Lightfare

Light in Darkness

Image by Ciroja from Pixabay

You find yourself in a darkened room and you move your hands so as to try to brush away the darkness which, of course, doesn’t move. If you open a window and light enters, the darkness disappears. The same happens with study. The Holy Scripture, the Lives of the Saints, and the Writings of the Fathers are the light that chases away the darkness of the Soul.
~ St. Porphyrios of Kavsokalyvia

O Lord Jesus Christ! You are my medicine when I am sick; You are my strength when I need help; You are Life itself when I fear death; You are Light when all is dark. ~ St. Ambrose of Milan

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!

Enlighten My Darkness

Set our hearts on fire with love for Thee O Christ our God, so that in its flame we may love Thee with all our heart, with all our mind, with all our soul and with all our strength, and our neighbours as ourselves, so that by keeping Thy commandments we may glorify Thee, the Giver of all good Gifts. ~ Unknown

O Lord, enlighten my darkness. ~ St. Gregory Palamas

As the burning candle illuminates the darkness, so must the light of Christ within us shine before men that God’s name be glorified. ~ St. Symeon of Thessaloniki

Mantle of Salvation

Image by Iryna Bakurskaya from Pixabay

Happy Saint’s Day fr. dcn. Gordian – may God grant you many years!

I remember attending an adult baptism service years ago, and afterwards a non-Orthodox visitor went over and peered into the huge font. Looking perplexed, he came over and asked, “Where did all those lights go?” I wasn’t sure what he meant, and he explained further. “During the service the inside of that font was suddenly full of bright lights which came up and out of the water. I went over expecting to see light bulbs like hot tubs have, but there’s nothing!?” I told him that although I’d never seen this, he was obviously meant to…. and what he saw was holy… the hallowing of the water by the descent of the Holy Spirit.

It must have been beautiful!

Grant unto me the robe of Light, O Thou Who coverest Thyself with Light as with a garment, Christ our God, plenteous in mercy! ~ Irmos from Baptism Service

Bless the Lord, O my soul. O Lord my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty. Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain. ~ Psalm 104:1-2

Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. ~ St. John 8:12

While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light… ~ St. John 12:36

We have seen the True Light, we have received the heavenly Spirit, we have found the True Faith, worshipping the undivided Trinity: who hath saved us. ~Hymn at Divine Liturgy

…having approached Light itself, the soul is transfigured into light. ~ St. Gregory of Nyssa

…O Giver of Light, enlighten the vesture of my soul and save me. ~ Exapostilarion Matins, Great and Holy Tuesday.

Christians, have we understood the great responsibility that we have taken on before God through baptism? Have we come to know that we must conduct ourselves as children of God, that we must align our will with the will of God, that we must remain free from sin, that we must love God with all our hearts and always patiently await union with Him? Have we thought about the fact that our heart should be so filled with love that it should overflow to our neighbour? Do we have the feeling that we must become holy and perfect, children of God and heirs of the Kingdom of Heaven? We must struggle for this, so that we may not be shown unworthy and rejected. Let none of us lose our boldness, nor neglect our duties, nor be afraid of the difficulties of spiritual struggle. For we have God as a helper, who strengthens us in the difficult path of virtue. ~ St. Nektarios of Aegina, The Path to Happiness

Kindling the Flame

Sunset on the Strait of Juan de Fuca

If but ten among us lead a holy life, we shall kindle a fire which shall light up the entire city. ~ St. John Chrysostom

We must become enlightened bearers of the light within us, the Light of God, the very spark… of God’s divinity. ~ St. Gregory of Nyssa

As the Morning Light

Image by jplenio from Pixabay

And he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain. ~ 2 Samuel 23:4

My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up. ~ Psalm 5:3

…Joy cometh in the morning. ~ Psalm 30:5

This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. ~ Psalm 118:24

Nothing is Hidden

Pink Rosé Dogwood Tree Blossoms

For nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that will not be known and come to light. ~ Luke 8:17

The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. ~ John 3:8

A few days ago, on the windy Post Feast, we took three (still amazingly fresh) floral Pentecost bouquets out to the cemetery.

The grassy gravesites were dotted with mantles of snow-white daisies and great golden dollops of buttercups. Purply-blue fields of floral confetti tangled with clover… and as quail, ravens and sparrows – scooted, soared and flitted nearby, the last line of the Creed came to mind: I look for the Resurrection of the dead, and the Life of the age to come.

We stood where past, present and future are tightly entwined, for… He shall come again with glory, to judge the living and the dead; Whose Kingdom shall have no end…

Off to the side, and distracting my reverie, a pink dogwood tree’s blossomed boughs thrashed wildly to and fro in the gusty winds. Narrowing my eyes thoughtfully at it, I noted it was not at all like its more staid and demure counterpart… the white-flowered Pacific dogwood growing beside our church.

Once, during an Archbishop’s past parish visit and upon noticing the young dogwood sapling (official flower of BC, Canada) newly planted beside our church, he recounted how the dogwood tree had a long, Christian-themed history.

While some Biblical scholars assert Christ was crucified on a dogwood tree’s Cross, Orthodox Church tradition conveys that the Cross was made from three different types of wood: cedar, pine and cypress. Regardless, and depending on the country, dogwoods are often found planted on church grounds.

I’d like to share this unknown poet’s sweet poem called:

Legend of the Dogwood Tree

When Christ was on earth, the dogwood grew
To a towering size with a lovely hue.
Its branches were strong and interwoven
And for Christ’s cross its timbers were chosen
Being distressed at the use of the wood
Christ made a promise which still holds good:

“Not ever again shall the dogwood grow
To be large enough for a tree, and so
Slender and twisted it shall always be
With cross-shaped blossoms for all to see.
The petals shall have bloodstains marked brown
And in the blossom’s center a thorny crown.
All who see it will think of Me,
Nailed to a cross from a dogwood tree.
Protected and cherished this tree shall be
A reflection to all of My agony.”

Surprisingly, there are at least 60 species of Dogwood (Cornus) Trees, and they grow quite quickly. In Europe, Dogwood Trees were known as Whipple Trees. The origin of of the name Dogwood comes from the Scandinavian word dag meaning skewer, because the hardwood from this plant was traditionally used to make dags (daggers). Besides being used medicinally, it was used to fashion archery bows, and continues being used in woodworking today.

Dogwood flowers represent durability and ability to withstand various challenges in life. The white dogwood in particular, is symbolic of rebirth, purity and faith… Reminding us of Christ’s Holy Resurrection and the beginning of a new Life in Him.

I look for the Resurrection of the dead, and the Life of the age to come.

The end part of the Creed reminds us death is not the end.

It’s a road we’ll all travel someday, and as Christians we look forward to beyond death, the resurrection of the dead, and life with God; Whose Kingdom shall have no end.

Which of course, is part of an even greater Mystery!

Truly He is Risen

Image by jplenio from Pixabay

Truly He is risen!

and were He not,

we should not have met

like cells of an enormous, incomprehensible fabric

our eyes are slowly opened

to the miracle which binds us together

May the Lord continue to bless us

~ by an Anonymous Friend

I initially posted this with my friend’s permission and name, but he has since requested that “anon would do nicely” and gave me this humble reason…

The words that I write
Are rarely my own
But are more seeds of light
That some Angel has sown
They take root and flower
And raising their heads
By some mystical power
They rise in their beds
And sing the praise of their Sower.

More Beautiful Than the Stars

Happy Saint’s Day to my goddaughter Cecilia.

Cecilia-strong in faith, rich in faith – Her faith more beautiful than the stars, more precious than gold… ~ St. Nikolai Velimirovich

Greetings on St. Cecilia’s Feast Day! (December 5/November 22)

The two featured photos are from a visit to Rome in 2009. Below the main floor is the Church’s Chapel of Relics. The altar with the candlesticks is situated in front of the crypt. Behind the altar’s screened gate is the repository of the second century martyrs, St. Cecilia and her husband St. Valerian.

The Church of St. Cecilia in Trastevere (a Roman neighbourhood), was originally established in the 3rd century, and built on the site of her home after her martyrdom. At the time of her death, St. Cecilia’s body was interred for five centuries in the Catacomb Cemetery of St. Callixtus. However, in the early 800’s, the Pope returned her “home” again, to her own Basilica.

On the upper floor of the main church and in front of the main altar, is the later addition (commissioned in the 16th century), of a glass case enclosing the white marble statue of St. Cecilia. A marble slab on the floor in front of it, quotes the Italian sculptor Stefano Maderno’s sworn statement, recording her miraculously incorrupt body was positioned as seen, and seemingly asleep when the tomb was reopened during the renovations in 1599.

St. Cecilia is considered a patron saint of music in the west. During her undesired earthly wedding; she heard heavenly music, and sang hymns in her heart to Christ. (In the east, St. Romanos the Melodist is a patron saint of music.)

Here is a beautiful, short, 2 minute YouTube video, with detail of St. Cecilia’s Chapel Crypt.

Yet the Lord will command his lovingkindness in the day time, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life. ~ Psalm 42:8

Kontakion in the 4th Tone

Let us in Godly wise, the hosts of the faithful, / sing hymns to her wedded to Christ of her own will, Cecilia, / whose pure heart with virtues was adorned; / for she wholly put to shame the conceit of Almachius, / and she shone bright as the sun amidst them that pursued her / and then appeared to those upon the earth as a divine staff // that strengthened the holy Faith.

St. Cecilia’s radiant prayers continue to God for us, and are as ever-shining as stars in the heavens.

You know it’s coming… yet, in seeming stealth mode, Meatfare Sunday still swoops in catching some of us off-guard (This year, March 7th). Not only is this the second Sunday before the start of Great Lent, but it’s also the very last day meat is eaten until Pascha (Easter).

More importantly, Meatfare Sunday is also called the Sunday of the Last Judgement, reminding us of the inevitable day when everyone will stand before God to give account of their life. This is hard to think about.

At Christ’s Second Coming, He appears in all His Glory as the righteous Judge, “Who will render to every man according to his deeds” (Romans 2:6). Today’s intense Gospel reading from St. Matthew 25:31-46 recalls how we shall be gathered before Him, and how He will separate one from another, like a shepherd dividing a flock of sheep from the goats. The sheep will be kept by His right hand, but the goats will be set on His left.

As we draw closer to great Great Lent, we must pass next through Cheesefare Week. It begins the day after Meatfare Sunday, and during Cheesefare we can still eat fish, dairy, and eggs (hence traditional pancakes), continuing a gradual preparation for the more strict fasting of Great Lent (This year, March 15th). Cheesefare Week ends on Cheesefare Sunday (March 14th), which is also called Forgiveness Sunday.

Forgiveness Sunday, more significantly, recalls the Expulsion of Adam and Eve from Paradise, and the theme is forgiveness. We can’t begin a spiritual spring cleaning before the Great Lenten journey without first forgiving our offenders, and also asking forgiveness of those whom we have hurt or insulted. We forgive each other, for offenses known or unknown.

Person #1: “Forgive me.”

Person #2: “God forgives. Forgive me.”

Person #1: “God forgives.”

Then we move along to the next person, and so on. Beautiful. Simple. Cleansing. Renewing. Joyful.

Our family has a prized aphorism for the Meatfare Sunday Meal. This stems from a country drive years ago, passing a little hole-in-the-wall eatery called the Last Chance Cafe. Its name reminded us of our mad-dash-meat-menu scrambles on a Meatfare Sunday evening… the night before Cheesefare Week began.

Since then, on Meatfare Sunday, the remaining, yet dwindling familial carnivores… amongst the growing crowd of second and third generation pescatarian/vegans; try to gather for a Last Chance Cafe Meal of some sort, before galloping off into the gooey gouda glow of Cheesefare Week.

However, Meatfare Sunday is more than just grabbing that last beef burger with quivering anticipation. Much more. There are other kinds of “meaty” fare.

In John 4:32 -34, Christ said to his disciples: But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of. Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat? Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.

The general reason for fasting and praying is to awaken a yearning to return to Eden, to a more spiritual way of life. Our Lenten Voyage helps enlighten our minds by showing us our own shortcomings. Lent inspires the desire to cleanse our souls through repentance, which prepares us to reach the joyful destination… The Feast of Feasts, and to greet the Risen Lord, at Pascha!

Our Meat, our Fare, is to do His will.

In a small way, this is what we’re trying to do… and in His Light, shall we see Light!