When temptations arise, holy serenity observes their endless chatter without retaliation, knowing Christ endured the condemnations of officialdom with silence, choosing to abide in the holy realm of the Name, beyond this world. Accused by heresy hunters, Hesychasts abide in stillness, rejoicing in uncreated glory, deaf to subtle taunts and insinuations, brushing the dust of wordy contentions from uncreated light,… Read more »
Holy Anna the Prophetess gave thanks when she saw the child Jesus in the temple, transforming her turning to God into hallowing vision of God (Luke 2:34-36). Anna was holy because hallowing vision of God made her holy, enabling her to see who Jesus was and give thanks for the reign of his glorious Name. Daughter of Phanuel, Anna lived in… Read more »
Samuel the Prophet was told by Eli to say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening,’ when God called him in the night (1 Sam 3:1-4). Hearing God, Samuel turns and sees, glorifying God in his Name. Hearkening to God, prophets speak in God’s Name, inspiring redemptive prophecy and remedial prayer for generations to come. Prophets turn and see, giving… Read more »
The shroud image was called the ‘icon not made with hands’ when it was transferred from Edessa to Constantinople in AD 988 on this, its holy feast day. The image was ‘burned’ into the linen by the resurrection, not painted by hand, leaving the greatest of relics for our contemplation and adoration. In 1204, Templar crusaders took the Shroud from Constantinople and… Read more »
Divine-human co-inherence embraces us by releasing divisive thinking that confuses us with its condemnations, opening us to Christ in his Name. The mysteries of glory are mysteries of co-inherence which cut through confusion and leap over division, granting grace that completes our incompleteness. Mysteries of glorification are mysteries of gracious completeness, opening us to union with God in wisdom, transfiguring us… Read more »
Glory transfigures saints from within, invisible to the curious mind, revealed to wisdom, a holy nothingness that cleanses the heart from nihilism, illumiming the mind in the heart. Transfiguration turns the mind around, enlightening the heart with wisdom, glorifying sinners as they transfigure into saints, opening earth to heaven, transfiguring earth in heavenly glory. Holy Orthodoxy celebrates Holy Transfiguration today,… Read more »
The Holy Spirit is the timeless witness who prays without ceasing, overcoming confusion and division with ineffable freedom. Christ is the Word of God who, with the Holy Spirit, timelessly bears witness to the Father, revealing God’s reign of glory in Holy Trinity. The Spirit sees God in all and all in God, bearing witness to God’s reign of glory… Read more »
Pierced praise loves the Name of Praise, Hallelu Yah, one of the oldest formulas of glorification, praising the Name of Jacob, Yah, which was pronounced, unlike the Name of Israel, YHWH, having a feminine ending, which was not. The pierced heart is illumined by the Name from within, enlightened by God indwelling in the midst, revealing timeless realms of glory nearer than… Read more »
The Spirit of Truth bears witness to the indivisible wholeness of God, indivisible in oneness, infinite in scope, opening speech to prophecy and intercession to pure prayer. The Covenant of grace awakens hearts to deifying glorification, completing incompleteness in the reign of deifying completeness. Nothing separates wisdom from glory in the Name, sustaining uncreated light in the reign of grace,… Read more »
Completeness is one in its sevenfold theophanies manifesting human being, divine-human well-being and timeless divine-human well-being, but without turning there is no vision of God, so no deifying glorification. Completeness stands steadfast in the incompleteness of temporal unfolding, bearing witness to timeless realisation, enduring the uncertainties of temporality with trust in glory’s timeless presence. Incompleteness is how divine completeness looks… Read more »