Tag: Scripture Quote

A Virtue and Prize

Forest in Ireland
by Josip Rmc from Pixabay


In your patience possess ye your souls. ~ St. Luke 21:19

It is a virtue and a prize to listen patiently to and put up with insults for the sake of God ~ St. Brigit of Kildare

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. ~ St. John 15:13

And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity. ~ 1 Corinthians 1:13

Greetings on the Forefeast of the Meeting of our Lord!

Today (Feb. 14/1) is also the Feast Day of St. Brigit of Ireland and St. Valentine of Rome. St. Brigit is one of my favourite saints, and St. Valentine is the first western saint I heard of, as a child. I delight in how instrumental St. Brigit was implementing educational and artistic centres… How she founded the spiritual community that bettered their county and country – through charity, hospitality, and medical support. I love how St. Brigit perceived Christ in everyone she met, and through the strength of her great faith and pure heart, performed – and continues to this very day… working miracles!

Parish Youth Choir sing Hymn to St. Brigit of Ireland (Feb. 2025)




St. Brigit of Ireland Past Posts

St. Brigid of Ireland ~ Feb. 13, 2021

Gabhaim Molta Bríghde ~ Feb. 14, 2022

Holy Mother Bríghde ~ Feb. 13, 2023

Happy St. Bríghde Day! ~Feb. 14, 2024

St. Bridget of Ireland ~ Jan. 25, 2025

St. Valentine
Past Post

A Valentine ~ Feb. 14, 2022

Filling Our Hearts to the Brim

Thailand image by sippakorn yamkasikorn from Pixabay

But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.  ~ Jesus Christ (St. John 4: 23-24)

While we think mostly on an earthly plane, in the Gospels – Christ speaks on the true spiritual plane… drawing us to the realization of Who life is. Like the Samaritan Woman at the Well (Gospel of St. John, Chapter 4), when we desire to obtain the promise of Living Water, realizing who we are, we have to choose and accept the belief in Christ. These things are necessary for everyone. If we don’t desire something, why would we make any effort for it? If we don’t want to look honestly at ourselves, what would we ever want to change? If we never realize Who Christ is, why would we ever seek Him? We may speak to God about what we want, what we think we need, and wonder why we don’t have it right now. We speak carnally, but He answers us spiritually. He wants to give us something far greater. We want water from a well where we’ll thirst again. But He wants for us to have eternal life. ~ Archpriest John Adams ☦️

What does the heart seek
when its soul is parched, withered,
– what does my heart say?

It says encouragingly… Let us draw and drink deeply from the Divine Well of Living Water… Let us Fill Our Hearts to the Brim with Him, in Spirit and Truth!

Peace of His Presence

Starry Cross in Sky, in dome of 5th century church Galla Placidia; Ravenna, Italy. Photo taken in 2006.

Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. ~ Jesus Christ (John 14:27)

Christ is in our midst! He is and ever shall be!

Even (and especially) during these troubled times we live in… the Holy Spirit pours Love and Light into our hearts, divinely nourishing us with Joy, and His Peace from Above. Effused with gratitude, let us remember to lift up our noetic eyes, to whence comes our Help, Who made heaven and the earth. May the fragrance of our prayers and praises arise to the heavens as holy incense, and touch the stars.

Happy Saint’s Day Anastasia!

With gratitude on Remembrance Day to all who’ve served and continue to serve – protecting Canada and our freedom. Thank you for your courage service and sacrifice.

That Wondrous, Internal Door

This church front door/porch’s threshold, is a mosaic cut from locally sourced marble, and based on an ancient Cosmati design.

Many have crossed the threshold of the Church, but only outwardly, while inwardly, they still place their hope in themselves and in other people. Meanwhile the Lord is waiting for us to cleave to Him like children, with our hearts. Only then will everything change in our lives. ~ Archimandrite John Krestiankin, (Letters to Lay People)

When our hearts seek Christ, we find He’s clearly revealed through the teachings and Sacraments of the Holy Church. Prayer and humility will gently guide us to and through that Wondrous, Internal Door to the Kingdom of Heaven.

He’s been patiently waiting for us, our whole life.

Listen!

He’s knocking right now.

He’s lovingly calling our name!

Do you hear?

Let us fling open the Door of our Hearts and joyfully rush home… into those Wondrous, Everlasting Arms of our Lord God and Saviour, Jesus Christ!

Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
~ Revelation 3:20

Door Image by Anje Pixabay

Sailing the Sea of Life

(And Jesus said) …Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. ~ St. Matthew 28:20

Discovering the Extraordinary

Salal Leaf in Recent Holiday Table Bouquet

In our spiritual vision we are not only to see each thing in sharp relief, standing out in all the brilliance of its specific being, but we are also to to see each thing as transparent: in and through each created thing we are to discern the Creator...

The contemplation of nature has two correlative aspects. First, it means appreciating the “thusness” or “thisness” of particular things, persons and moments. We are to see each stone, each leaf, each blade of grass, each frog, each human face, for what it truly is, in all the distinctness and intensity of its specific being. As the prophet Zephaniah warns us, we are not to “despise the day of small things” (4:10). “True mysticism” says Olivier Clément, “is to discover the extraordinary in the ordinary.”

~ Metropolitan Kallistos Ware: The Orthodox Way.

The Sweeting

An early morning detente. Honey bee and tiny Hoverfly (a flower-fly that mimic bees in appearance but has no stinger) kindly share the same lavender blossom.

The bee is more honoured than other animals, not because she labours, but because she labours for others. ~ St. John Chrysostom

Like a bee that secretly fashions its comb in the hive, so also grace forms in hearts it own love. It changes to sweetness what is bitter, what is rough into that which is smooth. ~ Anonymous 4th century Egyptian monk

Sweeting
Those who resemble
the sweet honey bee,
Seek to find goodness
in all that they see!
~ a rhyme inspired/borrowed from St. Paisios’ honey bee verses fly quote below…

Some people resemble the honey bee and some resemble the fly. Those who resemble the fly seek to find evil in every circumstance and are preoccupied with it; they see no good anywhere. But those who resemble the honey bee only see the good in everything they see. ~ St. Paisios

If only we could more resemble the honey bee, and bee ye kinde one to another…

If we could try to see Christ Himself more often in others… we could, but only with Love of our neighbour… help change some of this world’s bitterness into sweetness!

Even just a little bit.

An Ancient Symbol of Prayer

Photo by Andriy Tod on Unsplash

Let my prayer be set forth as incense before thee. ~ Psalm 141:2

Recently, at an evening service, and through the golden glow of candlelight… smokey tendrils of incense swirled as wreaths of living halos about the holy icons, before wafting upwards as billowing clouds – the noetic breath of our prayers… and the setting sun’s beams pierced through the church windows to ignite the mosaics’ gold tessera like fiery embers. Immersed in all this spiritual beauty, my cup overflowed. It took my breath away.

I’d love to share these beautiful reminders listed from St. Vasilios Greek Orthodox Church – of the rich symbolism and significance of Church incense and the Censer.

What is the Censer?
The censer is a covered dish suspended on four chains. It is used to convey the fragrant smoke of the incense to holy objects. It’s parts represent all of God’s creation.

What does it represent?

  • The ring (symbol of eternity) represents GOD.
  • The top represents ‘Alpha’ (A) the beginning.
  • The four chains represent the Four Evangelists.
  • The twelve bells represent the Twelve Apostles, and their teaching.
  • The Cross reminds us of the cross of our Lord.
  • The top of the bowl represents the Heavens.
  • The firepot (where the incense and charcoal go) is the earth, and the charcoal is man who requires the fire of the Holy Spirit to give him light and life. We blow on the charcoal to set it afire just as God put life in man by breathing on him.
  • The bottom of the cup is the universe of which the earth is a part.
  • The base of the censer is the ‘Omega’ (Ω), the end.

May we continually blow breath to spark our own noetic charcoal – keeping it afire with the Love, Zeal, and the Fragrance of Christ.

Rising Up Through the Cracks

Greetings on the Afterfeast of the Ascension!

I’m always rooting for those hardy Sweet Alyssum seed volunteers (dispersed from last year’s window-boxes) that rise up through the cracks in our patio walkway! They emerge. They flourish. Their appearance softens and beautifies the terrace flagstones. They become part of the whole.

A reward is bestowed for a conflict, and no one speaks of a victory where there is no struggle. ~ St. Isaac the Syrian

Do not be cast down over the struggle – the Lord loves a brave warrior. The Lord loves the soul that is valiant. ~ St. Silouan the Athonite

The heavier the burdens we’ve got to lift in this world, the greater God’s blessing will be… ~ Elder Symeon Kragiopoulos

Don’t let anything deprive you of Hope. ~ St. Nektarios of Aegina

Like impossibly fragile plants, people too (with God’s help), become as valiant Seedlings of Light… breaking through seemingly impossible barriers – to grow, and flourish, despite whatever they’re buried beneath.

Nature’s resilience is amazing.

People’s resilience is astounding!

Jesus said… “with God all things are possible.” ~ Matthew 19:26

May we too, with the help of Creation’s Planter, ascend like the fragrant, sweet alyssum, to blossom forth – through the personal flagstones of life!

When the Soul Kneels

Photo by Elimende Inagella on Unsplash

Someone said: “When the soul kneels at the Feet of Christ, what does it matter if the body is lying, standing, kneeling or prostrated?” It does not matter at all! When you will stop thinking of your body and of yourself, then you will be truly able to feel in union with the Power of God. ~ St. Gavrilia, from The Ascetic of Love

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. ~ Philippians 4:4-7

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