A soul which has been caught to serve the enemy’s will then serves as a snare for other souls, for it conceals the grief of sin with its apparent delight.

Ephraim the Syrian, A Spiritual Psalter, Third Stasis.

“God is gracious and loves mankind.” This is a deeply-rooted dogma of Orthodox Christianity, repeated in prayers and benedictions constantly.

How (not how much) does he love mankind? John 3:16 comes to mind. He “so loves the world that He gave his only-beggoten son.”

Is His love limited — to semites, or to those in the western realm called Christendom? Continue reading “How He loves mankind” →

Sometimes Father Stephen says something that shocks me:

I would suggest that it is a mistake to describe Christianity as a “historical” religion, Continue reading “Historic or eschatological?” →

The idols of the heathen are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands. They have mouths, but they speak not; eyes have they, but they see not; They have ears, but they hear not; neither is there any breath in their mouths.
They that make them are like unto them: so is every one that trusteth in them. Continue reading “Who sees and hears?” →

By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion.
We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof.
For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song; and they that wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion.
How shall we sing the LORD’s song in a strange land?

Psalm 136 (Septuagint, 137 in KJV)

Remembering, therefore, this command of the Savior, and all that came to pass for our sake, the cross, the tomb, the resurrection on the third day, the ascension into heaven, the enthronement at the right hand of the Father, and the second, glorious coming, we offer to You these gifts from Your own gifts in all and for all.

Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, Anaphora

I used to pay dearly and too dearly for every flattery of the world. I would always break off a piece of my heart and give it as payment, until eventually I gave my whole heart to the world Continue reading “Giving the heart away, piece by piece” →

Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord, who walks in His ways.
You shall eat of the labor of your hand.
You shall be happy and it shall be well with you.
Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house.
Your children will be like olive shoots around your table.
Lo, thus shall the man be blessed who fears the Lord.
May you see your children’s children.
Peace be upon Israel.

Psalm 127 (according to the Septuagint), sung at Orthodox Crowning (Wedding) Services.

“What use will your prayer be to God?” ask the swarthy workers of the earth.
You speak rightly, sons of earth. What use is the mariner’s telescope to the North Star, when it sees the mariner even without a telescope? But do not ask me, since you already know, what use a telescope is to a mariner. Continue reading “God in our image” →