Original Christianity for a Changing World
All things around us are droplets of the love of God.... They are little loves through which we attain to the great Love that is Christ. Flowers, for example, have their own grace: they teach us with their fragrance and with their magnificence. They speak to us of the love of God. They scatter their …
Continue reading "A Christian Must Become A Poet (Saint Porphyrios)"
The goal of the Christian religion is not the idolizing of Christ, not christolatry, but that we all "are in Christ," as the mystical expression goes, that we have a part in the life of Christ. This savior is a wounded healer, and he heals so that we may become as he is. Be as …
The desert fathers and mothers were not learned theologians. They weren’t even deep spiritual guides. Their lives were simple and their teachings were simple and directly related to their circumstances in the desert. Sometimes their teachings provoke laughter in us who are more ‘sophisticated’ than they are. More sophisticated we might be, but are we …
Amazing words spoken by Dietrich Bonhoeffer on August 29, 1932 - 90 years ago, but just as pertinent today, as the Russian Orthodox Patriarch and several other Orthodox hierarchs in Russia and elsewhere continue to support and even promote Putin's illegal and criminal war against Ukraine. Note especially his statement: "The church forsakes obedience whenever …
As I mentioned in a post yesterday, Orthodox icons show the birth of Christ taking place in a cave. I was surprised to come upon a fascinating passage G. K. Chesterton wrote about 100 years ago. Here it is in an abridged version published on the Plough website, one of my favorite places on the Internet …
Adrienne von Speyr, whom I introduced in my previous post, wrote a 4-volume series of meditations on the Gospel of John that run to 1,600 pages! The following excerpts are from her meditation on verse 18:37 – For this I was born… – when Jesus faced Pilate. These thoughts, born out of prayer and contemplation of divine truth, …
Lord, you tell us from heaven that you are the first and the last. Grant us understanding of this word in faith, this word that you speak to us over and over again, that you say again and again, like a confession of love to us and to the Father at the same time. Let …
Hans Urs von Balthasar (1905–1988) was a Swiss theologian widely regarded as one of the greatest theologians and spiritual writers of the 20th century. What an amazing century it was! In the midst of so much spiritual darkness there shone luminous spirits like von Balthasar. I offer here four very short quotes that I came across …
Continue reading "On the bridge with Hans Urs von Balthasar"
The jasmine behind my house has been completely ruined by the rains and storms of the last few days. . . . But somewhere inside me the jasmine continues to blossom undisturbed, just as profusely and delicately as ever it did. And it spreads its scent round the House in which You dwell, oh God. …
On this Thanksgiving Day, I’m reminded of a remarkable man who was my teacher at St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary: Father Alexander Schmemann. Father Schmemann of blessed memory celebrated his last Thanksgiving on November 24th, 1983. Less than three weeks later he passed on to eternity. On that Thanksgiving Day he celebrated the Liturgy at the …
Ancient Answers 