Bože! A Grace Catholic Project
Great Lent 2007 – Asceticism
Moments of Liminality – Palm Sunday 07
Jesus entry into Jerusalem is not merely the fulfilment of the prophecies of Zephaniah and Zechariah – nor is this procession purely symbolic, an Adventus if you like. The entry into Jerusalem is the commencement of the last phase of God’s campaign to save his people. This next week, is a time of liminality; that [...]
Lazarus Saturday
O Lord, wishing to give to your disciples an assurance of your resurrection, you came to the tomb of Lazarus and called to him by name. Then was Sheol despoiled, and released the one that had been four days dead, as he called upon you: ‘O blessed Lord, glory be to you’.– stichera, vespers Parallel [...]
We Venerate Your Cross O Christ. . .
That one extended his hand towards the tree and harvested Death; this one stretched out his hands on the cross and embraced the world; and he declares in the gospels: “when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself.” – Proklos of Constantinople Hom. 2.3 Many of you reading this [...]
Second Sunday of Lent – Gregory of Palamas: Spirituality & Our Bodies
It is easy to forget that Christian theology is not merely the realm of academics; that it is necessarily balanced by the experience of the community. I have often heard our faith described as a dry collection of dictums that must be followed precisely if one is to both avoid condemnation from within, and be [...]
A Word – Asceticism & Discourse
St Athanasius writes of Mary’s asceticism: “Her words were calm’ her voice, moderate; she did not cry out. And being glad in her heart, she did not slander anyone, nor did she willingly listen to slander. She did not grow weary in in her heart or become envious in her soul. She was not a [...]
Porn & Suffering
Male or female, straight or gay, you’ve no doubt seen pornography at some point in your life. If the statistics are correct, 90% of internet users view porn on their computers, included in that percentage is at least a proportion of those 64% of users who use the net for religious and spiritual purposes. Does [...]
Sunday of Orthodoxy – Questioning Faith
This Sunday (the first Sunday of Lent) is the traditional celebration of the “Triumph of the Church” over all heresies. Originally established in the 9th century, as a commemoration of the end of iconoclasm, by the 12th it had been extended to include the victory of “orthodoxy” over all heresies. I’ve long been fascinated with [...]
Clean Monday – Asceticism, It’s Not Just About the Food
Today is “Clean Monday”, the first day of the Great Fast. Over the past two weeks we have prepared for the fast by gradually removing “heavy” foods, meat, and dairy from our diet, in preparation for the traditional Lenten discipline. But “Clean Monday” does not only refer to the start of the annual ascetic experience, [...]
Great Lent 2007 – Asceticism in Contemporary OC/IC Thought
Lent us upon us. During this period before Pascha each year many people “give up something” as a token, others “take on something”, some of us still follow the traditional fast, still others don’t even bat their eyes at Lent ignoring it all together. The “logic” behind many of our Lenten practices is asceticism – [...]