As larks, harmoniously,
     And sing this day Thy victories:
Then shall the fall further the flight in me.

My tender age in sorrow did beginne;
And still with sicknesses and shame
     Thou didst so punish sinne,
               That I became
                Most thinne.
                 With Thee
             Let me combine,
   And feel this day Thy victorie;
 For, if I imp my wing on Thine,
Affliction shall advance the flight in me

"Easter Vow" by Lauchlan MacLean Watt

I bind my heart, this tide, to the Galilean's side,
To the wounds of Calvary, to the Christ who died for me.

I bind my soul this day to the brother far away
And the brother near at hand, in this town and in this land.

I bind my heart in thrall to God, the Lord of all.--
To God, the poor man's friend, and the Christ whom He did send.

I bind myself to peace, to make strife and envy cease.
God, knit Thou sure the cord of my thralldom to my Lord!

The Harrowing of Hell

The typical Eastern Orthodox icon of the Resurrection of Jesus shows Jesus standing on the broken and flattened gates of Hell (also called the Doors of Death, which have fallen to form the pattern of a cross), holding the hands of Adam and Eve and pulling them up out of Hell, and surrounded by various righteous figures from the Old Testament (Abraham, David, etc.); the bottom of the icon shows Hell as a place of darkness and death, often with various bones strewn about, and one figure still tied up in chains who is generally identified as Death or the Devil.

John Chrysostom's homily also addresses the Harrowing of Hell, and is typically read as the chief homily at Pascha, the Eastern Orthodox celebration of Easter. In the Orthodox liturgical practice, the chief "liturgical color" goes from purple on Good Friday to white on Holy Saturday in celebration of the harrowing of Hell then taking place, and in anticipation of Christ's imminent resurrection.

Judas and I

Gregory of Nyssa on Judas :

Why, indeed, should I speak at all
of that affectionate disposition of our fathers towards each other?
No wonder that, being all naturally equal,
they wished for no advantage over one another,
but thought to exceed each other only in humility.
But my mind was penetrated most of all with this thought;
that the Lord of all creation, the Only-begotten Son,
Who was in the bosom of the Father,
Who was in the beginning,
Who was in the form of God,
Who upholds all things by the word of His power,
humbled Himself not only in this respect,
that in the flesh He sojourned amongst men,
but also that He welcomed even Judas His own betrayer,
when he drew near to kiss Him, on His blessed lips;
and that when He had entered into the house of Simon the leper He, as loving all men,
upbraided his host, that He had not been kissed by him:
whereas I was not reckoned by him as equal even to that leper;
and yet what was I, and what was he?
I cannot discover any difference between us.
If one looks at it from the mundane point of view,
where was the height from which he had descended,
where was the dust in which I lay?
If, indeed, one must regard things of this fleshly life,
thus much perhaps it will hurt no one's feelings to assert that,
looking at our lineage, whether as noble or as free,
our position was about on a par;
though, if one looked in either for the true freedom and nobility, i.e. that of the soul,
each of us will be found equally a bondsman of Sin;
each equally needs One Who will take away his sins;
it was Another Who ransomed us both from Death and Sin with His own blood,
Who redeemed us, and yet showed no contempt of those whom He has redeemed,
calling them though He does from deadness to life,
and healing every infirmity of their souls and bodies.

Sin Line

This was written in response to a post by the Anglican Philosopher regarding Sin Lines:

I was raised on a sin line mentality. Often, pastors (especially youth pastors) would portray the line in a comic manner leaning over the line in order to breath in as much of the sin on the other side as possible and (oops!) stumbling into sin. They would also speak of "black and white" regarding sin. There is no gray, just white and then black.

I think it is exactly that kind of phariseeism (sp?) that prompted Jesus to say that the one who hates in his heart has murdered and the one who lusts in his heart has fornicated. He tells us to be perfect as His Father is perfect. Anything less than perfection is sin. In that sense, EVERYTHING is gray! This more corresponds to the Orthodox definition of sin as "missing the mark." The straight and narrow isn't about belief, but about obedience.

I've recently heard another concept which rings true as well. All sin is in the heart. Sin is not something you do, it is a condition of impurity. SInful actions are merely symptoms of the disease. In the West we focus on minimizing symptoms rather than curing the disease. So it is with sin. As long as we're not presenting, all is well. But the fornicator and adulterer has merely acted on the sin which is in his heart. Which is in my heart. Until that sin is eradicated, I am no more holy than they.

The Paschal Sermon of Saint John Chrysostom

Latin	English
Christus resurrexit a mortuis, Morte mortem calcavit, Et entibus in sepulchris Vitam donavit.	Christ is risen from the dead, Trampling down death by death, And upon those in the tombs Bestowing life!

O Mary! I am the Gardener truly,
I am the One, Who established Paradise.
I am the One Who was killed,
I am the One Who entered the grave.
Touch Me not, for I have not ascended to the Father.
That I have gloriously arisen from that grave,
Give thou this good news to the disciples.

- Mary Magdalene was called Apostle to the Apostles


If any man be devout and loveth God, let him enjoy this fair and radiant triumphal feast! If any man be a wise servant, let him rejoicing enter into the joy of his Lord. If any have laboured long in fasting, let him how receive his recompense. If any have wrought from the first hour, let him today receive his just reward. If any have come at the third hour, let him with thankfulness keep the feast. If any have arrived at the sixth hour, let him have no misgivings; because he shall in nowise be deprived therefore. If any have delayed until the ninth hour, let him draw near, fearing nothing. And if any have tarried even until the eleventh hour, let him, also, be not alarmed at his tardiness.

For the Lord, who is jealous of his honour, will accept the last even as the first. He giveth rest unto him who cometh at the eleventh hour, even as unto him who hath wrought from the first hour. And He showeth mercy upon the last, and careth for the first; and to the one He giveth, and upon the other He bestoweth gifts. And He both accepteth the deeds, and welcometh the intention, and honoureth the acts and praises the offering.

Wherefore, enter ye all into the joy of your Lord; receive your reward, both the first, and likewise the second. You rich and poor together, hold high festival! You sober and you heedless, honour the day! Rejoice today, both you who have fasted and you who have disregarded the fast. The table is full-laden; feast ye all sumptuously. The calf is fatted; let no one go hungry away. Enjoy ye all the feast of faith: Receive ye all the riches of loving-kindness.

Let no one bewail his poverty, for the universal Kingdom has been revealed. Let no one weep for his iniquities, for pardon has shown forth from the grave. Let no one fear death, for the Saviour's death has set us free. He that was held prisoner of it has annihilated it.

By descending into Hell, He made Hell captive. He embittered it when it tasted of His flesh. And Isaiah, foretelling this, did cry: Hell, said he, was embittered when it encountered Thee in the lower regions.

It was embittered, for it was abolished.
It was embittered, for it was mocked.
It was embittered, for it was slain.
It was embittered, for it was overthrown.
It was embittered, for it was fettered in chains.
It took a body, and met God face to face.
It took earth, and encountered Heaven.
It took that which was seen, and fell upon the unseen.

O Death, where is thy sting?
O Hell, where is thy victory?

Christ is risen, and thou art overthrown!
Christ is risen, and the demons are fallen!
Christ is risen, and the angels rejoice!
Christ is risen, and life reigns!
Christ is risen, and not one dead remains in the grave.

For Christ, being risen from the dead, is become the first-fruits of those who have fallen asleep.

To Him be glory and dominion unto ages of ages.

Amen.

Holy Saturday Icon and Prayer

The great Moses mystically foreshadowed this day when he said:
God blessed the seventh day.
This is the blessed Sabbath.
This is the day of rest,
on which the only-begotten Son of God
rested from all His works.
He kept the Sabbath in the flesh,
through the dispensation of death.
But on this day, He returned again
through the resurrection.
He has granted us eternal life,
for He alone is good, the Lover of man.

Prayers and Poems for Good Friday

Orthodox Icon of the Crucifixion

Today He who hung the earth upon the waters is hung upon the tree.
Today He who holds the whole creation in His hand is born of a virgin.
The King of angels is decked with a crown of thorns.
He whose essence none can touch
is bound in swaddling-clothes as a mortal man.

WHEN Jesus came to Golgotha they hanged Him on a tree,

They drave great nails through hands and feet, and made a Calvary;
They crowned Him with a crown of thorns, red were His wounds and deep,
For those were crude and cruel days, and human flesh was cheap.

When Jesus came to Birmingham they simply passed Him by,
They never hurt a hair of Him, they only let Him die;
For men had grown more tender, and they would not give Him pain,
They only just passed down the street, and left Him in the rain.

Still Jesus cried, "Forgive them, for they know not what they do,"
And still it rained the wintry rain that drenched Him through and through;
The crowds went home and left the streets without a soul to see,
And Jesus crouched against a wall and cried for Calvary.
- G.A. Studdert

The sun and moon represent law and gospel, sin and grace
and the eclipse that occurred at Christ's death.

DEAR Lord, I hold my hand to take
Thy Body, broken here for me,
Accept the Sacrifice I make,
My body, broken, there, for Thee.

His was my body, born of me,
Born of my bitter travail pain,
And it lies broken on the field,
Swept by the wind and the rain.

by G.A. Studdert; painting is Crucifixion by Dali, based on a drawing by San Juan de la Cruz

by Giotto

When Thou, the Redeemer of all,
hast been laid for all in the new tomb,
Hades, the respecter of none, saw Thee and crouched in fear.
The bars broke, the gates were shattered,
the graves were opened, the dead arose.
Then Adam, thankfully rejoicing, cried out to Thee:
Glory to Thy condescension, O Merciful Master.

How, O Life, canst Thou die? Or abide in a grave.
For Thou dost destroy the kingdom of death, O Lord,
and Thou raisest up the dead of Hades realm.

In a grave they laid Thee, O my Life and my Christ.
Yet behold now, by Thy death, death is stricken down,
and Thou pourest forth life's streams for all the world.

O, how full that joy was! O, how great that delight!
Wherewith Thou didst fill all them that were held by Hades,
when Thou shonest forth Thy light in those dark depths.

- Orthodox Prayers for Holy Week


Surely a Mother understands Thy thorn-crowned head,
The mystery of Thy pierced hands--the Broken Bread.
- G.A. Studdert

Judas

I saw Judas Iscariot carrying John Wilkes Booth ...
- Down There by the Train by Johnny Cash

Judas the slave and knave,
the disciple and traitor,
the friend and fiend,
was proved by his deeds;
for, as he followed the Master,
within himself he contemplated His betrayal.
Truly Judas is descended from those vipers
who ate manna in the wilderness
yet murmured against Him who nourished them.
For while the food was still in their mouths,
those ungrateful men reviled God.
So too this godless man,
while still bearing in his mouth the heavenly bread,
contrived the betrayal of the Savior.
What greedy purpose!
What inhuman insolense!
He sells Him who nourished him.
He delivers to death the Master whom he loved.
Truely this lawless man is their son.
With them will he inherit perdition.
Spare our souls of such inhumanity,
O only Lord of boundless mercy.

Computer and Religious Icons

Those little images on computer screens are called 'icons' because of the meaning and use of religious icons. Orthodox Christian icons are called "windows to heaven" because they mystically connect us to the heavenly realms. The Seventh Ecumenical Council (A.D. 787) affirmed for us the theology of the icon, including the truth that "what is done before the icon is conveyed to the one it represents." It is clearly understood that the icon remains wood and paint. It is not what is represented by it, but it is a means of connection or link to that which it represents. (Click on the icon to the right to read St. Mary's story. >>)

Computer icons, in the same way, are not the programs themselves, but graphical representations of the programs or services whose logos they bear. By clicking on them, one can connect to the powers behind the logos. That is why they are called icons, and not merely logos, images or symbols.

Psalm 2 says "Kiss the Son, lest He be angry with you." Six times in the New Testament we are told to greet one another with a holy kiss or a kiss of love. We are also instructed that death cannot separate the body of Christ. "The gates of hell shall not prevail against it." By means of Orthodox Icons we can obey Scripture. And we are continually reminded of the thin-ness of the veil of death. We continue to be encouraged, admonished and inspired by the Saints who have gone before (Hebrews 11), as their presence is conveyed by their icons. They especially call us to prayer to the Triune God.

The Fathers on Fasting

Do you fast? Give me proof of it by your works.
If you see a poor man, take pity on him!
If you see a friend enjoying honor, do not envy him.
For let not the mouth only fast,
but also the eye, and the ear, and the feet, and the hands,
and all members of our bodies.
Let the hands fast by being pure from avarice.
Let the feet fast by ceasing from running to forbidden spectacles.
Let the eyes fast by being taught never to fix themselves
rudely upon handsome countenances.
For looking is the food of the eyes,
but if it be unlawful or forbidden it mars the fast
and overturns the safety of the soul;
but if it be lawful and safe, it adorns fasting.
For it would be an instance of the highest absurdity
to abstain from meats and unlawful food because of the fast,
but with the eyes to feed on what is forbidden.
Do you eat flesh?
Do not feed on licentiousness by means of the eyes.
Let the ear fast also.
The fasting of the ear is not to receive evil speaking and calumnies.
"You shall not receive an idle report," it says.
Let also the mouth fast from foul words.
For what does it profit if we abstain from birds and fish,
and yet bite and devour our brethren?"
- St. John Chrysostom

Fasting was ordained in Paradise.
The first injunction was delivered to Adam,
‘Of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat.’
‘You shall not eat’ is a law of fasting and abstinence.
The general argument is rather against excess
than in support of ceremonial abstinence.
In Paradise there was no wine, no butchery of beasts, no eating of flesh.
Wine came in after the flood.
Noah became drunk because wine was new to him.
So fasting is older than drunkenness.
Esau was defiled, and made his brother’s slave, for the sake of a single meal.
It was fasting and prayer which gave Samuel to Hannah.
Fasting brought forth Samson.
Fasting begets prophets, strengthens strong men.
Fasting makes lawgivers wise, is the soul’s safeguard, the body’s trusty comrade, the armor of the champion, the training of the athlete.
- St. Basil, in his homilies on the Holy Spirit

Lenten Thoughts

Themes of Lent:

• Israel (wandering for forty years in the desert, Deut 8:2,4),
• Moses (who stayed on Mt Sinai for forty days and forty nights, Ex 24:18),
• Elijah ( who walked for forty days and forty nights to Mt Horeb, 1 Kg 19:8) and
• Christ (who fasted forty days and forty nights in the desert, Mt 4:1-2) must have exercised a predominant influence, but it is also possible that the fact was borne in mind that Christ lay forty hours in the tomb.

Now some have related the wonderful signs performed by our Saviour, and preached His eternal Godhead. And others have written of His being born in the flesh of the Virgin, and have proclaimed the festival of the holy passover, saying, 'Christ our Passover is sacrificed;' so that we, individually and collectively, and all the churches in the world may remember, as it is written, 'That Christ rose from the dead, of the seed of David, according to the Gospel.'

And let us not forget that which Paul delivered, declaring it to the Corinthians; I mean His resurrection, whereby 'He destroyed him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;' and raised us up together with Him, having loosed the bands of death, and vouchsafed a blessing instead of a curse, joy instead of grief, a feast instead of mourning, in this holy joy of Easter, which being continually in our hearts, we always rejoice, as Paul commanded; 'We pray without ceasing; in everything we give thanks.'

So we are not remiss in giving notice of its seasons, as we have received from the Fathers. Again we write, again keeping to the apostolic traditions, we remind each other when we come together for prayer; and keeping the feast in common, with one mouth we truly give thanks to the Lord. Thus giving thanks unto Him, and being followers of the saints, 'we shall make our praise in the Lord all the day,' as the Psalmist says. So, when we rightly keep the feast, we shall be counted worthy of that joy which is in heaven.

We begin the fast of forty days on the 13th of the month Phamenoth (Mar.). After we have given ourselves to fasting in continued succession, let us begin the holy Paschal week on the 18th of the month Pharmuthi (April). Then resting on the 23rd of the same month Pharmuthi, and keeping the feast afterwards on the first of the week, on the 24th, let us add to these the seven weeks of the great Pentecost, wholly rejoicing and exulting in Christ Jesus our Lord, through Whom to the Father be glory and dominion in the Holy Ghost, for ever and ever. Amen.

The brethren which are with me salute you. Salute one another with a holy kiss.

- a quote from the second Festal Letter of the holy Athanasius, Bishop of Alexandria (died 373)

On Lent

The Jew rejoices in sabbaths and feast days;
and a monk who is a glutton on Saturdays and Sundays.
He counts beforehand the days till Pascha,
and he prepares the food for it several days in advance.
The slave of his belly calculates
with what dishes he will celebrate the feast,
but the servant of God considers
with what spiritual gifts he may be enriched.
- St John of the Ladder

The Importance of Romans

Luther called it "purest Gospel" (as opposed to the book of James which he called an "epistle of straw"). The Epistles to the Romans has also contributed significantly to the history of Christian doctrine. Almost every influential Christian thinker has dealt with Romans. Origen, Thomas Aquinas, and Philip Melanchthon, to mention only a few, wrote noteworthy commentaries on Romans. And numerous theological notions have been derived solely or in part from Romans. Augustine acquired his idea of original sin from Romans 5, Luther gained his understanding of justification by faith alone from Romans 3-4, John Calvin obtained his doctrine of double predestination from Romans 9-11, John Wesley got his distinctive teaching on sanctification from Romans 6 and 8, and Karl Barth learned of the importance of the righteousness of God from Romans 1 and 2. In short, this epistle has exerted a powerful influence on all branches of the Christian Church, and its impact on the lives and thought of prominent Christian thinkers through the years has been second, perhaps, only to the canonical gospels. Here is some ancient commentary on Romans 5.

But it is on Romans 5 I want to speak, specifically verses 12 through the end of the chapter. My father asked me to read it and give the Orthodox perspective on it. He is coming from a traditional, Protestant and, to some extent, Roman Catholic position. We have all sinned through Adam, even if we have lived perfect lives otherwise, and all need the "New Adam," Jesus, to save us. What do the Orthodox believe about Original Sin?

To place the term Original sin in context: God created man perfect with free will and gave man a direction to follow. Man (Adam) and Woman (Eve) chose rather to disobey God by eating from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, thus changing the "perfect" mode of existence of man to the "flawed" mode of existence of man. This flawed nature and all that has come from it is a result of that Original Sin. Because we participate in humanity, we share in the sin of Adam because like him, we are human. The union of humanity with divinity in Jesus Christ (Incarnation) restored, in the Person of Christ, the mode of existence of humanity, so that those who are incorporated in him may participate in this mode of existence, be saved from sin and death, and be united to God in deification (theosis, which does NOT mean joining the Trinity). Original sin is cleansed in humans through baptism or, in the case of the Theotokos (God-bearer or Mary), the moment Christ took form within her.

However, this view differs from the Roman Catholic (Augustinian) doctrine of Original Sin in that man is not seen as inherently guilty of the sin of Adam. According to the Orthodox, we inherit the consequences of that sin, not the guilt. The difference came about because Augustine interpreted a Latin translation of Romans 5:12 as meaning that through Adam all men sinned, whereas the Orthodox reading in Greek interpret it as meaning that we all sin as part of the inheritance of flawed nature from Adam. Therefore, the Orthodox Church does not teach that we are born deserving to go to hell and Protestant doctrines such as Predeterminism that result from the Augustinian understanding of Original Sin are not a part of Orthodox belief.

Concept of Atonement in Christianity

A number of theories of the atonement have been advanced by Christians to explain how and why the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ redeem. Concerning them, their usefulness, and their role C. S. Lewis wrote:

We are told that Christ was killed for us, that His death has washed out our sins, and that by dying He disabled death itself. That is the formula. That is Christianity. That is what has to be believed. Any theories we build up as to how Christ's death did all this are, in my view, quite secondary: mere plans or diagrams to be left alone if they do not help us, and, even if they do help us, not to be confused with the thing itself. All the same, some of these theories are worth looking at.^[1]

Catholic view

Held by many Christians, this view holds that Jesus willingly sacrificed himself as an act of perfect obedience (the Gospels show him struggling with this in the Garden of Gethsemane), atoning for the disobedience of Adam, and thus cleansing Mankind of the stain of original sin. Jesus's sacrifice was an offering of love that pleased God more than man's sin offended God, so now all who believe in Jesus and keep his commandments may receive salvation in his name, see also Great Commission and Sermon on the Mount.

Judicial (Protestant) view

By contrast, the Catholic view off-shoot titled the judicial view was held by Martin Luther, and a major cause of the Reformation. It is held by the majority of Protestants.

This view emphasizes God as Judge. Humanity had sinned and God was therefore required, in His justice, to punish humankind. However, God sent His Son, who was sinless, to take the sin of the world on his shoulders, so that anyone who accepted the gift of Jesus's act could be freed from the consequences of his sin, without violating God's judgement.

The result is that through Christ's death, the Old Covenant passed away and all things became new in a New Covenant. The veil separating man and God was torn, and the people were free to work out their own salvation through the only true Mediator, Jesus Christ, rather than seeking salvation through rituals, rules, or an exclusive priesthood. People who hold this view generally believe that only acceptance of Christ's sacrifice is necessary for salvation, not a ritual or a sacrament. See also Antinomianism.

This view of the theological significance of Jesus's resurrection is analogous to the Jewish Day of Atonement, by which the sins of the Israelites were put onto a flawless scapegoat, who was then released into the wilderness, taking the sins of the people with him.

Christus Victor

The Christus Victor view, which is more common among Lutherans (see, e.g. G. Aulen's book Christus Victor), and Eastern Orthodox Christians, holds that Jesus was sent by God to defeat death and Satan. Because of his perfection, voluntary death, and Resurrection, Jesus defeated Satan and death, and arose victorious. Therefore humanity was no longer bound in sin, but was free to rejoin God through faith in Jesus.

In contrast to the Judicial view, the Christus Victor model emphasizes a spiritual battle between good and evil. This battle is on a cosmic scale. The Judicial view would require Christians to believe that God voluntarily punished Jesus for their sins, whereas the Christus Victor view sees humanity as formerly in the power of Satan, who was defeated by Jesus; and God, through Jesus, broke us out of Satan's power.

The Christus Victor sometimes has also been used to argue that Jesus defeated sin and death for everyone, whether or not they hear of Jesus, granting non-Christians the chance of eternal life (or a guarantee thereof, depending on the particular theology in question).

First Man view

The First Man view, held by a small minority of Christians, especially Pelagians and Semi-Pelagians, states that Jesus was a person just like the rest of humanity, but due to his remarkable faith, purity, sinlessness, and perfection, he earned eternal life, and was resurrected because Death could not hold him. They also believe that by following his teachings and example others may also ultimately earn eternal life.

The First Man view can be compared with the Old-Testament stories of Enoch and Elijah, who walked with God to such a degree of faithfulness that they were not required to die. Enoch 'was no more,' and Elijah was carried in a whirlwind. In the same way, Jesus was faithful to such a degree, that even though he was killed, his Faith earned him Eternal Life. And in the same way, if we are faithful to the same degree, we can also be free from death.

Christus Victor

Main article: Christus Victor

Ransom: Origen, Gregory of Nyssa

Scapegoating: William Tyndale (who invented the word from Hebrew and Greek manuscripts), René Girard, James Alison, Gerhard Förde see 'In Christianity' in Scapegoat

[edit] Physical Theory

Recapitulation: Irenaeus, Athanasius, Cappadocian Fathers, Eastern Orthodox Church

Edward Irving, T. F. Torrance

Moral Influence

Main article: Atonement (moral influence view)

• Pierre Abélard (It is questionable whether Abélard himself taught this model of Atonement)

Hastings Rashdall

Satisfaction

Main article: Atonement (satisfaction view)

Divine satisfaction: Anselm of Canterbury & Salvation in Catholicism

Penalty or Punishment satisfaction: John Calvin, Calvinism, & Imputed righteousness

Vicarious Repentance, John Mcleod Campbell, R. C. Moberly

Governmental

Main article: Atonement (governmental view)

• Hugo Grotius, James Arminius, John Miley
• Substitutionary atonement & Atonement (Governmental view)
• Jonathan Edwards & Charles Grandison Finney

Ransom

Main article: Atonement (ransom view)

Denominational Perspectives

Roman Catholic

The Roman Catholic Church does not limit itself to a single theory but several, including, but not limited to, the Ransom, Penal Substitution, Moral Influence theories and the primacy of the Incarnation. Rather, these multiple perspectives are needed to express the fullness of the Atonement.

“

On looking back at the various theories noticed so far, it will be seen that they are not, for the most part, mutually exclusive, but may be combined and harmonized. It may be said, indeed, that they all help to bring out different aspects of that great doctrine which cannot find adequate expression in any human theory.[5]

”

Rather than considering these different views as theories, it is better to consider them as expressions or representations. While theologians may at times emphasize one idea, this does not imply that the others are any less true or valuable. To consistently emphasize only one aspect of the Atonement is dangerous.

Eastern Orthodox

Eastern Orthodoxy has a substantively different soteriology; this is sometimes cited as the core difference between Eastern and Western Christianity. The Orthodox view is closely related to the Incarnation and is thus closest to the Physical redemption theory.

Protestant

The almost unanimous, contemporary Protestant view is that of penal substitution. The view is so widely believed that few Protestants are aware of alternative understandings of the Atonement. In the rare instances when they encounter other Christians who profess non-substitution views, Protestants usually consider these views heretical.

However, Protestants still use the language of alternative understandings prolifically especially where they are used in the Bible. Usually this is done because, while they consider the penal substitution theory as the literal understanding, they still feel free to use other differing ideas as figurative language about the Atonement. This is true, for example, of the Christus Victor view. There are instances when Protestants confuse other views as the satisfaction view, Matthew 20.28, for example. Jesus said of himself, "The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many."

Of course, there are always exceptions. More liberal Protestants, particularly scholars, are more likely to relate with the Moral Influence view.

Lord, Save Me

Though I have sinned, O Savior,
yet I know that Thou art full of loving-kindness.
Thou dost chastise with mercy and art fervent in compassion.
Thou dost see me weeping and dost run to meet me,
like the Father calling back the prodigal.

Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me

Instead of freedom from possessions, O Saviour,
I have pursued a life in love with material things;
and now I wear a heavy yoke.

Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me

I have cared only for the outward adornment,
and neglected that which is within
the tabernacle fashioned by God.

Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.

- from the Canon of St. Andrew of Crete

Celtic Images

The Three Trees

There is a special emphasis in the role of the Holy Trinity in our salvation in the theology of the cross. Christ is said to be seen by us in "The cedar, the pine and the cypress."

This is an allusion to the Isaiah 60:13: "The glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee, the fir tree, the pine tree, and the box together to beautify the place of my sanctuary, and I will make the place of my feet glorious." There is a tradition that three types of tree grew together in one spot. An Icon of the Orthodox Church celebrates this and has St Lot, the nephew of Abraham, watering the trees. It was from these trees (different translations refer to different types, but pine, cedar and cypress have the longest tradition) that the Cross of Christ was made.

The Cross of Calvary in the Orthodox Church, East and West, had three tiers or bars: The title where the charge against Christ was written by Pilate, the cross-bar to which Christ's hands were nailed and the (slanted) foot-rest. Some have commented that three types of wood referred to above were reflected in these different parts of the Cross.

O Antiphons

O Antiphons

	Latin	English
16 Dec	O Sapientia, quae ex ore Altissimi prodiisti, attingens a fine usque ad finem fortiter, suaviterque disponens omnia: veni ad docendum nos viam prudentiae.	O Wisdom, who proceeds from the mouth of the Most High, reaching out mightily from end to end, and sweetly arranging all things: come to teach us the way of prudence.
Proverbs 1:20; 8; 9 and I Corinthians 1:30 Christ, Wisdom and Creator of the world
17 Dec	O Adonai, et dux domus Israël, qui Moyse in igne flammae rubi apparuisti, et ei in Sina legem dedisti: veni ad redimendum nos in brachio extento.	O Mighty Lord, and leader of the house of Israël, who appeared to Moses in the burning bush, and on Sinai gave him the law, come to redeem us with outstretched arm.
Exodus 3; Micah 5:2; Matthew 2:6 Christ, Lawgiver and Redeemer of Israel
18 Dec	O Radix Jesse, qui stas in signum populorum, super quem continebunt reges os suum, quem gentes deprecabuntur: veni ad liberandum nos, jam noli tardare	O Root of Jesse, who stand as a sign for the people, kings stand silent in your presence, whom the nations will worship: come to set us free, put it off no longer.
Isaiah 11:10; Romans 15:12; Revelation 5:5 Christ, descendant of David, king of kings
19 Dec	O Clavis David, et sceptrum domus Israël, qui aperis, et nemo claudit, claudis, et nemo aperuit: veni, et educ vinctum de domo carceris, sedentem in tenebris, et umbra mortis.	O Key of David, and scepter of the house of Israel, you open, and no one shuts, you shut, and no one opens: come, and lead the prisoner from jail, seated in darkness and in the shadow of death.
Isaiah 22:22; Revelation 3:7 Christ, harrower of hell
20 Dec	O Oriens, splendor lucis aeternae, et sol justitiae: veni, et illumina sedentes in tenebris, et umbra mortis.	O Dawn, splendor of eternal light, and sun of justice, come, and shine on those seated in darkness, and in the shadow of death.
Luke 1:78, 79; Malachi 4:2 Christ, the Resurrection and the Life
21 Dec	O Rex Gentium, et desideratus earum, lapisque angularis, qui facis utraque unum: veni, et salva hominem, quem de limo formasti.	O King of the Nations, and the one they desired, keystone, who makes both peoples one, come and save mankind, whom you shaped from the mud.
Revelation 15:3; Psalm 118:22; Isaiah 28:16; Matthew 21:42; Mark 12:10; Luke 20:17; Acts 4:11; Ephesians 2:20; I Peter 2:6 Christ, Cornerstone and union of all people
22 Dec	O Emmanuel, Rex et legifer noster, expectatio gentium, et Salvator earum: veni ad salvandum nos, Domine, Deus noster.	O Emmanuel, our King and Lawgiver, the one awaited by the gentiles, and their Savior: come to save us, Lord our God.
Isaiah 7:14; 8:8; Matthew 1:23; Haggai 2:7 Christ, the hope of all Nations, who await his appearing
23 Dec	O Virgo virginum, quomodo fiet istud? Quia nec primam similem visa es nec habere sequentem. Filiae Ierusalem, quid me admiramini? Divinum est mysterium hoc quod cernitis.	O Virgin of virgins, how shall this be? For neither before was any like thee, nor shall there be after. Daughters of Jerusalem, why marvel ye at me? That which ye behold is a divine mystery.
Genesis 3:15; Luke 1:26-56 Mary, birthgiver of God

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

Words: Latin: c. 9th Century

Tr. by John M. Neale

Tr. by Henry S. Coffin

Music: VENI EMMANUEL

Adapted from Plainsong, Mode I

Thomas Helmore

O come, o come, Emmanuel,

And ransom captive Israel,

That mourns in lonely exile here,

Until the Son of God appear.

CHORUS: Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel!

O come, O Wisdom from on high,

who orders all things mightily,

to us the path of knowledge show,

and teach us in her ways to go.

CHORUS: Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel!

O come, O come, thou Lord of might,

Who to Thy tribes on Sinai's height

In ancient times didst give the law

In cloud and majesty, and awe.

CHORUS: Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel!

O come, O Rod of Jesse free,

Thine own from Satan's tyranny;

From depths of hell Thy people save,

And give them victory o'er the grave

CHORUS: Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel!

O come, thou Key of David, come,

And open wide our heavenly home;

Make safe the way that leads on high,

And close the path to misery.

CHORUS: Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel!

O come, Thou Dayspring, come and cheer,

Our spirits by Thine advent here;

Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,

And death's dark shadows put to flight.

CHORUS: Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel!

O come, Desire of nations, bind,

In one the hearts of all mankind;

Bid Thou our sad divisions cease,

And be Thyself our King of peace.

CHORUS: Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel!

Selections from "On the Incarnation" by Athanasius

God secured this grace that He had given by making it conditional from the first upon two things - namely, a law and a place. He set them in His own paradise, and laid upon them a single prohibition. If they guarded the grace and retained the loveliness of their original innocence, then the life of paradise should be theirs, without sorrow, pain or care, and after it the assurance of immortality in heaven. But if they went astray and became vile, throwing away their birthright of beauty, then they would come under the natural law of death and live no longer in paradise, but, dying outside of it, continue in death and in corruption...

God had made man thus - that is, as an embodied spirit - and had willed that he should remain in incorruption. But men, having turned from the contemplation of God to evil of their own devising, had come inevitably under the law of death. Instead of remaining in the state in which God had created them, they were in process of becoming corrupted entirely, and death had them completely under its dominion. For the transgression of the commandment was making them turn back again according to their nature; and as they had at the beginning come into being out of non-existence, so were they now on the way to returning, through corruption, to non-existence again. The presence and love of the Word had called them into being; inevitably, therefore when they lost the knowledge of God, they lost existence with it; for it is God alone Who exists, evil is non-being, the negation and antithesis of good.

You know what happens when a portrait that has been painted on a panel becomes obliterated through external stains. The artist does not throw away the panel, but the subject of the portrait has to come and sit for it again, and then the likeness is re-drawn on the same material. Even so was it with the All-holy Son of God. He, the Image of the Father, came and dwelt in our midst, in order that He might renew mankind made after Himself.

Christ is the great hidden mystery, the blessed goal,
the purpose for which everything was created.
- St Maximus the Confessor

Sermon on the O Antiphons

Sunday 16 December 2006 - Third Sunday in Advent

Eucharist
Preacher: The Dean

Zephaniah 3.14–end, Philippians 4.4–7, Luke 3.7–18

O Sapientia

I am going to play a few word games. I love words and the way we use words and often reflect that we do not give adequate attention to the way we use words and their origins and significance in the liturgy. We know they all have purpose and significance so we tend to leave it at that.

I start with a simple illustration. On Friday lunchtime we hosted the annual carol service for Price WaterhouseCoopers. As the congregation left I smiled at a young lady coming down the aisle very clearly pregnant, and asked her if she was planning a Christmas baby. She laughed and said, ‘No, it’s not due until the end of January (you could have fooled me) but several people have suggested I might take a live role in a crib service.’ There is quite a lot of research that shows the clear benefits to relationship for mothers who talk to their babies while they are still in the womb, and the extraordinarily strong effect of music played to babies yet unborn, in fact so strong that Classic FM has published a disc of such music for expectant mothers to use. Hold that thought for a few minutes, we will return to it.

One of the best-known Advent hymns is, ‘O Come O come Emmanuel’. If I were to prepare sermons six weeks in advance rather than six minutes we might have had that hymn this morning, instead you will have to remember it. The seven verses begin, 'O come Emmanuel;

O come thou Wisdom from on high; O come Adonai; O come thou Root of Jesse; O come thou Lord of David’s Key; O come thou Dayspring bright; O come Desire of nations’. You probably know it is based upon the ancient Advent Antiphons, sometimes called the Great ‘O’s of Advent. If you come to evensong any day between December 17^th and 23^rd you will hear one of them each day.

So lets briefly look at some words first.

Advent – from the Latin verb for ‘come’ – the season when we look for the coming of Christ, the season when John the Baptist is the focus for our gospels pointing towards the coming Christ. Just in case you hadn’t noticed, think of lines in almost every Advent hymn; (NEH) ‘Thou camest, Bridegroom of the bride…’ (1);’So, when thou comest at the last…’(2); ‘Come, thou long expected Jesus…’(3); ‘He that comes despised shall reign…(4)’;’So when next he comes in glory…(5)’; ‘Hark the glad sound the saviour comes…He comes the prisoners to release…He comes the broken heart to bind…(6) ‘He comes in righteousness and love…(7) ‘Come then o saviour and abide…(8)’ ‘ Lo, he comes with clouds descending…(9)’ – one gets the feeling the hymn book editor was trying to make a point.

Antiphon – anti = over against; phon = sound. Antiphon is sound from side to side. That is how the choir sings – from side to side, especially in psalms and canticles, that’s where we get the architectural term ‘choir’ from – the place in the church where the seats are set facing one another so the choir can see and hear one another as they respond to each other; from side to side.

The Advent Antiphons are sung at evensong before the canticle Magnificat. Why are they sung before and after the Magnificat? In St Luke’s gospel, ‘My soul doth magnify the Lord, my spirit doth rejoice in God my saviour’ is Mary’s song in response to her cousin Elizabeth.

You will remember Elizabeth is pregnant with John the Baptist and he ‘leaps’ in her womb when Mary first speaks to Elizabeth because he recognises Jesus’ presence. Elizabeth exclaims, ‘Why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me?’ and Mary responds with the song we now call Magnificat. It does not take much thought to recognise why the Advent Antiphons are sung before and after Magnificat – Mary’s song of praise to God for the coming birth of the Messiah. The antiphons are her words, her songs to her child. I asked you to hold the notion of mothers addressing their unborn children, of music for the womb, in your mind. Here in the gospel passage we have John the Baptist leaping (very uncomfortable) at the sound of Mary’s voice and Mary singing. Some time before the eighth century this week of antiphons, music from side to side, some say written by Pope Gregory the Great, began to be sung as Mary’s words to her child before Mary’s words of thanks to God for her child. They are intimate, intrinsically personal, profoundly scriptural and gently prophetic.

Then there is this curious little feature. Listen to the opening words in Latin: - ‘O sapientia; O Adonai; O Radix Jesse; O Clavis David; O Oriens; O Rex gentium; O Emmanuel.’

In reverse order the letters after the first ‘O’ spell 'Ero cras' - 'I will be (with you) tomorrow'. This may be intentional, or it may be a coincidence turned into a linguistic conceit, but it is undeniably extraordinary.

Each antiphon is a selection of scriptural texts, several phrases from the Hebrew Scriptures placed alongside one another. Mary’s words to her unborn child are deeply, deeply founded in the tradition from which he, and she, emerge.

Why do I tell all this to you today? Well, today is ‘O sapientia’ the first of the seven days.

It seemed to me there could be no better day to remind you of the depth and breadth of the liturgy. But I tell you for more reason than that.

There is a local reason. There on the south wall above the Sacristy door is a window commemorating Geoffrey Chaucer and his links with this church, links with the Canterbury Pilgrims who set off from here journeying to the shrine of Thomas Becket who had preached here before he fled from London. In the Canterbury Tales the Second Nun’s tale begins with an invocation, a prayer for help, to the Virgin Mary.

‘And thou that art the flower of virgins all.
Of whom St Bernard had such skill to write
To thee, at my beginning first I call’… and on goes the prayer…
‘Within the blissful cloister of thy womb
There took man’s shape the eternal love and peace,
Lord and guide of the trinal circle, whom
The heavens and earth and sea shall never cease
To glorify, pure virgin, the increase
Of whose fair body, never by man mated,
Was the creator of all things created.’

Of whose fair body was the creator of all things created.

It is a translation of Dante’s Bernard’s use of the paradox – worshipping Mary, worshipping Christ. Mary the mother of Jesus, Jesus the Son of God, Word made flesh, creator of all that has life.

Julian of Norwich’s Westminster Manuscript of her ‘Revelations’ begins with a great illuminated ‘O’. It says,

‘ Ure gracious & goode/ lorde god shewed me in/ party the wisdom & the trewthe/ of the soule of oure blessed lady/ saynt mary. Where in I under/stood the reuerent beholdynge/ that she beheld her god that is/ her maker. maruelyng with/ grete reuerence that he wolde/ be borne of her that was a/ simple creature of his makyng. ‘

…‘marvelling with great reverence that he would be born of her that was a simple creature of his making’…

Julian of Norwich and Chaucer understood the meaning of the paradox and of the marvelling, they knew the Advent Antiphons and they recognised in their devotional depth the tender love of a mother for her unborn child, marvelling. That is where we are in this Advent season, at the point of tender love for the unborn child.

When we grasp that then we grasp also the sensitivity of today's scriptures – calling the Philippians to ‘rejoice’… ‘in prayer and supplication with thanksgiving’ – is that not what these great antiphon’s do? Zephaniah’s prophecy says, ‘Sing aloud, O daughter Zion, …rejoice and exult O daughter Jerusalem’ is that not evocative of the exchange between Mary and Elizabeth? We look forwards as the people whom John the Baptist had called looked forwards, ‘with eager expectation’ and, I hope, with humility and awe; in today’s gospel John says, ‘I baptise you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptise with the Holy Spirit and fire.’

On page fourteen of your service books you will find the antiphons (see below). Use them in the next few days and this week. We contemplate Mary contemplating her unborn Son who contemplates her he is Creator of all.

Put yourselves into the mind of Mary and sing the antiphons in your heart as a song to Christ as yet unborn, marvelling that he may be born in all our hearts.

Even so, Come Lord Jesus.

AMEN.

16 December
Wisdom, which camest out of the mouth of the most High, and reachest from one end to another, mightily and sweetly ordering all things: Come and teach us the way of prudence.

17 December
Sapientia, quae ex ore Altissimi prodisti, attingens a fine usque ad finem, fortiter suaviter disponensque omnia: veni ad docendum nos viam prudentiae.

Adonai and Leader of the house of Israel, who appearedst in the Bush of Moses in a flame of fire, and gavest him the law in Sinai: Come and deliver us with an outstretched arm.

18 December
Adonai, et Dux domus Israel, qui Moysi in igne flammae rubi apparuisti, et ei in sina legem dedisti: veni ad redimendum nos in brachio extento.

Root of Jesse, which standest for an ensign of the people, at whom kings shall shut their mouths, to whom the Gentiles shall seek: Come and deliver us, and tarry not.

19 December
Radix Jesse, qui stas in signum populorum, super quem continebunt reges os suum, quem gentes deprecabuntur: veni ad liberandum nos, jam noli tardare.

Key of David, and Sceptre of the house of Israel; that openest, and no man shuttests, and shuttest, and no man openeth: come and bring the prisoner out of the prison house, and him that sittest in darkness, and the shadow of death.

20 December
Clavis David, et sceptrum domus Israel: qui aperis, et nemo claudit; claudis, et nemo aperit: venit, et educ vinctum de domo carceris, sedentem in tenebris et umbra mortis.

Day-Spring, Brightness of Light, everlasting and sun of Righteousness: Come and enlighten him that sitteth in darkness, and the shadow of death.

21 December
aOriens, splendor lucis aeternae, et sol justitiae: veni, et illumina sedentes in tenebris et umbra mortis.

aKing of the Nations, and their Desire; the Cornerstone, who makest both one: Come and save mankind, whom thou formedst of clay.

22 December

aRex gentium, et desideratus earum, lapisque angularis, qui facis utraque unum: veni, et salva hominem, quem de limo formasti.

Emmanuel, our King and Lawgiver, the Desire of all nations, and their Salvation: Come and save us, O Lord our God.

23 December

aEmmanuel, Rex et legifer noster, exspectatio gentium, et Salvator earum: veni ad salvandum nos Domine Deus noster.

Virgin of Virgins, how shall this be? for neither before thee was any like thee, nor shall there be after: Daughters of Jerusalem, why marvel ye at me? the thing which ye behold is a divine mystery.

Virgo virginum, quomodo fiet istud? Quia nec primam similem visa es nec habere sequentem.
Filiae Ierusalem, quid me admiramini? Divinum est mysterium hoc quod cernitis.

The Baby Who Rocked the World

This holy-day season read a Christmas sermon from the early church's famous preacher John Chrysostom, fourth-century patriarch of Constantinople.
edited by Edith Barnecut O.S.B.

Today, as a firstborn son, Christ went down into Egypt to end the mourning its ancient bereavement had brought upon that land. Instead of plagues he brought joy, instead of night and darkness he gave the light of salvation.

Of old the river's water had been polluted by the untimely deaths of murdered infants. Therefore he who long ago had stained the waters red went down into Egypt and purified those waters by the power of the Holy Spirit, making them the source of salvation. When the Egyptians were afflicted they raged against God and denied him.
Therefore he went down into Egypt, filled devout souls with the knowledge of God, and made the river more productive of martyrs than it was of ears of grain.

What more shall I say of this mystery? I see a carpenter and a manger, an infant and swaddling clothes, a virgin giving birth without the necessaries of life, nothing but poverty and complete destitution. Have you ever seen wealth in such great penury? How could he who was rich have become, for our sake, so poor that he had neither bed nor bedding but was laid in a manger? O immeasurable wealth concealed in poverty! He lies in a manger, yet he rocks the whole world. He is bound with swaddling bands, yet he breaks the bonds of sin. Before he could speak he taught the wise men and converted them. What else can I say? Here is the newborn babe, wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. With him are Mary, virgin and mother, and Joseph who was called his father.

Joseph was only betrothed to Mary when the Holy Spirit overshadowed her; so he was at a loss as to what he should call the child. While he was in this perplexity a message from heaven came to him by the voice of an angel: Do not be afraid, Joseph. It is by the Holy Spirit that she has conceived this child. In her virginity the Holy Spirit overshadowed her.

Why was Christ born of a virgin, and her virginity preserved inviolate? Because of old the devil had deceived the virgin Eve, Gabriel brought the Good News to the Virgin Mary. Having fallen into the trap, Eve spoke the word that led to death. Having received the good News, Mary gave birth to the incarnate Word who has brought us eternal life.

(Christmas Homily: 56, 392)
Sermon excerpt from Journey with the Fathers: Year A, edited by Edith Barnecut O.S.B. (New City Press, 1993). Used by permission.

Copyright © 2006 Christian History & Biography, or the author.

Blessing and Adjutorium

The Coolest Blessing I've Ever Heard:

The poor shall eat, and be filled,
and those who seek the Lord shall praise Him.
Their hearts shall live unto ages of ages.

The above reminds me of one from the Wild Goose Community of Iona:

God bless to us our bread
And give bread to all those who are hungry
And hunger for justice to those who are fed.

I think I'm going to start using one or more of them in conjunction with this prayer:

Blessed are you, Lord God, King of Creation,
for the food you bring from the earth:
Praised and blessed be your holy Name!

The blessing of the five loaves and the two fishes
that the Lord shared with the five thousand,
the bounty of the King who made the sharing
come upon our food and all who share it.

This is the adjutorium in Old English

Wes, drihten god, deore fultum;
beheald, drihten, me, and me hraðe syððan
gefultuma æt feorhþearfe.

Advent Prayers regarding Mary

Sweet lady, remember me kindly.
- Medieval Benedictine prayer

The Virgin weighed with the Word of God
Comes down the road if only you’ll shelter her.
- St. John of the Cross, 1585

We fly to thy patronage, oh holy Mother of God.
Do not despise our petitions in our needs;
But deliver us from all dangers
Oh ever-virgin, glorious and blessed.
- Sub tuum, 4th c. prayer to Mary (earliest known)

No tender dw, no breeze or shower
But God in all his loving power
Raised you, a branch of his own nation,
To bear the joy of our salvation.
When he first thought of shining bright
With all the radiance of his light,
You were a gleam of his devising
Whose Word in pure gold uprising
We praise with you in every hour;
O fragrant rose and freshest flower.
- St. Hildegard of Bingen (1160)

Of her flesh he took flesh:
He does take fresh and frsh,
Though much the ystery how,
Not flesh but spirit now
And makes, O marvelous!
New Nazareths in us,
Where she shall yet conceive
Him morning, noon, and eve;
New Bethlems, and he born
There evening, noon, and morn.
- Gerard Manley Hopkins, S.J. (1847)

The Brief Theology of a Poor Brother

1. The Person(s) of God

God is One, yet God is also Three. That God is a Trinity is important because it shows that He, in His perfection, is not alone, but is a Community living in perfect love and unity.

God is like a Fire. In this sense He, by His very nature, obliterates that which is not of Himself. He is all Good and nothing that is not good can survive his Presence. Thus, what seems like wrath or judgment is only that which hates God, that which is not-good, being exposed to His Presence.

2. The Creation

All that is created is of God but is not God. That which is created has a sacramental quality. That is, all the stuff of which creation is was given by God. It has become as much like God as possible of its own accord (evolution) and then has given itself to Him to do what it cannot do for itself.

God uses creation not only as a medium to reveal Himself to creation, but also as a veil of sorts that that which is created might have the opportunity to reject Him.

3. Man

Man is that which the created could not do for itself. Man is creation given the Imago Dei. In the same way that He is specially present in the Eucharist, He is/was specially present in Man.

4. The Fall

Man, in order to be like God, was given the ability to choose. The choice is ever between obedience/love/life (represented by the Tree of Life) and disobedience/hate(apathy)/death (represented by the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil). The choice is not always between that which is good and bad, but between that which is commanded and that which is prohibited. That is, the Knowledge is not bad, but disobedience always is. It took both man AND woman to complete the first sin. The eyes of Adam and Eve were not opened until Adam ate of the forbidden fruit.

5. Original Sin

Original sin is not a cosmic strike on the blackboard of heaven which we have at birth and, thus, are condemned to hell. We are not guilty of the first sin, but we do suffer the consequences. The consequence is death. Death is like a disease which we do inherit. Thus, we suffer the effects of sin, but are not guilty of any sin but our own. It is like the child born of a crack addicted mother. The child will be addicted to crack as well, through no fault of his/her own.

6. The Work of Christ

One of the chief works of Christ was accomplished in the Incarnation. He did not do this merely to have an unblemished, human sacrifice, but possibly planned to do it in any case that the stuff of Earth, apart from just being "good", might be divinized through the union with God. We are all called to the Mount of Transfiguration, that we might be glorified as Christ was. This was always the purpose of God.

The second work of Christ was His Crucifixion. Through His death He, being the deathless God, killed death. Through His death we are freed from the curse. We also experience cleansing and healing from

Christ is risen from the dead,

Trampling down death by death,

And upon those in the tombs

Bestowing life!

The chief lesson that we learn is that this goal was achieved through the obedience of Christ. He followed the very difficult path set before Him by His Father. Likewise, though we may not understand the path, we must obey. Disobedience, as always, leads to death.

7. The Nature of God in Relation to Sin

God is like a fire, albeit one with a Personality. The Love of God and the Wrath of God are all the same. Light obliterates darkness by its very nature. Hydrogen Peroxide obliterates infection by its very nature. Heat obliterates cold by its very nature. God obliterates all that is not-good by His very nature. It is partially for this reason that He made the world. Creation not only reveals God, but also hides God so that, if we wish, we may doubt His existence. In this way, He gives us freedom to choose or reject Him. However, those who hate God, when they find themselves fully in his presence, will experience a love they can neither escape nor accept. Hell, then, is either the full Presence of God or full Separation of God. One is all Love and the other is all Mercy.

8. The Law

Christ summarized the entirety of the Law as follows:

Love the Lord your Godwith all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength.
Love your neighbor as yourself.

God is Love and His Law is Love.

9. The Church

Christ established the Apostles as the head of the Church. They have passed this authority, and the keys, to their successors (bishops) through the ages. Nevertheless, wherever "two or more are gathered" in the name of Christ, He is there and there is the Church.

Authority rests not in the Holy Scriptures (never "the Word" for only Christ is the Word), nor only in the Bishops (including the Pope), nor in the Councils; but the people of God. This is how God works. All is a joint work between Him and us, fallible though we are. In the same way that Adam and Eve had to sin together and in the same way that the New Adam and the New Eve worked together to reverse the curse; so the Groom and the Bride work together. All authority rests with the Groom, with Christ, but He has given it to His Bride and chooses to work through Her.

10. Faith, Works, Love and Obedience

It has been said we are justified through Faith and sanctified through Works. This denotes a focus on Justification/Salvation. There is no Faith without Works. Both are subsets of Love. If we Love God, we will have Faith. If we love God, we will show it with our Works. Peter loved Jesus and thus stepped out of the boat confident that he would walk on water. Christ says, "If ye love Me, keep My commandments." Obedience is the sign of Love, Faith and Works. The Son loved the Father and obeyed Him. If we love Christ, we will obey Him regardless of whether we are justified or sanctified. Salvation is a by-product of Love and Obedience.

11. Sin

Sin is disobedience. Sin is lack of love. Sin is anything less than perfection. Sin is missing the mark. Sin is us moving away from God. Sin is death. Sin is breaking relationships.

Review: The Deity Formerly Known as God

I randomly ran across this book at Borders the other day, and picked it up to see what it was all about. The title struck me, Zondervan is usually a good publisher, and the author works with Northpoint Church in Atlanta. That all seemed enticing. I read the back cover and the book purports itself to be "attempting to recapture the spirit of JB Phillips' classic, Your God is Too Small." It claimed to tear down 6 current destructive images of God and reaffirm 6 constructive images of God. So, I shelled out the $13, thinking it would be a good read.

The layout of the book is quite simple and intentional. The first 6 chapters are what the author considers "bad images" of God. They stand completely independent of each other so that the reader can skip around should he/she so choose (page 14). The ideas are on the right track, however, I think it leaves something to be desired.

Chapter 1--The Cop Around the Corner. Mostly story-oriented, this chapter claims we view God in the same way we do a cop parked on the side of the road (20). This idea is that God is actively looking for us to make a mistake. This idea is fosterred in strict religious upbringings, be it church or school (21). This idea is reiterated if you actually read the OT too, in the author's opinion (24). The real problem comes in a little joke/addendum section that appears in each chapter. In this chapter, he gives 6 "made up" commandments that he has picked up along the way in his "faith experience" (a term first used on page 21). This new list of commandments include not drinking, not swearing, going to church and pretending to enjoy it. The real problem is commandment 5: "Thou shalt not have sex before thou art married" (27). To the best of my knowledge, sex before marriage is wrong. The good aspect of this chapter is that there is some truth to us viewing God as an angry God, wanting nothing but catch us doing something wrong. However, this chapter could easily be taken as a manifesto for antinomianism.

Chapter 2--Sweet Old Man. One of the better chapters in the book. He notes that our visual depctions of God often resemble a member or ZZ Top (32). We view God's eternality as being old, not timeless (33). These are great points, and I found myself actively affirming that view of God. That quickly changed. "The Bible doesn't really help in this department either" (33). I couldn't believe that someone who has devoted his life to teaching the Bible would actually make that statement. He argued that the titles "Alpha and Omega," "Ageless and Unchanging," and "Ancient of Days" are bothersome because "old is bothersome" (33). However, this chapter has a great overall point: we view God like we view our grandfather, someone we only have to visit on holidays, someone who doesn't understand where we are, nor can relate to us in our present situation (34). Bible stories become stories about God in the past that don't relate to us today, and the stories of people in our churches relate the way God acted the, not now (37).This is a great point and something that needs to be addressed.

Chapter 3--Cosmic Slot Machine. Here, he writes of the idea that, in life, sometimes we win, sometimes we lose (44, 46). He said the idea that life, and ultimately God, is random, that he hedged his bets to play it safe (48). Everything we do in life is based on the idea that something might go wrong, not on the idea that it might go well. He says that he doesn't know where God falls in control of our lives (51). He also says that he doesn't care if God is in control or not, as long as he's there for us, because that's the God he has faith in (51). This seems more than problematic. A God who is not ultimately in control is not much of a God. How sovereignty works can be debated, but God is ultimately in control, and that's the story of the Bible. However, on the last page of the chapter, he says that if you hedge your bets with God, you will always win (52). At the end of this chapter, I was left wondering exactly what was going on.

Chapter 4--Talent Show Judge. Mostly full of stories about church talent shows, some quite funny. The idea here is that we view God as a judge who is never quite satisfied with our performance, and our churches often reflect that in guilting others to contribute more in every way (57-58). He gives his story of (over)working at Willow Creek 60-61). The tragedy of this view is that we work ourselves to death trying to earn from God what he has already given to us; instead, we are really trying to impress ourselves (64). This is another good point, as I know I have seen may Christians burnt out from over-extending themselves in serving at the church. We should all learn to stop and enjoy God more.

Chapter 5--All You Can Eat Buffett. This is probably the best and most relevant chapter in the entire book. The idea Stevens is arguing is that we currently have a spiritual smorgasboard, where we come and gather many ideas of God, developing what we personally want to see God as.This is why 90% of Americans can believe in God, because ultimately God is of our own making (70, 74). He compared biblical faith with an enormously expensive meal--you have great things, and things that are hard to swallow, but the meal is magnificent and so much greater than the ordinary, mundane and bland (74). The only way to worship God is to worship him in his fullness, as he is inseparably whole (74).

Chapter 6--Our Parents, Supersized. In my opinion, the second best chapter in this entire book. The basic assertion, parent's indubitably affect their children's views of God--for better or for worse (77). He speaks of several ways his parents subtly, and often accidentally, affected his view of God. He gives several examples of how others he knows have had their view of God affected in this way. The question, not of "if" but "how" (77) is a big question and one worth facing (84) if we are to rid ourselves of our surrogate gods (86). He is careful to say that we cannot turn this into a pity-party or blame everyone else for our problems, but we must look at the effects of others in forming our understanding of God.

There is a brief note in between the sections that lets the reader know he will be using stories of Jesus to construct the 6 positive sections about God.

Chapter 7--Late Night Neighbor. He uses the story from Luke 11 of a man going to his neighbor in the middle of the night, asking for bread. Much of the text is spent retelling the story--much of the time going back and forth from ancient to modern language. He finally speaks of the generosity of God, and taunts the idea of smothering prayer with "If it be your will" (99). He says we should have a holy fear, but we can approach God with confidence (99) and that Jesus wants to give us what he's already promised us (102). The best part of this chapter is a story about a trip he and his wife took to Africa. They stayed in a village of people suffering from AIDS, yet when the women pray they ask God with confidence, citing "because of what you've done." This is a great lesson we could all stand to learn in a culture where every time the wind blows in the wrong direction, we question God's abilities to control things.

Chapter 8--Lord of the Boardroom. He retells the story from Luke 19 about the master leaving and giving his servants silver. The first two servants make money with their silver and are entrusted with more. The last servant buries it in fear of losing it, and the master is irate. Stevens then notes that the story is as puzzling as it is helpful (111). He goes on to talk about assumptions we make (112-113). The conclusion reached by the authoris that this story shows how God is both just and generous, keeping us accountable and forgiving us when we fall short (115). Then, "the moral of our story, that in a world filled with pain and fear and confusion, there is a God who is more good, more generous and more full of grace than we could possibly imagine" 116).

Chapter 9--Green-Thumbed Gardener. After a long story about his attempts at gardening, he quotes John 15:1, "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener" (probably the Message translation). Stevens uses this as a view of our sanctification (121). He goes on to say that Christ is teaching us to "stay" (124). "Connectedness starves our selfishness" (125). The only problem in this chapter is that all the talk of pruning is our personal sanctification. The reality of the passage is that God will sanctify his church, tossing out those who do not bear fruit.

Chapter 10--Single Minded Shepherd. The passage used here is Luke 15, though many other references are made. The point, we are lost and Jesus comes after us. The point is made and reiterated by several personal stories of being lost. The most interesting thing in this chapter is a story about a Hurricane Katrina victim. The man was trying to get out of New Orleans after a week of being stranded, but wasn't allowed to get on the bus with his pet--he would have to leave the pet. Nate Berkus, a correspondent for Oprah, decided to help, so he went down there, picked up the man's dog and followed the bus (139-140). This was supposedly some insight into Jesus (and Oprah, who is mentioned in a marvelous light multiple times in the book). However, I must admit that I was left wondering, "If the man was so great, why didn't he give the dog AND ITS OWNER a ride?" But, the story shows how great Oprah is and how the story is not about self-promotion (140), but I'm not buying that.

Chapter 11--Tired Eyed Father. This chapter recounts the story of the Prodigal Son. He makes the point that we musn't focus on the son, but on the Father (142). He retells the story, again, and spends most of the time explaining the term "Abba." He says that "the life of Jesus was radically defined by the love of his Abba" 149). While there is great import in the name Abba, he radically dimishes Christ's deity with statements like this. He says the Abba loved Jesus at his baptism before Jesus did anything (149). This just has serious trappings of Arianism or adoptionism. In the garden, Abba's love for Jesus enabled him to trust his way, and Christ went to the cross (152). More Arian hermenuetics. There were some good points in this chapter. We should realize that we are talking to a personal God in prayer (151). We should know that God loves us as his children (154).

Chapter 12--Equal Opportunity Employer. The story in this chapter is that of the employer hiring day laborers and each worker made the same amount, the first and the last. He spends much time retelling the story, concluding that everybody wins with God (164). It's not universalism, but that the best, worst, first and last in God's kingdom are equal (165). The idea--we cant' earn our way to God, grace is the only option (though it's not stated nearly that clearly).

Conclusion: Overall, this book was an extreme letdown. As an attempt to recapture the classic it purports, it fails--miserably. There are good points, but they were not expounded well. Most of the book is full of stories from his life. I know, we live in a postmodern society and stories are the way to communicate. However, a little more substance in this book would probably help smooth over the theological issues. I think I found one verse that isn't from the Message Bible. That version is such a liberal translation that it should not be used for teaching. The author, as are many others today, just flips from happy verse to happy verse. God is nothing but the "big warm fuzzy, do whatever you want, it doesn't matter to me" character. I couldn't recommend this book to anyone. I hate that. I like Andy Stanley, Louie Giglio and that ministry. But, this was a severe letdown.

Favorite Verses

• Ecc 1:2 Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all [is] vanity.
• Jhn 11:35 Jesus wept.
• 1Jo 4:8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
• Jhn 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
• Psa 88:18 You have taken my companions and loved ones from me; the darkness is my closest friend.
• Psa 51:17 The sacrifices of God [are] a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
• Prayer of Manasseh 1:11 And now I bend the knee of my heart, beseeching thee for thy kindness.
• Wisdom 18:14-15 For while all things were in quiet silence, and the night was in the midst of her course, Thy almighty word leapt down from heaven from thy royal throne
• Jam 2:14-17 What [doth it] profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be [ye] warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what [doth it] profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
• Phl 2:5-11

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature* God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature* of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death–
even death on a cross!
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

Luther, Calvin, and Other Early Protestants on the Perpetual Virginity of Mary

All of the early Protestant Founders accepted the truth of the Perpetual Virginity of Mary. How could this be, if it is merely "tradition" with no scriptural basis? Why was its supposed violation of Scripture not so obvious to them, as it is to the Protestants of the last 150 years or so (since the onset of theological liberalism) who have ditched this previously-held opinion? Yet it has become fashionable to believe that Jesus had blood brothers (I suspect, because this contradicts Catholic teaching), contrary to the original consensus of the early Protestants. Let's see what the Founders of Protestantism taught about this doctrine. If Catholics are so entrenched in what has been described as "silly," "desperate," "obviously false," "unbiblical tradition" here, then so are many Protestant luminaries such as Luther, Calvin, and Wesley. Strangely enough, however, current-day Protestant critics of Catholicism rarely aim criticism at them. I guess the same "errors" are egregious to a different degree, depending on who accepts and promulgates them -- sort of like the Orwellian proverb from Animal Farm: "all people are equal, but some are more equal than others."

General

Whatever may be the position theologically that one may take today on the subject of Mariology, one is not able to call to one's aid 'reformed tradition' unless one does it with the greatest care . . . the Marian doctrine of the Reformers is consonant with the great tradition of the Church in all the essentials and with that of the Fathers of the first centuries in particular . . . . .
In regard to the Marian doctrine of the Reformers, we have already seen how unanimous they are in all that concerns Mary's holiness and perpetual virginity . . .

{Max Thurian (Protestant), Mary: Mother of all Christians, tr. Neville B. Cryer, NY: Herder & Herder, 1963 (orig. 1962), pp. 77, 197}

The title 'Ever Virgin' (aeiparthenos, semper virgo) arose early in Christianity . . . It was a stock phrase in the Middle Ages and continued to be used in Protestant confessional writings (Luther, Calvin, Zwingli, Andrewes; Book of Concord [1580], Schmalkaldic Articles [1537]).

{Raymond E. Brown et al, ed., Mary in the New Testament, Phil.: Fortress Press / NY: Paulist Press, 1978, p.65 (a joint Catholic-Protestant effort) }

Mary was formally separated from Protestant worship and prayer in the 16th century; in the 20th century the divorce is complete. Even the singing of the 'Magnificat' caused the Puritans to have scruples, and if they gave up the Apostles' Creed, it was not only because of the offensive adjective 'Catholic', but also because of the mention of the Virgin . . .
[But] Calvin, like Luther and Zwingli, taught the perpetual virginity of Mary. The early Reformers even applied, though with some reticence, the title Theotokos to Mary . . . Calvin called on his followers to venerate and praise her as the teacher who instructs them in her Son's commands.

{J.A. Ross MacKenzie (Protestant), in Stacpoole, Alberic, ed., Mary's Place in Christian Dialogue, Wilton, Conn.: Morehouse-Barlow, 1982, pp.35-6}

Martin Luther

Christ, our Savior, was the real and natural fruit of Mary's virginal womb . . . This was without the cooperation of a man, and she remained a virgin after that.

{Luther's Works, eds. Jaroslav Pelikan (vols. 1-30) & Helmut T. Lehmann (vols. 31-55), St. Louis: Concordia Pub. House (vols. 1-30); Philadelphia: Fortress Press (vols. 31-55), 1955, v.22:23 / Sermons on John, chaps. 1-4 (1539) }

Christ . . . was the only Son of Mary, and the Virgin Mary bore no children besides Him . . . I am inclined to agree with those who declare that 'brothers' really mean 'cousins' here, for Holy Writ and the Jews always call cousins brothers.

{Pelikan, ibid., v.22:214-15 / Sermons on John, chaps. 1-4 (1539) }

A new lie about me is being circulated. I am supposed to have preached and written that Mary, the mother of God, was not a virgin either before or after the birth of Christ . . .

{Pelikan, ibid.,v.45:199 / That Jesus Christ was Born a Jew (1523) }

Scripture does not say or indicate that she later lost her virginity . . .
When Matthew [1:25] says that Joseph did not know Mary carnally until she had brought forth her son, it does not follow that he knew her subsequently; on the contrary, it means that he never did know her . . . This babble . . . is without justification . . . he has neither noticed nor paid any attention to either Scripture or the common idiom.

{Pelikan, ibid.,v.45:206,212-3 / That Jesus Christ was Born a Jew (1523) } Editor Jaroslav Pelikan (Lutheran) adds:

Luther . . . does not even consider the possibility that Mary might have had other children than Jesus. This is consistent with his lifelong acceptance of the idea of the perpetual virginity of Mary.

{Pelikan, ibid.,v.22:214-5}

John Calvin

Helvidius displayed excessive ignorance in concluding that Mary must have had many sons, because Christ's 'brothers' are sometimes mentioned.

{Harmony of Matthew, Mark & Luke, sec. 39 (Geneva, 1562), vol. 2 / From Calvin's Commentaries, tr. William Pringle, Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1949, p.215; on Matthew 13:55}

[On Matt 1:25:] The inference he [Helvidius] drew from it was, that Mary remained a virgin no longer than till her first birth, and that afterwards she had other children by her husband . . . No just and well-grounded inference can be drawn from these words . . . as to what took place after the birth of Christ. He is called 'first-born'; but it is for the sole purpose of informing us that he was born of a virgin . . . What took place afterwards the historian does not inform us . . . No man will obstinately keep up the argument, except from an extreme fondness for disputation.

{Pringle, ibid., vol. I, p. 107}

Under the word 'brethren' the Hebrews include all cousins and other relations, whatever may be the degree of affinity.

{Pringle, ibid., vol. I, p. 283 / Commentary on John, (7:3) }

Huldreich Zwingli

He turns, in September 1522, to a lyrical defense of the perpetual virginity of the mother of Christ . . . To deny that Mary remained 'inviolata' before, during and after the birth of her Son, was to doubt the omnipotence of God . . . and it was right and profitable to repeat the angelic greeting - not prayer - 'Hail Mary' . . . God esteemed Mary above all creatures, including the saints and angels - it was her purity, innocence and invincible faith that mankind must follow. Prayer, however, must be . . . to God alone . . .
'Fidei expositio,' the last pamphlet from his pen . . . There is a special insistence upon the perpetual virginity of Mary.

{G. R. Potter, Zwingli, London: Cambridge Univ. Press, 1976, pp.88-9,395 / The Perpetual Virginity of Mary . . ., Sep. 17, 1522}

Zwingli had printed in 1524 a sermon on 'Mary, ever virgin, mother of God.'

{Thurian, ibid., p.76}

I have never thought, still less taught, or declared publicly, anything concerning the subject of the ever Virgin Mary, Mother of our salvation, which could be considered dishonourable, impious, unworthy or evil . . . I believe with all my heart according to the word of holy gospel that this pure virgin bore for us the Son of God and that she remained, in the birth and after it, a pure and unsullied virgin, for eternity.

{Thurian, ibid., p.76 / same sermon}

Heinrich Bullinger

Bullinger (d. 1575) . . . defends Mary's perpetual virginity . . . and inveighs against the false Christians who defraud her of her rightful praise: 'In Mary everything is extraordinary and all the more glorious as it has sprung from pure faith and burning love of God.' She is 'the most unique and the noblest member' of the Christian community . . .
'The Virgin Mary . . . completely sanctified by the grace and blood of her only Son and abundantly endowed by the gift of the Holy Spirit and preferred to all . . . now lives happily with Christ in heaven and is called and remains ever-Virgin and Mother of God.'

{In Hilda Graef, Mary: A History of Doctrine and Devotion, combined ed. of vols. 1 & 2, London: Sheed & Ward, 1965, vol.2, pp.14-5}

John Wesley (Founder of Methodism)

I believe... he [Jesus Christ] was born of the blessed Virgin, who, as well after as she
brought him forth, continued a pure and unspotted virgin.

{"Letter to a Roman Catholic," quoted in A. C. Coulter, John Wesley, New York: Oxford University Press, 1964, 495}

Prayer for those who persecute you

Prayer Regarding Critics and Enemies

- by Serbian Orthodox Bishop By Bishop Nikolai Velimirovic,
who spoke out against Naziism, was arrested, and taken to Dachau.

Bless my enemies, O Lord. Even I bless them and do not curse them.

Enemies have driven me into your embrace more than friends have.
Friends have bound me to earth;
enemies have loosed me from earth
and have demolished all my aspirations in the world.
Enemies have made me a stranger in worldly realms
and an extraneous inhabitant of the world.
Just as a hunted animal finds safer shelter than an unhunted animal does,
so have I, persecuted by enemies, found the safest sanctuary,
having ensconced myself beneath Your tabernacle,
where neither friends nor enemies can slay my soul.

Bless my enemies, O Lord. Even I bless and do not curse them.

They, rather than I, have confessed my sins before the world.
They have punished me, whenever I have hesitated to punish myself.
They have tormented me, whenever I have tried to flee torments.
They have scolded me, whenever I have flattered myself.
They have spat upon me, whenever I have filled myself with arrogance.

Bless my enemies, O Lord. Even I bless them and do not curse them.

Whenever I have made myself wise,
they have called me foolish.
Whenever I have made myself mighty,
they have mocked me as though I were a [fly].
Whenever I have wanted to lead people,
they have shoved me into the background.
Whenever I have rushed to enrich myself,
they have prevented me with an iron hand.
Whenever I thought that I would sleep peacefully,
they have wakened me from sleep.
Whenever I have tried to build a home for a long and tranquil life,
they have demolished it and driven me out.
Truly, enemies have cut me loose from the world
and have stretched out my hands to the hem of your garment.

Bless my enemies, O Lord. Even I bless them and do not curse them.

Bless them and multiply them;
multiply them and make them even more bitterly against me:
So that my fleeing will have no return;
So that all my hope in men may be scattered like cobwebs;
So that absolute serenity may begin to reign in my soul;
So that my heart may become the grave
of my two evil twins: arrogance and anger;
So that I might amass all my treasure in heaven;
Ah, so that I may for once be freed from self-deception,
which has entangled me in the dreadful web of illusory life.

Enemies have taught me to know what hardly anyone knows,
that a person has no enemies in the world except himself.
One hates his enemies only when he fails to realize
that they are not enemies, but cruel friends.
It is truly difficult for me to say who has done me more good
and who has done me more evil in the world: friends or enemies.
Therefore bless, O Lord, both my friends and my enemies.
A slave curses enemies, for he does not understand.
But a son blesses them, for he understands.
For a son knows that his enemies cannot touch his life.
Therefore he freely steps among them and prays to God for them.

Bless my enemies, O Lord. Even I bless them and do not curse them.

The Good Friday Reproaches

Good Friday Reproaches: Basic Information

The Reproaches (Improperia), are often chanted by a priest during the Good Friday service as the people are venerating the Cross. In this haunting and poignant poem-like chant of very ancient origin, Christ himself "reproaches" us, making us more deeply aware of how our sinfulness and hardness of heart caused such agony for our sinless and loving Savior. A modern translation of the some of the Reproaches, originally in Latin follows:

My people, What have I done to you? How have I offended you? Answer me!
I led you out of Egypt; but you led your Savior to the Cross.
For forty years I led you safely through the desert,
I fed you with manna from heaven,
and brought you to the land of plenty; But you led your Savior to the Cross.
O, My people! What have I done to you that you should testify against me?

Holy God. Holy God. Holy Mighty One. Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us.

Three times during Holy Week the Passion is read -- on Passion Sunday, Holy Thursday, and Good Friday. By very ancient tradition, three clergy read the three principal parts from the sanctuary: Jesus (always read by a priest), Narrator, and all the other individual parts. The people also have a role in this -- we are those who condemn the Lord to death. Hearing our own voices say "Away with Him! Crucify him!" heightens our consciousness of our complicity by our personal sinfulness in causing His death.

Good Friday Reproaches: Song

My people, what have I done to you?
Why, why have you forsaken Me?

I led you out of Egypt, 'cross desert sand.
For forty years I fed you manna with My hand.
I led you safely to the promised land,
And you prepare a cross for Me.
- The St. Louis Jesuits

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The Good Friday Reproaches: Poem

O my people, what have I done to you? How have I hurt you? Answer me. I led you out of Egypt, From slavery I set you free. I brought you into a land of promise: You have prepared a cross for me. I led you as a shepherd, I brought you dryshod through the sea; I fed you manna in the desert You have prepared a cross for me. I fought for you in battles, I won you strength and victory; Gave you a royal crown and sceptre: You have prepared a cross for me. I planted you, my vineyard, And cared for you most tenderly; Looked for abundant fruit and found none: Only the cross you made for me. Then listen to my pleading And do not turn away from me. You are my people: will you reject me? For you I suffer bitterly.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Good Friday Reproaches: Liturgy

ADORATION OF THE CROSS

As the crucifix is brought into the church, the following is said three times:

P. Behold, the life-giving cross on which was hung the salvation of the whole world.

C. Oh, come, let us worship him.

After the crucifix is placed on the altar, the people are seated.
A period of silence follows.

P. We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.

C. By your holy cross, you have redeemed the world.

P. May God be merciful to us and bless us, show us the light of his countenance, and come to us.

C. Let your ways be known upon the earth, your saving health among all nations.

P. Let all the people praise you, O God; let all the people praise you.

C. We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you. By your holy cross, you have redeemed the world.

P. O my people, what have I done to you? How have I offended you? Answer me! I led you out of Egypt, from slavery to freedom, but you have led your Savior to the cross.

C. Holy is God! Holy and strong! Holy immortal One, have mercy on us.

P. For forty years, I led you safely through the desert. I fed you with manna from heaven and brought you to a land of plenty, but you have led your Savior to the cross.

C. Holy is God! Holy and strong! Holy immortal One, have mercy on us.

P. What more could I have done for you? I planted you as my fairest vine, but you yielded only bitterness; when I was thirsty, you gave me vinegar to drink, and you pierced your Savior's side with a spear.

C. Holy is God! Holy and strong! Holy immortal One, have mercy on us!

P. For your sake, I scourged Egypt and its first-born sons, and you have handed me over to be scourged. I led you from slavery to freedom and drowned your captors in the sea, but you have handed me over to your high priests. I opened the sea before you, but you opened my side with a spear.

C. Holy is God! Holy and strong! Holy immortal One, have mercy on us!

P. I led your way in a pillar of cloud, but you led me to Pilate's court. I bore you up with manna in the desert, but you struck me down and scourged me. I gave you saving water from the rock, but you gave me gall and vinegar to drink.

C. Holy is God! Holy and strong! Holy immortal One, have mercy on us!

P. For you I struck down the kings of Canaan, but you struck my head with a reed. I gave you a royal scepter, but you gave me a crown of thorns. I raised you to a height of majesty, but you raised me high on a cross.

C. Holy is God! Holy and strong! Holy immortal One, have mercy on us!

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Good Friday Reproaches: Modern

11	THE PROCLAMATION OF THE CROSS (sections 12--18) may be used after part C.
12	A wooden cross may be brought into the church and placed in the sight of the people.
13	Appropriate devotions follow which may include any or all of the following, or other suitable hymns or anthems.
14	ANTHEM 1 We glory in your cross, O Lord, and praise you for your mighty resurrection; for by virtue of your cross joy has come into our world. God be gracious to us and bless us: and make his face shine upon us, Let your ways be made known on earth: your liberating power among all nations. Let the peoples praise you, O God: let all the peoples praise you. We glory in your cross, O Lord, and praise you for your mighty resurrection; for by virtue of your cross joy has come into our world.
15	ANTHEM 2 My people, what wrong have I done to you? What good have I not done for you? Listen to me. 1 I am your Creator, Lord of the universe; I have entrusted this world to you, but you have created the means to destroy it. My people, what wrong have I done to you? What good have I not done for you? Listen to me. 2 I made you in my image, but you have degraded body and spirit and marred the image of your God. You have deserted me and turned your backs on me. My people, what wrong have I done to you? What good have I not done for you? Listen to me. 3 I filled the earth with all that you need, so that you might serve and care for one another, as I have cared for you; but you have cared only to serve your own wealth and power. Holy God, holy and strong, holy and immortal, have mercy upon us. My people, what wrong have I done to you? What good have I not done for you? Listen to me. 4 I made my children of one blood to live in families rejoicing in one another; but you have embittered the races and divided the nations. My people, what wrong have I done to you? What good have I not done for you? Listen to me. 5 I commanded you to love your neighbour as yourself, to love and forgive even your enemies; but you have made vengeance your rule and hate your guide. My people, what wrong have I done to you? What good have I not done for you? Listen to me. 6 In the fullness of time I sent you my Son, that in him you might know me, and through him find life and peace; but you put him to death on the cross. Holy God, holy and strong, holy and immortal, have mercy upon us. My people, what wrong have I done to you? What good have I not done for you? Listen to me. 7 Through the living Christ, I called you into my Church to be my servants to the world, but you have grasped at privilege and forgotten my will. My people, what wrong have I done to you? What good have I not done for you? Listen to me. 8 I have given you a heavenly gift and a share in the Holy Spirit; I have given you the spiritual energies of the age to come; but you have turned away and crucified the Son of God afresh. My people, what wrong have I done to you? What good have I not done for you? Listen to me. 9 I have consecrated you in the truth; I have made you to be one in the unity of the Father and the Son, by the power of the Spirit; but you have divided my Church and shrouded my truth. Holy God, holy and strong, holy and immortal, have mercy upon us. Turn again, my people, listen to me. Let your bearing to one another arise out of your life in ChristJesus. He humbled himself and in obedience accepted the death of the cross. But I have bestowed on him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow and every tongue confess, Jesus Christ is Lord. Turn again, my people, listen to me. Father, hear our prayer and forgive us. Unstop our ears that we may receive the gospel of the cross. Lighten our eyes that we may see your glory in the face of your Son. Penetrate our minds that your truth may make us whole. Irradiate our hearts with your love that we may love one another for Christ's sake. Father, forgive us.

The Two Trees

And so it was that, when God made a home for man, He caused two trees to grow there. The first was but a shrub, a stem with few scant leaves and no fruit. The name of this tree was Life. Yet it had two other hidden names. These were Love and Obedience. These names were not revealed to the man.

The second tree was created in full bloom, laden with ripened fruit, and its name was Knowledge. Yet it had other names as well. These were Death and Ease.

For many years after the Fall the first tree languished. Yet, when Noah began to build the ark, the tree began to grow and, of all the vegetation that existed before the great flood, it alone survived intact.

Again, it grew as Abraham left his home for Canaan and willingly offered his son as a sacrifice.

Still more when Moses led the people of God from captivity to the Promised Land.

Later, when King Josiah of Judah tore down the high places, it grew.

Bit by bit, year by year, century by century it grew until the fullness of time came to pass. In those days, the final fruit developed. As a young maid responded, "Yes," to an angel, a flower blossomed and Eternity entered her womb.

On the night when Eternity was birthed, the flower became fruit and dropped to Earth. And the fruit was the most beautiful that had ever been seen by the eyes of men. Thus, men hid their faces from it, and sought to destroy it by destroying eternity.

Yet, on the day when Eternity was nailed to the first tree, the fruit vanished, as if it had never been. But the second tree also withered and died, though tended more vigorously through the centuries than the first.

On the third day, Eternity walked the Earth again. And the seed of the fruit was planted in those who followed Him.

Thus it has been ever since.
In each man is planted both trees.
In ease, he may pluck the fruit of Knowledge,
but only taste Death.
Or he may, by Obedience,
tend the tree of Life, of Love,
and taste the fruit thereof.

1 Sam. 15:22 To obey is better than sacrifice
Jhn 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments

St. Bernard's Homily on the Holy Guardian Angels

"He hath given his angels charge over thee." O wonderful bounty and truly great love of charity! Who? For whom? Wherefore? What has He commanded? Let us study closely, brethren, and let us diligently commit to our memory this great mandate. Who is it that commands? Whose angels are they? Whose mandates do they fulfill? Whose will do they obey? In answer, "He hath given his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways." And they do not hesitate even to life thee up in their hands.

So the Supreme Majesty has given charge to the angels. Yes, He has given charge to His own angels. Think of it! To those sublime beings, who cling to Him so joyfully and intimately, to His very own He has given charge over you! Who are you? "What is man that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man that thou visitest him?" As if man were not rottenness, and the son of man a worm! Now why, do you think, he Has given them charge over thee? -- To guard thee!

With what great reverence should you treat this word! What devotion should you proffer it; what great confidence should you place in it. Reverence because of their presence; devotion because of their benevolence; confidence because of their solicitude. Walk carefully, in all thy ways, as one with whom the angels are present as He has given them charge. In every lodging, at every corner, have reverence for thy Angel. Do not dare to do in his presence what you would not dare to do if I were there. Or do you doubt that he is present whom you do not behold? What if you should hear him? What if you should touch him? What if you should scent him? Remember that the presence of something is not proved only by the sight of things.

In this, therefore, brethren, let us affectionately love His angels as one day our future coheirs; meanwhile, however, as counselors and defenders appointed by the Father and placed over us. Why should we fear under such guardians? Those who keep us in all our ways can neither be overcome nor be deceived, much less deceive. They are faithful; they are prudent; they are powerful; why do we tremble? Let us only follow them, let us remain close to them, and in the protection of the God of heaven let us abide. As often, therefore, as a most serious temptation is perceived to weigh upon you and an excessive trial is threatening, call to your guard, your leader, your helper in your needs, in your tribulation; cry to him and say: "Lord, save us; we perish!"

Prayer of St. Isaac

I beg and beseech you, Lord:
grant to all who have gone astray a true knowledge of you,
so that each and every one may come to know your glory.
In the case of those who have passed from this word
lacking a virtuous life and having had no faith,
be an advocate for them, Lord,
for the sake of the body which you took from them,
so that from the single united body of the world
we may offer up praise to Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
in the kingdom of heaven, an unending source of eternal delight.

The Fire of God

Abba Lot went to see Abba Joseph and said to him, "Abba, as far as I can, I say my little office, I fast a little, I pray and meditate, I live in peace, and as far as I can, I purify my thoughts. What else can I do?"

Then the old man stood up and stretched his hands towards heaven. His fingers became like ten lamps of fire and he said to him, "If you will, you can become all flame."

Two Prayers by Saints Named Ignatius

Earthly longings have been crucified;
in me there is left no spark of desire for worldly things,
but only a murmur of living water that whispers within me,
"Come to the Father."
- St. Ignatius of Antioch, the Godbearer

Lord Jesus Christ, take all my freedom,
my memory, my understanding, and my will.
All that I have and cherish you have given me.
I surrender it all to be guided by your will.
Your grace and your love are wealth enough for me.
Give me these, Lord Jesus, and I ask for nothing more.
- St. Ignatius of Loyala, founder of the Jesuits

Orthodox Prayer for Unity

O All Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
we your faithful children beseech you to forgive us the sin of divisiveness,
which is rooted in our hearts, our dioceses and land.
Implant in our lives the holy vine of unity which only you can bestow
on those who have come together in your name.
Enlighten us with your grace so that we may come to the knowledge of your truth
and move our hearts to respond with trust and total obedience to your divine will.

Through the intercessions of the God-inspired Holy Fathers of the Council at Nicaea,
who in harmony decreed that there should be one hierarch in each city
serving your faithful as a loving father over his children,
one shepherd over a united flock,
we also praise your all holy name.

O Father who is without beginning,
O Son who is eternal
O Holy Spirit, the life-creator,
illuminate the way and guide us all to once again unite your Ho