Heavenly Father – Blisswood

Glory to Thine Ascension

Image by Thanasis Papazacharias from Pixabay

Greetings on the Feast of The Ascension!

You were born, our God, in a manner of Your own choosing. You appeared and suffered in the flesh as You willed. Through Your resurrection You conquered death and ascended into glory, fulfilling all things; You sent down the divine Spirit upon us, therefore in songs we praise Your divinity. ~ St. Romanos the Melodist

And now we, who before were considered unfit to dwell even upon the earth are being raised up to heaven, ascending with Christ to the heavenly kingdom. ~ St. John Chrysostom

Let us climb the Mount of Olives today in our hearts, and joyfully raise our minds on high beholding the Lord ascending into the heavens… Glory to Thine Ascension, O most greatly merciful One!

Let Us Be as Sunflowers

Parish Church Bouquet from the Transfiguration Feast Day

Our soul possesses the amazing ability to sense God. Although this awareness of the Divine Presence is weak and hazy in a person just beginning to grow spiritually, it gets stronger and becomes more and more conscious with a virtuous way of life. This, in turn, strengthens one’s faith in Him, so that the inner feeling of God grows to a strong religious conviction. In such a state, the omnipresence of God, His Infinite Love and Fatherly care are continuously felt and become a source of inner peace and strength. True faith cannot be satisfied with a cold recognition of God’s existence but strives to be in close communion with Him. The believing soul naturally reaches to God, as a sunflower turns toward the sun. In turn, an active relationship with God further strengthens the person’s faith, so that his faith becomes a spiritual guide, based on personal experience… ~ Bishop Alexander Mileant

“The circle of life is quite something.” Memory Eternal (non-Orthodox and avid gardener) friend Anthony, who was “given the call” and peacefully reposed upon the great Feast of the Transfiguration. May our merciful God grant you rest with the saints. Anthony had the brightest of smiles and the greenest of thumbs. He’d sow from seed and generously give to one and all – an abundance of the best cucumber, tomato, and basil garden plants. Quite recently he gifted us with an exotic Lipstick Plant, started from a treasured snipping. It sits on my windowsill, a blanket of brilliant blooms… reminiscent of his sunny smile. Good Paradise Anthony!

Inexpressible Wonder

Our Garden’s Rosa Tropicana (Warm Coral) & English Lavender

It’s been said we may catch glimpses of the Holy Trinity’s Mystery more readily through the temple of our hearts, rather than by using our ineffective, logical minds. Beholding the beauty of God’s Creation – whether in the garden, or a child’s smile, quite simply takes my breath away. When our Heavenly Father already gives us countless aesthetic blessings to delight in, one can’t help but wonder… if this is just earth… how much more beauteous will our Heavenly Home be?! Amen!

You see the Trinity if you see love. ~ Blessed Augustine

Master how could I describe the vision of Your Face? How could I ever speak of the ineffable contemplation of Your Beauty? How could mere words contain One Whom the World could never contain? . . . suddenly You appeared from on high, shining greater than the Sun itself, shining brilliantly from the heavens down into my heart .. . . . What intoxication of the Light! What swirlings of fire! ~ St. Symeon the Theologian hymn

One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life to behold the beauty of the LORD and to enquire in his temple. ~ Psalm 27:4