Dear Friends and spiritual children in Christ,

I was praying for you and I offer three of my poor poems in humility for your strengthening! Two of them are directly related to the Feast of the Transfiguration on 6th. the first for spiritual sons (and daughters).

But first some words from St Porphyrios:

“Whoever wants to become a Christian must first become a poet. That’s what it is! You must suffer. You must love and suffer–suffer for the one you love. Love makes effort for the loved one. She runs all through the night; she stays awake; she stains her feet with blood in order to meet her beloved. She makes sacrifices and disregards all impediments, threats, and difficulties for the sake of the loved one. Love towards Christ is something even higher, infinitely higher.

And when we say ‘love’, we don’t mean the virtues that we will acquire, but the heart that is pervaded by love towards Christ and others. We need to turn everything in this direction. Do we see a mother with her child in her arms and bending to give the child a kiss, her heart overflowing with emotion? Do we notice how her face lights up as she holds her little angel? These things do not escape a person with love of God. He sees them and is impressed by them and he says, ‘If only I had those emotions towards my God, towards my Holy Lady and our saints!’ Look, that’s how we must love Christ our God. You desire it, you want it, and with the grace of God you acquire it.”

― Saint Porphyrios, “Wounded by love “
 
The Kite

John 3:8 “The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

Look upward to the sky

And allow your wings to fly

Upon the glorious breath of God

In the sunrise of your youth.

Soar swiftly with an eagle’s strength,

Measure the height, breadth, depth and length.

Reach heavenward, dear son by the sacramental

strings on earth,

Hold firm to the lifeline and anchor of new birth.

Let the Holy Spirit lift you high

And allow your wings to fly

Upon the glorious breath of God

In the sunrise of your youth.

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Amma Syncletica said, “In the beginning there are a great many battles and a good deal of suffering for those who are advancing towards God and, afterwards, ineffable joy. It is like those who wish to light a fire. At first they are choked with smoke and cry, until they obtain what they seek. As it is written, “Our God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:24); so we also must kindle the divine fire in ourselves through tears and hard work.”

The Transfiguration

Mark 9:2 “Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James and John and led them up on a high mountain apart by themselves; and he was transfigured before them.”

Possess your soul with patience,

Let the seasons bear their own time.

Lighten your heart with love,

For passion beats to an uncertain pulse.

Provide your mind with peace

Since idle imagination is a deadly weapon.

Still your tongue with silence

So that you may allow the Word to speak to you.

Open your hands to offerings

In order to give generously and to receive gracefully.

Guard your eyes with goodness

To become a pupil of Light.

Place your feet in poverty.

That you may walk in the way of the saints.

Feed your stomach with friendship

So that you may nourish and sustain the lonely.

Breathe into your nostrils the air of beauty

For the Holy Spirit gives life to the canvass of creation

Humble your ears to holiness

That you may become deaf to the whispers of pride.

Wash your skin with wisdom

That you may be clean from the accretions of the world.

Commend your life to Christ

So that you may be transfigured into His likeness.

“My soul, seek the Only One . . . My soul, you have no part with the earth; for you are from heaven. You are the image of God: seek your First Image. For like strives after like. Each object finds its rest in its centre and element — fish in water, fire in its upward movement everything strives to its centre. My soul, you are
an immaterial spirit, immortal. . . In Him alone you will find your rest.”

St. Tikhon of Voronezh

Changed

Luke 9:29: 

“As He prayed, the appearance of His face was altered and His robe became white and glistening.”

They ascended Tabor’s mountain heights, to contemplate and pray,

But Peter James and John, the friends, had a revelation on that day.

Blazing glory in the flesh of Christ, they saw the uncreated Light

Which was hidden for a season, now clear within their sight.

Blinding, glistening, ultra- white was the appearance of His face,

The splendour of the Godhead could be seen within our race.

Moses and Elijah from of old appeared full bright within the cloud,

Peter said  “Let’s  build three booths, if we are allowed!?”

He was silenced by the Father’s voice and filled with holy fear.

The friends shine in glory now like Christ and with Him appear

In heaven: the blessed communion is transferred to us on earth

To help us scale the heights of Tabor and to aid our spiritual birth.

May we indeed acquire the Spirit and grow into the likeness of the Son

May we be changed to shine like Him, and them, when our earthly course is run.

Abba Pachomius said, 

”A sinner like me does not ask God that he will see visions, for that is against His will and wrong. Hear all the same about a great miracle: if you see a man pure and humble, that is a great vision; for what is greater than such a vision, to see the invisible God in His temple, a visible man?”

With love and prayers