Tag: Driftwood

The Whys and Hows

Icon of our Lord God and Saviour Jesus Christ

Christ is Risen! Greetings on Thomas Sunday!

Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. ~St. John 20:29

I do love hearing that passage and the Lord Himself saying with timeless inclusiveness… blessed are those who have believed without seeing! He’s also referring to us! Right now!

Today, weather permitting, our parish will visit two cemeteries after Liturgy, and the priest will bless the graves of parishioners who’ve fallen asleep in the Lord. These Radonitsa Prayers are short, beautiful, and concluded with the Bright and Joyous singing of Paschal hymns at each grave site.

Another sweet consolation…

After our death, when we come face to face with Christ, we will understand the why and how of our lives and we will be told everything we went through in this world. Then, with all the power of our existence, we will say to Him, “Thank you my God, for allowing these for me!” ~ St. Paisios the Athonite

Truly He is Risen!

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

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