STRIVING UPWARDS
I shall never forget the remarkable words about truth spoken by the simple Himalayan mountaineer Tensing, the Sherpa who climbed Everest with [the New Zealander] Hillary. He said that we must approach mountains with reverence, and God in the same way. Indeed mountains demand a certain mindset in order to grasp their magnificence and their beauty. Truth lies hidden from people who rush at it without reverence, who set out unprepared, disregarding the dangers, precipices and crevasses.
It is the mark of human history to strive upwards. You may well object: think how many steps there have been leading downwards. Yes, of course; at first glance there are more steps leading downwards; more people who have fallen and rolled down into the abyss. But the important thing is that human beings have all the same kept attempting to climb to this summit above the clouds, and the greatness of humanity lies in the fact that people have the capacity to reach the peaks of intellectual and spiritual contemplation, to reach what Pushkin called "the neighborhood of God.
"Human beings have two countries, two homelands. One is our own country, that place where each of us was born and grew up. But the other is that hidden world of the spirit which the eye may not see and the ear may not hear but where, by our nature, we belong. We are children of the earth and at the same time visitors to it...and contact with God is possible...
Christ calls people to bring the divine ideal to reality.
Father Alexander Men
Christianity for the Twenty-first Century
lecture given September 8, 1990 - the night before he was murdered
Russian version published in 1992
English translation from:
Christianity for the Twenty-first Century: The Prophetic Writings of Fr. Alexander Men
Edited by Elizabeth Roberts and Ann Shukman
Pages 181,183 & 185 Continuum Publishing, New York - 1996
022709
*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*
"A Little Spiritual Help" is for
HEALING LIFE, DEEPENING FAITH,
ENRICHING PRACTICE, and REFRESHING SPIRIT http://groups.yahoo.com/group/spiritualhelp/
Subscribe: spiritualhelp-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
also on Facebook
2010-07-22
THE SPIRITUAL JOURNEY
THE SPIRITUAL JOURNEY
Theosis, the transformation of the individual person into the closest possible union with God, is likely to occur towards the final stages of the spiritual journey. Repentance, on the other hand, is not only the initial stage of the spiritual journey, but also the path itself. It is the development of a way of repentance that most of us have the most to learn, and about which the Church has most to say. Repentance is a constant theme in the services of the church, in Holy Scripture, and in the teachings and discussions of the patristic authors. It is the first word of the Forerunner's message, and the last earthly act of the thief hanging on the cross beside the Savior. Repentance is the summary of prayer and sacrament, the act in which all human beings are beginners, all are equal.
Since everything we have and everything we are is a gift from God, repentance is one of the few genuine offerings that a person can make. Each person is free to make an offering of repentance to God, in return He agrees to participate in the transformation of that person.
It hardly needs to be said that in repentance it is the aim to change oneself, not to change the rest of the world or to change the mind of God...
It is not possible to repent on behalf of another person. Naturally, this makes the process [of repentance] very different from the expected behavior of individuals or groups of individuals (up to and including entire nations) that tend to set about solving problems by changing the rest of the world first...
It is God, not the individual, who is in charge. It is the individual, not God, who needs to change.
Father Meletios Webber
Steps of Transformation
Pages 93-94, Conciliar Press, Ben Lomond, California - 2003
022509
*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*
"A Little Spiritual Help" is for
HEALING LIFE, DEEPENING FAITH,
ENRICHING PRACTICE, and REFRESHING SPIRIT http://groups.yahoo.com/group/spiritualhelp/
Subscribe: spiritualhelp-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
also on Facebook
Theosis, the transformation of the individual person into the closest possible union with God, is likely to occur towards the final stages of the spiritual journey. Repentance, on the other hand, is not only the initial stage of the spiritual journey, but also the path itself. It is the development of a way of repentance that most of us have the most to learn, and about which the Church has most to say. Repentance is a constant theme in the services of the church, in Holy Scripture, and in the teachings and discussions of the patristic authors. It is the first word of the Forerunner's message, and the last earthly act of the thief hanging on the cross beside the Savior. Repentance is the summary of prayer and sacrament, the act in which all human beings are beginners, all are equal.
Since everything we have and everything we are is a gift from God, repentance is one of the few genuine offerings that a person can make. Each person is free to make an offering of repentance to God, in return He agrees to participate in the transformation of that person.
It hardly needs to be said that in repentance it is the aim to change oneself, not to change the rest of the world or to change the mind of God...
It is not possible to repent on behalf of another person. Naturally, this makes the process [of repentance] very different from the expected behavior of individuals or groups of individuals (up to and including entire nations) that tend to set about solving problems by changing the rest of the world first...
It is God, not the individual, who is in charge. It is the individual, not God, who needs to change.
Father Meletios Webber
Steps of Transformation
Pages 93-94, Conciliar Press, Ben Lomond, California - 2003
022509
*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*
"A Little Spiritual Help" is for
HEALING LIFE, DEEPENING FAITH,
ENRICHING PRACTICE, and REFRESHING SPIRIT http://groups.yahoo.com/group/spiritualhelp/
Subscribe: spiritualhelp-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
also on Facebook
SPIRITUAL GUIDANCE
SPIRITUAL GUIDANCE
The spiritual struggle of a Christian has never been easy. He has to contend not only against the obvious temptations of the world and against the corruption in himself, not only "against flesh and blood, but against...the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places." (Eph. 6:12)
In addition to the decisive support which participation in the life of the Church offers him, he is comforted by the knowledge that there exists a "great cloud of witnesses," those who have already been through the same struggles and know how to advise and encourage people who follow their footsteps. The spiritual experience of numerous ascetics is contained is crystallized form in the writings of the Fathers. We can draw on their spiritual life, as is the case in our time.
Humble enjoyment of the teachings of the Fathers, whether in the monastic cell of an elder or through books, is a basic part of Orthodox [Christian] devotional life.
Archbishop Paul of Finland
The Faith We Hold
Page 26, St. Vladimir's Seminary Press, New York - 1980
022009
*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*
"A Little Spiritual Help" is for
HEALING LIFE, DEEPENING FAITH,
ENRICHING PRACTICE, and REFRESHING SPIRIT http://groups.yahoo.com/group/spiritualhelp/
Subscribe: spiritualhelp-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
also on Facebook
The spiritual struggle of a Christian has never been easy. He has to contend not only against the obvious temptations of the world and against the corruption in himself, not only "against flesh and blood, but against...the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places." (Eph. 6:12)
In addition to the decisive support which participation in the life of the Church offers him, he is comforted by the knowledge that there exists a "great cloud of witnesses," those who have already been through the same struggles and know how to advise and encourage people who follow their footsteps. The spiritual experience of numerous ascetics is contained is crystallized form in the writings of the Fathers. We can draw on their spiritual life, as is the case in our time.
Humble enjoyment of the teachings of the Fathers, whether in the monastic cell of an elder or through books, is a basic part of Orthodox [Christian] devotional life.
Archbishop Paul of Finland
The Faith We Hold
Page 26, St. Vladimir's Seminary Press, New York - 1980
022009
*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*
"A Little Spiritual Help" is for
HEALING LIFE, DEEPENING FAITH,
ENRICHING PRACTICE, and REFRESHING SPIRIT http://groups.yahoo.com/group/spiritualhelp/
Subscribe: spiritualhelp-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
also on Facebook
THE INDESCRIBABLE BALM
THE INDESCRIBABLE BALM
My Beloved, I thank you and praise God from all my heart for that Great Redeemer and Savior, Who is always compassionate with us, and does not deal with us according to our numerous sins, nor punishes us with respect to our trespasses.
I am very pleased that nothing in the world can trouble or upset me, for I take refuge in the impregnable fortress, inside the safe shelter. I am reassured in the bosom of His mercies. At all times, I have continuous flow of comfort and blessing.
The Lord's grace flutters its wings and casts away any trouble or sadness, and heals the heart with its indescribable balm. Oh, how sweet it is to feel this in your heart, as He eliminates the cares of the world. He helps to strengthen and speed man through his struggle. No one can withstand the trials without His care or power.
Our forefathers compared this Grace with a mother teaching her child to walk. She stands at a distance from him and when she feels that he is about to fall, she hurries to him, embraces him and wipes away every tear from his eyes. That is the way God's Grace deals with man.
Amid his struggles, God's Grace distances itself a little, to train him to walk in the path of virtue. But, when he is sad, troubled or discouraged, He hurries to comfort and encourage him.
How great and abundant are the mercies and blessings God gave man to enjoy. We pray and entreat God to always give us these blessings and keep us in His faith, and help us disregard worldly matters and concentrate on His blessings alone. He is capable of everything.
Saint Pope Kyrollos the Sixth
Christian Behavior
Pages 68-70, St. Mina Monastery Press, Cairo, Egypt - 2000
021809
*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*
"A Little Spiritual Help" is for
HEALING LIFE, DEEPENING FAITH,
ENRICHING PRACTICE, and REFRESHING SPIRIT http://groups.yahoo.com/group/spiritualhelp/
Subscribe: spiritualhelp-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
also on Facebook
My Beloved, I thank you and praise God from all my heart for that Great Redeemer and Savior, Who is always compassionate with us, and does not deal with us according to our numerous sins, nor punishes us with respect to our trespasses.
I am very pleased that nothing in the world can trouble or upset me, for I take refuge in the impregnable fortress, inside the safe shelter. I am reassured in the bosom of His mercies. At all times, I have continuous flow of comfort and blessing.
The Lord's grace flutters its wings and casts away any trouble or sadness, and heals the heart with its indescribable balm. Oh, how sweet it is to feel this in your heart, as He eliminates the cares of the world. He helps to strengthen and speed man through his struggle. No one can withstand the trials without His care or power.
Our forefathers compared this Grace with a mother teaching her child to walk. She stands at a distance from him and when she feels that he is about to fall, she hurries to him, embraces him and wipes away every tear from his eyes. That is the way God's Grace deals with man.
Amid his struggles, God's Grace distances itself a little, to train him to walk in the path of virtue. But, when he is sad, troubled or discouraged, He hurries to comfort and encourage him.
How great and abundant are the mercies and blessings God gave man to enjoy. We pray and entreat God to always give us these blessings and keep us in His faith, and help us disregard worldly matters and concentrate on His blessings alone. He is capable of everything.
Saint Pope Kyrollos the Sixth
Christian Behavior
Pages 68-70, St. Mina Monastery Press, Cairo, Egypt - 2000
021809
*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*
"A Little Spiritual Help" is for
HEALING LIFE, DEEPENING FAITH,
ENRICHING PRACTICE, and REFRESHING SPIRIT http://groups.yahoo.com/group/spiritualhelp/
Subscribe: spiritualhelp-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
also on Facebook
MASTERY AND MYSTERY
MASTERY AND MYSTERY
In our relation to nature, we have to walk the precarious path and live in the difficult rhythm between mystery and mastery. It is not technology and theology or science and theology that need to be reconciled. It is rather these two attitudes - mastery and mystery - which have to be held in tension.
Our mastery of the universe is like the mastery of our bodies; it is not that we may have it for our own use, but that we may give nature, as our extended body, into the hands of the loving God in the great mystery of the eucharistic self-offering. This is the mystery of the cross. Christ gave himself, with humanity and nature, to God, in self-denying love, and thereby saved humanity and nature. It is in that eternal act of sacrifice and love that we too are called upon to participate.
Technology is the way of humanizing the world of matter in time-space, and thereby of extending the human body to envelop the whole universe. But that humanizing and extension, if it is to be salvific, must find its proper culmination in man's offering of himself and the universe to God in love. A secular technology of mastery of nature for oneself is the "original" sin, of dethroning God, and claiming mastery for the sake of indulging our own cupidity, avarice, and greed.
The mastery of nature must be held within the mystery of worship. Otherwise we lose both mastery and mystery.
Metropolitan Paulos Mar Gregorios
The Human Presence: Ecological Spirituality and the Age of the Spirit
Page 93, Amity House, New York 1987
First Published by the World Council of Churches 1978
021309
*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*
"A Little Spiritual Help" is for
HEALING LIFE, DEEPENING FAITH,
ENRICHING PRACTICE, and REFRESHING SPIRIT http://groups.yahoo.com/group/spiritualhelp/
Subscribe: spiritualhelp-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
also on Facebook
In our relation to nature, we have to walk the precarious path and live in the difficult rhythm between mystery and mastery. It is not technology and theology or science and theology that need to be reconciled. It is rather these two attitudes - mastery and mystery - which have to be held in tension.
Our mastery of the universe is like the mastery of our bodies; it is not that we may have it for our own use, but that we may give nature, as our extended body, into the hands of the loving God in the great mystery of the eucharistic self-offering. This is the mystery of the cross. Christ gave himself, with humanity and nature, to God, in self-denying love, and thereby saved humanity and nature. It is in that eternal act of sacrifice and love that we too are called upon to participate.
Technology is the way of humanizing the world of matter in time-space, and thereby of extending the human body to envelop the whole universe. But that humanizing and extension, if it is to be salvific, must find its proper culmination in man's offering of himself and the universe to God in love. A secular technology of mastery of nature for oneself is the "original" sin, of dethroning God, and claiming mastery for the sake of indulging our own cupidity, avarice, and greed.
The mastery of nature must be held within the mystery of worship. Otherwise we lose both mastery and mystery.
Metropolitan Paulos Mar Gregorios
The Human Presence: Ecological Spirituality and the Age of the Spirit
Page 93, Amity House, New York 1987
First Published by the World Council of Churches 1978
021309
*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*
"A Little Spiritual Help" is for
HEALING LIFE, DEEPENING FAITH,
ENRICHING PRACTICE, and REFRESHING SPIRIT http://groups.yahoo.com/group/spiritualhelp/
Subscribe: spiritualhelp-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
also on Facebook
2010-07-21
some thoughts on prayer
SOME THOUGHTS ON PRAYER
Prayer is not form, it is function.
It is not posture, it is relation.
However, proper posture and proper form give prayer more profound function and deeper relationship.
One cannot know this until one has made the effort.
We will put effort into how and when we pray only after an honest appraisal of our distance from God and our lack communication with Him during the activities of our day-to-day life. These problem in our relationship with God become evident in times of sorrow and struggle.
"Lord, teach us to pray" is a request that reveals the Lord's prayer in the scriptures. In Holy Qurbana (liturgy), the priest announces the congregation's willingness to be taught the fullness of the Lord's prayer, by asking God:
- to open our mouths and our lips
- to cleanse our bodies and our souls
- purify our hearts and our minds
- so that we may invoke Thee and Pray to Thee, saying:
Our Father...
Why do you bow down before the altar?
1. that is what in the book instructions (rubrics) - obedience
2. that is what I need to do for proper worship and prayer - humility
3. this is my proper position before God - honesty
4. I need to present myself before God for His mercy on us all - sacrifice
Humbly written and submitted by a servant for edification and spiritual development.
Fr John Brian
Holy Transfiguration Mission
Madison, Wisconsin
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)