Matthew, our almost-two-year-old grandson, was visiting this week. He was out by the little fish pond in our backyard watching the koi swim around and looking like he wanted very badly to get in there with them. There is a big bullfrog who chants for us each evening and at just that moment he decided to jump out of the grass into the pond in front … [Read more...]
Amim’s Great Discovery… Be Yourself!
Amim, what happened to your nose? Where are your mouth and ears? Where did your fingers and hair go? St. Anthony of the desert, in response to a questioner who asked about the purpose of ascetical struggle, once summed it up as an effort "to become yourself." By this he did not mean selfishly living without regard for other people's feelings or at … [Read more...]
St. Nilus Abba-tizer: embracing involuntary suffering
Abba Nilus said, “Do not be always wanting everything to turn out as you think it should, but rather as God pleases, then you will be undisturbed and thankful in your prayer.”[1] "Undisturbed and thankful" is something we usually associate with enjoying the blessings of life--good food, good reputation, financial resources, health and the … [Read more...]
Get Real: the Shortest Path to Salvation
Serbian Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnica said, “[Whoever] has the Kingdom of God within himself will imperceptibly pass it on to others. The atmosphere of heaven will radiate from us even when we keep silence or talk about ordinary things.” Of course, the great obstacle preventing me from inheriting the Kingdom of God is me; not the me that is “hid with … [Read more...]
Not By Bread Alone
So, the Lenten fast begins. What a relief! When Jesus was confronted by the devil on the Mount of Temptation, during His fasting and ascetical labors, Satan first tried to interest Him the same way he had the first humans in the garden. Through the belly. Why not? In comparison to the bodiless nature of angels, even fallen ones, human beings are … [Read more...]
“Straight Ahead With the Fathers!”
Sometimes I find myself hearing that infectious opening song --Tradition!-- in the robust voice of the beloved Tevye from the 1971 play, Fiddler on the Roof. The plaintive Jewish melody fills my inner ear, punctuated by the thump of Tevye’s boots as he stomps emphatically across the ground accentuating the solidity of his hope in his … [Read more...]
The mother of Jesus and the beloved disciple have no names…
Consider what it means that unlike the Synoptic Gospel authors, Matthew, Mark and Luke, the fourth evangelist never mentions Jesus’ mother by name. Not only does he omit any reference to the birth narratives included by Luke and Matthew, replacing them with the soaring theological prologue, but he includes two events, unique to his Gospel, as … [Read more...]
A New book – Caregivers as Confessors & Healers
The Orthodox Christian Association of Psychology and Religion (OCAMPR) for the past quarter of a century, has been a professional association and fellowship of theologians, health professionals and psychotherapists who, along with their specialities, share a common Orthodox Christian faith. From its inception, OCAMPR has recognized that clinical … [Read more...]
The Value of Wounds and Failure
Serbian Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnica said, “[Whoever] has the Kingdom of God within himself will imperceptibly pass it on to others. The atmosphere of heaven will radiate from us even when we keep silence or talk about ordinary things.” When I pray the words of the Lord’s prayer, “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done…” I am asking for the Kingdom of … [Read more...]
Adding an ‘Abba-tizer’ to your day for spiritual health
At the monasteries during meals, a reading from the Holy Fathers is typically offered by one of the monks. In our workaday world, for those who eat breakfast or take lunch alone, it is easy to bring along some spiritual reading and nibble slowly while eating. I have found that it is not only spiritually refreshing, encouraging and uplifting to … [Read more...]
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