On the Passover

Tell me angel, what deterred you? The slaughter of the sheep, or the life of the Lord? You were deterred because you witnessed the mystery of the Lord accomplish in the sheep. The life of the Lord in the sacrifice of the sheep. The figure of the Lord in the death of the Sheep.  Continue reading “On the Passover”

He is great in heaven who humbly submits to his neighbor

He is great in heaven who humbly submits to his neighbor, and, without any cause for shame, bears patiently accusations made against him, even though they are false, if by this he may be at peace with his brother. St. Basil the Great, Homily 20

If He offers nourishment to the birds…

If he offers nourishment to the birds, will he not offer to humankind food to nourish them? If those who do not labor find food, will not people find food, to whom God has given both the wisdom to work and the hope to enjoy it? God made all animals for humankind’s sake, but heContinue reading “If He offers nourishment to the birds…”

Opus Imperfectum on Wealth

Consider, moreover, that he did not say, “Nobody can have God and wealth,” but “no one can be a servant of God and wealth.” It is one thing to have wealth and quite another to serve wealth. If you have wealth and your wealth does not make you haughty or violent, but you give toContinue reading “Opus Imperfectum on Wealth”

A dread and marvelous mystery

A dread and marvelous mystery we see come to pass this day. He whom none may touch is seized; he who looses Adam from the curse is bound. He who tries our hearts and inner thoughts is unjustly brought to trial. He who closed the abyss is shut in prison. He before whom the powersContinue reading “A dread and marvelous mystery”

An indestructible energy making for love

At the heart of the desperate suffering there is in the world, suffering we can do nothing to resolve or remove for good, there is an indestructible energy making for love. If we have grasped what Jesus is about, we can trust that this is what lies at the foundation of everything. Rowan Williams, TokensContinue reading “An indestructible energy making for love”

What Christians can expect each other to take for granted

[The Creed] sets out what Christians can expect each other to take for granted. You might even say that it tells us why we can trust each other in the Christian community. We’re looking in the same direction, working with the same hopes and assumptions. Rowan Williams, Tokens of Trust, p. 7