In followup to yesterday’s post, 7 Thoughts on Prayer, I offer the following from Dionysius the Areopagite, Divine Names, III, 1 (PG 3,680): It may be true that the divine principle is present in every being, but not every being is present in him. We ourselves will come to dwell with him if we call on him with very holy prayers and a tranquil mind. … Continue reading Dionysius the Areopagite on Prayer
Prayer is a relationship of intimacy not a transaction that transmits information to a distant God. As with any relationship of intimacy prayer is about presence. We open and make ourselves available to the other even as we offer and give ourselves to the other. Prayer begins with God. Our praying is in reality a response to what God initiates. Perhaps our prayer is the … Continue reading 7 Thoughts on Prayer
Today, March 19, the Episcopal Church celebrates the Feast of St. Joseph, his life and faith. St. Joseph was raised up to be the guardian of God’s incarnate Son and the spouse of his virgin mother.
The gospel reading for this feast is Luke 2:41-52, the story of Jesus in the temple at the age of twelve. Luke tells us that Mary, Joseph, and Jesus had gone to Jerusalem for the festival of the Passover. When the festival ended they started home but unbeknown to Mary and Joseph, Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. When they discovered this Mary and Joseph returned to Jerusalem to search for Jesus. “After three days they found him in the temple” (Luke 2:46).
Holy scripture does not tell us what went through Joseph’s mind and heart during those three days as he and Mary searched. I cannot help but wonder if he relived events, followed old familiar foot steps, and replayed dreams. What were those events, foot steps, and dreams? What filled him? Continue reading “St. Joseph, a Man of Silence”
If you want to have a spiritual life you must unify your life. A life is either all spiritual or not spiritual at all. No man can serve two masters. Your life is shaped by the end you live for. You are made in the image of what you desire. To unify your life unify your desires. To spiritualize your life, spiritualize your desires. To … Continue reading If You Want a Spiritual Life
Remember packing for the last trip you took? Suitcases, backpacks, bags. Sometimes packing can be the most stressful part of the journey. What did you take? What did you leave behind? Why did you take what you did? Most of us, I suspect, pack for our trips based on our expectations of where we are going, how long we will be gone, what we will … Continue reading Expectations, Baggage, and God
These are the seven rules of a monk: In the first place, as scripture says, “Love God with all your soul and all your mind.” Then, love your fellow human beings as you love yourself. Fast from all evil. Never pass judgment on anyone, for any cause. Never do evil to anyone. Discipline yourself and purge yourself from material and spiritual evil. Cultivate a modest … Continue reading The Seven Rules of a Monk
