The Holy Transfiguration on Mount Tabor transmits vision (theoria) of uncreated light, opening glory to glory in the Kingdom of God. Participation in this uncreated, creative vision of light is incorporation into the glory of the Kingdom. Transfiguration unveils light of glory that consecrates and blesses purity of heart, true turning that sees God (Mathew 5:8). Transfiguration hallows God’s Name ‘I… Read more »
Orthodox Christian tradition is not defined by its ethnocentric politics nor by the reactionary fundamentalism that narrows its conventional shallows into sectarian nationalisms. True Orthodoxy is right-glorification of God the Father, by God the Son, in God the Holy Spirit, glorification which glorifies the saints who awaken to wisdom’s vision of glory in the Kingdom of God. Ethnocentrism is not definitive in Orthodoxy because… Read more »
Pentecost transmits glorification but glorification is ineffable, so the symbols and icons that communicate its mysteries are not rational concepts, although reason may play a humble part in communicating them. If the ineffable ‘words’ of revelation are confused with words of Scripture, the literal usurps the spiritual and uncreated energies of glory are shut out. Elders constantly remind the saints not to confuse God with concepts of God. Although… Read more »
Love of wisdom can mean many things in the schools, but in the desert, glory’s love of wisdom unveils ineffable mysteries that are never divulged as shallow gossip but preserved with wonder in stillness. Wisdom is loved by glory, her divine beloved, because wisdom hallows the Name which reveals God’s glory in the Holy of Holies. The Father reveals his glory through the Son… Read more »
Wisdom sings at the heart of the Church, unveiling the Bride of Christ hidden in the Holy of Holies. She awakens union in the Bridal Chamber so as to communicate communion, gifts of Christ her Beloved in mysteries of glorification. Wisdom sings through the heart of the Beloved Disciple, inspiring the Fourth Gospel which imparts illumination and glorification through revelation of… Read more »
The Apostle Paul transmits wisdom, which he calls the hidden wisdom of God, not as clever talk but as mystery of uncreated light opening to glory, as grace springing from illumination to glorification (see 1Cor 2:7). For apostles and prophets, the criterion of sound wisdom is the Lord of glory, the wisdom of Christ crucified which imparts purification through resurrection,… Read more »
Wisdom is not only love of beauty, philokalia, but is in love with beauty, wedded to glory that is beautiful and loves beauty. Saint Denis sees this glorious co-inherence as wisdom’s vision of theadrocosmic radiance, a resplendent icon of divine beauty that embraces the cosmos with Christ’s divine-human glory. Visible worlds are theophanies of invisible glory, but this is visible through Christ’s grace… Read more »
Glory reigns when Christ shares union with the Father with those who who turn and see him in the midst. For ‘I AM,’ which is God’s Name, ‘I and the Father are one,’ (John 10.30), revealing the mystery of glory which Christ opens with the words, ‘the Father is in me and I in the Father’ (John 10.38). The Name ‘I… Read more »
Confusion and division corrupt perception but wisdom stands steadfast in the midst, calling to her children to come out from corruption into undying light, saying: ‘Turn and see God here at centre, healing the corruption of the usurper. Listen to the Word that names the Name and awaken in the Spirit who hallows by unveiling glory, curing the corruption of confusion… Read more »
Our human lives are sealed by the signature of God, written ineffably in our hearts, saying: ‘I AM’ is God’s Name, revealing God, through God, in God. In Ode 23 of the Odes of Solomon, the Odist sings of the revelatory Name as God’s dispatch, his sealed letter, shot like an arrow from his bow to unveil the insignia of the… Read more »