Icon of Our Lord God and Saviour Jesus Christ
Your job is to work upon yourself: the rest is in the Hands of God. ~ St. Theophan the Recluse
Tag: Thoughts
Cacophony of Coincidence
Things Aren’t Always Black and White – Or What They Seem!
Thoughts are like airplanes flying in the air. If you ignore them, there is no problem. If you pay attention to them, you create an airport inside your head and permit them to land! ~ St. Paisios of Mt. Athos
It was a dark and stormy morning and I desperately needed a cup of coffee. Deciding to take out the kitchen garbage first, I blundered bleary-eyed into our patio, noticing the fence lined with numerous raucous, cawing crows à la Hitchcock.
Then. In unison. As if someone had pushed a giant mute button, they stilled.
The alarming hush made me pause. Putting the garbage bag down slowly, I carefully reached back around the corner to grab my cell phone and snapped a picture. Oddly, they remained roosting. Quiet. In place… with patient expectation.
Attempting to lighten the moment, I bade them good morning. No response. My next verbal greeting: “Hey dudes, what’s up?” was met with cold, corvid disdain. Apparently I was a crashing bore, and sensed a communal disappointment on their part. Some cocked their heads curiously at my voice. Others fluffed their feathers indignantly. However… they all surveyed me with intelligent, yet suspicious, beady eyes.
“You guys are SO weird!” I rebuked their mini congress. They watched in unfazed silence, from the fence, eavestroughs and telephone lines. Unnerved, I buried my imagination and observed a small anxious flutter in my stomach… and crossed myself. What are they waiting for, I wondered? Why so many?
Taking a deep breath with a new and comforting okay, whatever attitude, I trotted musingly over to the garbage can and deposited the bag – contemplating all the while on the exciting choice of Columbian over a Costa Rican Coffee Pod. Deciding instead on dark espresso, my thoughts flitted associatively to a coworker who had a super smart pet crow, that lived for 25 years, and which also brought home shiny gifts for his human. I returned to the patio reminiscing how the Old Testament Prophet Elijah was miraculously fed by the ravens. Such amazing creatures I pondered, until a NEW and deafening cacophony of cawing (from next door) shattered my thoughts.
Standing on my tiptoes, I hesitantly and cautiously peered through the fence slats.
Their flock had multiplied exponentially. Crows were everywhere. This was a murder of crows! On the cars lining the street… Bobbing on the boulevard… teetering on tree branches and telephone pole lines.
Word was out, but I never got the memo… And my next door neighbour (with a massive smile of joy), fed the crows from a huge burlap sack of crusts and nuts.
Mystery solved.
It was a dark and stormy morning. I skulked back inside, desperately needing my (one) coffee even more so now …. and feeling pretty silly.
With Eyes Brighter Than the Sun
A Glimpse of His Gladsome Light Spied from a Church Parking Lot
When praying alone, and your spirit is dejected, and you are wearied and oppressed by your loneliness, remember then, as always, that God the Trinity looks upon you with Eyes brighter than the sun; also all the angels, your own Guardian Angel, and all the Saints of God. Truly they do; for they are all one in God, and where God is, there are they also. Where the sun is, thither also are directed all its rays. Try to understand what this means. ~ Elder Herman of Mt. Athos
We are promised that in the Kingdom of Heaven we shall see God face to face. We will look upon his countenance. “In Thy light shall we see light.” …we shall forever gaze into His eyes. That’s all the definition of bliss we need. ~ Fr. Vladimir Berzonsky
The autumnal sun
hidden behind dull gray clouds
shines, notwithstanding.
Like zillions of others, the light, or lack of seasonal light can influence many. As we begin “autumn’s fall” in rainy northern hemispheres, I’m already well aware the coming dark and dreary months of gray days affect myself and others. Lord have mercy! Granted, at the beginning of fall, there’s some consolation in observing allegro duets of brilliant, crimson deciduous leaves and occasional glimpses of golden, gleaming sunshine. But, later, sometimes it’s hard to remember that above those dark and dismal clouds, there’s always Sonshine! Recalling that this is just for now, and persevering with hope and faith; we, as children of Light, perceive our pianissimo results are worth the effort. For our Triune God, is Everywhere Present and Fills all things. He Knows our small efforts and struggles, and He holds out His Arms to embrace the whole world. For, He IS the Fountain of light, and in His Light, we shall see Light!
Planted in Our Place
Wild Chamomile Thriving on Rain-Quenched Rural Grass
The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever. ~ Isaiah 40:8
Do not be confused because dark thoughts often trouble you, for dark thoughts, like autumn clouds, come one after another and darken everything. But then they pass and the sky remains clear and pleasant. And so our thoughts wander, they wander around the wide world, but the mind remains planted in its place, and then there is quiet, and the soul becomes joyful. But our mind, from wandering here and there, becomes accustomed to the brief but often repeated prayer of Jesus, which God may grant you the habit of saying and then your days will be bright. ~ St. Anthony of Optina
We are all planted in our places. For whatever reason. On a recent excursion I thrilled to discover wild chamomile still popping up here and there, where least expected. Bending down for closer inspection, I spied bustling beetles and ants – struggling – yet dashing determinedly amid obstacle courses of pebbles, fir-needles, twigs and dandelion detritus. Sometimes its hard to consider that even in autumn, a little piece of country ground thrives as a living thing. Organically interconnected beneath the soil, and strengthened through marvellous myriads of neighbouring roots and fungi, we can sense the Great within the small. When we recognize nature’s perfection, its because God is perfect. What joy there is in giving oneself over to a moment in nature… To inhale that especially fresh, spicy fragrance that happens only after a rain… to harvest and store Creation’s nourishing gifts in the silos of our minds. For these blessed memories, tucked carefully away in our autumnal hearts, may be recalled as needed. These sweet seeds of peace and contentment are numinous aids. They are spiritual brooms of beautiful, expectant hope – that sweep away dried, withered leaves and debris from life’s storms and personal obstacle courses. God sees and rewards all our efforts according to our salvation. Let us remain patiently planted in our places, thoroughly engaged – and prepared to bloom joyfully wherever we are planted, offering ourselves unto Creation’s Planter – as a Living Fruition of Spiritual Fragrance!
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!
What If?
Image by Steve Buissinne from Pixabay
All nonsense begins with IF… ~ St. Gavrilia
Serenity
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. ~ St. Matthew 7:7-8
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. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. ~ Philippians 4:4-8
We know God is with us. Yet, during our daily routines we sometimes forget, perhaps by being caught up in the moment and putting prayer on the back-burner.
Be that as it may, when least expected or deserved, we may catch whiffs of God’s Perfumed Peace – which clearly passes all understanding. This spiritual surprise can come as a warm, fragrant cocoon of inexplicable joy, or as a robe of consolation and quiet calmness.
We may remain tranquilly enveloped for a time, until distracted maybe by wandering thoughts, intrusive imagination, or other mundane, worldly cares – such as the klaxon of an oven-timer beeping that our cake is finally baked.
Regardless, this Magnificent Peace is never, ever, far away. And, when asking God’s help (even with the bread of tears), we can be sincerely thankful during our entreaties, for God knows our heart. He feels our sorrow. He hears our every sigh.
God’s silent, golden, blessings are always close at hand, especially when in simplicity of stillness we open the spiritual eyes of our hearts. And, as with the pure faith of a child – we open the door when our Heavenly Father knocks to let Him in.
Although our efforts may be small and sporadic, sometimes during the quiet of the day or night, our dear Lord gently bestows tantalizing glimpses, by reminding us of how we could always be.
So, as we sprint along the daily, peaceful paths of prayer, may God grant us according to our salvation! Let us yearn each day to become Shiny and New again!
May the rich Abundance of God’s great Mercy continue to direct our ways in the Hopeful Peace from Above – which truly passes all understanding.
Autumnal Prayer
Image by Joe from Pixabay
Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. ~ Psalm 90:14
November 27/14
Happy Eve of the Nativity Fast!
Tomorrow we begin our spiritual pilgrimage into the Advent season… to contemplate the upcoming Great Feast of Christ’s Incarnation.
Just like Great Lent is before Easter/Pascha, the ancient Nativity Fast is a reflective, joyful time for spiritual preparation – nourished with prayer, love of one’s neighbour, and generous almsgiving.
Each fast is fresh, new, and a collective reminder to shift focus away from oneself, and onto the needs of others, instead.
Together we’ll begin the late autumnal journey with sweeping the dried leaves and debris away from body and soul.
We fast before we feast, and the feasting aspect is saved to start on the actual Nativity Feast Day itself, including the following bright “12 days of Christmastide”.
May your Nativity Fast be peaceful and fruitful!
With love in Christ.
Neither Eye Nor Ear
Image by 12019 from Pixabay
But as it is written: ‘Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love him’. But God has, through the Spirit, let us share his secret. For nothing is hidden from the Spirit, not even the deep wisdom of God. For who could really understand a man’s inmost thoughts except the spirit of the man himself? How much less could anyone understand the thoughts of God except the very Spirit of God? And the marvellous thing is this, that we now receive not the spirit of the world but the Spirit of God himself, so that we can actually understand something of God’s generosity towards us. ~ 1 Corinthians 2:9-12
Our Lady of Perpetual Help
Image by WikiImages from Pixabay
The Theotokos of the Passion Icon – also known as Our Lady of Perpetual Help, is a great spiritual consolation.
Holy Tradition says the original icon was painted by St. Luke the Evangelist… who knew her.
Although the Icon’s Feast Day is celebrated April 30 and on the sixth Sunday after Pascha (Sunday of the Blind Man), one can always reach out any time for Our Lady’s help and compassion – especially during topsy-turvy times of heartache, confusion, and disappointment.
The ancient and beautiful 6th century Akathist Hymn of prayer and praise is attributed to St. Romanos the Melodist to Our Most Holy Theotokos.
The Most Holy Mother of God prays for us ceaselessly. She is always visiting us. Whenever we turn to her in our heart, she is there. After the Lord, she is the greatest protection for mankind. How many churches there are in the world that are dedicated to the Most Holy Mother of God! How many healing springs where people are cured of their ailments have sprung up in places where the Most Holy Theotokos appeared and blessed those springs to heal both the sick and the healthy! She is constantly, by our side, and all too often we forget her. ~ Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnica (From Our Thoughts Determine Our Lives)
Today is also the Synaxis of the Holy Optina Elders, and I congratulate Abbess Amvrosia, and all the nuns of Holy Protection Convent, (including my goddaughter). May your community continue to grow and thrive under the protecting veil of our Most Holy Lady’s Precious Omophorion – and our dear Lord’s salvific love. Happy Feast Day to you all!
Holy Fathers of Optina, pray to God for us!