naturally open

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Hand holding Cross

 

 

“What is natural, simple, and easy, and makes us happy, is the love of God, which is as natural as the eyes seeing and the mouth speaking.  The mouth is not able to walk, but has been made to speak. The hand is for holding, embracing, giving alms and to make the sign of the cross.  These are their natural functions and they are all very easy.  If you try to walk on your hands it will be difficult and uncomfortable, since this is not what they are made for.  In the same way, it is natural for the mind to be turned to and focused on the love of God, because it is toward God that the human mind naturally tends.  Just as our eyes naturally open to the light, so to does our mind open naturally to God, who is the Creator of light.”

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Elder Aemilianos of Simonopetra Monastery

The Mystical Marriage  + Spiritual Life According to Saint Maximos the Confessor

equal but not the same

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A woman cannot live without Faith.  Either she lives for a period of time without Faith and then soon returns to Faith in God, or she quickly begins to go to pieces.  It is another matter for a man; it is possible for him to live without Faith.  He hardens completely and becomes a pillar of salt and so he lives stiff and cold.

But a woman can not live like this.

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Saint Barsanuphius

Living Without Hypocrisy

spiritual counsels of the Optina Elders

Blessed Feast of the Nativity

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This Nativity night bestowed peace on the whole world; So let no one threaten;

This is the night of the Most Gentle One  – Let no one be cruel;

This is the night of the Humble One  -Let no one be proud.

Now is the day of joy – Let us not revenge;

Now is the day of Good Will -Let us not be mean.

In this Day of Peace – Let us not be conquered by anger.

Today the Bountiful impoverished Himself for our sake; So, rich one, invite the poor to your table.

Today we receive a Gift for which we did not ask; So let us give alms to those who implore and beg us.

This present Day cast open the heavenly doors to our prayers; Let us open our door to those who ask our forgiveness.

Today the DIVINE BEING took upon Himself the seal of our humanity, In order for humanity to be decorated by the Seal of DIVINITY

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Saint Isaac Syrian, Nativity Sermon

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believe {the gift}

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Blessed Happy Enduring Wondrous Feast of Saint Nikolaus – the true Santa Claus. My daughter Kate wrote this icon I’m holding in the picture – we scraped every penny we had so she could take the lessons. If you want to hear a story about the hope and eyes of truth and love of a child it’s about our youngest daughter . It’s not a story about theology but it might be – because it’s out of the mouths of babes and unless ye become like children … we never spoke of Santa Claus with our oldest but of Saint Niklaus – though in truth we made no distinction. It’s possible that we left cookies of which we took a bite and left as evidence and of which she found. And in sixth grade every kid in that elementary school class made fun of her and said Santa Claus is a fake and your parents are liars – you are so sheltered. She came home crying. Angry. Heartbroken – of course – we are her parents. Did we do something wrong.??? I don’t know. But for her youngest sister we learned our lesson and – said there is not a Santa Claus. Or so we thought. Yes there is a Saint Nikolaus but not a Santa Claus. We would not again have a daughter so ruthlessly hurt. And then ( and this is no lie )- our youngest daughter took a Santa Claus sized bite out of each of the cookies one year (and she was young – too young to do it )- and left them for us to find – in my heart it’s always been God inspired – because she left the cookies for me – and specifically said Santa Claus took a bite out of these mom. She was – like in kindergarten. She did that just like she left the quarter under her own pillow from the tooth fairy that I wasn’t going to trick her into believing – to show us in the morning. Each one of our children has taught us so very very much – the heart of Faith in their child love touching the waning needful Faith in us. This story is true about a child wanting to embrace wonder and goodness. And it is offered to you On this Feastal Day of Saint Nichoolas my wish for you is to believe and keep your wonder alive.

book review : Songs of Praise – A Psalter Devotional for Orthodox Women

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Just got back from visiting my dad in Florida for Thanksgiving and I am SO GLAD that my copy of Songs of Praise was waiting for me in my mailbox when we returned!!!  Songs of Praise is a devotional, perhaps one of the first  devotionals written with Orthodox Christians in mind.  Its author is Sylvia Leonaritis, who also writes the popular blog Orthodox Mom.  For many years now she has organized an online Psalter Prayer group made up of Orthodox women the world round.

Over the years, praying the psalms has been a great source of joy and comfort to me, so I was really really glad to hear about this book.  For Orthodox Christians the psalter is our ancient song of Praise and hymn of prayer.  The Psalter is the ancient hymnal of Israel and of the Church.   It is a deeply integral part of our faith and worship.   So as soon as we opened the mail, the dog and my youngest daughter and I took a walk into town to the local coffee shop and I sat outside to pour over the pages of Songs of Praise.

I really love that – between each Kathisma – Sylvia offers words of encouragement rooted in faith and stemming from her own personal journey and walk with Christ.   Her own struggles, her own joys, her love of God and her Faith walk.   Such reflections are a reminder that the psalms are not just lofty words but rather speak to the heart of every Christian and also that the psalms encompass every human emotion from thanksgiving, brokenness, repentance, tears, Praise, sorrow, joy, grief, fear, anger, seeking refuge, love, blessing, seeking God and ultimately offering ourselves to Him and cultivating that needful relationship in prayer.

In other words – real life, real struggle, real joy.

Sylvia’s reflections remind the reader that Christ Himself is present in the psalms and that He meets us wherever we are in our walk of Faith and that our journeys of Faith are not about being perfect people but about being a people who through Christ – in our Orthodox Faith – are being perfected.

There is ample space in the book for journaling and devotion.   This is a lovely practice that we see so often from our Protestant friends  – but in fact – I would put forth that journalling is really an Orthodox practice.   Monastics keep spiritual journals and I am a firm believer that Orthodox monastic practices are a benchmark and guidepost for us all.   Not only that, the Psalter itself is an outpouring of the heart of Saint David – the man who is called “a man after God’s own heart”    The Psalms are actually his devotions.

The journalling pages are a great place to write your intentions, to cast your cares, give thanks, draw a picture, list those whom you hold up in prayer, copy a psalm verse you want to commit to memory, or to journal a word or phrase that has special meaning during this season of your individual journey in Faith.

Sylvia has been journalling for many years, and mentions that it is a great source of joy for her to go through the previous years pages of her journals and see how God has woven goodness in her life, how prayers have been answered or even unanswered and how that has all been needful and worked together for good in her life.

One of my favorite reflections in the book is Letters to the Theotokos because it is so sweet – a lovely reflection on our devotion to Panagia and her role in our salvation and example as a mother, the veil of her protection and intercession for us all.

If you’ve never prayed the psalms know this – the reading of the psalms is a beautiful encouragement to everyone – to pray the psalms and have them pray in you.  It will uplift your life.  This devotional is a great resource – encouraging women (and men) to bring the psalter into the rhythm of everyday life and the Liturgical cycle.

I can not encourage you enough to get this book.  It is available at the Ancient Faith Store

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a call to hope

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It seems that each day brings something from the world intruding on my sense of peace – political differences, senseless violence, wildfires – even just driving across town there are so many homeless people at the stop lights and street corners on the journey.  The news thrives on highlighting division and discord, sometimes people do too.    All of that stresses people out, adds to their burden.  When one adds to that the struggles in our very own families – emotions can weigh a person down.   Many people experience deep anxieties, stress, sickness, loss and sorrow especially as we approach the holidays.

Christians are not immune it, and that’s okay.  We would not be human if life’s circumstances did not pull on our hearts.  But as we walk in faith these days leading us to Nativity Season – our evergreen Winter Pascha – I pray for all of us that we will kindle our joy and rouse our hope.   To kindle is to ignite, awaken and set aflame.   One of the best ways to stoke the embers of smoldering hope is just to make ten minutes in your day to read the Scriptures – especially the Gospels because those are the very words of Hope because they are the words spoken to us by Christ Himself.

Hope is not so much optimism but peaceful grace & steadfast perseverance through tribulations.  Peaceful Grace wrought in and through Christ – inner hope – found not always in outward circumstance – is the never waning flame of Pascha – strengthening warming & soothing the hearts of believers.  Hope is prayer, with and for others – so let’s pray together.   Hope is gratitude and forgiveness, so lets be grateful for one another, speaking to one another is psalms and hymns and spiritual songs & be slow to anger and quick to forgive.  Hope is “glorying in tribulation” forging kindness and patience – the Greeks call that makrothymia – and it is a fruit of the spirit – a quality of God – a long suffering gentle endurant love.

Hope can be an effort.  The effort to lay aside our earthly cares at each Liturgy, partaking of the Sacramental Mysteries of the Church, receiving the True Light, the Eucharist – Christ Himself.   As Christians we boast in the hope of the glory of God – so this coming Nativity let’s bless one another, lift and bear one another, encourage and see the good in one another for surely we all desire the same.

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“And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.†” (Romans 5:3-5)

fasting for a jealous God

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We have walked almost one week in this time of the great abstinence for Orthodox Christians.   Coming from a family that is not Orthodox and having many friends outside the faith,  I have often been asked, why this  mindless rote mechanical endeavor?”  Many outside the Faith question the validity of fasting for spiritual purposes – yet embrace it for health, beauty, weight loss and the like.

My answer is, why not come, taste and see what is the Fast. I assure you that the answer is no – it is not mindless endeavor but rather the most mindful one.

Fasting is hearts seeking the God seeking our hearts.

Our fast begins with a feast of forgiveness where we literally ask forgiveness of our brothers and sisters.

The Church sets aside the fast In the understanding that life is so interrupted frenzied and discombobulated and we are easily distracted and need a time set aside for this very purpose.

Why fast? Because what nourishes the soul is just as important as what nourishes the body.  I was reminded that fasting gives us greater awareness of our spiritual situation but only when balanced by prayer.   The purpose of that awareness is healing – reconciliation – wholeness – ultimately Confession.

And so, we are fortified and sustained  not on the little we omit but on the abundance we add.

We increase our devotion to Scripture : nourishing on the Word of God.

We add greater Almsgiving : charity nourishing the heart of the giver and feeding heart and body of the receiver.

We make every effort to immerse ourselves in the Lenten cycle of services – and expecting to be tired – we receive the healing Grace poured into our hearts expressed in the poetic hymnody of the Church and the Mysteries of the Sacraments.

Great Lent is laying aside our earthly cares.  It is placing God first – where He belongs and jealously longs to be.

enchanting meadow

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“… we cross a threshold… a shift occurs, the atmosphere changes and all the essential elements are transformed.  And all of this happens in order to prepare us for the greatest and most wonderful period of the year: Great Lent.  The Triodion opens up a door which leads directly to heaven.  The Triodion is an enchanting meadow, where Christ is the shepherd and God feeds His spiritual flock.”

Elder Aemilianos

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