Category Archives: Fasts and Feasts

My Twelve Days of Christmas — Part B

New Year 2024

My spiritual father’s wish for the New Year: “Hope for the New Year is a gift from God along with faith and love. We should embrace these graces; we will be blessed as peacemakers and become wise if we love His Commandments.”

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Jan 2 +Seraphim the Wonderworker of Sarov

May the holy one pray for us. Back to home, work, hospital/ emergency rooms, crises, implosions, explosions, yet with more hope. Theophany is at the end of this long, dark tunnel. Glory to God!

“You cannot be too gentle, too kind. Shun even to appear harsh in your treatment of each other. Joy, radiant joy, streams from the face of one who gives and kindles joy in the heart of one who receives.” St Seraphim of Sarov — If only I could interact like this with some difficult family members!

*One of our friends K. who was in hospital and 3 times came near death, got back home! When his mind was in a haze in hospital, and he thought he was at work and gave orders to his employees, and he would not recognise even family members, yet when they prayed the Trisagion, he made his cross! And when one of the doctors was explaining to family members how that particular treatment brought him back to life, the unconscious K. corrected him and told him that it was not that medicine but God who had brought him back! And then, he returned to his coma!

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Jan 3 + The finding of the Holy Relics of St. Ephraim in N. Makri, Attica (1950) + Alexandros Papadiamandis Repose

Cleaning, tidying, cooking, skype prayer sessions, lots of telephone calls and Papadiamandis, the Saint of Greek literature! Papadiamandis’ desire to glorify God is shown even more in the way he ended his life and in his attitude toward death. In a prayer he offered at the end of a poem entitled, “To the Little Panagia in the Turret,” he beseeches her, “comfort me, as well, my Panagia, before / I depart and will be no more.” In a letter written by Papa-George Rigas, we learn about the last moments of Papadiamandis’s life on Earth:

His repose took place as follows: He became ill on the 29th of November 1910. On the third day of his illness, he fainted. When he revived, he asked, “What happened to me?” “It’s nothing, a small fainting spell,” his three brothers who were at his side told him. “I haven’t fainted,” Alexandros said, “in so many years; doesn’t it seem that it’s a prelude to my repose? Get the priest immediately and don’t delay.”… Soon after, having been called [by his brothers], the priest and the doctor arrived at the same time. Papadiamandis was, above all things…a pious Christian. So, as soon as he saw the doctor, he asked him, “What are you doing here?” “I came to see you,” the doctor told him. “Keep quiet,” the sick man told him. “I will first follow the ecclesiastical path [and call upon the help of God], and then you can come later.”…

Papadiamandis death bed in his cell

He had control of his faculties until the end and wanted to write a story. Until the end, his mind was dedicated to God. On his own, a few hours before his repose, he called for the priest to come so he could partake of Holy Communion. “Perhaps later on I won’t be able to swallow!” he explained. It was the eve of his repose and, as irony would have it, it was the day they told him that he would receive the medal of the Cross of the Savior. On the eve of his repose, the second of January, he said, “Light a candle [and] bring me an [ecclesiastical] book.” The candle was lit. The book was about to be brought. However, Papadiamandis wearily said, “Don’t worry about the book; tonight I will sing whatever I remember by heart.” And he began to chant in a trembling voice, “Thy Hand Touching” [a troparion from the 9 the Hour of the eve of Theophany].

Papadiamandis sang this final hymn and, as day broke between the second and third of January of his sixtieth year, he wearily fell asleep. After passing through the furnace of pain and trials and tasting many of the bitter dregs of life while faithfully living the liturgical life of the Church, he now stretched out his strong wings to fly to the upper chapel of the angels, toward which he had oriented his whole life. It snowed on the following day and, like Uncle Yiannios in the story, “Love in the Snow,” Papadiamandis lay down his worn-out body, presenting himself, his life, and his work before the Judge, the Ancient of Days, the Thrice-Holy. This was, finally, the only judgment with which he was concerned as he passed through life. Though his life and struggle in this world have ended, his work will continue to give witness to his devotion to the liturgical tradition of the Orthodox Church for generations to come.

More about this ‘Saint’ of Greek literature in A Greek Dostoyevski

The Gleaner, A Christmas Story by Papadiamandis

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Jan 4 + Forefeast of the Theophany of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, St. Nikiforos the leper

Theophany carols to cancer hospitals, spastics society and autistic foundation centres.

Jan 5 + Eve of the Theophany of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ

Vespers Holy Liturgy in church and the visit of our new Bishop Philotheos. Such a humble and full of God’s love this Bishop he is! He discreetly emerged from the Royal Doors and joined us, chanting and blessing us- no special ceremony! Such a beautiful, brief homily and chanting! May the Lord richly bless him! We all wanted to stay all day, every day, with him!

More photos here

Jan 6 + The Theophany of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ- The Blessing of Jordan

Church service, blessing of waters at the Thessaloniki harbour, blessing of our house by the parish priest and lots of telephone calls from dear brothers and sisters, Glory to God! Turning point to this descent to Hades! Epiphany! Ascent to Heavens!

1917, Blessing of waters in Thessaloniki harbour, same location with 2024

Meanwhile, somewhere in the UK …

The blessing of Jordan

The brightness of Theophany

Jan 7 — Synaxis of John the Holy Glorious Prophet, Baptist, & Forerunner, Afterfeast of the Theophany of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus

SAINT JOHN THE FORERUNNER AND BAPTIST

Thirty years of fasting and silence–

This, not even the mountain beasts can endure!

The lion alleviates his hunger with the music of roaring,

And the tree rustles when the wind approaches.

But you neither rustle, nor moan.

Neither your lament nor your song through the wilderness echoes!

Tell me, are you a man? What is your name?

Will you ever want to speak with someone?

“The voice, the voice, the voice: I am the voice–

But the Word of God, He is.

To the children of Israel I was sent to cry out:

Repent, O people; behold, He comes.

Bring forth good fruit, each according to your strength.

Behold, behold He comes–oh, wonder of wonders!

In the midst of the water, fire from heaven is concealed!

Behold, the Lamb of God, among the wolves, walks.

Wolves, your lupine temper in the water, cleanse!”

Thirty years of silence and fasting:

Of your body, what remains, save your voice?

Your withered body is but a shadow of your voice,

Which proclaims the news: Behold, God is come to us!

Your withered body was a reed, which Herod broke.

But the voice goes on and on, with no one to silence it.

Whose voice is that, at which even the centuries tremble?

A hungry lion! No, No–a man of faith.

The Prologue from Ochrid

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Και του Χρόνου!

By C.

My Twelve Days of Christmas — Part A

Dec 24 — Eve of the Nativity of Christ, Eugenia the Righteous Nun-martyr of Rome and those with her

Suddenly our friend D. is in hospital, and soon in intensive care. Agony, heartache and a complete mess at work.

Dec 25 — THE NATIVITY OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST

Thank God, we made it to church and received Holy Communion. Only our Christmas meal got cancelled as our hosts got down with the flu. So we brought them chicken soup, exchanged presents and wishes in the balcony, and spent the remainder of the day in hesychia.

Dec 26 — SYNAXIS OF THE HOLY THEOTOKOS

Thank God, an invitation from dear brothers and sisters from the Metochion of St. George to rescue us from our ‘lockdown’. These days are difficult when you are alone or together with difficult family members. The meal, the company and the carols were a great blessing despite the little temptation on our way when both of our back tyres got flat/ punctured (a neighbour’s prank) and we had to call road assistance etc.

The greatest blessing of all was our hostess, A., a widow and a valiant Christian soul. When that car hit her husband’s car, cut him half and left him paralysed from the waist down, she bore bravely the Cross for 10, even more, years, becoming the pillar of her family, until her husband reposed in the Lord, supporting her orphan young boy. This day brought me even closer to dear A., and I am sure I can learn a lot how one should live, just by being next to her and observing her.

Dec 27 — STEPHEN, ARCHDEACON & FIRST MARTYR

Back to work and hospital/ doctors check about D. Thankfully, lots of chanting rehearsals too.

Dec 28–20, 000 Martyrs burned in Nicomedia, Simon the Myrrhbearer, Founder of Simonopetra, Monastery of Mount Athos, Afterfeast of the Nativity

Dec 29–14,000 infants (Holy Innocents) slain by Herod in Bethlehem

St. Anysia’s relics

The evening at St Demetrius’ church, in front of St. Anysia’s relics, was a blessing words cannot describe. The choir’s hymns were celestial.

Look at this little Romanian pilgrim venerating the Saint! Isn’t she beautiful?! She is real!

Dec 30 — Anysia the Virgin-martyr of Thessaloniki

Christmas carols to local charity stores, hospitals, orphanages etc, with St George Metochion choir of all the faithful. Father Deacon Nephon on the right (2.17 m tall) is the heart and soul of all our activities, and such a help and consolation in our lives!

The highlight of the visit was, of course, Konstantina, a little girl, suffering from a range of diseases, kidney failure to terminal cancer, pleading God, as Fr. Deacon Nephon told us, to end her life as she could take no more suffering. We sang carols to her, offered her presents and lit a birthday cake.

This tour to hospitals and orphanages made me realise how little I am suffering bearing my own Cross, whereas I believe that my burden is sooo heavy. Little did I know!

Later in the afternoon, we drive to Serres to spend the weekend and New Year’s Day together with dear friends. Such a blessing again not to be left alone these days. These Christmas blues … But it seems that we can never have enough of hospitals these days. Three hours after our arrival, V.’ mother nearly collapsed and we had to take her to Serres’ hospital. We spent a long vigil there until 03:30, but thank God, although she had to stay in hospital, her condition was stabilised.

Dec 31 —Apodosis of the Nativity of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, Melania the Younger, Nun of Rome, 

I barely made it to church in the morning with just three hours sleep, and then slept most of the day after we got back. We welcomed the New Year in church, in a vigil, and it was the first time in my life that while we were on our way to Holy Communion, we could hear all the fireworks and celebrations outside. The vigil took place in a beautiful, new church, dedicated to St. Spyridon.

I forgot to mention that in the evening of Dec 30, right after our arrival in Serres, Father Ioustinos from Jacob’s Well in Jerusalem, 83 years young, called me, after so many years, and together with his news, he offered to make an icon, possibly of St Spyridon!!!

Jan 1–Circumcision of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Basil the Great, Archbishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia

Today, we made a pilgrimage to the monastery of St. John the Forerunner in Serres.

This is a monastery I have visited in the past, but this time our friend V. led me inside a hidden chapel-within- the-chapel from 1270! Of course, it was dedicated to St Spyridon!

Nature was so beautiful outside and everywhere little chapels awaited us to be discovered.

By C.

To be continued …

A blessed 2024

THE GATE OF THE YEAR

‘God Knows’

And I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year:

“Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown”.

And he replied:

“Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the Hand of God.

That shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way”.

So I went forth, and finding the Hand of God, trod gladly into the night.

And He led me towards the hills and the breaking of day in the lone East.

So heart be still:

What need our little life

Our human life to know,

If God hath comprehension?

In all the dizzy strife

Of things both high and low,

God hideth His intention.

God knows. His will

Is best. The stretch of years

Which wind ahead, so dim

To our imperfect vision,

Are clear to God. Our fears

Are premature; In Him,

All time hath full provision.

Then rest: until

God moves to lift the veil

From our impatient eyes,

When, as the sweeter features

Of Life’s stern face we hail,

Fair beyond all surmise

God’s thought around His creatures

Our mind shall fill.

Minnie Louise Haskins, British poet and academic

Christ is Born!

*Tiny English subtitles on top 🙂

Dear Fathers and MOTHER’s, brothers and sisters in Christ,

Χριστός ᾽Ετέχθη! Αληθώς ᾽Ετέχθη! Christ is Born! Truly, He is Born!

Christ is born, Glorify Him!


Please accept my warm greetings for the Feast of the Nativity.

May our hearts become a Holy Manger and the Holy Babe of Bethlehem grant us all his blessings! (St Paisios’ prayer)


On this Feast of the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ in the flesh, I extend my love and poor prayers in Christ.
In dearest Father Jonathan’s words, “Let us remember in our prayers and through actions, the poor, the lonely, the oppressed, the sick, the housebound, those in prison, all exiles from their land, and those who suffer in war.”


“When God comes to us,
May the joy of the archangels be yours,

May the wisdom of the wise men be yours,

May the watchfulness of the shepherds be yours,

May the contemplation of Joseph be yours,

May the humility of the oxen and donkey be yours,

May the brightness of the stars be yours,

May the love of the Holy Virgin be yours,

May the peace of the Christ Child be yours.

Today the earth gives a cave. Today the heavens give a sign!

Today the Magi offer gifts

Today the angels glorify in praise

Today the shepherds hear the proclamation

Today we offer our hearts”


“We worship thy Nativity O ChristShow us also Thy Divine Theophany”
Eν Χριστώ

THE HOLY SPIRIT AND SPARROWS

parrows3parrows4

“And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.” How much Love is hidden in this laconic, “modest” statement in Genesis 1:2! “And suddenly a sound came like the rush of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And all began to speak in other tongues, other doctrines, other teachings, of the Holy Spirit.” (Great Vespers of Pentecost). How lofty is the Holy Spirit’s descent in fiery tongues at the foundation of the Church! How different Pentecost is to Creation, and yet, it is the same vital outpouring of the Holy Spirit from the Lord, the Giver of Life.
“Beside them will the birds of the heaven lodge, from the midst of the rocks will they give voice.” (Psalm 103:12) Oh, and what a voice! Our balcony is perched on the 5th floor of a neighbourhood full of plane trees. I am lulled to sleep to the trill of nightingales when all other birds shush; I wake up to the chirping of swallows, warblers, swifts, sobre tits, collared doves, chickadees, tit-mice and crows … even if in a city. Branches reach out to our balcony handrail and literally hug our oleanders, jasmine and honeysuckle. I have always loved birds, any bird really, but I have always had a special fondness for sparrows.
“There will the sparrows make their nests; the house of the heron is chief among them. ” (Psalm 103:17) Recently, while in lockdown, I made up my mind to seek “company” in our neighbourhood. I placed a feeding dish on the floor of our balcony and put seed, grains and rice on its ledge. I also put another dish by its side, full of water, as Greek spring tends to get too hot and dry. A large pot of fully-grown oleander was strategically placed by their side. And I waited …
“All things wait on Thee, to give them their food in due season; when Thou givest it them, they will gather it.” (Psalm 103:27). To my disappointment, the first week or so nothing happened. Absolutely nothing, as if my plates were invisible even to branches that outreached towards them, touched them. But then, soon enough, a first visitor arrived, only to bring another one and another … To my excitement, my visitors were mostly sparrows, as this corner is a bit narrow for any bigger bird really to squeeze in. How moving was it to see the response of the sparrows to my care and how fast did they bring others to the feast! Just like the All-Holy Spirit empowered the apostles to bring others to the Feast in the Kingdom of Heaven. Indeed, was it not “the Holy Spirit [himself which] descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him”? (Luke 3:22).
“When Thou openest Thy hand, all things shall be filled with goodness”(Psalm 103: 28) Soon, I would work on my laptop but could not resist, now and then, to peep out, across our living room french doors: my tiny feathered friends outside were joyfully eating, jumping from one oleander branch to another, playing and bathing. How much did they enjoy the sunshine, how carefree were they and what a musical noise did they always make! In no less than another week, those tiny creatures, which were too tiny even for the palm of my hand, began to depend on me for their food, and I felt responsible for them. I noticed that whenever absorbed in my papers, I forgot to replenish their food, they would still arrive and sit in the middle of their empty plate and stare at me in disappointment.
“Thou wilt send forth Thy Spirit, and they shall be created; and Thou shalt renew the face of the earth.” (Psalm 103:30) My heart melts with joy just to watch them no doubt sing praises to our Lord. If I, sinful as I am, have such love and com-passion for those tiny creatures, how much more does our Lord care for them? “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care.” Amazing! And what a joy and comfort to hear from our Lord’s infallible lips that “even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” (Matthew 10:29-31)
“Likewise the Spirit also helps our weakness: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought but the Spirit himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” (Romans 8:26). I have always felt the Holy Spirit a bit elusive and enigmatic as the third person of the Holy Trinity. So essential, so powerful, and yet so mysterious! St. Seraphim of Sarov revealed to Motovilov that the true aim of our Christian life is the acquisition of the Holy Spirit. As for fasts, and vigils, and prayer, and almsgiving, and every good deed done because of Christ, they are only means of acquiring the Holy Spirit.
“Did ye receive the Holy Spirit?” (Acts 19:2) What a question that of Paul to the Ephesian
disciples to answer! Isn’t it really asked of every one of us? Is it enough to answer: I have received the mystery or sacrament of the Spirit after my Baptism, when I was anointed with the Holy Chrism? Or does all this go deeper? Lev Gillet thinks that the real question we have to answer is whether and how this seed of the Spirit has been afterwards developed within the soul.
“Heavenly King, O Comforter, the Spirit of truth, … O treasury of every good thing and Bestower of life” Such a vital outpouring of the Holy Spirit from the Lord, the Giver of Life, even for … sparrows. The Holy Spirit is a breath a wind, may this breath direct us where He wills. “Come and dwell in us, and cleanse us from every stain, and save our souls, O Good One. Αmen”

Christ has Ascended!

20200527_141610

Dear Friends in Christ,

The Icon was painted on glass by Georgiana Necula, the flowers were given today by one of the sisters of the Parish and the icon stand drape was a curtain embroidered by my grandmother in the 1930s.

20200527_142025

“Leaving the things of earth upon the earth, and surrendering to the earth things of ashes, come, let us come to our senses and raise our eyes and thoughts on high; let us, O mortals, turn our gaze together with the senses up unto the heavenly gates. Let us consider ourselves present at the Mount of Olives, and gaze intently at the Redeemer Who is riding upon a cloud; for the Lord hath hastened up from there into the heavens. And there the bountiful Giver of gifts distributed gifts unto His Apostles, calling to them as a Father, and strengthening them; He guided them like sons and said unto them: I am not separated from you; I am with you, and no one shall be against you.” (OIKOS FOR THE ASCENSION)

Christ is in our midst

A Joyous Pustinnyk

Reflections on the Sunday of the Myrrh Bearing Women

Freedom concept

ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 6:1-7

… “it is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. Therefore, brethren, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint to this duty. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” 

MARK 15:43-47; 16:1-8

“… and he rolled a stone against the door of the tomb. …  “Who will roll away the stone for us from the door of the tomb?” And looking up, they saw that the stone was rolled back; for it was very large. “

“Who will roll away the stone for us from the door of the tomb?” This is the question that the holy women myrrh bearers were considering as they made their way to anoint the body of Our Lord in accordance with the funerary rites. The tomb of our Lord was sealed. Who will roll away the stone….is a question which we should consider today? For today there are tombs of indifference towards Our Lord- for the unbeliever, He remains buried in history. We must not leave Christ in the sepulchre but bring His Light out to the people and share the message of the Resurrection.

It is this very point that the first disciples were considering as we read in the Acts of the Apostles.

“it is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. Therefore, brethren, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint to this duty. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”

The Apostles considering the needs of the widows, orphans appointed seven deacons to administer the diaconal ministry to the poor so that they could devote themselves to prayer and the ministry of the word. The Church in her wisdom provides for both aspects of service; the spiritual and bodily needs.

We do not bury Christ in the Church but we take His message and His compassion out into the world. We see how the Church in the first century was not inward-looking at all but took the message with great zeal to the nations. The Church was missionary in outlook from the very beginning. The word Apostolic Church is self-defining and denotes those who are sent out!

We can bury Christ in the Bible unless we open it, read it, mark the words, learn the message and inwardly digest the truth for our salvation under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. The Bible is not an ornament on our bookshelves, neither is the Bible just some historical document; it is the place where we encounter the inspired word of God and where we meet the Word of God in Christ.

“Who will roll away the stone for us from the door of the tomb?”

Christ can remain buried in our minds. There are those who say: “ Oh I worship God in my own way, there is no need to go to Church!”  Such people shut Our Lord up in the tomb of their own imagination, worship Him at their own convenience and apply misguided reasoning to what constitutes faith.

There are those who are embarrassed to talk about Christ when the opportunity arises or to profess their Christian faith lest others, conforming to a more liberal, secular disposition, would see them as odd or be worse, be offended.  At such time we leave the stone sealed at the tomb!

We are in a sense to be myrrh bearers but we must ask the question “Who will roll away the stone of the tomb for us?”

“And looking up, they saw that the stone was rolled back; for it was very large.”

As the women go into the tomb they see an angel in the form of a young man who gives them the message- for that is what angels do – they give messages:

And he said to them, “Do not be amazed; you seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen, He is not here; see the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him, as he told you.”

We often find ourselves vulnerable and afraid like the myrrh bearers, but we are compelled by the love of God to become human messengers of this Gospel!

“To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements. Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket, safe, dark, motionless, airless, it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. To love is to be vulnerable.”

― C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves

We must not leave Christ buried under the concerns of worldly cares, we must roll away the stone from the tomb of our heart and soul, and open our mouth to proclaim the message of salvation: Christ is Risen!

By a Joyous Pustinnyk

The Coronavirus Diary of a Joyous Pustinik — 25

White-horse-in-the-sea-waves
Christ is Risen!

Animals have a sensitivity that is quite remarkable. I know someone who is blind who has a guide dog. The dog is not only obedient to its master and disciplined to knowing what it should do but is sensitive and even anticipating the needs of its master. It is known that a dog’s acute sense of smell is sensitive to human emotion, anxiety and depression and has the ability to detect ailments and disease. Horses too can read human facial expressions. They possess a gift that can distinguish human mood.

St. Columba his blessings and the white horse. ( part 2 of2)

The white horse which had pulled the wagon for the saint to bless the Island of Iona came to Columba and laid its head on the saint’s chest. It began to whinny and cry. It seemed to know that the saint was ill. One of the monks wanted to take the horse away but St Columba refused: “Let him alone, for he loves me. Let him pour out his tears of grief. You are a man with a rational soul….but this dumb creature, possessing no reason* has been told by the Creator Himself that I am about to leave him.”

 His World

 

Matthew 6:28: “So why do you worry about clothing?

 Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow they neither toil nor spin.”

 

 

God’s creation is too beautiful for the worldly-wise,

            It takes the simple, humble mind to stand in awe with open eyes.

The abundance of God’s goodness needs an inner sight and trained,

To wonder at His Universe requires that we have gained;

A sense of veneration for his order and his splendour.

We require a loss of pride and a willingness to surrender,

To gain discernment in our search for beauty and exercise of choice.

We need to listen carefully at that inner, still, small voice

That prompts us to select the best,

And with the angels and the saints attest,

The omnipotence of God in His creation,

The crowning of a Holy Nation,

Dedicated to participation

                    In His world.

We are indeed the stewards of this earth

Called to cherish and conserve that which is of worth.

Illuminate our sight, dear Lord, so that we may grow in grace

Mirrored for a season until we see You face to face.

Working in our clay-bound bodies, a consequence of sin

Resting rarely to consider lilies that neither toil nor spin.

The earth is far too beautiful for the worldly-wise

It takes a simple, humble heart for the soul to rise

Upwards to the heavens, inspired by love

                    For His world.

 

 

 

Amma Theodora

Amma Theodora said, ‘Let us strive to enter by the narrow gate, Just as the trees, if they have not stood before the winter’s storms cannot bear fruit, so it is with us; this present age is a storm and it is only through many trials and temptations that we can obtain an inheritance in the kingdom of heaven.’

The same Amma said that a teacher ought to be a stranger to the desire for domination, vain-glory, and pride; one should not be able to fool him by flattery, nor blind him by gifts, nor conquer him by the stomach, nor dominate him by anger; but he should be patient, gentle and humble as far as possible; he must be tested and without partisanship, full of concern, and a lover of souls

 

*The word for horse in Greek is άλογο which means non-speaking or without logic or reason.

 
 
Eν Χριστώ

A Photo Diary of Little things — 4

Bougainvillea

 Bougainvillaea: most popular especially in Chalkidiki and the islands

Bougainvillea2Bougainvillea-glabra3

Tendrils! A photo-stroll to the most popular climbers in my suburbs and a few tearful reflections at the end as to why I lately ,often feel like a forlorn tendril …

cathedral bells 7

Cathedral Bells

cathedral bells 8

Lately, in my balcony (as sadly I currently live in a big city and have access to only a narrow balcony), and in my long strolls in our suburbs, I have become fascinated with climbers. Especially with tendrils.

hop climber2

All tendrils reach out, climb over other plants to reach sunlight and twine their stems in particular directions, coiling clockwise and anti-clockwise (no one knows why). Sometimes, tendrils even use tiny grappling hooks on their stems, rather like a mountaineer’s crampons, to get a better grip on their support. 

hops climber 5

Hops

Some tendrils (eg. cathedral bells) have even claws at the end of them that fasten on to objects at the slightest touch; they’ll even hold on to your skin. Such is their need for support, to anchor on to supports. 

ivy clambers climber 6

Ivy

Other tendrils climb up steep slopes with ‘instant’ roots, sprouting out of its stems.  Yet others, I read, develop into springs, like a car suspension unit (!), to withstand the elements.

jasmin 12

Jasmin

Some tendrils are slow, but some are fast, like the passionflowers, coiling within about 20-23 seconds after touching. Grapevine tendrils, I am told,  are lined with special, thin-walled cells so they can sense a solid support more easily.

sunner beans climber 4

Beans 🙂

Such Beauty all around me! And yet, sometimes, in so many ways, I feel like a hopeless, forlorn tendril these days, reaching out but unable to be in this tight community mode I have so enjoyed in the past. I am not sure what I miss most.

sweet peas climber 13

Sweet Peas

Is it the Holy Services in the church, the Holy sacraments of which we have been deprived since our Coronavirus lockdown, especially Holy Communion? (How is it possible to celebrate Pascha without receiving Holy Communion? I am no Saint to mystically receive Our Lord in my heart as we read in the synaxaria.) Or is it the immediate fellowship of a spiritual father and brothers, as I have experienced time and again, in monastic and tightly woven parish environments, that I so terribly miss? 

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More Hop climbers

I desperately need to cling to an Elder and senior spiritual brothers. To be sure, the ultimate cling is to God. “My soul hath cleaved unto Thee” (Psalms 63:8) But I do miss obedience for all its struggles. No amount of telephone, mails and emails or digital media can offer the miracle and joy of spiritual osmosis.

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Winegrape; most common in monastery yards in Greece

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. … 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.”5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

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I have never felt more piercing in my heart these words of Our Lord in John 15, uprooted, separated, cut off, locked down, dejected, as I often, lately feel. Well, this is the closest of a Hell experience I have ever experienced in my life. A most sobering one. If after two months, I feel I can have no more, how scary such an Eternity must be. How many prayers are we to pour out for those departed ones trapped, locked down in ‘this’ Hell… How many tears are we to offer for them and our poor souls, so we do not share their destiny. May we all be saved. Your prayers

 

 

 

The Coronavirus Diary of a Joyous Pustynnik — 20

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Christ is Risen!

The Light shines in the darkness

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Some of the Epitaphios flowers are still fresh. Holy Water revives them.

 

Our enforced lock-down gives one the opportunity to call others, to send texts and forward emails. It is always lovely to hear from people, especially the ones you haven’t heard from in a long while. Amidst the sad statistics, it is good to hear pieces of good news which bring hope and encouragement as well as to share one another’s burdens. Perhaps God has given us this time to teach us patience and attentiveness; to listen more to His Word and to the words of others, to hear what the other is saying without the busyness of distraction. We should always take care of course what we hear and discern that which is good from that which is evil. The Welsh have a saying, “Gossip, is the devil’s mailbag!”

Messages lie at the very heart of the “good news” of the Gospel. We repeat in this season of Paschal Joy “Christ is Risen!” It has become a greeting as well as a proclamation.

Nettle soup (part 2)

On hearing the message that the Saint (Columba) was to eat only nettle soup, the cook was rather concerned about such a poor diet for his master. He thought to himself; “I will add some milk!” So he hollowed out the stick used for stirring soup and through it he secretly poured the milk. St Columba ate the soup and ordered that all the monks should follow his example and have this tasty soup. (Part three next time!!)

myrrh-bearing women

The Message

 

Luke 24:9 “Then they returned from the tomb and told all these things to the eleven

and to all the rest.”

 

Early in the morning with the sorrow that they shared

The women set out with the spices that they had prepared.

 

They came to the place where he was laid, the stone was rolled away

Expecting only death, they found an empty tomb at the break of day.

 

Perplexed and troubled at this scene, two angels then appeared

The women bowed their faces to the ground as they were afeared.

 

The angels in bright garments addressed the myrrh bearers and said:

“Why is it so that you seek the living among the dead?”

 

Remember how he spoke to you of how the Son of Man would die

There is no reason for your presence here, nor need for you to cry.

 

Did he not say that this would come to be at the hands of sinful men,

How he would be crucified and on the third day rise again.

 

Go proclaim the good news to the eleven and to others who will listen,

That Jesus Christ who died upon the Cross has today arisen.

 

 Glory be to the Risen Lord!

 

Faith and love which are gifts of the Holy Spirit are such great and powerful means that a person who has them can easily, and with joy and consolation, go the way Jesus Christ went. Besides this,  the Holy Spirit gives man the power to resist the delusions of the world so that although he makes use of earthly good, yet he uses them as a temporary visitor, without attaching his heart to them. But a man who has not got the Holy Spirit, despite all his learning and prudence, is always more or less a slave and worshipper of the world. 

St. Innocent of Irkutsk, Indication of the Way into the Kingdom of  Heaven. 

 

My love and poor prayers

Eν Χριστώ