Holy Communion – Blisswood

Shiloach

Image by Jaesung An from Pixabay

Christ is Risen!

Greetings on the Sunday of the Blindman!

Today we remember the Blindman being sent by Christ, to wash in the Pool of Siloam, the ancient and only perennial spring in Jerusalem.

Siloam comes from the Hebrew word shiloach, literally “sending forth.”

As you stand in Church during the Liturgy, do you realize that there are countless angels present? What would happen if you could see them? What would you do if you saw tongues of fire descend upon the Holy Gifts when the priest called down the Holy Spirit to change the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ? Or if, when you approached the altar for Holy Communion, you actually saw the Body and Blood of our Lord not as bread and wine, but as His visible Body and Blood? Do you think you could receive Communion and ten minutes later find your mind wandering to the clothes someone was wearing? ~ Fr. Deacon Vladimir Anderson (Living Awe-fully)

May our spiritual eyes be Illumined, healed, and cleansed anew… within the Siloam of our Hearts! (a poem)

TRULY HE IS RISEN!

Surrendering to Divine Wisdom

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Orthodoxy is a faith that is deep enough to allow her believers to confront the complexities of our human experience, while at the same time recognizing that not all is understood in this life, but viewed as a Mystery. So, the view that believers never doubt, is simply not true. Doubt is not the opposite of faith, but rather the vehicle by which we are challenged to go deeper into the Mystery that is true faith. Nothing keeps we true believers from struggling with uncertainty, for it is this very uncertainty that keeps us from complacency. Complacency is the true enemy of faith, and the inhibitor of spiritual growth. It is complacency that keeps us from the Kingdom of God, and the joy that comes when we are in Communion with Christ. It is not a question of choosing sides, but of surrendering to Divine Wisdom. ~ Abbot Tryphon

In the mystical theology of the Orthodox Church, Wisdom is understood as the Divine Logos (God the Word), Who became Incarnate as Jesus Christ. In Greek, Ἁγία Σοφία (Hagia Sophia) is defined “Holy Wisdom” meaning “Jesus Christ”…The Wisdom and Power of God. ~ 1 Corinthians 1: 24,30; 1 Corinthians 2:7

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made… And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt amongst us; and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only Begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth… No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him. ~ First chapter of 1 John

Shared by a friend…
Some Aspects of Surrendering to Divine Wisdom

Surrender = Conscious, Willing, Choice.
Surrender = Unconditional Seeking Refuge within the Divine.
Surrender = Faith.
Surrender = Effort.
Surrender = Hope.
Surrender = Love.
Surrender = Trust.
Surrender = Strength.
Surrender = Recognizing Blessings.
Surrender = Gratitude, Thankfulness.
Surrender = Action with Consistent Prayer.
Surrender = Communication.
Surrender = Understanding that Christ Knows What’s Best For Us.

Accepting God’s Will = Learning to let go, and let God!

One step at a time… It’s a lifelong process!

Deeper Into the Mystery

Image by Sven Lachmann from Pixabay

…it is not the task of Christianity to provide easy answers to every question, but to make us progressively aware of a mystery. God is not so much the object of our knowledge as the cause of our wonder. ~ Metropolitan Kallistos Ware

Orthodoxy is a faith that is deep enough to allow her believers to confront the complexities of our human experience, while at the same time recognizing that not all is understood in this life, but viewed as a Mystery. So, the view that believers never doubt, is simply not true. Doubt is not the opposite of faith, but rather the vehicle by which we are challenged to go deeper into the Mystery that is true faith. Nothing keeps we true believers from struggling with uncertainty, for it is this very uncertainty that keeps us from complacency. Complacency is the true enemy of faith, and the inhibitor of spiritual growth. It is complacency that keeps us from the Kingdom of God, and the joy that comes when we are in Communion with Christ. It is not a question of choosing sides, but of surrendering to Divine Wisdom. ~ Abbot Tryphon

Beauty of the Lord

Gold Tesserae Awaiting Placement in Parish Mosaic

One thing have I asked 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 gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to meditate in his temple. ~ Psalm 27:4

Sanctify those that love the beauty of Thy house. Glorify them in return by Thy divine power. ~ Prayer behind the Ambo

…whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. ~ Philippians 4:8

Numinous beauty is found in the physical and spiritual splendour surrounding us!

We perceive God’s grace through the noetic beauty of nature. Our souls sense it when we throw open the doors of our heart and gaze upon the holy icons at Church. We smell it in the sweet fragrance of pure beeswax candles, the bouquets of flowers, and the clouds of billowing incense. We hear it in the joyful voices singing hymns and psalms of praise. We taste it in the Holy Mysteries, the antidoron and prosphora. We experience His Mercy of Peace through the powerful permeation of communal prayer at Divine Liturgy.

Fyodor Dostoevsky once wrote: Beauty will save the world.

True Beauty points to God… Who exudes and transcends Inexpressible Beauty in everything, through the Glorious, Gladsome Light of His Divinity!

Sprigs of Prayer

Thriving in Son Shine!

A drop of prayer is worth more than a sea of worrying. ~ St. Nikolai Velimirovic

There is no need at all to make long discourses, it is enough to stretch out one’s hands and say, “Lord, as You will, and as You know, have mercy.” And if the conflict grows fiercer say, “Lord, help!” He knows very well what we need and He shows us His mercy. ~ Abba Macarius

Since God is continuously present, why do you worry? For in Him we live and move. We are carried in His arms. We breathe God; we are vested with God; we touch God; we consume God in the Mystery. Wherever you turn, wherever you look, God is everywhere: in the heavens, on the earth, in the abysses, in the trees, within the rocks, in your nous [eye of the soul], in your heart. ~ St. Joseph the Hesychast

Lord, I do not know what to ask of You. You know better than me what my needs are. You love more than I know how to love. Help me to see clearly my real needs which I do not see. I open my heart to You. Examine and reveal to me my faults and sins. I put all trust in You. I have no other desire than to fulfill Your will. Teach me how to pray. Pray in me. Amen. ~ Prayers For All Occasions

He Always Hears Us!

This is my favourite icon of Our Lord Jesus Christ! It’s from the ancient St. Catherine’s Monastery on Mt. Sinai and dated mid 6th century. The medium of Encaustic/Wax was used, and it’s the earliest remaining Byzantine-style icon of Christ the Pantocrator… which means Christ: the All Powerful, the Lord of Hosts, God Almighty, and Ruler of All.

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

Prayer unites one with God, being a divine conversation and spiritual communion with the Being that is most beautiful and highest. Prayer is forgetting earthly things, and ascent to heaven. Through Prayer we flee to God. ~ St. Nektarios of Aegina

Do not think that you have a right to complain when your prayers are not answered. God fulfills your desires in a manner that you do not know. ~ St. Nektarios of Aegina

If God is slow in answering your request, or if you ask but do not promptly receive anything, do not be upset, for you are not wiser than God. ~ St. Isaac of Syria

Do you know what a great gift it is that God gave us the right to speak to Him every hour and moment, wherever we are? He always listens to us. This is the greatest honour we have. For this reason we must love God. ~ St. Porphyrios

From Flower to Flower

Image by sharkolot from Pixabay

Be like little bees that go about from flower to flower and gather only the nectar from which they can make honey. A bee flies from flower to flower – to many flowers. But bees don’t stay where there’s no nectar from which they can make honey – they flee. So, may you collect from everyone only what is good and beneficial to you. Let the rest just slip by, as though through raindrops. ~ Elder Paisios; A Little Corner of Paradise

Our Lord Jesus Christ deserves unending praise!

For all His known and unknown blessings…

For helping us to find and grind the good wheat…

For wisdom to avoid indigestible chaff.

While threshing and milling a myriad of useless thoughts and actions over stressful situations… Mercifully, and with God’s help (again), it recently occurred to me I’d reacquired an ugly old habit of hovering over stinky, nectarless, flowers. Phew!

Thank you for your prayers. They mean a lot to me!

Jesus, beautiful goodness, adorn me with flowers of good thoughts and feelings. ~ Ikos 6; Akathist for Holy Communion

As for Me and My House…

Robin’s Nest in peach tree nestled beside a home ~ Photo by Juliana Tellier

… as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. ~Joshua 24:15

The summer before entering grade one, I found a beautiful blue robin’s egg on the grass – whole and intact. There were several tall trees nearby, and to my distress, I couldn’t find or return it to its appropriate home. Determined to help, I gently wrapped the egg in Kleenex and brought it home. For days, I carried it bundled in my pockets, and at nights, I slept with it under my pillow. Alas, of course, it never hatched. Burying it in the backyard garden, I realized (with tears) that because the egg had fallen outside its protective nest and grown cold, it couldn’t become what it was meant to be. In my child’s heart, I understood that God already knew all about this poor little baby robin’s egg, and I received an unexpected blessing of comfort… with my own sadness taking flight.

Let us rejoice and be thankful for the opportunity and great blessing of taking our children to church. The House of God is a Loving Nest for us and our little ones. It’s a place of rest, a place of tender care… a place to nestle our souls within the Holy Sacraments. Therefore, let us rise, take wing, and soar to the Holy Communion of our Lord God and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young – a place near your altar, Lord Almighty, my King and my God. ~ Psalm 84:3

Beside them the birds of the heavens dwell; they sing among the branches. ~ Psalm 104:12

…but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.~ Isaiah 40:31

Behold the fowls of the air: for they do not sow or reap or gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. ~ St. Matthew 6:26

Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. ~ St. Matthew 10:29

Our Daily Bread

My husband bakes two tartine loaves per week. Pulled from a searing oven, they crackle, hiss, and fill the entire house with the song of bread. A single whiff of its aroma can make one weak in the knees.

Be that as it may, tartine bread is a luxury and not a necessity. One can thrive without treats. In fact one can live longer (and have it seem much, much longer) without treats.

Moving along to some small thoughts regarding our Real Daily Bread, and how we can’t Live without It –

Initially, the Lord’s Prayer seems simple and straightforward. However, the more one ponders, the more profound and spiritually sumptuous it becomes.

The first two words alone, Our Father are warm, loving, powerful and mind-boggling. Calling the Creator our Father? One can only reflect in amazement!

Then, further along, and as trustingly as a child, we are taught to entreat God to give us this day our daily bread… our spiritual and physical sustenance needed according to our salvation.

Although God knows exactly what we need, we are shown throughout this prayer the importance of reaching out, regardless. This draws us closer to our Heavenly Father. By casting cares and anxiety aside, and by praying, we bring He Who Is… our Daily Bread… into ourselves, under the roof of our soul… Especially when receiving the Sacrament and Gift of Holy Communion.

God loves us.

God provides for us – today, tomorrow and always.

He is our Blessed, Heavenly Bread and our Cup of Life.

He is our Benediction.

Blessed Silence

We recently received this beautiful, unusual icon of Jesus Christ. It is known in Russia as Spas Blagoe Molchanie – Saviour of Blessed Silence.

Here we see Christ, young, beardless, the Eternal existing Word and Wisdom of God, also depicted as The Angel of Great Counsel.

He wears an eight-pointed glory (slava) crown, known in iconography as the star of the Ancient of Days. This symbolises the six days of creation, with the seventh day of rest and the eighth day of eternity.

With His precious hands crossed over His chest (as we do receiving the Holy Sacrament of Communion), our Lord and Saviour silently invites us to inner prayer.

He waits patiently.