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The Destiny of Eros: Uncertainties

02/28/2014

Nothing touches the mystery of personal existence like this theme of human love, which is why we should show reverence and restraint, and heed even more the evangelical caution against judging. We should remember the attitude of Jesus towards the woman ‘taken in the very act of adultery’ (John 8.3-11). We should remember the other, almost tangibly sensual account of the same Jesus allowing a prostitute to wipe his feet with her hair and anoint

ON THE CONQUEST OF THE WORLD

02/27/2014

ST. BASIL THE GREAT says: One cannot approach the knowledge of the truth with a disturbed heart. Therefore we must try to avoid everything that disturbs our heart, that causes forgetfulness, excitement or passion, or that awakens unrest. We must free ourselves as much as possible from all fuss and flutter and ado over vain things. Yes, when we serve the Lord we shall not be troubled about many things, but always keep in mind

Who is My Neighbor?

02/26/2014

Who is My Neighbor? “Love your neighbor as yourself” the Gospel says (Matthew 22:38). But who is my neighbor? We often respond to that question by saying, “My neighbors are all the people I am living with on this earth, especially the sick, the hungry, the dying, and all who are in need.” But this is not what Jesus says. When Jesus tells the story of the good Samaritan (see Luke 10:29-37) to answer the

The Lord’s Prayer (Part II)

02/25/2014

So the first situation with which Exodus begins, and we begin, is the discovery of slavery and that it cannot be resolved by an act of rebellion or flight, because whether we flee or whether we rebel we remain slaves, unless we re-establish ourselves, with regard to God and to all the situations of life, in the way taught by the first beatitude: ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of

The Love of Christ and Prayer

02/24/2014

I said to the Elder, “They are constantly saying prayers at the monastery. They are always saying the Jesus prayer. While at their various chores they recite supplications and salutations. They do this for whole hours at a time. After this they go to the Church for services. “I can’t stand it anymore. My mind has become tired. I feel that I am about to burst. But nevertheless I want to become a monk. What

The Philoptochos Society of Saint Sophia Invites the Parish Community to the Annual Lenten Retreat Pure Monday – March 3, 2014

02/22/2014

The Philoptochos Society of Saint Sophia Invites the Parish Community to the Annual Lenten Retreat Pure Monday – March 3, 2014 Please join us as we begin this year’s Lenten journey! Following the 9:00 AM Orthos and Vespers of Pure Monday in the Cathedral, Fathers Steve and Dimitri, together with Master Chanter George Theodorides, will lead us in a discussion entitled, The Lenten Fast as Expressed in Sacred Hymnology. A lenten luncheon will follow. Free will offerings to benefit Hellenic College &

FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT (IV)

02/21/2014

“Do you mean by perspicacity a form of prophecy?” Eleni asked. “No. Prophecy is a more developed and important gift. Perspicacity is one of the first and simple gifts of the Holy Spirit, which allows the person to see through you and read your soul, as it were.” I understood Fr. Maximos to mean that such a person is gifted with heightened intuitive abilities to understand others. As an example of what he meant, Fr.

Malicious Gossip and Passing Judgment

02/20/2014

Let us begin by trying to understand the nature of malicious gossip and passing judgment on others. “Malicious gossip is to talk about your neighbor’s sins and mistakes, for example, to say that someone lied or became angry or committed fornication … Saying any of this is denigration, that is to say, speaking maliciously against somebody, talking maliciously about his sin. Passing judgment is when you condemn the actual person, saying he is a liar,

Mysterium Tremendum, Mysterium Fascinosum

02/19/2014

Rudolph Otto in his book The Idea of the Holy says that when someone has an authentic experience of the Holy, they find themselves caught up in two opposite movements at the same time: the mysterium tremendum and the mysterium fascinosum, a scary mystery and a very alluring mystery. We both draw back from and are pulled forward into a kind of liminal space where we are not at home at all and yet totally

CLINGING TO DISTRACTION LIKE A DOG TO A BONE (Part I)

02/18/2014

Evagrius and others have a psychological description of how these inner videos are generated. There is within us a sort of mental craving that is fragmented and frayed (pathos was the Greek word he often used), with the result that we are nearly always either grasping at something or pushing it away and find it very difficult to receive with open palms of simple gratitude. What happens when this mental craving grasps some thought or

Blog

The Destiny of Eros: Uncertainties

ON THE CONQUEST OF THE WORLD

Who is My Neighbor?

The Lord’s Prayer (Part II)

The Love of Christ and Prayer

The Philoptochos Society of Saint Sophia Invites the Parish Community to the Annual Lenten Retreat Pure Monday – March 3, 2014

FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT (IV)

Malicious Gossip and Passing Judgment

Mysterium Tremendum, Mysterium Fascinosum

CLINGING TO DISTRACTION LIKE A DOG TO A BONE (Part I)

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