Scripture quotes – Blisswood

Light of Light…

The Lord is my light and my salvation – whom then shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life – of whom shall I be afraid? ~Psalm 27:1

For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light. ~ Psalm 36:9

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

For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. ~ 2 Corinthians 4:6

…Light of Light, True God of True God… Excerpt from the Nicene Creed

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

We are all vessels, sometimes of Light and sometimes of Darkness. ~ St. Gavrilia

On the way home after an evening Vigil, a rising full moon’s reflective light pierced the darkness, transforming everything into a beautiful mystery. It brought to mind the first Scripture verse I had ever memorized. A gladsome verse, that even as a young child, I’d found simply delightful. Practical. Illuminating… Thy word is a lamp for my feet, a light unto my path. ~ Psalm 119:105

The second scripture verse I ever memorized soon after was… Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee. ~ Psalm 119:11

The efforts of memorizing these verses were akin to discovering and collecting hidden treasure, something precious to carry within, the rest of my life.

A Splendid Brightness

Lampada Near the Archangel Gabriel Altar Door Radiates a Gladsome Light

He commands His angels regarding you to guard you in all your paths … The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him, and delivers them. ~ Psalm 91:11, 34:7

See that you do not despise one of these little ones; for I tell you, their angels in heaven always behold the face of My Father in heaven. ~ Our Lord Jesus Christ, in St. Matthew 18:10

An Angel of peace, a faithful guide and guardian of our souls and bodies let us ask of the Lord… ~ Litany at Liturgy

With every believer there is an angel, which, as a child’s leader and pastor, directs his life. ~ St. Basil the Great

The angels, with great concern, and with untiring eagerness, reside with us at every hour and in every place. They help us, they foresee our needs, serve as mediators between God and ourselves, lifting up to Him our groans and sighs … Accompanying us in all our travels, they go in and out with us, attentively watching if we deport ourselves with piety and honour among the evil species, and with what effort do we seek the Kingdom of God. ~ Blessed Augustine

We must remember that we have a Guardian Angel and turn to him in our thoughts and heart. This is good during peaceful times and especially so during turmoil. When such contact with the angel is missing, he has no means of influencing us. For example, if one approaches quicksand or an abyss, and has plugged his ears and closed his eyes, how can anyone help him? ~ St. Theophan the Recluse

Angel of God, my holy protector, given to me from heaven by God for my protection, I fervently beseech you: enlighten me and preserve me from all evil, instruct me in good deeds and direct me on the path of salvation. Amen. ~ Orthodox Prayer Book

Angel of God, my Guardian dear, to whom His love, commits me here. Ever this day be at my side, to light and guard, to rule and guide. ~ Childhood Prayer to Guardian Angel

The Orthodox Church believes that at baptism everyone receives a Guardian Angel (for life) from God. It’s on us to reach out daily via prayer to “touch” our angel, asking for help, forgiveness, or to just give a heartfelt, grateful thank you. Our angel rejoices in our small spiritual efforts and achievements, and grieves over our sins of conscious choice. When we leave this life, our Guardian Angel carries our soul to God.

I remember when I was new to the Faith, and my godmother speaking about Angels and Guardian Angels. I shared a recent incident with her, and how I was inexplicably protected from what surely would have been a very tragic outcome. “That’s Guardian Angel,”she said simply.

I shivered, and (thinking aloud) responded naively, “I’d really like to see my Guardian Angel.”

My godmother paused for a moment, and surprised me by firmly saying, “No. You would not,” which closed the door on further speculation.

I accepted this for what it was, and later, with more reading (from various lives of the saints), led me to consider that: a.) We will get ourselves in a mess of trouble and delusion, for wishing to “see things”… and, b.) That for a child, it would seem almost natural to see an angel, should God-Will it, and, c.) It’s a different kettle of fish for an adult seeing one’s Guardian Angel adorned in Full Splendour.

I’ve received much help from my Guardian Angel, and it’s a given that I may not fully appreciate how much… because I am a bit dense, (and do feel sorry for him – as he sure got the short end of the stick being assigned to me) … but there are also so many instances where I do KNOW.

I recall when my youngest child was maybe 15 months old, and had somehow scooted up a tall outdoor stair case (my back was turned for less than a minute). I whirled with dread in the ominous silence, in time to see my baby attempt to “come down” the stairs.

I raced across the yard shouting in my mind “Help!!!” as he began to tumble down headfirst (in seemingly slow-motion), he was flipped over onto his back, as if “carried” along his “way down” and literally NEVER. TOUCHED. ONE. SINGLE. STAIR. He gently “landed” sitting upright on the bottom step SMILING, and happily tootled off across the yard to reek yet more havoc. I mean – play with his sibling. That child should have been seriously injured, and would have been, if not for his Guardian Angel.

Thank you Guardian Angels of my (now adult) children who continue to protect them.

Thank you God for everything.

Do not say, “this happened by chance, while this came to be of itself.” In all that exists there is nothing disorderly, nothing indefinite, nothing without purpose, nothing by chance … How many hairs are on your head? God will not forget one of them. Do you see how nothing, even the smallest thing, escapes the gaze of God? ~ St. Basil the Great

Starting one’s day with The Four Bows ~ From St. Nicholas Orthodox Church.

Upon arising in the morning, before anything else, direct your heart and mind towards God, and face your icons, or face East and with compunction, and without haste, make four bows, or better, four prostrations. Do this with hope in God, and the sure belief that He will receive your prayer, as He received the widow’s two mites, and protect you during the day, even if you fall into inattention and these prayers are the last you will say for the entire day.

Making the sign of the cross, with a bow of prostration during each prayer say:

1. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God have mercy on me a sinner.
2. Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
3. Holy Saint ______ (your patron saint), pray to God for me.
4. Holy Angel of God, my guardian, pray to God for me.

After these prayers, it is best to continue with your morning prayers, and then turn your attentions to the cares of the day. Even if the weakness of the flesh compels us to abandon our prayer and rush into our day, perhaps not to return to our morning prayer, at least we have begun the by giving our “first fruits” to God. Let us do these “few things”, four short prayers that take under a minute, so that in time, our heart will become aflame with the love of God, and our Lord will say to us: “Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.” (St. Matthew 25:21)

Rejoice!

Thank you Juliana T. for sharing your beautiful, inspiring Scripture Photo Art!

Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it. Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them; let all the trees of the forest sing for joy. Let all creation rejoice before the Lord, for he comes, he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth. ~ Psalm 96:11-13

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 unto God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. ~ Philippians 4:4-7

Rejoice always,pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. ~ 1 Thess. 5:16-18

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. ~ Romans 12:12

I like to start and end each day with thanking God for at least three blessings… even including sorrow, for it’s truly a blessing to remember He hears all our prayers! By relinquishing heartache back over to Him, helps one to let it go… For everything is in His Hands!

The Juices of Gratitude flow abundantly this morning!

With love, peace, and joy in Christ.

With Harmonious Humility

Prayer is the flower of gentleness and freedom from anger. ~ Evagrios the Solitary

It’s important to quickly resolve conflicts by not letting them fester. If left unchecked, anger breeds bitter resentment – detrimental to our emotional and spiritual well-being.

Anger never remains small. It escalates and grows indignantly into an ugly, oozing, pus-filled, necrotizing, spiritual infection.

In an odd way, anger can also feel pleasurable, as it’s much easier to remain angry than to confront a certain sadness or loss. When we’re angry, our brains secrete an analgesic hormone (norepinephrine) that releases sudden energizing surges of adrenaline. This may sometimes lull us into a default loop of a continual fight or flight mode.

Resentment is a flickering fire, irritation is a burning fuse, and anger is an explosion of dynamite. ~ Priest Valery Dukhanin

St. Dorotheos on Anger and Animosity

Christian Outrage?

With God’s help, reconciling blame and anger is aided with the healing prescription of prayer for the person or situation that caused the hurt. It is only with humility that we can move forward with love, and forgiveness, seeking resolution. The peace of our hearts lie within the grace of self control – acquired through patience and long-suffering.

Lord have mercy! God keep us!

Prayer is the seed of gentleness and the absence of anger. ~ Abba Nilus, Sayings of the Desert Fathers

One must by every means strive to preserve peace of soul and not be disturbed by offences from others; for this one must in every way strive to restrain anger and by means of attentiveness to keep the mind and heart from improper feelings. And therefore we must bear offences from others with equanimity and accustom ourselves to such disposition of spirit that these offences seem to concern not us, but others. Such a practice can give quietness to the human heart and make it as a dwelling for God Himself. ~ St. Seraphim of Sarov, Spiritual Instructions, Little Russian Philokalia

“Since you are God’s dear children you must try to be like Him, your life must be controlled by love…” (Eph. 51-2) Work, vivified by prayer and sacraments, is the way to advance in our likeness in Christ. Only then will we be able to say with Christ, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do” (St. Luke 23:34). This is true anger management. ~ Archpriest George Morelli

Two Special Feasts this Week!

Windowsill Bouquet of Church Flowers

Greetings on the two big Feast Days this week!

The first feast is The Dormition of Our Most Holy Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary. Aug. 28/15

Troparion in Tone 1: In giving birth thou didst preserve thy virginity, and in thy falling asleep thou hast not forsaken the world, O Theotokos. Thou hast been translated unto life, for thou art the Mother of Life, and by thy supplications, thou dost deliver our souls from death.

Kontakion in Tone 2 : The tomb, nor mortality could not hold the Theotokos, who is tireless her prayers and supplications. For, as the Mother of Life, she was translated unto life, by Him Who dwelt within her Ever-Virgin womb.

…and after the third day, they opened the sarcophagus to venerate the precious tabernacle of her who deserves all praise, but found only her grave garments; for she had been taken away by Christ, the God who became flesh from her, to the place of her eternal, living inheritance. And our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, who bestowed glory on his Immaculate Mother Mary Theotokos, will also bestow glory on those who glorify her. Those who call upon her, celebrating her memorial every year, He will save from every danger, and He will fill their households with good things, like the house Onesiphorus (cf. 2 Timothy 1:16;4:19). And they will receive the forgiveness of their sins, both here and in the age to come. For He has shown her to be His cherubic throne on earth, an earthly heaven, the hope and refuge and confidence of our race, so that if we celebrate, with sacred mysteries, the festival of her holy Dormition, we might find mercy and grace in the present age and in the age to come, by the grace and kindliness of our Lord Jesus Christ: to Whom be glory and power, with His unbegotten Father and with the all-holy and life-giving Spirit, now and always and for the ages of ages. Amen. ~ St. John of Thessalonica (8th century) – On the Dormition of Mary Early Patristic Homilies, page 67

The next feast after the Dormition, is the Feast of the Holy Mandylion (The Icon of Christ Not-Made-by-Hands) Aug. 29/16. Sometimes this feast is transferred to the closest Sunday after this date. For the many churches named St. Sophia, (after the Holy Wisdom of God – Our Lord Jesus Christ) today is their Name day, and is also ancient the Feast of Mid-Pentecost.

Troparion in Tone 2: We bow down before Thy pure Image O Good One, asking forgiveness of our transgressions, O Christ, God; for Thou wast well pleased to ascend the Cross in the Flesh, of Thine own will, that Thou mightest save what Thou hadst created from slavery to the enemy. Wherefore, we cry out to Thee in thanksgiving: Thou hast filled all things with joy, O our Saviour, Who hast come to save the world.

Kontakion in Tone 2: O uncircumscribable Word of the Father, knowing the victorious image, uninscribed and divinely wrought, of Thine ineffable and divine dispensation towards man, of Thy true Incarnation, we honour it with veneration.

Below is a beautiful version of the Magnificat Hymn by the Virgin Mary, from St. Luke 1:46-55. The refrain to this hymn: More honourable than the Cherubim, and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim, who without corruption gavest birth to God the Word. True Theotokos we magnify thee! ~ Axion Esti was revealed by the Archangel Gabriel himself, posing as a monk while visiting a monastery on Mt. Athos during the 10th century!

The Magnificat is sung at most vigil services.

…no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him. ~ 1 Corinthians 2:9

With love in Christ.

Saving Attitude of Gratitude

Spider web bejewelled with morning dewdrops

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. ~ Philippians 4:6-7

There’s always something to be grateful for, even in the midst of trials and tribulations… And an attitude of gratitude with thanksgiving, dispels fear and carries hope – filling the heart with joy!

We’re not meant to trudge through life’s storms alone, but are encouraged to entrust our worries, heartaches, and requests, daily and directly into God’s Hands.

What a Friend and Saviour we have in Jesus Christ!

Although He always knows what’s going on in our lives, He patiently waits for us to choose to reach out and talk with Him… to transfer any crushing load off ourselves, and freely give Him the control to direct our efforts.

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ~ St. Matthew 11:29

As simply and as trustingly as a child reaches out to someone they dearly love, we’re also taught to earnestly entreat God. This draws us closer to our Heavenly Father.

By casting cares and anxiety aside… by sharing our needs through prayer, we bring He Who Is our Daily Bread… into ourselves, and under the roof of our soul…

And Lo! He promises and lovingly responds in kind; embracing our hearts and minds with a Holy, Gentle, Peace from Above – a Gift which transcends all understanding.

Glory to God for all things!

The Isles of the Sea

Icon of All the Saints of the British Isles

Today we celebrate All the Saints of Great Britain.

These Spiritual Blossoms of the Isles (circa 37 A.D. to 1054 A.D.) are rooted in England, Scotland, Ireland, Cornwall, and Wales, and continue to exude their Spiritual Fragrance today!

The saints are shown to be fair blossoms of the Garden of Eden, laden with the nectar of good works and the sweet scent of Orthodox teachings, whereby our souls are fed and our spiritual thirst is quenched, Come ye therefore, let us hasten beneath their shade and let us bless them as the delight and adornment of the Isles, and as a model and pattern for our lives, for they have received unfading crowns of glory and all together they beseech the Pre-Eternal God for us. ~ Ikos

A Brief History of Orthodox England

Timeline of Orthodoxy in the British Isles

Throughout the whole world, God’s Name is glorified in the memory of His saints, and as all are alive in Christ, the saints are our friends, and alive in Heaven. They are venerated, but not worshipped… and having run the race and the course of faith, they are glorified.

We live together with them (the Saints in heaven), in the house of the Heavenly Father, only in different parts of it. We live in the earthly, they in the heavenly half; but we can converse with them, and they with us. ~ St. John of Kronstadt

In God and in His Church there is no division between the living and the departed, but all are one in the love of the Father. Whether we are alive or whether we are dead, as members of the Church we still belong to the same family, and still have a duty to bear one another’s burdens. Therefore just as Orthodox Christians here on earth pray for one another and ask for one another’s prayers, so they pray for the faithful departed and ask the faithful departed to pray for them. Death cannot sever the bond of mutual love which links the members of the Church together. ~ Metropolitan Kallistos Ware

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

From the ends of the earth, O Lord, the Isles of the Sea offer Thee all the saints who have shone forth therein as the fair fruit of Thy salvific splendour. Through their supplications and through the Theotokos, preserve Thy Church and Thine Isles in the profoundest peace, O most Merciful One. ~ Festal Troparion for All the Saints of the British Isles

Today the choirs of the saints who have pleased God in the Isles, standeth in the Church and invisibly prayeth to God for us. With them the angels give glory; and all the saints of the Church of Christ celebrate with them, and all together they beseech the Pre-Eternal God for us. ~ Kontakion Tone 3

We magnify thee, O all ye saints who have shone forth in the Isles, and we honour thy holy memory, for ye intercede with Christ our God on our behalf. ~ Saints of the British Isles Magnification

O all ye Saints of the British Isles, pray to God for us!

Lauding the Leading Luminary

Icon of St. John the Forerunner and Baptist, lovingly embellished with vines of periwinkle, and bathed in yestereve’s Gladsome Light.

Today is the Nativity… the Birthday – of St. John the Baptist!

St. John the Baptist is called the voice of the Word, the Lampstand of the Light, the morning star and Forerunner of the Sun of Righteousness. He is the personification of faithfulness to God, righteousness, and asceticism. He is so revered, that each Tuesday, every week of the year is also dedicated to him and there are also other days of the year which, since ancient times, have been devoted to St. John the Baptist!

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. ~ St. John 1:6-9

Christ Himself said: Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. ~ St. Matthew 11:11

As we’re still in the Apostle’s Fast, there’s a lovely plant-based Chocolate “Locust” Cake recipe I’d like to share below, celebrating St. John the Baptist’s birthday, embracing some wilderness foods…

John wore a garment of camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. ~ St. Matthew 3:4

The Carob Tree is also known as the Locust Bean Tree, for its carob pods resemble the shape of locusts.

Plant-Based Chocolate “Locust” Cake

3 cups flour
1 & 1/2 cups sugar
7 Tablespoons of carob powder (OR, if you don’t have any carob powder, then use 1/2 cup of cocoa powder, instead)
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking soda
1 Tablespoon of ground cinnamon
2 Tablespoons vinegar
3/4 cup of vegetable oil (IF using carob powder, increase the vegetable oil by 1 extra teaspoon)
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups water

Combine wet ingredients to the dry ingredients in a large bowl, and mix for 1 minute on low and then 2 minutes on medium speed. Pour into a greased 9 X 9-inch pan, bake in a pre-heated 350 degrees F oven for 45 minutes. Let cool 12 minutes, remove from pan and serve with honey on the side, or drizzled on your cake slice!

Serves 8-ish… Heavy on the “ish”. 😉

Congratulations on your Saint’s Day, Archpriest John, John P, and John M! May God grant you all many years!

Through the holy prayers of St. John the Forerunner and Baptist of Christ, may we, too, join ranks with all who since times long past, have lauded and continue to praise this amazing, Leading Luminary.

Bread of Life

Greetings on the Apodosis (the leave taking of the afterfeast) of the Ascension!

Prosphora is a leavened bread baked solely for use in the Divine Liturgy and further prepared with prayers during proskomedia, for the Holy Eucharist.

The Bread of Life gives Himself in His Love to all who ask… ~ St. Maximus the Confessor

…Give us this day our daily bread… ~ Lord’s Prayer

Jesus answered, It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ~ Matthew 4:4

And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. ~ John 6:35

Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life.I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh. ~ John 6:47-51

Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old bread leavened with malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. ~ 1 Corinthians 5:8

And you shall set the bread of Presence on the table before me regularly. ~ Exodus 25:30

He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth; And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread which strengtheneth man’s heart. ~ Psalm 104:14-15

A Timeless Covenant

A second rainbow on the far right had mostly faded by the time I fumbled for my cell to take this picture. But, if you squint, you might see the remnants?

Look upon the rainbow, and praise him who made it, exceedingly beautiful in its brightness. It encircles the heaven with its glorious arc; the hands of the Most High have stretched it out. ~ Sirach 43:11-12

And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth. And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud: And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh. And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth. ~ Genesis 9:12-16

Taking the scenic seaside route home last night after choir practice, I ruminated briefly on wise words heard yestereve on Faith and Prayer before my thoughts slid ahead into next week’s hectic schedule. Although I’m sure there’ll be blessings in there too, I began to feel overwhelmed. Suddenly, staring me in the face was this double rainbow shining through stormy clouds over a choppy ocean, and we pulled the car over to be in the moment. While life’s tempests all manifest differently, it’s a divine consolation remembering that each new rainbow is a Vibrant Sign of Hope and a Timeless Covenant of – God’s Beautiful Promise in the Sky!

Christ is Risen!