Category: Inspiration

How Beautiful are the Feet

Ruins of St. Nicholas Church, Mystras Greece  – 2017

My steps have held fast to your paths; my feet have not slipped. ~ Psalm 17:5

He maketh my feet like a deer, and setteth me upon my high places. ~ Psalm 18:33

My foot standeth in an even place: in the congregations will I bless the Lord. ~ Psalm 26:12

He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. ~ Psalm 40:2

For thou hast delivered my soul from death: wilt not thou deliver my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living? ~ Psalm 56:13

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. ~ Psalm 119:105

Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure. ~ Proverbs 4:26

How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth! ~ Isaiah 52:7

And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” ~ Romans 10:15

And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; ~ Ephesians 6:15

And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed. ~ Hebrews 12:13

Living Water

Osios Loukas Monastery –  Greece  2017

Nothing is more thirst-quenching than drinking at the Spring of Living Water!

Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation. ~ Isaiah 12:3

The Lord will guide you continually, giving you water when you are dry and restoring your strength. You will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring. ~ Isaiah 58:11

But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. ~ John 4:14

In the last day, that great [day] of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. ~ John 7:37

And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.  ~Revelation 21:6

Hymn of Kassiani

This ethereal hymn by the brilliant female Byzantine hymnographer Saint Kassiani, is sung only during Holy Week’s Tuesday evening Bridegroom service (the Wednesday Matins), and again at the Presanctified Liturgy on Great and Holy Wednesday. A spiritual treat.

Hymn of Kassiani

The woman who had fallen into many sin, O Lord, yet when she perceived Thy divinity, she joined the ranks of the Myrrh-Bearers.In tears, she brought Thee myrrh before Thy burial. She cried “Woe! woe is me; I live in the heart of licentiousness, shrouded in the dark and moonless love of sin. But accept the fountain of my tears, Thou who dost gather the waters of the sea to clouds. Bow down Thine ear to the sighing of my heart, Thou who didst bow the heavens in Thine ineffable condescension. Once Eve heard Thy footsteps in Paradise, in the noon of the day, and in fear, she ran and hid herself. But now I will tenderly embrace those pure feet, and dry them with the hairs of my head. Who can measure the multitude of my sins, or the depth of Thy judgments? O Saviour! O Saviour of my soul, despise not Thy servant. For Thine mercy, for Thine mercy is beyond measure. 

Remember-izing Psalm 121

I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is thy keeper: the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand. The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.

Psalm 121 is also known as one of the Hymns of Ascents. In times of old, when pilgrims walked all the way to Jerusalem to visit the Holy Places of Christ, this was one of the many Psalms and hymns sung along the way! So, this is a good Psalm to keep in our hearts as we journey to Pascha. This Psalm reminds us our help comes from the Lord, and that prayer can be done any time. Whether we pray aloud, or silently within our hearts, prayer helps us grow closer to God. We can talk to God by using our own words, or a prayer book, or by saying a Psalm. Sometimes, depending on what’s happening in our lives, we might feel sad or anxious, and may not even feel like praying for help. But, when we persevere with courage and pray regardless… these are the sweetest prayers of all to God.

Memorizing a Psalm is great thing to do on one’s own, or together as a family!

While snowbound for a week during a blizzard, my grandma Faith (Memory Eternal) challenged my kid brother and me to some memory work.

She picked her favourite Psalm (121), and my brother and I raced to see who could learn it the fastest.

Alas, it was a mercenary contest of sibling rivalry, and a great number of pennies were involved in betting against each other.

Upon this untimely discovery by my  grandmother, the illegal (in her eyes) gambling operation was quickly nipped in the bud and the forbidden “winnings” never collected.

Consequently, the contest escalated to the next level. Evidently, remembering Bible verses for a short while was too easy, so my grandma (tough cookie that she was) gave pop quizzes days later. 

Meanwhile, my brother shrewdly – um, wisely…  discovered how to wield a Bible Concordance, and learned other scripture passages to his advantage. For instance, at the next kerfuffle, he’d simply narrow both eyes at me and bring things to a grinding halt – just saying the reference: “Leviticus 19:17.” Or, with furrowed brow, sniff disdainfully: “Psalm 31:18.”

He learned before I ever did, that distractions are sibling-safe ways out of predicaments! 

Decades later, these Psalms that we learned together by heart, remain in our hearts.

And to my brother (who still owes me 81 pennies): “Philemon 1:7  ~ Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the Lord’s people.”

What a blessing.

Of Eagles & Olive Bread

But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; they shall walk, and not faint. ~Isaiah 40:31 

With the gift of free time, I’ve dusted the cobwebs off simple activities tossed aside – and begun doing.

There was time to garden yesterday and bake olive bread!

One hears amazing stories from friends and family reconnecting by playing games, sharing or renewing skills, and just being with each other. What a blessing!

While treading the delicate path of social distancing, we can still remain close, and reach out to each other using many forms of social media.

Meanwhile, for me, one of the hardest things with social distancing is the inability to safely hug or touch each other, if we’re not already living together. Touch is a powerful bond.

However, even from a distance, it’s humbling to see what we are accomplishing together as we focus on goals and not just the task.

Cyber-bumping your elbow, I take my leave.

I’m feeling energized. Today’s a brand new day, and there’s much to be done in the garden.

Just for Now

A tree is known by its fruit; a man by his deeds. A good deed is never lost; he who sows courtesy reaps friendship, and he who plants kindness gathers love.  ~ St. Basil the Great

This has been a very unusual Great Lent. Granted, each year is different, no two are ever alike. There’s different struggles and temptations.

Through repentance, prayer, fasting and charity, Great Lent renews our minds, hearts and deeds according to His teachings. It refreshes our love for God and neighbour as oneself. During this quiet time of inner reflection, we prepare ourselves for the coming Great and Holy Day of Pascha (Easter), the Resurrection of our Lord.

Unexpectedly driven into global stillness and isolation, there’s an unprecedented general hush throughout our world. Whether we wish it or not, we have a rare opportunity of unavoidable introspection… individually and nationally.

We can see the best and the worst in ourselves. We see the selfless love, courage and compassion of others, during a trying time.

This year, the whole earth is united in a collective Great Lent. Together we wait with quiet hope and patience for Renewal.

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