Tag: Orthodox

2016-12-01

The fulfillment of the ark is everyday beckoning us to make the same ascent, Ourselves to rise toward Christ to make our heart a ready and acceptable ark for the Word of God, That we too may carry the Bread of Life as our daily life and sustenance, Shepherded by the staff of healing, which guides us to the restoration of our nature and the cure for death.   on the Feast of the Entry of the Theotokos into the Temple, 2016

2016-11-22

O Strength of the Land, thou art gone. Bringing God forth through thy works And the abundance of thy lovingkindness for thy people, Virgin is the land again, purified through thy labors. Rejoice, mourning land; restore a smile to thy face O ye who hear tell ever new stories of thine Incomparable Power. Myrrh-scented bitterness of thy tears will rise as a Full incense of thy supplications for repose. Of what works do we begin to recall, for Grace bestowed from on high multiplied them beyond number. The land, yea, the whole world despaired of finding a Lord worthy of the honor bestowed upon him. Strength Is finally found in humility, and power With him who bends to touch the lowly. Thee, O land’s new strength, with thee, is power without compare. Blessed are they who lived in your time, for thou Art the blessing most unexpected, in that Thou…

2016-09-27
2016-05-01
2009-03-23
Saint Nikon of Sicily
Martyr Nikon in Sicily

The past few weeks, I have been reading through the lives of some of the saints who have gone before us for encouragement. These folk, that great cloud of witnesses, were the real deal, and it does not take much reading from their lives to figure that out. Well, I saw that the first of the saints commemorated on this day is Martyr Nikon in Sicily. Nikon…that was just too good to pass up mentioning here. And no, he is not the patron saint of Nikonians, but he most likely is the patron saint of some Nikonians.

I will share below the excerpt on the life of Saint Nikon which I read this morning. He certainly is not your stereotypical Sicilian (neither mobster nor Princess-Bride-ish), but could certainly serve as an encouragement for those who remember hearing some of the faith as a child and then upon encountering hard times later in life again call on that faith of our childhood.