Belief – Page 2 – Blisswood

Thomas Sunday & Happy Mothers’ Day

Icon of the Holy Apostle Thomas probing Christ’s wounds

Christ is Risen!

The Apostle Thomas believed, because he was invited by the Risen Christ, to touch Him.

When we seek God, we touch Him, and we are touched by Him.

He passes through the closed doors of our hearts and minds, and directs us towards the light of faith and understanding.

Jesus saith … blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. – St. John 20:29

Happy Mothers’ Day!

With greetings to all mothers, grandmothers, godmothers, and matushki! Whether our own mothers are still with us, or have already passed on… there is the joyous consolation that of our Holy Lady Theotokos is always close by!

God loves us more than father, mother, friend, or any else could love, and even more than we are able to love ourselves. ~ St. John Chrysostom

The Most Holy Mother of God prays for us ceaselessly. She is always visiting us. Whenever we turn to her in our heart, she is there. After the Lord, she is the greatest protection of mankind. ~ Elder Thaddeus of Vitnovica

Truly He is Risen!

As Waters Flow

Hawaiian River 2018

Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’ ~ John 7:38

We see the water of a river flowing uninterruptedly and passing away, and all that floats on its surface, rubbish or beams of trees, all pass by. Christian! So does our life… I was an infant, and that time has gone. I was an adolescent, and that too has passed. I was a young man, and that too is far behind me. The strong and mature man that I was is no more. My hair turns white, I succumb to age, but that too passes; I approach the end and will go the way of all flesh. I was born in order to die. I die that I may live. Remember me, O Lord, in Thy Kingdom! ~St. Tikhon of Voronezh

God descends to the humble as waters flow down from the hills into the valleys. ~ St. Tikhon of Voronezh

As a fish cannot swim without water, and as a bird cannot fly without air, so a Christian cannot advance a single step without Christ. ~ St. Gregory of Nazianzus

Believing IS Seeing

For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light. ~ Psalm 36:9

In a world where seeing is believing, it is through Faith we understand that believing is seeing.

Faith opens our spiritual eyes and ears. With awe and reverence, Faith is the beginning of wisdom, and it often comes before a miracle.

After the Resurrection of Christ, the (doubting) Apostle Thomas, absent at Christ’s previous visit to the other Apostles said, “Except I see in his hands the prints of the nails… I will not believe.” When Jesus came again, He invites Thomas to “reach hither and touch” and reproaches Thomas, “be not faithless, but believing.” (John 20:27)

My favourite part comes next. It’s powerful. It surpasses time. It’s a direct consolation from Christ to us, right here and right now… in today’s world, where seeing is believing.

Jesus blesses those who believe before they see: “blessed art they that have not seen, and yet have believed.” (John 20:29)

“I believe in Christianity as I believe that the Sun has risen, not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.” ~ C. S. Lewis