Orthodox Christian – Page 72

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.

His Loving Kindness

Mystras, Greece – 2017

Sunflower Sense

A friend shared this wonderful quote by St. John of Tobolsk.

O Christian! Remember this once and for all: even on cloudy days the sunflower continues to follow the sun in its focused love, even though it cannot see the sun. The Sun that illumines our life’s path is the will of God. It does not always shine on us without clouds, often, clear days are followed by overcast days when rains, winds, and storms arise, No Christian is safe from these phenomena, these changes in spiritual weather. May our love for the Sun, the will of God, be as strong as the sunflower’s, so that even in days of hardship and sorrow, we will continue to sail unerringly along the sea of life, following the directions of the barometer and compass of God’s will that leads us to the safe haven of eternity. ~ St. John of Tobolsk from The Sunflower

Walk Carefully

Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true)… Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time… ~ Ephesians 5:9, 15, 16

Marble Floor Mosaic in the 4th Century Basilica of San Giovanni (St. John) in Laterano in Rome, Italy.

Thy Will Be Done

I had a heart-warming conversation with a friend regarding God’s Will.

Asking her the result of a job interview, she grinned saying, “I haven’t heard anything back yet… but that’s okay, because it’s in God’s Hands. If I’m meant to get it, I will.”

Empowered Faith joyfully anticipates Providence’s decision come what may… knowing things will work out for the best regardless, because it’s God’s Will.

From feeble past experience when my personal agenda didn’t align with God’s will, I sometimes struggled (putting it mildly). By second and third-guessing myself, it never felt peaceful (big clue something wasn’t right). Sometimes, I would sort of acknowledge His Will… up to a point, not fully accepting it… and still doing what I thought best in spite of – (Much to my Guardian Angel’s chagrin).

This has made for more than one heck of a bumpy ride on occasion, me speeding nowhere… at a mindless Mach 10. When relinquishing the Driver’s Seat back to God, we’re freed from useless detours and snarled traffic jams along this mortal coil’s stretch of highway.

God’s Will is for us to keep His commandments and to give thanks for all things.

In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:18

With thankfulness and gratitude for my faithful friend, who’s a breath of fresh air…

May God grant us all strength and help to overcome the limitations of our own will… even if the path ahead seems unclear. May we allow Him to help us accept what appears difficult, or unbearable, or impossible according to our own will, by remembering that God loves us. That He knows and wants what’s best for us, and that He answers our petitions according to what’s best for our salvation.

Lord! Thou knowest all things. Do with me as Thou willest! ~St. Theophan the Recluse

Choosing Joy

Silence can be a Blessing… and during quiet moments we may receive clarity. Nothing that we do is ever too small or pointless. Everything we do matters! Every moment, each decision affects not only us, but those around us.

No life is free from pain or heartache. With faith, it is through the struggle of troubles that we grow. When trusting in God’s plan for us, through His great goodness He helps us weather our weaknesses.

We can’t rely on our own strength to live life the way God has called us to.

We need to allow ourselves to depend on Him, to ask His help.

For “…the joy of the LORD is your strength.” ~ Nehemiah 8:10

In a recent chaotic situation when my Frustrameter Gage red-lined, I literally had to pause, take a breath and say (through clenched teeth), “Okay! I don’t want to, but I’ll accept this,” and I gave my problem back to God. This choice became an unexpected opportunity for joy… and the so-called difficult issue had actually been a superficial perception.

Christ Himself is Joy, Light and Happiness. He is our Hope. Our Everything. Our Heart. Our Mind.

When we can remember to let Him, He is the Joy that transforms us into different people… People who can truly love their neighbours even when they’re weed-eating dandelions on their lawn, before the crack of dawn – (bless their cotton socks). People who can truly love their brethren and everyone, including those who aren’t kind to them… this is part of loving of Christ.

When we consciously choose joy and acceptance in the midst of turmoil, when we find and celebrate joy in the smallest of things, the precious lamps of our souls begin to shine! We are not at the end of something – we are at the beginning of something else! Something greater. Something better!

…“My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. ~ 2 Corinthians 12:9

“Joy is thankfulness, and when we are joyful, that is the best expression of thanks we can offer the Lord, Who delivers us from sorrow and sin.” ~ Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnica

When we receive the wonderful grace of God, we need nothing else.

Sweetest Name

The book of St. Paul to the Philippians is full of spiritual yum yums and this is one of my favourite verses. His epistle describes daily hurdles Christians may experience and the victorious joy in overcoming these difficulties.

When life throws a kitchen sink in our path, duck, cover and carry on… knowing we have God’s help.

Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on (fill in the blank)!

Here’s a wonderful quote from St. Anthony of Optina: “No matter what misfortune might befall you, no matter what unpleasantness might occur, say ‘I will endure this for Jesus Christ’s sake!’ Just say that, and you will feel better, for the Name of Jesus Christ is powerful… Before It, all difficulties abate, and demons disappear. Your annoyance and faintness of heart will abate when you repeat His most sweet Name…”

Sharing this powerful prayer from a friend, whose priest gave it to them to use when anxiety over a constant painful situation would rear its ugly head:

“O Lord, Thou lovest (name) more than I do,
And Thou canst help (name) better than I,
And Thou knowest better than I what is profitable for (him)(her).
So do for (name) what is best- only save (him)(her).”

This prayer is so helpful.

Glory to God for all things!

Give Good Gifts

Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.~ James 1:17

Wholehearted gratitude helps our spirits flourish, and it behooves (such a delightful word!) us to do good things with the good gifts we are given!

It’s a Christian privilege and duty to be generous and kind to others. Even if all we have for someone is a smile… besides prayer, it could well be the most important gift to someone at that particular moment. It can lift their soul up.

A smile says I care about you. It says I see you, I respect you, I see our Lord in you.

When we have sincere compassion for others, God notices and surprises us with many blessings, sometimes more than what we deserve.

…It is more blessed to give than to receive. ~ Acts 20:35

A beautiful 19th century hymn – Give Good Gifts comes to mind. Our youth choir has sung this “anytime” song throughout the year at different events.

Give good gifts, one to another,

Peace, joy and comfort, gladly bestow,

Harbour no ill ‘gainst sister or brother,

Smooth life’s journey as you onward go!

(Repeat)

♥

Broad as the sunshine, free as the showers,

So shed an influence, blessing to prove;

Give for the noblest of efforts your pow’rs;

Blest and be blest is the law of love.

(Repeat)

Mt. Lebanon N.Y.

God’s Garden

Happy All Saints’ Day!

Since the 4th century, All Saints’ Day is celebrated the first Sunday after the Great Feast of Pentecost. Today we commemorate all saints from everywhere and from every time. We honour the known and unknown… Whether they be men, women or children… these shining clouds of witnesses have lived to the fruition of Holiness.

All the Saints are like fragrant flowers in God’s Heavenly Garden.

Kontakion (a little hymn) of All Saints: The universe offers to Thee, O Lord, as the Planter of Creation, the God-bearing martyrs as the first-fruits of nature. By their prayers, O Most Merciful One, through the Mother of God keep Thy Church, Thy estate, in deep peace.

Let us…

Grow where planted.

Beware the weeds.

Welcome the rain.

Embrace the sun.

Joyfully bloom.

Share the Harvest.

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith… Hebrews 12:1-2

He will send rain at the right time for your land. He will bless everything you do… Deuteronomy 28:12

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.