Categories: orthodox-life
Date: 16 November 2004 04:06:32
Argh first:I have two horrible ulcers [can ulcers be anything but horrible?] on my gums: very painful indeed. I have some capsules and creme, which I hope helps. Not pleasant at all.
Life is pleasant, though: thanks be to God. As Orthodox around the world begin their Nativity Fast, I've been looking to watch less TV and listen to less radio, and instead read the Bible or theological texts or listen to theological talks to prepare myself for Christmas [as I don't yet understand fasting and I wouldn't want to fast simply for the sake of it: fasting does have its purposes and benefits]. I miss the news and discussions on the radio a little bit [I generally listen to non-music stations: 702 and NewsRadio, which is continuous news and broadcasts NPR, BBC, Radio Netherlands and Deutsche Welle programs], but I am gaining much more than I am missing.
Fr Thomas Hopko, Dean Emeritus of Saint Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary, has visited Australia several times. My parish has helped to organise many talks by him, and I bought 15 of them last year and am listening to them as I drive, rather than listening to the radio. I've listened to them before, and gained much, and this time I find myself gaining more. There is always more to learn and discover. Fr Hopko is also responsible for a wonderful and comprehensive series of booklets on the Orthodox Faith (available online), which are highly recommended for anyone wanting information on Orthodoxy.
The talk I'm listening to at the moment is What Does God Require Of Us?: plenty to ponder there and Fr Hopko does a wonderful job covering this issue. From explaining "do justice....love mercy....walk humbly with your God" [Micah 6:8] to Jesus' "not My will, but Yours" to wonderful quotes from the Desert Fathers and Orthodox theologians there is a great deal to take in.
In terms of doing God's will and conforming our will to His will, and looking to others, such as the Saints, for examples in this, I was particularly struck by a quote from St John Climacus in his The Ladder of Divine Ascent:
To admire the labours of the saints is good; to emulate them wins salvation; but to wish suddenly to imitate their life in every point is unreasonable and impossible.We all are called to follow Christ and to walk in His will, but for each of us this involves a different path and different actions. We are unique, and this uniqueness is not taken away from us as Christians: rather, to me, it is enhanced and raised more than we could imagine. Each of us, though we are one body, are one part, and a unique part. Thanks be to God.
There is much more to say on these talks, but I think that does it for now.