St. Vlad's has been getting a little loose lately, more philosophical, less pastoral. St. Tikhon's, now there's a good seminary!Thoth wrote:Not sure why they gave it to him? Maybe the Orthodox-Anglican dialogues needed a bit of boost?
Interesting speech nonetheless.
THE ORTHODOX THREAD
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Baines
- Pastor
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Lord, save me whether I will it or not...-St. John Chrysostom
That's not a pipe, that's a pipe!
http://www.tobaccocellar.org/tinlist.php?cellar=1223
That's not a pipe, that's a pipe!
http://www.tobaccocellar.org/tinlist.php?cellar=1223
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Thoth
- Never had a corndog taco shake
- Posts: 12347
- Joined: Thu Dec 27, 2007 6:00 pm
- Location: Formerly Jersey City, World's Greatest City.
That might partially explain the reason our bishops prefer sending candidiates to Holy Cross.Baines wrote:St. Vlad's has been getting a little loose lately, more philosophical, less pastoral. St. Tikhon's, now there's a good seminary!Thoth wrote:Not sure why they gave it to him? Maybe the Orthodox-Anglican dialogues needed a bit of boost?
Interesting speech nonetheless.
"Go and reconcile with him who has trespassed against you before he comes and apologises to you and steals your crown" - H.H. Pope Cyril VI<br><br>"O Lord I was not aware of the treasure within me that is You" - H.H. Pope Shenouda III
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Baines
- Pastor
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Yeah, its quite unfortunate, SVS Press produces some great translations of Church Fathers and other materials, but they're too academic at the expense of being pastoral and a little too ecumenical. My parish sent a seminarian there and while he's doing fine, he wishes he had gone to St. Tikhon's instead. I don't know as much about Holy Cross, just that they're Greek. I don't hold that against them!Thoth wrote:That might partially explain the reason our bishops prefer sending candidiates to Holy Cross.Baines wrote:St. Vlad's has been getting a little loose lately, more philosophical, less pastoral. St. Tikhon's, now there's a good seminary!Thoth wrote:Not sure why they gave it to him? Maybe the Orthodox-Anglican dialogues needed a bit of boost?
Interesting speech nonetheless.
Lord, save me whether I will it or not...-St. John Chrysostom
That's not a pipe, that's a pipe!
http://www.tobaccocellar.org/tinlist.php?cellar=1223
That's not a pipe, that's a pipe!
http://www.tobaccocellar.org/tinlist.php?cellar=1223
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Thunktank
- Needs to smoke more
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- Location: 471 Km from the London Bridge
Meatfare Sunday is tomorrow already. I begin to reflect upon the purpose and meaning of Great Lent which is just around the corner.
Ethos of Lent"Do not be cast down over the struggle- the Lord loves a brave warrior. The Lord loves the soul that is valiant" St. Siloan the Athonite
“Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.” -Yoda
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Baines
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Its also last judgment Sunday tomorrow. Be careful where you kiss the icon! Lord have mercy.
Lord, save me whether I will it or not...-St. John Chrysostom
That's not a pipe, that's a pipe!
http://www.tobaccocellar.org/tinlist.php?cellar=1223
That's not a pipe, that's a pipe!
http://www.tobaccocellar.org/tinlist.php?cellar=1223
-
Thoth
- Never had a corndog taco shake
- Posts: 12347
- Joined: Thu Dec 27, 2007 6:00 pm
- Location: Formerly Jersey City, World's Greatest City.
St. John Chrysostom "On True Fasting" (excerpts from "On the Statues, Homily 3)
When the fast makes its appearance, like a kind of spiritual summer, let us as soldiers burnish our weapons, and as harvesters sharpen our sickles, and as sailors order our thoughts against the waves of extravagant desires, and as travelers set out on the journey towards heaven, and as wrestlers prepare for the contest. For the believer is at once a harvester and a sailor and a soldier, a wrestler and a traveler. Sharpen you sword and your sickle, which has been blunted by gluttony, sharpen it by fasting. Lay hold of the pathway, which leads towards heaven, rugged and narrow as it is. Lay hold of it, and journey on.
I speak not of such a fast as most persons keep, but of real fasting, not merely abstinence from meats, but from sins as well. For the nature of fast is such that it does not suffice to deliver those who practice it unless it is done according to a suitable law. So that when we have gone through the labor of fasting, we do not lost the crown of fasting; we must understand how and in what manner it is necessary to conduct the business since the Pharisee also fasted, but afterward went away empty and destitute of the fruit of fasting. The Publican did not fast, and yet he was accepted in preference of him who had fasted in order that you may learn that fasting is unprofitable unless all other duties accompany it.
Fasting is like medicine. But like all medicines, though it be very profitable to the person who knows how to use it, it frequently becomes useless, and even harmful, in the hands of him who is unskillful in its use.
I haves said these things, not that we may disparage fasting, but that we may honor fasting. For the honor of fasting consists not in abstinence from food, but in withdrawing from sinful practices, since he who limits his fasting only to abstaining from meat is one especially who disparages fasting.
Do you fast? Give me proof of it by your works. By what kind of works? If you see a poor man, take pity on him. If you see an enemy, be reconciled with him. If you see a friend gaining honor, do not be jealous of him. If you see a beautiful woman, pass her by. And let not only the mouth fast, but also the eye and the ear and the feet and the hands and all members of your bodies.
Let the hands fast being pure from plundering and avarice. Let the feet fast by stopping them from running to unlawful situations. Let the eyes fast, being taught never to fix themselves rudely on handsome faces, or busy themselves with strange beauties. For looking is the food of the eyes, but if it were such as is unlawful or forbidden, it mars the fast and upsets the whole safety of the soul. But if it were lawful and safe, it adorns fasting. For it would be among the things most absurd to abstain from lawful food because of the fast, but with eyes to touch even what is forbidden!
Do you not eat meat? Feed not upon lasciviousness by means of you eyes! Let the ear fast also. The fasting of ear consists in refusing to receive evil speaking and calumnies.
Let the mouth also fast from disgraceful speeches and railings. For what does it profit if we abstain from fish and poultry and yet bite and devour the brothers and sisters? The evil speaker eats the flesh of his brother and bites the body of his neighbor. Because of this, St. Paul utters the fearful saying, “If you bite and devour one another, take heed that you are not consumed by on another” (Gal. 5:15). You have not fixed your teeth in his flesh, but you have fixed slander in his soul and inflicted the wound of evil suspicion, and you have harmed in a thousand ways yourself and him and many others, for slandering your neighbor you have made him who listens to the slander worse, for should he be a wicked person, he becomes more careless when he finds a partner in his wickedness. And should he be a just person, he is tempted to arrogance and gets puffed up, being led on by the sin of others to imagining great things concerning himself. Besides this, you have struck at the common welfare of the Church herself, for all those who hear you will not only accuse the supposed sinner, but the entire Christian community.
As so I desire to fix three precepts in your mind so that you may accomplish them during the fast: (1) to speak ill of no one, (2) to hold no one for an enemy, and (3) to expel from your mouth altogether the evil habit of swearing.
For if, as the harvester in the fields comes to the end of his labors little by little, so we too, if we make this rule of ourselves and in any manner come to the correct practice of these three precepts during the present Lent and commit them to the safe custody of good habit, we shall proceed with greater ease to the rest, and by this means attain to the summit of spiritual wisdom. And we shall reap the harvest of a favorable hope in this life, and in the life to come we shall stand before Christ with great confidence and enjoy those unspeakable blessings of which, God grant, we may all be found worthy through the grace of Jesus Christ our Lord, with whom be glory to the Father and to the Holy Spirit unto the ages of all ages. Amen.
When the fast makes its appearance, like a kind of spiritual summer, let us as soldiers burnish our weapons, and as harvesters sharpen our sickles, and as sailors order our thoughts against the waves of extravagant desires, and as travelers set out on the journey towards heaven, and as wrestlers prepare for the contest. For the believer is at once a harvester and a sailor and a soldier, a wrestler and a traveler.
Sharpen you sword and your sickle, which has been blunted by gluttony, sharpen it by fasting. Lay hold of the pathway, which leads towards heaven, rugged and narrow as it is. Lay hold of it, and journey on.
I speak not of such a fast as most persons keep, but of real fasting, not merely abstinence from meats, but from sins as well. For the nature of fast is such that it does not suffice to deliver those who practice it unless it is done according to a suitable law. So that when we have gone through the labor of fasting, we do not lost the crown of fasting; we must understand how and in what manner it is necessary to conduct the business since the Pharisee also fasted, but afterward went away empty and destitute of the fruit of fasting. The Publican did not fast, and yet he was accepted in preference of him who had fasted in order that you may learn that fasting is unprofitable unless all other duties accompany it.
Fasting is like medicine. But like all medicines, though it be very profitable to the person who knows how to use it, it frequently becomes useless, and even harmful, in the hands of him who is unskillful in its use. I haves said these things, not that we may disparage fasting, but that we may honor fasting. For the honor of fasting consists not in abstinence from food, but in withdrawing from sinful practices, since he who limits his fasting only to abstaining from meat is one especially who disparages fasting.
Do you fast? Give me proof of it by your works. By what kind of works? If you see a poor man, take pity on him. If you see an enemy, be reconciled with him. If you see a friend gaining honor, do not be jealous of him. If you see a beautiful woman, pass her by. And let not only the mouth fast, but also the eye and the ear and the feet and the hands and all members of your bodies.
Let the hands fast being pure from plundering and avarice. Let the feet fast by stopping them from running to unlawful situations. Let the eyes fast, being taught never to fix themselves rudely on handsome faces, or busy themselves with strange beauties. For looking is the food of the eyes, but if it were such as is unlawful or forbidden, it mars the fast and upsets the whole safety of the soul. But if it were lawful and safe, it adorns fasting. For it would be among the things most absurd to abstain from lawful food because of the fast, but with eyes to touch even what is forbidden!
Do you not eat meat? Feed not upon lasciviousness by means of you eyes! Let the ear fast also. The fasting of ear consists in refusing to receive evil speaking and calumnies.
Let the mouth also fast from disgraceful speeches and railings. For what does it profit if we abstain from fish and poultry and yet bite and devour the brothers and sisters? The evil speaker eats the flesh of his brother and bites the body of his neighbor. Because of this, St. Paul utters the fearful saying, “If you bite and devour one another, take heed that you are not consumed by on another” (Gal. 5:15). You have not fixed your teeth in his flesh, but you have fixed slander in his soul and inflicted the wound of evil suspicion, and you have harmed in a thousand ways yourself and him and many others, for slandering your neighbor you have made him who listens to the slander worse, for should he be a wicked person, he becomes more careless when he finds a partner in his wickedness. And should he be a just person, he is tempted to arrogance and gets puffed up, being led on by the sin of others to imagining great things concerning himself. Besides this, you have struck at the common welfare of the Church herself, for all those who hear you will not only accuse the supposed sinner, but the entire Christian community.
As so I desire to fix three precepts in your mind so that you may accomplish them during the fast: (1) to speak ill of no one, (2) to hold no one for an enemy, and (3) to expel from your mouth altogether the evil habit of swearing.
For if, as the harvester in the fields comes to the end of his labors little by little, so we too, if we make this rule of ourselves and in any manner come to the correct practice of these three precepts during the present Lent and commit them to the safe custody of good habit, we shall proceed with greater ease to the rest, and by this means attain to the summit of spiritual wisdom. And we shall reap the harvest of a favorable hope in this life, and in the life to come we shall stand before Christ with great confidence and enjoy those unspeakable blessings of which, God grant, we may all be found worthy through the grace of Jesus Christ our Lord, with whom be glory to the Father and to the Holy Spirit unto the ages of all ages.
When the fast makes its appearance, like a kind of spiritual summer, let us as soldiers burnish our weapons, and as harvesters sharpen our sickles, and as sailors order our thoughts against the waves of extravagant desires, and as travelers set out on the journey towards heaven, and as wrestlers prepare for the contest. For the believer is at once a harvester and a sailor and a soldier, a wrestler and a traveler. Sharpen you sword and your sickle, which has been blunted by gluttony, sharpen it by fasting. Lay hold of the pathway, which leads towards heaven, rugged and narrow as it is. Lay hold of it, and journey on.
I speak not of such a fast as most persons keep, but of real fasting, not merely abstinence from meats, but from sins as well. For the nature of fast is such that it does not suffice to deliver those who practice it unless it is done according to a suitable law. So that when we have gone through the labor of fasting, we do not lost the crown of fasting; we must understand how and in what manner it is necessary to conduct the business since the Pharisee also fasted, but afterward went away empty and destitute of the fruit of fasting. The Publican did not fast, and yet he was accepted in preference of him who had fasted in order that you may learn that fasting is unprofitable unless all other duties accompany it.
Fasting is like medicine. But like all medicines, though it be very profitable to the person who knows how to use it, it frequently becomes useless, and even harmful, in the hands of him who is unskillful in its use.
I haves said these things, not that we may disparage fasting, but that we may honor fasting. For the honor of fasting consists not in abstinence from food, but in withdrawing from sinful practices, since he who limits his fasting only to abstaining from meat is one especially who disparages fasting.
Do you fast? Give me proof of it by your works. By what kind of works? If you see a poor man, take pity on him. If you see an enemy, be reconciled with him. If you see a friend gaining honor, do not be jealous of him. If you see a beautiful woman, pass her by. And let not only the mouth fast, but also the eye and the ear and the feet and the hands and all members of your bodies.
Let the hands fast being pure from plundering and avarice. Let the feet fast by stopping them from running to unlawful situations. Let the eyes fast, being taught never to fix themselves rudely on handsome faces, or busy themselves with strange beauties. For looking is the food of the eyes, but if it were such as is unlawful or forbidden, it mars the fast and upsets the whole safety of the soul. But if it were lawful and safe, it adorns fasting. For it would be among the things most absurd to abstain from lawful food because of the fast, but with eyes to touch even what is forbidden!
Do you not eat meat? Feed not upon lasciviousness by means of you eyes! Let the ear fast also. The fasting of ear consists in refusing to receive evil speaking and calumnies.
Let the mouth also fast from disgraceful speeches and railings. For what does it profit if we abstain from fish and poultry and yet bite and devour the brothers and sisters? The evil speaker eats the flesh of his brother and bites the body of his neighbor. Because of this, St. Paul utters the fearful saying, “If you bite and devour one another, take heed that you are not consumed by on another” (Gal. 5:15). You have not fixed your teeth in his flesh, but you have fixed slander in his soul and inflicted the wound of evil suspicion, and you have harmed in a thousand ways yourself and him and many others, for slandering your neighbor you have made him who listens to the slander worse, for should he be a wicked person, he becomes more careless when he finds a partner in his wickedness. And should he be a just person, he is tempted to arrogance and gets puffed up, being led on by the sin of others to imagining great things concerning himself. Besides this, you have struck at the common welfare of the Church herself, for all those who hear you will not only accuse the supposed sinner, but the entire Christian community.
As so I desire to fix three precepts in your mind so that you may accomplish them during the fast: (1) to speak ill of no one, (2) to hold no one for an enemy, and (3) to expel from your mouth altogether the evil habit of swearing.
For if, as the harvester in the fields comes to the end of his labors little by little, so we too, if we make this rule of ourselves and in any manner come to the correct practice of these three precepts during the present Lent and commit them to the safe custody of good habit, we shall proceed with greater ease to the rest, and by this means attain to the summit of spiritual wisdom. And we shall reap the harvest of a favorable hope in this life, and in the life to come we shall stand before Christ with great confidence and enjoy those unspeakable blessings of which, God grant, we may all be found worthy through the grace of Jesus Christ our Lord, with whom be glory to the Father and to the Holy Spirit unto the ages of all ages. Amen.
When the fast makes its appearance, like a kind of spiritual summer, let us as soldiers burnish our weapons, and as harvesters sharpen our sickles, and as sailors order our thoughts against the waves of extravagant desires, and as travelers set out on the journey towards heaven, and as wrestlers prepare for the contest. For the believer is at once a harvester and a sailor and a soldier, a wrestler and a traveler.
Sharpen you sword and your sickle, which has been blunted by gluttony, sharpen it by fasting. Lay hold of the pathway, which leads towards heaven, rugged and narrow as it is. Lay hold of it, and journey on.
I speak not of such a fast as most persons keep, but of real fasting, not merely abstinence from meats, but from sins as well. For the nature of fast is such that it does not suffice to deliver those who practice it unless it is done according to a suitable law. So that when we have gone through the labor of fasting, we do not lost the crown of fasting; we must understand how and in what manner it is necessary to conduct the business since the Pharisee also fasted, but afterward went away empty and destitute of the fruit of fasting. The Publican did not fast, and yet he was accepted in preference of him who had fasted in order that you may learn that fasting is unprofitable unless all other duties accompany it.
Fasting is like medicine. But like all medicines, though it be very profitable to the person who knows how to use it, it frequently becomes useless, and even harmful, in the hands of him who is unskillful in its use. I haves said these things, not that we may disparage fasting, but that we may honor fasting. For the honor of fasting consists not in abstinence from food, but in withdrawing from sinful practices, since he who limits his fasting only to abstaining from meat is one especially who disparages fasting.
Do you fast? Give me proof of it by your works. By what kind of works? If you see a poor man, take pity on him. If you see an enemy, be reconciled with him. If you see a friend gaining honor, do not be jealous of him. If you see a beautiful woman, pass her by. And let not only the mouth fast, but also the eye and the ear and the feet and the hands and all members of your bodies.
Let the hands fast being pure from plundering and avarice. Let the feet fast by stopping them from running to unlawful situations. Let the eyes fast, being taught never to fix themselves rudely on handsome faces, or busy themselves with strange beauties. For looking is the food of the eyes, but if it were such as is unlawful or forbidden, it mars the fast and upsets the whole safety of the soul. But if it were lawful and safe, it adorns fasting. For it would be among the things most absurd to abstain from lawful food because of the fast, but with eyes to touch even what is forbidden!
Do you not eat meat? Feed not upon lasciviousness by means of you eyes! Let the ear fast also. The fasting of ear consists in refusing to receive evil speaking and calumnies.
Let the mouth also fast from disgraceful speeches and railings. For what does it profit if we abstain from fish and poultry and yet bite and devour the brothers and sisters? The evil speaker eats the flesh of his brother and bites the body of his neighbor. Because of this, St. Paul utters the fearful saying, “If you bite and devour one another, take heed that you are not consumed by on another” (Gal. 5:15). You have not fixed your teeth in his flesh, but you have fixed slander in his soul and inflicted the wound of evil suspicion, and you have harmed in a thousand ways yourself and him and many others, for slandering your neighbor you have made him who listens to the slander worse, for should he be a wicked person, he becomes more careless when he finds a partner in his wickedness. And should he be a just person, he is tempted to arrogance and gets puffed up, being led on by the sin of others to imagining great things concerning himself. Besides this, you have struck at the common welfare of the Church herself, for all those who hear you will not only accuse the supposed sinner, but the entire Christian community.
As so I desire to fix three precepts in your mind so that you may accomplish them during the fast: (1) to speak ill of no one, (2) to hold no one for an enemy, and (3) to expel from your mouth altogether the evil habit of swearing.
For if, as the harvester in the fields comes to the end of his labors little by little, so we too, if we make this rule of ourselves and in any manner come to the correct practice of these three precepts during the present Lent and commit them to the safe custody of good habit, we shall proceed with greater ease to the rest, and by this means attain to the summit of spiritual wisdom. And we shall reap the harvest of a favorable hope in this life, and in the life to come we shall stand before Christ with great confidence and enjoy those unspeakable blessings of which, God grant, we may all be found worthy through the grace of Jesus Christ our Lord, with whom be glory to the Father and to the Holy Spirit unto the ages of all ages.
"Go and reconcile with him who has trespassed against you before he comes and apologises to you and steals your crown" - H.H. Pope Cyril VI<br><br>"O Lord I was not aware of the treasure within me that is You" - H.H. Pope Shenouda III
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Thunktank
- Needs to smoke more
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Monarchist
- In Memoriam
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This Lent, I'll be reading what we read in the refectory every Lent, "The Ladder". Like "The Arena", you can't read it too often.Thunktank wrote:My choice for Lenten reading this year other than the Holy Bible:
WE SHALL SEE HIM AS HE IS
"Never say that God is just. If He were just you would be in hell. Rely only on His injustice which is mercy, love, and forgiveness." - St. Isaac the Syrian
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josephrbray
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Del
- Mr. Hot Legs
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Praying for you.josephrbray wrote:I'm reading Schmemann's Great Lent. This is my first Great Lent; I'd appreciate intercessions.
Cigarson is thinking out-loud about his Lenten sacrifices. He wants to do something heroic (he is a young man and a soldier, after all).
He wants to copy a Ramadan-style fast: no food or water during daylight. No alcohol, at all. He is thinking about abstaining from smoking, too.... perhaps just during daylight.
REMEMBER THE KAVANAUGH!
"I shall not wear a crown of gold where my Master wore a crown of thorns." - Godfrey de Bouillon
"I shall not wear a crown of gold where my Master wore a crown of thorns." - Godfrey de Bouillon
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josephrbray
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wosbald
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+JMJ+
I would say "no". But then again, I'm not Orthodox. So that's just the 2¢ of a Catholic.josephrbray wrote:Did I go too far in the "Confused about Catholicism?" post over in the Theology section?
"[T]he emergency of irregular migration has to be met with justice, solidarity and mercy. Forms of collective expulsion, which do not allow for the suitable treatment of individual cases, are unacceptable."
— Pope Francis, Morocco
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Thunktank
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This is one of those PM moments, brother. The non-Orthodox here have been most respectful toward us and our wishes in this thread of a largely non-Orthodox board. It is only fair that we not talk much about them here where they have been asked not to start debates with us.josephrbray wrote:Did I go too far in the "Confused about Catholicism?" post over in the Theology section?
“Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.” -Yoda
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Thoth
- Never had a corndog taco shake
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Monarchist
- In Memoriam
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Thunktank
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josephrbray
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fisherofpipes
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Thunktank
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Repentance is a priceless gift to mankind. Repentance is the God given miracle that restores us after the fall - the outpouring of divine inspiration that stimulates us to rise to God, to our Father, for eternal life in the Light of His Love. . . Archimandrite Sophrony
“Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.” -Yoda