7 March 2007

Down The Path – O Lord & Master of My Life

James & Mary

The Lenten Prayer of St. Ephraim begins, “O Lord and Master of my life…”

Before I attempt to be profound and expound and resound and then have to rebound and all of that hoo-ha, I’ll tell a story. Actually you should probably know that most of this series will be stories. When I was much younger I thought that I had deep things to say and something to offer when it came to theological dissertation. However, every year older I get I realize that I have much less to say than I thought I did, or ought to for that matter, but I have many more stories. I love stories, especially ones that I am able to be a part of. I’ve often thought that homilies and teachings really ought to be more stories than theological dissertation, but I suppose that is another post altogether. So, my story…

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Category: Life, Orthodoxy, Spirituality | 4 Comments on Down The Path – O Lord & Master of My Life
4 March 2007

Down the Path

This post is the beginning of a series. I will frequently try to include a photograph with each installment in the series. I’m somewhat of a hack photographer and often a single photograph will correspond with what I’m writing (at least, in my head it seems to go along…) and so as far as is possible and makes sense I’ll include something. The added benefit is that if you, the reader, are anything like me, having some type of image to look at and associate with the text will hold your attention longer than simply reading my words. Children’s books that are well illustrated often hold my attention much more quickly than simple type, as I have a short attention span and consider myself a rather large child most of the time, and pictures just naturally draw me in.

This post can be considered the preface to all of the subsequent installments. The string tying all this mind meat together will be the Lenten Prayer of St. Ephraim.

While there are many subtly different translations of this prayer, the text I will be using is as follows:

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2 November 2006

Reflection on the Scriptures

While still writing down stuff about my trip to California and all the reflections from that adventure, I thought I’d pause for a bit and write down some thoughts about the scriptures from a couple of Sundaes…I mean, Sundays ago.

So, here’s my initial question – Why did this Epistle (2 Corinthians 11:31-12:9) and this Gospel Lesson (Luke 16:19-31) get put together in the lectionary? I mean, how does Paul learning that God makes him strong in his weaknesses have anything to do with Christ’s parable about Lazarus and the Rich Man? Ok, I have no idea really, but after thinking about it, I have my own guesses; which of course, I will subject you to now.

At first I didn’t get it. We discussed both of them at BBS that week. We spent more time discussing the gospel passage than St. Paul’s letter. Why? Well, because the lesson from 2 Cor. seemed pretty self explanatory. Our discussion on the Gospel kind of went all over the place – from what God thinks about wealth, to helping someone in hell – and while the discussion was good and helpful, it still kind of baffled me why the two scriptures were put together.

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26 October 2006

Not Just Yet!


[audio:DylanTimesAChangin.mp3]

Come gather ’round people, wherever you roam
And admit that the waters around you have grown
And accept it that soon you’ll be drenched to the bone.
If your time to you is worth savin’
Then you better start swimmin’ or you’ll sink like a stone
For the times they are a-changin’. ~Bob Dylan

So writes Bob Dylan nearly 3 1/2 decades ago. And yet, I can’t help but feel his words have always been prophetic and not simply for his generation only. In my own life I know it’s true – like the weather and the trees outside my window, the times they are a-changin’. Church, work, home, friends, family; it’s all changing to be sure. I’m uncertain what the change will bring – and it always brings about something new – but I’m less apprehensive about it than I used to be. I suppose this is a good thing, as it means I’m either getting older and wiser, or older and dumber. Either way I’m less ruffled by the change of the tide, so I figure that’s a good thing.

While listening to the song above I was particularly struck by the words, “If your time to you is worth savin’, then you better start swimming or you’ll sink like a stone…”, and decided that it was more than just a great Dylan song – it was God once again rapping at the door of my heart and saying, “WAKE UP!”

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Category: Life, Spirituality | 6 Comments on Not Just Yet!