33
Thus does the Lord speak to every soul: forgive your brother his transgressions, and I will forgive you your sins. You shall forgive minor errors, debts of perhaps a few coins or some three pence, and I will grant you thousands of talants. For you have only to forgive, without presenting any gift; but I will forgive you your sins and grant you healing and the heavenly kingdom.
And I will accept your gift when you make peace with him who is at enmity with you. When you have no ma.ice, when the setting sun does not find you angry, when you meet all with peace and love--then will your prayer be acceptable and your offering pleasing, and your house will be blessed and you also shall find blessing.
But if you do not make peace with your brother, then how will you ask Me for forgiveness? I am your Master; I command you and you do not heed Me. You are a servant; how dare you bring Me a prayer, or a sacrifice, or first fruits of your harvest, if you bear malice toward anyone? If you turn your face from your brother, so shall I turn Mine eyes from your prayer and from your gift.
34
O Lover of mankind, Jesus Christ our God: hoping steadfastly in Thy mercy I beseech Thee, set me not at Thy left hand with the goats, who have given Thee much grief; say not to me: Amen, amen, I tell you, I know you not. But according to Thy kindness, give me endless tears, give my hear contrition and humility and cleanse it with fear of Thee, that it may become a temple of Thy grace.
Although I am most sinful and unworthy, I ceaselessly knock at Thy door. Although I am apathetic and slothful and take no care about my salvation, I wish to follow Thy path. Save me for the sake of Thy mercy, for in every way Thou art good, O Lord, and Thy compassion is in all Thy works.
Help me, O Master of all, defend the infirmity of my soul, that I might be delivered from sinful corruption and freed from the bonds of the passions. May malice not torment me and may the hostile demon not take me captive, but may the kingdom of Thy divine and venerable Spirit come upon me, and cause the corrupt passions which now possess and reign in me to withdraw from me. For Thou art a God of mercy, compassion and love for mankind.
35
O most holy Mother of God, O only Lady who art utterly pure in both soul and body, look upon me, abominable and unclean, who have blackened soul and body with the stains of my passionate and gluttonous life. Cleanse my passionate mind/; set aright my blind and wandering thoughts and make them incorrupt; bring my senses to order and guide them; free me from my evil and repulsive addiction to unclean prejudices and passions which torment me; stop every sin that works in me; grant my clouded and wretched mind the sobriety and discernment to correct my intentions and failings that, freed from the darkness of sin, I might be worthy to boldly glorify and praise thee, O only true Mother of the true Light, Christ our god; for all creation, visible and invisible, blesses and glorifies thee, both with Him and in Him.
36
Blessed is he who is every filled with spiritual joy and untiringly carries the Lord's good yoke, for he shall be crowned with glory.
Blessed is he who has cleansed himself of all sinful corruption, for boldly can he receive the King of glory, our Lord Jesus Christ, into his house.
Blessed is he who reverently approaches the most pure mysteries of the Savior with fear and trembling, knowing that he receives into his body indestructible life.
Blessed is he who hourly contemplates death and has rendered ineffectual in himself the shameful passions that nest in the hearts of the careless, for such a man will be comforted at the time of his repose.
Blessed is he who ceaselessly recalls the torments of Gehenna and hastens with tears and sighs to repent sincerely before the Lord, for he will be delivered from all sorrow.
Blessed is he who always humbles himself willingly, for he will be crowned by the One Who willingly humbled Himself for us.
Blessed is he who with all reverence, like Mary, remains at the Lord's feet (in prayer), an, like Martha, hastens to receive the Lord and Savior (with good works).
Blessed is he who, inflamed with the fear of God, always bears within himself the warmth of the Holy Spirit, and has burned up the thorns and thistles of wicked thoughts.
Blessed is he who with spiritual awareness loves meekness, and does not allow himself to be deceived by the evil serpent, but lays his hopes on the good and kindhearted Lord.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Monday, March 17, 2008
A Spiritual Psalter from the works of our Holy Father Ephraim the Syrian
29
He Who is from God, God the Word, the only-begotten Son of the Father, of one essence with the Father, of one essence with the Father, Being from Being, ineffably begotten of the Father without a mother before all ages--the very same is born in the last days to a daughter of men, to the Virgin Mary without a father. God is born incarnate, wearing flesh borrowed from her, having become man, which He was not, and remaining God, which He was, in order to save the world. And He is Christ, the Son of God, the only-begotten of the Father and the only-begotten of His Mother.
I confess One and the Same as both perfect God and perfect Man, in two natures, united in one hypostasis or person, recognized as indivisibly, unconfused and unchangeably God Who was clothed in flesh, animated by an intelligent and rational soul, and came to resemble us in every way except sin.
One and the Same is earthly and heavenly, temporal and eternal, both with and without beginning, timeless and subject to time, created and uncreated, suffering and free of suffering, God and Man and perfect in both. One in two natures, in both Unitary.
30
The time of my life has been squandered in cares and shameful thoughts. Grant me, O Lord, a cure, that I might be completely healed of my hidden sores. Strengthen me, that I might labor diligently in Thy vineyard, if even only for one hour. For my life in its vanity has already reached its eleventh hour.
Direct my ship and its goods by Thy commandments, and grant me, a worthless merchant, the presence of mind to sell my cargo while there is still time.
The time for sailing is already coming to an end; it is as if I could already hear the voice of the Judge saying to me, who am dissolute: show me now, O slothful one, the goods which you have acquired during your life.
The hour of death terrifies me, who am miserable. For I look at my deeds and my soul trembles; I see my apathy and slothfulness, and my bones stiffen.
The hour of departure looms before mine eyes and I am taken with tremendous fear when I think of it. Instead of rejoicing, I have become more afraid, because when I had grace I did no deeds worthy of God.
Woe is me, O my soul! Why dost thou neglect thy life! Why dost thou spend its numbered days in dissipation? Can it be that thou dost not know that thou wilt be called in a moment? What wilt thou do there after leading a careless life here? With what response wilt thou justify thyself when thou standest before the throne of the terrible Judge? The enemy deceives thee and day by day he steals away thine inheritance, but thou dost fail to comprehend this.
Be sober; come to thy senses and pray to God with tears, calling out to Him with heartfelt grief: grant me, O Lord, to love Thee with all my strength and to serve Thee diligently, fulfilling Thy holy commandments, that when my hour of departure arrives, Thou mightest find me ready and waiting to meet Thee with great joy, and Thou mightest lead me into Thine eternal kingdom to rejoice with all the saints who have been pleasing to Thee.
31
Save me, O Long-suffering Lord! Save me, Son of God, sinless Christ! And grant me contemplation of eternal life that, having nothing else than this thought in my heart, I, a sinner, might always do Thy will, assisted by Thy grace; and that I might willingly walk in Thy precepts, that I might use the talent which Thou, O Heavenly King, hast given me to good purpose and, having brought a profit by investing it well, that I might be found worthy to be praised by Thee, O Master. And when Thou comest, O Lord, might I say boldly and with a pure heart: blessed am I, that Thou hast come, O Master!
At Thy wedding, O Lord, clothe me in a worthy garment, which Thy grace will prepare for me while I am still here. Vouchsafe me then to light a lamp, given me by Thy generosity.
Thus with joy will I go out to meet Thee, glorifying and blessing Thee, with the hope that I will be a co-communicant with the righteous and the saints who have been pleasing to Thee through the ages.
32
The debts of those who ask for pardon are forgiven. But see that you do not harbor hatred for your brethren when you ask forgiveness of your debts.
Prayers that are offered up to God remain behind closed doors if they do not contain love, for only love can open the doors for prayer.
If your brother is angry with you, then the Lord also is angry with you. And if you have made peace with your brother below, then you have made peace also with the Lord on high. If you receive your brother, then you also receive your Lord.
Thus, make peace with the Lord in the person of those who are offended; give Him cause to be glad in the person of those who sorrow; visit Him in the person of those who are infirm; feed Him in the person of those who hunger.
In the person of a weary traveler, prepare a soft bed for Him, wash His feet, seat Him at the head of your table, break your bread and share it with Him, and give Him also your cup.
He has already shown His great love for you; He has broken His body for you and given you His blood to drink.
He Who is from God, God the Word, the only-begotten Son of the Father, of one essence with the Father, of one essence with the Father, Being from Being, ineffably begotten of the Father without a mother before all ages--the very same is born in the last days to a daughter of men, to the Virgin Mary without a father. God is born incarnate, wearing flesh borrowed from her, having become man, which He was not, and remaining God, which He was, in order to save the world. And He is Christ, the Son of God, the only-begotten of the Father and the only-begotten of His Mother.
I confess One and the Same as both perfect God and perfect Man, in two natures, united in one hypostasis or person, recognized as indivisibly, unconfused and unchangeably God Who was clothed in flesh, animated by an intelligent and rational soul, and came to resemble us in every way except sin.
One and the Same is earthly and heavenly, temporal and eternal, both with and without beginning, timeless and subject to time, created and uncreated, suffering and free of suffering, God and Man and perfect in both. One in two natures, in both Unitary.
30
The time of my life has been squandered in cares and shameful thoughts. Grant me, O Lord, a cure, that I might be completely healed of my hidden sores. Strengthen me, that I might labor diligently in Thy vineyard, if even only for one hour. For my life in its vanity has already reached its eleventh hour.
Direct my ship and its goods by Thy commandments, and grant me, a worthless merchant, the presence of mind to sell my cargo while there is still time.
The time for sailing is already coming to an end; it is as if I could already hear the voice of the Judge saying to me, who am dissolute: show me now, O slothful one, the goods which you have acquired during your life.
The hour of death terrifies me, who am miserable. For I look at my deeds and my soul trembles; I see my apathy and slothfulness, and my bones stiffen.
The hour of departure looms before mine eyes and I am taken with tremendous fear when I think of it. Instead of rejoicing, I have become more afraid, because when I had grace I did no deeds worthy of God.
Woe is me, O my soul! Why dost thou neglect thy life! Why dost thou spend its numbered days in dissipation? Can it be that thou dost not know that thou wilt be called in a moment? What wilt thou do there after leading a careless life here? With what response wilt thou justify thyself when thou standest before the throne of the terrible Judge? The enemy deceives thee and day by day he steals away thine inheritance, but thou dost fail to comprehend this.
Be sober; come to thy senses and pray to God with tears, calling out to Him with heartfelt grief: grant me, O Lord, to love Thee with all my strength and to serve Thee diligently, fulfilling Thy holy commandments, that when my hour of departure arrives, Thou mightest find me ready and waiting to meet Thee with great joy, and Thou mightest lead me into Thine eternal kingdom to rejoice with all the saints who have been pleasing to Thee.
31
Save me, O Long-suffering Lord! Save me, Son of God, sinless Christ! And grant me contemplation of eternal life that, having nothing else than this thought in my heart, I, a sinner, might always do Thy will, assisted by Thy grace; and that I might willingly walk in Thy precepts, that I might use the talent which Thou, O Heavenly King, hast given me to good purpose and, having brought a profit by investing it well, that I might be found worthy to be praised by Thee, O Master. And when Thou comest, O Lord, might I say boldly and with a pure heart: blessed am I, that Thou hast come, O Master!
At Thy wedding, O Lord, clothe me in a worthy garment, which Thy grace will prepare for me while I am still here. Vouchsafe me then to light a lamp, given me by Thy generosity.
Thus with joy will I go out to meet Thee, glorifying and blessing Thee, with the hope that I will be a co-communicant with the righteous and the saints who have been pleasing to Thee through the ages.
32
The debts of those who ask for pardon are forgiven. But see that you do not harbor hatred for your brethren when you ask forgiveness of your debts.
Prayers that are offered up to God remain behind closed doors if they do not contain love, for only love can open the doors for prayer.
If your brother is angry with you, then the Lord also is angry with you. And if you have made peace with your brother below, then you have made peace also with the Lord on high. If you receive your brother, then you also receive your Lord.
Thus, make peace with the Lord in the person of those who are offended; give Him cause to be glad in the person of those who sorrow; visit Him in the person of those who are infirm; feed Him in the person of those who hunger.
In the person of a weary traveler, prepare a soft bed for Him, wash His feet, seat Him at the head of your table, break your bread and share it with Him, and give Him also your cup.
He has already shown His great love for you; He has broken His body for you and given you His blood to drink.
Saturday, March 15, 2008
A Spiritual Psalter from the works of our Holy Father Ephraim the Syrian
25
The sinless Lamb of God freely chose to suffer the cross in the flesh and was slain for the salvation of us sinners. In incorrupt flesh did He taste death in order to save our fallen nature. Thou Who art the Wisdom adn the Strength of God the Father, the Radiance of His glory, O incomprehensible Jesus, O unfathomable Christ, O only kindhearted Lover of mankind, pour out on me, a sinner, Thy great mercy; and by Thy grace chase away from me all apathy, slothfulness and impatience, that in Thy second coming I might not hear thy terrible denunciation: What didst thou suffer for My sake?
In that terrible and frightening day, O Lord, Thou wilt say to us sinners: you all know well what I suffered for your sake. I, Who am god, took flesh for your sake. I, Who am invisible, visibly dwelt on earth for your sake. For your sake I hungered, thirsted and labored. for your sake I was persecuted and stoned. I, Who am blameless, was struck in the face and spat upon for your sake. I, Who am sinless, suffered a dishonorable death for your sake. For your sake my ribs were pierced with a spear and I was given vinegar mixed with gall to drink. All this have I suffered for your sake, in order to make you saints in heaven. I have given you the kingdom of heaven, I have called you all brothers, I have sent down to you the Holy Spirit. O men, what have you suffered for My sake?
What shall I, who am wretched, wicked, sinful and defiled, say in response? the martyrs will point to their wounds, their torments, their detached limbs, their endurance to the end. The ascetics will point to their asceticism, their lengthy fasts, vigils, nonacquisitiveness, their tears and all their sufferings. But I, who am slothful and sinful, to what shall I point, but the shameful fruits of gluttony, sensuality, somnolence, acquisitiveness, impatience, vainglory and apathy?
If Thou demandest from me, O Lord, an account of the time which I was given for repentance, but spent in negligence, how shall I justify myself? And if I am interrogated about my idle talking, wicked thoughts and desires, then what fear, what confusion will embrace poor me, and what torments will follow thereafter?
Spare me, O Lord! Spare me, O kindhearted One! Spare me, O Lover of man! Spare me, O only good One! Be merciful and have mercy on me according to Thy singular kindness. Strengthen my soul which has been corrupted by my slothfulness and apathy, O Thou Who exaltest the lowly and rescuest the distressed!
Thou knowest how negligent and wretched I am, Thou knowest how many cunning and evil thoughts war against me, Thou seest the enemy's malice and the many wiles which he uses against me. Help me according to Thy great mercy, make me sober and vigilant, quicken me and save me by Thy grace through the prayers of our most pure Lady the Mother of God and of all the saints.
26
Thou, O Lord of all, according to Thy mercy, be for me a harbor of salvation, a refuge of charity, and save me.
I beseech Thy kindness, O my Savior. From henceforth pour out upon me Thy mercies at that hour and set me far away from those who are to be tormented.
O Christ, Who didst will to become a sacrifice for us, destroy the sin which has stricken all my members. Descend and dwell in my members.
When he hears of this, the teeth of the evil one will be broken and the fire of Gehenna will be extinguished by Thy radiance.
Evil Satan has spewed out his venom on me, he has corrupted me and debased me with sin. But because I follow Thy way, and Thou art omnipotent, in my infirmity I nurture the hope that Thou wilt scorn him and help me by pardoning sins--and then will my corrupter be ashamed.
The princes of evil have blinded me with their passions, and by their cunning have they robbed me of the beauty of my youth. what can I do, now that I have lost my purity? I will cry out to Christ, that He might return my beauty to me--and then will the evil ones be ashamed.
My Savior cries out to me, to His disciple: do not despair of thy salvation; I will restorer thee and forgive thee thy sins. I have found thee and I will not leave thee; for I have redeemed thee with My very own Blood.
Cry out, O sinner, with all your might, and spare not your throat: for your Lord is merciful and loves those who repent. As soon as you return, your Father will come out aforehand to meet you. He will slaughter the fatted calf, clothe you in a fine robe and rejoice in you.
27
Do not lose heart, O soul, do not grieve; pronounce not over thyself a final judgement for the multitude of thy sins; do not commit thyself to fire; do not say: the Lord has cast me from His face.
Such words are not pleasing to God. Can it be that he who has fallen cannot get up? Can it be that he who has turned away cannot turn back again? Dost thou not hear how kind the Father is to a prodigal?
Do not be ashamed to turn back and say boldly: I will arise and go to my Father. Arise and go!
He will accept thee and will not reproach thee, but rather rejoice at thy return. He awaits thee; just do not be ashamed and do not hide from the face of God as did Adam.
It was for thy sake that Christ was crucified; so will He cast thee aside? He knows who oppresses us. He knows that we have no other help but Him alone.
Christ knows that man is miserable. Do not give thyself up to despair and apathy, assuming that thou hast been prepared fro the fire. Christ derives no consolation from thrusting us into the fire; He gains nothing if He sends us into the abyss to be tormented.
Imitate the prodigal son: heave the city that starves thee. Come and beseech Him and thou shalt behold the glory of God. Thy face shall be enlightened and thou wilt rejoice in the sweetness of paradise. Glory to the Lord and Lover of mankind Who saves us!
28
Do you wish to lead a proper life? Exercise humility, for without it it is impossible to lead a proper life.
do all you work in the name of our Savior Jesus Christ, and thus shall your fruits be carried up to heaven.
A man begins to go astray when he withdraws from humility. He who has abandoned God does the evil spirit oppress, as he did Saul.
The enemy's snares are smeared with honey. He who is attracted by the sweetness of honey becomes caught in the snares and filled with all manner of woe.
Love humility and you will never fall into the devil's snare, for, soaring on humility's swift wings you will always remain above the enemy's snares.
Arrogance is like a very tall but rotten tree. All of its branches are brittle and if someone climbs upon it, he immediately falls from the height he has attained.
Blessed is he who is enriched with good hopes and illuminated with good thoughts: his glory is great and everlasting.
Let us strive for sober attention, that we might recognize our sins and be constantly humbled, that we might not nurture, like the serpent, a high opinion of ourselves or wickedness.
Let us love sobriety, that we might nave a pure heart and that we might preserve the temple entrusted to us undefiled by sinful corruption.
Wondrous is prayer accompanied by signs and teaas, especially if the teaas are shed in secret.
He who prays in his mind with faith beholds the Lord before himself. For in Him do we live, move and exist.
If your heart has been hardened, weep before the Lord, that He might shine upon you the illumination of knowledge and grant that with an ardent heart you might be carried up to Him.
The sinless Lamb of God freely chose to suffer the cross in the flesh and was slain for the salvation of us sinners. In incorrupt flesh did He taste death in order to save our fallen nature. Thou Who art the Wisdom adn the Strength of God the Father, the Radiance of His glory, O incomprehensible Jesus, O unfathomable Christ, O only kindhearted Lover of mankind, pour out on me, a sinner, Thy great mercy; and by Thy grace chase away from me all apathy, slothfulness and impatience, that in Thy second coming I might not hear thy terrible denunciation: What didst thou suffer for My sake?
In that terrible and frightening day, O Lord, Thou wilt say to us sinners: you all know well what I suffered for your sake. I, Who am god, took flesh for your sake. I, Who am invisible, visibly dwelt on earth for your sake. For your sake I hungered, thirsted and labored. for your sake I was persecuted and stoned. I, Who am blameless, was struck in the face and spat upon for your sake. I, Who am sinless, suffered a dishonorable death for your sake. For your sake my ribs were pierced with a spear and I was given vinegar mixed with gall to drink. All this have I suffered for your sake, in order to make you saints in heaven. I have given you the kingdom of heaven, I have called you all brothers, I have sent down to you the Holy Spirit. O men, what have you suffered for My sake?
What shall I, who am wretched, wicked, sinful and defiled, say in response? the martyrs will point to their wounds, their torments, their detached limbs, their endurance to the end. The ascetics will point to their asceticism, their lengthy fasts, vigils, nonacquisitiveness, their tears and all their sufferings. But I, who am slothful and sinful, to what shall I point, but the shameful fruits of gluttony, sensuality, somnolence, acquisitiveness, impatience, vainglory and apathy?
If Thou demandest from me, O Lord, an account of the time which I was given for repentance, but spent in negligence, how shall I justify myself? And if I am interrogated about my idle talking, wicked thoughts and desires, then what fear, what confusion will embrace poor me, and what torments will follow thereafter?
Spare me, O Lord! Spare me, O kindhearted One! Spare me, O Lover of man! Spare me, O only good One! Be merciful and have mercy on me according to Thy singular kindness. Strengthen my soul which has been corrupted by my slothfulness and apathy, O Thou Who exaltest the lowly and rescuest the distressed!
Thou knowest how negligent and wretched I am, Thou knowest how many cunning and evil thoughts war against me, Thou seest the enemy's malice and the many wiles which he uses against me. Help me according to Thy great mercy, make me sober and vigilant, quicken me and save me by Thy grace through the prayers of our most pure Lady the Mother of God and of all the saints.
26
Thou, O Lord of all, according to Thy mercy, be for me a harbor of salvation, a refuge of charity, and save me.
I beseech Thy kindness, O my Savior. From henceforth pour out upon me Thy mercies at that hour and set me far away from those who are to be tormented.
O Christ, Who didst will to become a sacrifice for us, destroy the sin which has stricken all my members. Descend and dwell in my members.
When he hears of this, the teeth of the evil one will be broken and the fire of Gehenna will be extinguished by Thy radiance.
Evil Satan has spewed out his venom on me, he has corrupted me and debased me with sin. But because I follow Thy way, and Thou art omnipotent, in my infirmity I nurture the hope that Thou wilt scorn him and help me by pardoning sins--and then will my corrupter be ashamed.
The princes of evil have blinded me with their passions, and by their cunning have they robbed me of the beauty of my youth. what can I do, now that I have lost my purity? I will cry out to Christ, that He might return my beauty to me--and then will the evil ones be ashamed.
My Savior cries out to me, to His disciple: do not despair of thy salvation; I will restorer thee and forgive thee thy sins. I have found thee and I will not leave thee; for I have redeemed thee with My very own Blood.
Cry out, O sinner, with all your might, and spare not your throat: for your Lord is merciful and loves those who repent. As soon as you return, your Father will come out aforehand to meet you. He will slaughter the fatted calf, clothe you in a fine robe and rejoice in you.
27
Do not lose heart, O soul, do not grieve; pronounce not over thyself a final judgement for the multitude of thy sins; do not commit thyself to fire; do not say: the Lord has cast me from His face.
Such words are not pleasing to God. Can it be that he who has fallen cannot get up? Can it be that he who has turned away cannot turn back again? Dost thou not hear how kind the Father is to a prodigal?
Do not be ashamed to turn back and say boldly: I will arise and go to my Father. Arise and go!
He will accept thee and will not reproach thee, but rather rejoice at thy return. He awaits thee; just do not be ashamed and do not hide from the face of God as did Adam.
It was for thy sake that Christ was crucified; so will He cast thee aside? He knows who oppresses us. He knows that we have no other help but Him alone.
Christ knows that man is miserable. Do not give thyself up to despair and apathy, assuming that thou hast been prepared fro the fire. Christ derives no consolation from thrusting us into the fire; He gains nothing if He sends us into the abyss to be tormented.
Imitate the prodigal son: heave the city that starves thee. Come and beseech Him and thou shalt behold the glory of God. Thy face shall be enlightened and thou wilt rejoice in the sweetness of paradise. Glory to the Lord and Lover of mankind Who saves us!
28
Do you wish to lead a proper life? Exercise humility, for without it it is impossible to lead a proper life.
do all you work in the name of our Savior Jesus Christ, and thus shall your fruits be carried up to heaven.
A man begins to go astray when he withdraws from humility. He who has abandoned God does the evil spirit oppress, as he did Saul.
The enemy's snares are smeared with honey. He who is attracted by the sweetness of honey becomes caught in the snares and filled with all manner of woe.
Love humility and you will never fall into the devil's snare, for, soaring on humility's swift wings you will always remain above the enemy's snares.
Arrogance is like a very tall but rotten tree. All of its branches are brittle and if someone climbs upon it, he immediately falls from the height he has attained.
Blessed is he who is enriched with good hopes and illuminated with good thoughts: his glory is great and everlasting.
Let us strive for sober attention, that we might recognize our sins and be constantly humbled, that we might not nurture, like the serpent, a high opinion of ourselves or wickedness.
Let us love sobriety, that we might nave a pure heart and that we might preserve the temple entrusted to us undefiled by sinful corruption.
Wondrous is prayer accompanied by signs and teaas, especially if the teaas are shed in secret.
He who prays in his mind with faith beholds the Lord before himself. For in Him do we live, move and exist.
If your heart has been hardened, weep before the Lord, that He might shine upon you the illumination of knowledge and grant that with an ardent heart you might be carried up to Him.
Friday, March 14, 2008
A Spiritual Psalter from the works of our Holy Father Ephraim the Syrian
21
Thou to Whom the penitent are pleasing, incline Thyself to me, a sinner. Fill me with the crumbs from Thy great banquet; do not let my life perish at the left side in darkness. May Thy truth not behold the terrible impurity of my misery in that great morning when the sentence unto eternity shall be pronounced.
The joy of this world is better. Woe to him who is seduced by it! As a boat is tossed by waves, so is my life convulsed by my misery. Vain joy captures it with the illusion of satisfaction. Be Thou my helmsman and steer my ship to Thy harbor in that great morning when the sentence unto eternity shall be pronounced.
God loves the sinner when he comes to repentance and, with his eyes full of tears, sighing and sobbing, he cries out to Him: O our Lord, deliver me from fire! I pray Thee, accept the tears of my misery. Voluntarily have I sinned before Thee, yet voluntarily do I also repent.
So come forth boldly, O sinner. The door is already open and ready to receive you. Bring the Lord a sacrifice of tears and go freely to Him. He does not demand fits, nor does He have any respect of persons. He is kindhearted to men and willingly forgives the sins of repentant sinners.
22
Blessed is the man who has the fear of God in him, for the Holy Spirit calls him blessed, saying: blessed is the man who fears the Lord.
Blessed is the man who has the love of God in him, for he bears God in himself. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God.
Blessed is he who has attained endurance, for a long-suffering man is great in understanding.
Blessed is he who is a stranger to anger and irritability, for anger does not beget a man of God's truth.
Blessed is he who has loved meekness, according to the Lord's word: blessed are the meek.
Blessed is he who has attained true obedience, for such a man imitates the Lord our Savior, Who was obedient even unto death.
Blessed is he who is a stranger to envy and rivalry, for it was by envy that death came into the world.
Blessed is he who does not defile his tongue with slander, for the heart of a slanderer is full of all manner of defilement.
Blessed is he who has attained abstinence, for this one virtue is a buttress for all the rest.
Blessed is he who is charitable to the poor, for he will find many to defend him at the judgement.
Blessed is he who leads and exalted life yet maintains an humble persuasion: he imitates Christ and with Him he shall sit in glory.
Blessed is he who forces himself to perform all manner of good deeds, for the forceful shall capture the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed is he who walks the straight path, for he will enter heaven bearing a crown.
Blessed are all these, for they shall stand boldly before the Judge and receive a holy reward from His hands.
23
We confess one and the same individual as perfect god and perfect Man. He is God the Word Which was flesh.
For if He was not flesh, why was Mary chosen? And if He is not God, whom does Gabriel call Lord?
If He was not flesh, who was laid in a manger? And if He is not god, whom did the angels who came down from heaven glorify? If He was not flesh, who was wrapped in swaddling clothes? And if He is not God, in whose honor did the star appear?
If He was not flesh, whom did Simeon hold in his arms? And if He is not God, to whom did Simeon say: Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace?
If he was not flesh, whom did Joseph take when he fled into Egypt? And if He is not god, who fulfilled the prophesy: Our of Egypt have I called my Son?
If He was not flesh, whom did John baptize? And if He is not God, to whom did the Father say: This is my beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased?
If He was not flesh, who hungered in the desert? And if He is not God, unto whom did the angels come and minister?
If He was not flesh, who was invited to the marriage in Cana of Galilee? And if He is not God, who turned the water into wine?
If He was not flesh, who took the loaves in the desert? And if He is not God, who fed the five thousand men and their women and children with five loaves and two fishes?
If he was not flesh, who slept in the ship? And if He is not God, who rebuked the waves and the sea?
If He was not flesh, with whom did Simon the Pharisee sit at meat? And if He is not God, who forgave the sins of the harlot?
If He was not flesh, who wore a man's garment? And if He is not God, who healed the woman with an issue of blood when she touched His garment?
If He was not flesh, who spat on the ground and made clay? And if He is not God, who gave sight to the eyes of the blind man with that clay?
If He was not flesh, who wept at Lazarus' grave? And if He is not god, who commanded him to come forth out of the grave four days after his death?
If He was not flesh, whom did the Jews arrest in the garden? And if He is not God, who cast them to the ground with the words: I am He?
If He was not flesh, who was judged before Pilate? And if he is not God, who frightened Pilate's wife in a dream?
If he was not flesh, whose garments were stripped from Him and parted by the soldiers? And if He is not God, why was the sun darkened upon His crucifixion?
If He was not flesh, who was crucified on the cross? And if He is not God, who shook the foundations of the earth?
If He was not flesh, whose hands and feet were nailed to the cross? And if He is not God, how did it happen that the veil of the temple was rent in twain, the rocks were rent, and the graves were opened?
If He was not flesh, who hung on the cross between the two thieves? And if He is not God, how could He say to the thief: Today thou shalt be with me in paradise?
If He was not flesh, who cried out and gave up the ghost? And if He is not God, whose cry caused many bodies of the saints which slept to arise?
If He was not flesh, whom did the women see laid in the grave? And if He is not God, about whom did the angel say to them: he has arisen, He is not here?
If He was not flesh, whom did Thomas touch when he put his hands into the prints of the nails?
And if He is not God, who entered through the doors that were shut?
If He was not flesh, who ate at the sea of Tiberias? And if He is not god, on whose orders were the nets filled with fishes?
If He was not flesh, whom did the apostles see carried up into heaven? And if He is not God, who ascended to the joyful cries of the angels, and to whom did the Father proclaim: sit at My right hand?
If He is not God and man then, indeed, our salvation is false, and false are the pronouncements of the prophets.
24
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, Our Savior! Grant me, Thy servant, contrition and enlightenment of heart, that with an enlightened heart, tears of sweetness might spring forth in pure prayer, that it might not take many of my tears for Thee to erase the record of my sins, and that for the sake of brief lamentation thou mightest extinguish the fire kindled in me. For if, O Master, thou allowest me to weep here, then wilt Thou free me from inextinguishable fire.
I know, O longsuffering and man-befriending Lord, that every day and hour I embitter and anger Thee greatly, but the kindness of Thy endurance will vanquish my malice and bitterness.
O Lord, Who lovest good and art a God of mercy and compassion! Save me from the terrible corrupt enemy, who hourly fetters and persecutes my soul with evil and corrupt thoughts.
Ineffable is Thy strength, O Christ, for it rebuked the waves of the sea. May it rebuke him, may it render him ineffectual, and may it banish him far from me Thy servant.
Every day he renews his treachery against me and he hastens to take possession of my crippled mind and to distance me from Thee and from Thy divine Commandments.
But, O Master, O most merciful Lord, quickly send Thy strength and chase from me, Thy worthless servant, this might serpent with all of his cunning and shameful thoughts, that I might in purity praise Thee with thine eternal Father and Thine all-holy and good and life-creating Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.
Thou to Whom the penitent are pleasing, incline Thyself to me, a sinner. Fill me with the crumbs from Thy great banquet; do not let my life perish at the left side in darkness. May Thy truth not behold the terrible impurity of my misery in that great morning when the sentence unto eternity shall be pronounced.
The joy of this world is better. Woe to him who is seduced by it! As a boat is tossed by waves, so is my life convulsed by my misery. Vain joy captures it with the illusion of satisfaction. Be Thou my helmsman and steer my ship to Thy harbor in that great morning when the sentence unto eternity shall be pronounced.
God loves the sinner when he comes to repentance and, with his eyes full of tears, sighing and sobbing, he cries out to Him: O our Lord, deliver me from fire! I pray Thee, accept the tears of my misery. Voluntarily have I sinned before Thee, yet voluntarily do I also repent.
So come forth boldly, O sinner. The door is already open and ready to receive you. Bring the Lord a sacrifice of tears and go freely to Him. He does not demand fits, nor does He have any respect of persons. He is kindhearted to men and willingly forgives the sins of repentant sinners.
22
Blessed is the man who has the fear of God in him, for the Holy Spirit calls him blessed, saying: blessed is the man who fears the Lord.
Blessed is the man who has the love of God in him, for he bears God in himself. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God.
Blessed is he who has attained endurance, for a long-suffering man is great in understanding.
Blessed is he who is a stranger to anger and irritability, for anger does not beget a man of God's truth.
Blessed is he who has loved meekness, according to the Lord's word: blessed are the meek.
Blessed is he who has attained true obedience, for such a man imitates the Lord our Savior, Who was obedient even unto death.
Blessed is he who is a stranger to envy and rivalry, for it was by envy that death came into the world.
Blessed is he who does not defile his tongue with slander, for the heart of a slanderer is full of all manner of defilement.
Blessed is he who has attained abstinence, for this one virtue is a buttress for all the rest.
Blessed is he who is charitable to the poor, for he will find many to defend him at the judgement.
Blessed is he who leads and exalted life yet maintains an humble persuasion: he imitates Christ and with Him he shall sit in glory.
Blessed is he who forces himself to perform all manner of good deeds, for the forceful shall capture the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed is he who walks the straight path, for he will enter heaven bearing a crown.
Blessed are all these, for they shall stand boldly before the Judge and receive a holy reward from His hands.
23
We confess one and the same individual as perfect god and perfect Man. He is God the Word Which was flesh.
For if He was not flesh, why was Mary chosen? And if He is not God, whom does Gabriel call Lord?
If He was not flesh, who was laid in a manger? And if He is not god, whom did the angels who came down from heaven glorify? If He was not flesh, who was wrapped in swaddling clothes? And if He is not God, in whose honor did the star appear?
If He was not flesh, whom did Simeon hold in his arms? And if He is not God, to whom did Simeon say: Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace?
If he was not flesh, whom did Joseph take when he fled into Egypt? And if He is not god, who fulfilled the prophesy: Our of Egypt have I called my Son?
If He was not flesh, whom did John baptize? And if He is not God, to whom did the Father say: This is my beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased?
If He was not flesh, who hungered in the desert? And if He is not God, unto whom did the angels come and minister?
If He was not flesh, who was invited to the marriage in Cana of Galilee? And if He is not God, who turned the water into wine?
If He was not flesh, who took the loaves in the desert? And if He is not God, who fed the five thousand men and their women and children with five loaves and two fishes?
If he was not flesh, who slept in the ship? And if He is not God, who rebuked the waves and the sea?
If He was not flesh, with whom did Simon the Pharisee sit at meat? And if He is not God, who forgave the sins of the harlot?
If He was not flesh, who wore a man's garment? And if He is not God, who healed the woman with an issue of blood when she touched His garment?
If He was not flesh, who spat on the ground and made clay? And if He is not God, who gave sight to the eyes of the blind man with that clay?
If He was not flesh, who wept at Lazarus' grave? And if He is not god, who commanded him to come forth out of the grave four days after his death?
If He was not flesh, whom did the Jews arrest in the garden? And if He is not God, who cast them to the ground with the words: I am He?
If He was not flesh, who was judged before Pilate? And if he is not God, who frightened Pilate's wife in a dream?
If he was not flesh, whose garments were stripped from Him and parted by the soldiers? And if He is not God, why was the sun darkened upon His crucifixion?
If He was not flesh, who was crucified on the cross? And if He is not God, who shook the foundations of the earth?
If He was not flesh, whose hands and feet were nailed to the cross? And if He is not God, how did it happen that the veil of the temple was rent in twain, the rocks were rent, and the graves were opened?
If He was not flesh, who hung on the cross between the two thieves? And if He is not God, how could He say to the thief: Today thou shalt be with me in paradise?
If He was not flesh, who cried out and gave up the ghost? And if He is not God, whose cry caused many bodies of the saints which slept to arise?
If He was not flesh, whom did the women see laid in the grave? And if He is not God, about whom did the angel say to them: he has arisen, He is not here?
If He was not flesh, whom did Thomas touch when he put his hands into the prints of the nails?
And if He is not God, who entered through the doors that were shut?
If He was not flesh, who ate at the sea of Tiberias? And if He is not god, on whose orders were the nets filled with fishes?
If He was not flesh, whom did the apostles see carried up into heaven? And if He is not God, who ascended to the joyful cries of the angels, and to whom did the Father proclaim: sit at My right hand?
If He is not God and man then, indeed, our salvation is false, and false are the pronouncements of the prophets.
24
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, Our Savior! Grant me, Thy servant, contrition and enlightenment of heart, that with an enlightened heart, tears of sweetness might spring forth in pure prayer, that it might not take many of my tears for Thee to erase the record of my sins, and that for the sake of brief lamentation thou mightest extinguish the fire kindled in me. For if, O Master, thou allowest me to weep here, then wilt Thou free me from inextinguishable fire.
I know, O longsuffering and man-befriending Lord, that every day and hour I embitter and anger Thee greatly, but the kindness of Thy endurance will vanquish my malice and bitterness.
O Lord, Who lovest good and art a God of mercy and compassion! Save me from the terrible corrupt enemy, who hourly fetters and persecutes my soul with evil and corrupt thoughts.
Ineffable is Thy strength, O Christ, for it rebuked the waves of the sea. May it rebuke him, may it render him ineffectual, and may it banish him far from me Thy servant.
Every day he renews his treachery against me and he hastens to take possession of my crippled mind and to distance me from Thee and from Thy divine Commandments.
But, O Master, O most merciful Lord, quickly send Thy strength and chase from me, Thy worthless servant, this might serpent with all of his cunning and shameful thoughts, that I might in purity praise Thee with thine eternal Father and Thine all-holy and good and life-creating Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
A Spiritual Psalter from the works of our Holy Father Ephraim the Syrian
17
O good Lover of man, Who accepted the two farthings and praised the good will of the widow, accept the prayers of Thy servant; multiply my prayer and grant my requests, that I might become a temple for Thy grace. May it abide in me and itself teach me how to please it. May it strum my heartstrings and play songs of contrition filled with gladness. May it fasten my mind as with a bridle, that I might not sin before Thee by going astray, and might not be cast out of the light.
Hearken, O Lord, hearken unto my prayer, and grant that I who am unclean might become pure, that I who am senseless might become wise, that I who am useless might become profitable in the flock of Thy chosen laborers and of all the saints who have been pleasing to Thee--and that I might be admitted to Thy kingdom.
The glad in paradise intercede for me and cry out to Thee, O only Lover of mankind. Attend Thou to their prayers. Through them will I give Thee glory in return, for Thou hast hearkened unto their prayers and hast been generous to me and not disregarded my prayers.
Thou, O Lord, hast said by Thy Prophet: open thy lips, and I will fill them. Behold, both the heart and the lips of Thy servant are opened; fill them with Thy grace, that I may bless Thee unceasingly, O Christ my God and Savior.
My prayer is powerless, but my iniquities are great and might. Sins overwhelm me and my weaknesses dismay me; Thou art wealthy and good, kindhearted and merciful.
Thou Who didst open the eyes of the blind man, open the eyes of my mind that I may unceasingly contemplate Thy beauty.
thou Who didst establish bounds for the sea by Thy command, establish bounds for my heart by Thy grace, that it might not turn aside to the right hand or to the left from Thy beauty.
Thou Who gavest water in the desert to the people who did not humble themselves and contradicted Thee, give me contrition and grant tears to my eyes, that I might weep day and night throughout the length of my life with meekness, with love and with a pure heart.
Hearken, O Lord, unto the prayer of Thy servant, according to the intercessions of all Thy saints, Thou Who art blessed above all unto the ages.
18
O God righteous and praised, O God pre-eternal: Hearken unto this man, this sinner, in this hour!
Hear me, O God, hear me in Thy fortress, remember not the continual disobedience of my worthlessness.
Answer my prayer with fire, as Thou didst once for Thy Prophet.
O God of Holy powers! O, Creator of the fleshless ones! O, Thou Who didst pronounce: ask, and ye shall receive! Be Thou not repelled by me who am unclean, who have defiled my lips and am covered with sins.
Hear me, Thou Who hast promised to hear those who call to Thee in truth, and direct the steps of Thy servant to the path of peace.
I cry to Thee with all my heart: God, O God, hearken unto me, O hope of all the ends of the earth and of those who travel afar. Banish all unclean spirits that they may flee from the face of Thy servant.
Take up Thy weapons and shield and rise up to help me. Draw Thy sword and imprison them who persecute me. O Lord, tell my soul: I am thy salvation.
May the spirit of fear, the spirit of despondency, and the spirit of pride and of all manner of malice withdraw from my soul. In it may all manner of excitement produced by the workings of the devil be extinguished. May my spirit, soul, and body be enlightened by the light of Thy knowledge. May I come to be a perfect man made unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ with the angles and all who have been pleasing to Thee through the ages, and I shall glorify Thine all-honorable and venerable name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
19
O Lord and Master! O God of heaven and earth! Show Thy favor and open to me the door of repentance, I pray Thee with mine afflicted soul.
Regard me according to Thy great mercy; incline Thine ear to my prayer and forgive me, who am guilty of falling into many sins; forgive me all of the wretched things I have done, for I have been conquered by my own evil will.
I seek peace and do not find it, for my conscience is stained; there is no tranquility in me due to the multitude of my sins.
Hearken, O Lord, to a heart which cries out to Thee with affliction. Attend not to my deeds, but to the affliction of my soul, and hasten to heal me who am cruelly wounded. Grant that I may soon come to my senses according to the grace of Thy love for mankind.
Take from me the burden of my sins and grant me not that which my deeds merit, that I may not perish in the end, and that I may not be altogether deprived of thought and concern for my restoration.
I fall down before Thy compassion; have mercy on me who am cast into the dust by the judgement of my deeds.
O master, summon me, a captive who is held and bound by his deeds as with chains, for Thou alone knowest how to free those who are bound and how to heal the invisible sores that are known only to Thee Who knowest all mysteries.
show Thy favor and stretch out Thine hand to me. Draw me out of the mire of mine iniquities, O Thou Who dost not rejoice at the destruction of man, and Who dost not turn Thy face from those who cry to Thee with tears.
Hearken, O Lord, unto the voice of Thy servant, who cries to Thee; show Thy face to me, for I am beclouded; enlighten me with the coming of Thy Holy Spirit.
Grant me, O Lord, diligence, for I have become defiled, and turn my labor into joy.
Tear up my sackclothes and gird me with gladness; may the door of Thy kingdom open to me that having entered therein, I may glorify Thine all-holy name of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
20
Mightily do I magnify Thee, O Lord, Who hast regarded my humility and not delivered me into the hands of mine enemies, and saved my soul from want.
And now, O Master, may Thy hand shield me, and may Thy mercy be upon me, for my soul is troubled and grieves greatly that when it leaves this poor body the cunning hand of the adversary might not find it and keep it back in darkness for the sins which I have committed in this life, both in knowledge and in ignorance.
Be merciful to me, O Master of all, that my soul might not behold the lurid glance of the cunning demons; but may it be received by Thy pure and radiant angels.
Give glory to Thy holy name, and by Thy strength raise me up to Thy divine throne.
When I am judged, may the hand of the prince of this world not seize me and drag me, a sinner, away to the depths of hell. But protect Thou me and be my defender.
Have mercy, O Lord, on my soul, which has been defiled by the passions of this life; and if I have, as a man, due to the weakness of my nature, sinned in anything, whether in word or deed or thought, O Thou Who hast power to release men from their sins, forgive and release me that I might obtain Thy cooling solace and be found without any impurity or stain, without reproach and unsullied before Thee; and my Thy hand receive me, O Master, for Thou art blessed throughout the ages.
O good Lover of man, Who accepted the two farthings and praised the good will of the widow, accept the prayers of Thy servant; multiply my prayer and grant my requests, that I might become a temple for Thy grace. May it abide in me and itself teach me how to please it. May it strum my heartstrings and play songs of contrition filled with gladness. May it fasten my mind as with a bridle, that I might not sin before Thee by going astray, and might not be cast out of the light.
Hearken, O Lord, hearken unto my prayer, and grant that I who am unclean might become pure, that I who am senseless might become wise, that I who am useless might become profitable in the flock of Thy chosen laborers and of all the saints who have been pleasing to Thee--and that I might be admitted to Thy kingdom.
The glad in paradise intercede for me and cry out to Thee, O only Lover of mankind. Attend Thou to their prayers. Through them will I give Thee glory in return, for Thou hast hearkened unto their prayers and hast been generous to me and not disregarded my prayers.
Thou, O Lord, hast said by Thy Prophet: open thy lips, and I will fill them. Behold, both the heart and the lips of Thy servant are opened; fill them with Thy grace, that I may bless Thee unceasingly, O Christ my God and Savior.
My prayer is powerless, but my iniquities are great and might. Sins overwhelm me and my weaknesses dismay me; Thou art wealthy and good, kindhearted and merciful.
Thou Who didst open the eyes of the blind man, open the eyes of my mind that I may unceasingly contemplate Thy beauty.
thou Who didst establish bounds for the sea by Thy command, establish bounds for my heart by Thy grace, that it might not turn aside to the right hand or to the left from Thy beauty.
Thou Who gavest water in the desert to the people who did not humble themselves and contradicted Thee, give me contrition and grant tears to my eyes, that I might weep day and night throughout the length of my life with meekness, with love and with a pure heart.
Hearken, O Lord, unto the prayer of Thy servant, according to the intercessions of all Thy saints, Thou Who art blessed above all unto the ages.
18
O God righteous and praised, O God pre-eternal: Hearken unto this man, this sinner, in this hour!
Hear me, O God, hear me in Thy fortress, remember not the continual disobedience of my worthlessness.
Answer my prayer with fire, as Thou didst once for Thy Prophet.
O God of Holy powers! O, Creator of the fleshless ones! O, Thou Who didst pronounce: ask, and ye shall receive! Be Thou not repelled by me who am unclean, who have defiled my lips and am covered with sins.
Hear me, Thou Who hast promised to hear those who call to Thee in truth, and direct the steps of Thy servant to the path of peace.
I cry to Thee with all my heart: God, O God, hearken unto me, O hope of all the ends of the earth and of those who travel afar. Banish all unclean spirits that they may flee from the face of Thy servant.
Take up Thy weapons and shield and rise up to help me. Draw Thy sword and imprison them who persecute me. O Lord, tell my soul: I am thy salvation.
May the spirit of fear, the spirit of despondency, and the spirit of pride and of all manner of malice withdraw from my soul. In it may all manner of excitement produced by the workings of the devil be extinguished. May my spirit, soul, and body be enlightened by the light of Thy knowledge. May I come to be a perfect man made unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ with the angles and all who have been pleasing to Thee through the ages, and I shall glorify Thine all-honorable and venerable name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
19
O Lord and Master! O God of heaven and earth! Show Thy favor and open to me the door of repentance, I pray Thee with mine afflicted soul.
Regard me according to Thy great mercy; incline Thine ear to my prayer and forgive me, who am guilty of falling into many sins; forgive me all of the wretched things I have done, for I have been conquered by my own evil will.
I seek peace and do not find it, for my conscience is stained; there is no tranquility in me due to the multitude of my sins.
Hearken, O Lord, to a heart which cries out to Thee with affliction. Attend not to my deeds, but to the affliction of my soul, and hasten to heal me who am cruelly wounded. Grant that I may soon come to my senses according to the grace of Thy love for mankind.
Take from me the burden of my sins and grant me not that which my deeds merit, that I may not perish in the end, and that I may not be altogether deprived of thought and concern for my restoration.
I fall down before Thy compassion; have mercy on me who am cast into the dust by the judgement of my deeds.
O master, summon me, a captive who is held and bound by his deeds as with chains, for Thou alone knowest how to free those who are bound and how to heal the invisible sores that are known only to Thee Who knowest all mysteries.
show Thy favor and stretch out Thine hand to me. Draw me out of the mire of mine iniquities, O Thou Who dost not rejoice at the destruction of man, and Who dost not turn Thy face from those who cry to Thee with tears.
Hearken, O Lord, unto the voice of Thy servant, who cries to Thee; show Thy face to me, for I am beclouded; enlighten me with the coming of Thy Holy Spirit.
Grant me, O Lord, diligence, for I have become defiled, and turn my labor into joy.
Tear up my sackclothes and gird me with gladness; may the door of Thy kingdom open to me that having entered therein, I may glorify Thine all-holy name of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
20
Mightily do I magnify Thee, O Lord, Who hast regarded my humility and not delivered me into the hands of mine enemies, and saved my soul from want.
And now, O Master, may Thy hand shield me, and may Thy mercy be upon me, for my soul is troubled and grieves greatly that when it leaves this poor body the cunning hand of the adversary might not find it and keep it back in darkness for the sins which I have committed in this life, both in knowledge and in ignorance.
Be merciful to me, O Master of all, that my soul might not behold the lurid glance of the cunning demons; but may it be received by Thy pure and radiant angels.
Give glory to Thy holy name, and by Thy strength raise me up to Thy divine throne.
When I am judged, may the hand of the prince of this world not seize me and drag me, a sinner, away to the depths of hell. But protect Thou me and be my defender.
Have mercy, O Lord, on my soul, which has been defiled by the passions of this life; and if I have, as a man, due to the weakness of my nature, sinned in anything, whether in word or deed or thought, O Thou Who hast power to release men from their sins, forgive and release me that I might obtain Thy cooling solace and be found without any impurity or stain, without reproach and unsullied before Thee; and my Thy hand receive me, O Master, for Thou art blessed throughout the ages.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
A Spiritual Psalter from the works of our Holy Father Ephraim the Syrian
13
Grant us Thy help, O All-good One, and never abandon our race! Vouchsafe us thine all-searching wisdom, that we may know the transience of all things. Heal our sores with repentance.
Visit us, that we might not persist in our sins. Thou Who art most merciful to our souls, instill in us remembrance of good, for much have we loved evil. Dispel all harm from us, O Good One.
Accept whatever good will is in us, and send us a corresponding measure of strength. Our soul is not capable of offering Thee a gift which is as great as Thou art. May Thy marvelous death move Thee to compassion, O Lord.
Our error is much mightier than our prayer. Our prayer is insignificant, but our guilt is great. What sacrifice could we bring to reconcile ourselves with Thee? We have nothing to give to Thee. Thus we ask Thee to reconcile us by Thy blood, O All-merciful One.
Thanks be to the Father Who sent Thee, O our Savior! For by Thee we who are guilty are vindicated. Thou hast taken away our sins by Thy cross; take away our guilt also in Thy coming.
14
Praise be to the Good One Who descended for our sake, became like unto us and healed our sores by His all-sanctifying flesh and His all-sanctifying blood! May all sing praises to Him!
Thanks be to the Kindhearted One Who ever bears our burden, although He knows our wickedness, Who has created us and nourishes us, and commands His sun to shine upon us! May we praise His goodness!
Open to me the door of loving-kindness, O our Lord, Who are full of mercy; stretch out Thine hand to me, O Good and Merciful One, and return me to the fold of Thy sheep, that I may glorify Thy kindness.
My sins are a wall between me and Thy goodness. Tear it down that I might approach Thy loving-kindness; pour out Thy love upon me and exalt me to Thy heights.
But the wall of my sins can be torn down only by tears and contrition; so grant me all the days of my life diligently to lament my sins and to gather the fruits which will serve me well in the day of judgement.
15
The Father exclaimed: this is my beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased; heed Him. Thus He spoke of the Son, Who is undivided from the glory of the Divinity. For the Father and the Son together with the Holy Spirit are one nature, one force, one essence and one kingdom.
And Mary was called the mother of God by His Son in the flesh, Who was undivided from the glory of His Divinity. for one is god, Who has appeared to the world in the flesh.
His glory proclaimed His divine nature which is from the Father, and His body proclaimed His human nature which was from Mary; both of His natures converged and were united in a single hypostasis.
He was the Only-Begotten of the Father and also the Only-Begotten of Mary. And he who divides the hypostasis in Him will also be separated from His kingdom, and he who conjoins His natures will be deprived of the life that is of Him.
He who denies that Mary gave birth to God will not see the glory of His divinity, and he who denies that he was clothed in sinless flesh will receive neither salvation nor the life which was granted through His body.
His very deeds give witness and His divine strength teach the contemptuous that He is true God. And His sufferings give proof that He is true man.
16
O good lover of mankind! If Thy grace pours forth upon the grass, the flowers and all earthly vegetation in its time, then the more so shalt Thou grant to Thy servant that which he requests of Thee.
For the air becomes clear and the birds adorn their voices with varied melodies, singing glory to Thy great wisdom. Al the earth is clothed with a raiment of many-colored flowers woven without human hands, and is glad and celebrates the holy day.
Water also my heart with the dew of Thy grace, O good Lover of mankind! Just as a sown field cannot sprout and nourish its plants without sufficient rainfall, so my heart is incapable of producing things pleasing to Thee and of bearing the fruits of truth without Thy grace.
Lo, the rain nourishes the plants and the trees are crowned with diverse flowers. May the dew of Thy grace also enlighten my mind and may it adorn my heart with the flowers of contrition, humility, love and patience.
May my prayer draw near to Thee, O Lord! Grant me Thy holy seed, that I might bring Thee a harvest of sheaves abundant in good fruits and say, "glory to Him Who gave me this that I might bring it unto Him," and bow down to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Grant us Thy help, O All-good One, and never abandon our race! Vouchsafe us thine all-searching wisdom, that we may know the transience of all things. Heal our sores with repentance.
Visit us, that we might not persist in our sins. Thou Who art most merciful to our souls, instill in us remembrance of good, for much have we loved evil. Dispel all harm from us, O Good One.
Accept whatever good will is in us, and send us a corresponding measure of strength. Our soul is not capable of offering Thee a gift which is as great as Thou art. May Thy marvelous death move Thee to compassion, O Lord.
Our error is much mightier than our prayer. Our prayer is insignificant, but our guilt is great. What sacrifice could we bring to reconcile ourselves with Thee? We have nothing to give to Thee. Thus we ask Thee to reconcile us by Thy blood, O All-merciful One.
Thanks be to the Father Who sent Thee, O our Savior! For by Thee we who are guilty are vindicated. Thou hast taken away our sins by Thy cross; take away our guilt also in Thy coming.
14
Praise be to the Good One Who descended for our sake, became like unto us and healed our sores by His all-sanctifying flesh and His all-sanctifying blood! May all sing praises to Him!
Thanks be to the Kindhearted One Who ever bears our burden, although He knows our wickedness, Who has created us and nourishes us, and commands His sun to shine upon us! May we praise His goodness!
Open to me the door of loving-kindness, O our Lord, Who are full of mercy; stretch out Thine hand to me, O Good and Merciful One, and return me to the fold of Thy sheep, that I may glorify Thy kindness.
My sins are a wall between me and Thy goodness. Tear it down that I might approach Thy loving-kindness; pour out Thy love upon me and exalt me to Thy heights.
But the wall of my sins can be torn down only by tears and contrition; so grant me all the days of my life diligently to lament my sins and to gather the fruits which will serve me well in the day of judgement.
15
The Father exclaimed: this is my beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased; heed Him. Thus He spoke of the Son, Who is undivided from the glory of the Divinity. For the Father and the Son together with the Holy Spirit are one nature, one force, one essence and one kingdom.
And Mary was called the mother of God by His Son in the flesh, Who was undivided from the glory of His Divinity. for one is god, Who has appeared to the world in the flesh.
His glory proclaimed His divine nature which is from the Father, and His body proclaimed His human nature which was from Mary; both of His natures converged and were united in a single hypostasis.
He was the Only-Begotten of the Father and also the Only-Begotten of Mary. And he who divides the hypostasis in Him will also be separated from His kingdom, and he who conjoins His natures will be deprived of the life that is of Him.
He who denies that Mary gave birth to God will not see the glory of His divinity, and he who denies that he was clothed in sinless flesh will receive neither salvation nor the life which was granted through His body.
His very deeds give witness and His divine strength teach the contemptuous that He is true God. And His sufferings give proof that He is true man.
16
O good lover of mankind! If Thy grace pours forth upon the grass, the flowers and all earthly vegetation in its time, then the more so shalt Thou grant to Thy servant that which he requests of Thee.
For the air becomes clear and the birds adorn their voices with varied melodies, singing glory to Thy great wisdom. Al the earth is clothed with a raiment of many-colored flowers woven without human hands, and is glad and celebrates the holy day.
Water also my heart with the dew of Thy grace, O good Lover of mankind! Just as a sown field cannot sprout and nourish its plants without sufficient rainfall, so my heart is incapable of producing things pleasing to Thee and of bearing the fruits of truth without Thy grace.
Lo, the rain nourishes the plants and the trees are crowned with diverse flowers. May the dew of Thy grace also enlighten my mind and may it adorn my heart with the flowers of contrition, humility, love and patience.
May my prayer draw near to Thee, O Lord! Grant me Thy holy seed, that I might bring Thee a harvest of sheaves abundant in good fruits and say, "glory to Him Who gave me this that I might bring it unto Him," and bow down to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
A Spiritual Psalter from the works of our Holy Father Ephraim the Syrian
9
Like the publican I sigh, like the harlot I shed tears, like the thief I call out, like the prodigal son I entreat Thee. O Christ my Savior and Lover of mankind, strengthen my soul which has grown faint, which has been paralyzed with the intoxication of delights; heal its scabs and wash it, blackened with sin, with Thine honorable blood!
According to the multitude of Thy loving kindness, convert me, o only Long-suffering One, and deliver me from all sensual indulgence. Extinguish the furnace of my passions, so that they will not burn me up in the end.
Woe is me! Thou, O Lord, hast given me the light of knowledge, and I have clouded it. Woe is me! Constantly hast Thou visited Thy grace upon me and yet dost Thou visit it upon me, but hourly have I rejected this gift for my healing and yet do I reject it.
What a great multitude of gifts hast Thou bestowed upon me and yet dost Thou bestow them upon me, a sinner, O Master; but I who am wretched have always been and continue to be consciously ungrateful before Thee!
Thy grace comforts me, enlightens me and strengthens me, but I in my negligence turn my attention to vain things and I always sink once again into the bile and bitterness of my passions.
Thou, O All-good One, remindest me of death and of eternal torments and drawest me toward life in order to save me, but I ever shun these saving thoughts. I drive them out and occupy myself with that which is of no benefit to me. Thus have I no justification before Thee.
I knock at the door of Thy loving-kindness, O Lord, that it may be opened to me. I do not cease to pray that I may receive what I request, and unwavering I seek pardon.
Be ever patient with me, depraved as I am; deliver me from the sins which possess me that, having become whole, I may arise from the deathbed of corrupting sin.
Free me from my wanton habits before the end overtakes me, for who will confess Thee in hell?
Make white my garment before the terrible command catches me unprepared and ashamed.
Deliver my contrite soul from the mouths of the lions and save it according to Thy grace and mercy, by the prayers of our All-pure Lady the Theotokos and of all the saints.
10
Before thy glory, O Christ my Savior, I will announce all my misconduct and confess the infinitude of Thy mercies, which Thou pourest out upon me according to Thy kindness.
From my mother's womb I began to grieve Thee, and utterly have I disregarded Thy grace, for I have neglected my soul. Thou, O my Master, according to the multitude of thy mercies, hast regarded all my wickedness with patience and kindness. Thy grace has lifted up my head, but daily it is brought low by my sins.
Bad habits entangle me like snares, and I rejoice at being thus bound. I sink to the very depths of evil, and this delights me. Daily the enemy gives me new shackles, for he sees how this variety of bonds pleases me.
The fact that I am bound by my own desires should provoke weeping and lamentation, shame and disgrace. And yet more terrible is the fact that I bind myself with the shackles that the enemy places upon me, and I slay myself with the passions that give him pleasure.
Although I know how dreadful these shackles are, i hide them behind a noble appearance from all who might see. I appear to be robed in the beautiful clothes of reverence, but my souls is entangled with shameful thoughts. Before all who might see, I am reverent, but inside I am filled with all manner of indecency.
My conscience accuses me of all this, and I act as if I wish to be freed of my shackles. Every day I worry and sigh over this, yet I ever remain bound by the same snares. How pitiful I am; and how pitiful is my daily repentance, of it has no firm foundation. Every day I lay a foundation for the building, and again with my own hands I demolish it.
My repentance has not even made a good beginning as yet; yet there is no end to my wicked negligence. I have become a slave to passions and to the evil will of the enemy who destroys me.
Who will give the water to my head, and the founts to my eyes for tears, so that I may ever weep before Thee, O merciful God, that thou mightest send Thy grace and draw me, a sinner, out of the sea, furious with the waves of sin, that hourly convulses my soul? For my desires are worse than wounds that cannot be bandaged.
I wait hoping for repentance and deceive myself with this vain promise until my death. Ever do I say, "I will repent," but never do I repent. My words give the appearance of heartfelt repentance, but in deed I am always far from repentance.
What will happen to me in the day of the trial, when God unveils all things at His court! Certainly I shall be sentenced to torment, if here I have not moved Thee to mercy, O my Judge, by my tears.
I hope on Thy mercies, O Lord; I fall at Thy feet and beseech Thee: Grant me the spirit of repentance and lead my soul out of the dungeon of iniquity! May a ray of light shine in my mind before I go to the terrible judgement which awaits me, where there is no opportunity to repent of one's wicked deeds.
11
No one can heal my disease except He Who knows the depths of the heart.
How many times have I set boundaries for myself and built walls between myself and sin! But my thoughts transgressed the boundaries and my will tore down the walls, for the boundaries were not secured by fear of God, and the walls were not founded on sincere repentance.
And again I knock at the door, that it may open for me. I do not cease to ask that I may receive what I request; and I know no shame in seeking Thy mercy, O Lord.
O Lord, my Savior! Why hast thou forsaken me? Have mercy on me, O only Lover of mankind. Save me, a sinner, Thou only Sinless One.
Wrench me from the mire of my iniquities, that I may not be forever sullied by them. Deliver me from the jaws of the enemy, who roars as a lion and desires to swallow me up.
Rouse thy strength and come, that thou mightest save me. Beam Thy lightning and disperse his power, that he may be struck with fear and flee from Thy face, for he has not the strength to stand before Thee and before the face of those who love Thee. As soon as he perceives a sign of Thy grace, he is taken with fear of Thee and withdraws from such with shame.
And now, O Master, save me, for I flee to Thee!
12
Will it take thee long to repent, O my poor soul? The judgement is at hand, the fire is made ready for thy members.
All the days of my life have I wallowed in the sea of evil, and I did not lament my sins. And all at once death will place its shackles upon me.
Satan has seduced me and, having bound me with my own desires, he has taken me into captivity and ruthlessly cast me to the ground. Alas, what shall I do now?
Do Thou, O righteous Judge, disgrace the evil one who wars against me and who secretly sets out his cunning snares for me when I wish to repent.
Be my helper, O most merciful Lord, and I will rise up and mock him, I will tear apart all his snares. Woe is me in that day when Thou, O Lord, wilt judge sinners! O, may I not then be ashamed before the hosts of angels!
Be anxious and tremble, O my soul. Pray to thy Lord and say to Him: have mercy on me, O my Savior, and rescue me, for I have wallowed in vice. I am like the harlot and am ashamed to pray to Thee. Save me by Thy grace, O Lord, from gehenna.
The day of the Lord will suddenly shine forth for all creation, and the righteous will come out to meet the Lord with burning lamps; but I am in darkness; there is no oil in my lamp, that I might meet the Bridegroom when He comes.
My spirit trembles when it hears that the day of judgement is at hand; my thoughts become agitated when I consider the fire that awaits the lawless. According to Thy kindness which is merciful to sinners, have mercy on me who have perished--and I will sing Thy praises when Thy kingdom comes.
May Thy cross accompany me during that dreaded crossing, may it drive the powers of darkness away from me; may it be for me the key that opens the gates of paradise, that I may enter into bliss, rejoice and glorify Thy compassion, O most merciful One!
Like the publican I sigh, like the harlot I shed tears, like the thief I call out, like the prodigal son I entreat Thee. O Christ my Savior and Lover of mankind, strengthen my soul which has grown faint, which has been paralyzed with the intoxication of delights; heal its scabs and wash it, blackened with sin, with Thine honorable blood!
According to the multitude of Thy loving kindness, convert me, o only Long-suffering One, and deliver me from all sensual indulgence. Extinguish the furnace of my passions, so that they will not burn me up in the end.
Woe is me! Thou, O Lord, hast given me the light of knowledge, and I have clouded it. Woe is me! Constantly hast Thou visited Thy grace upon me and yet dost Thou visit it upon me, but hourly have I rejected this gift for my healing and yet do I reject it.
What a great multitude of gifts hast Thou bestowed upon me and yet dost Thou bestow them upon me, a sinner, O Master; but I who am wretched have always been and continue to be consciously ungrateful before Thee!
Thy grace comforts me, enlightens me and strengthens me, but I in my negligence turn my attention to vain things and I always sink once again into the bile and bitterness of my passions.
Thou, O All-good One, remindest me of death and of eternal torments and drawest me toward life in order to save me, but I ever shun these saving thoughts. I drive them out and occupy myself with that which is of no benefit to me. Thus have I no justification before Thee.
I knock at the door of Thy loving-kindness, O Lord, that it may be opened to me. I do not cease to pray that I may receive what I request, and unwavering I seek pardon.
Be ever patient with me, depraved as I am; deliver me from the sins which possess me that, having become whole, I may arise from the deathbed of corrupting sin.
Free me from my wanton habits before the end overtakes me, for who will confess Thee in hell?
Make white my garment before the terrible command catches me unprepared and ashamed.
Deliver my contrite soul from the mouths of the lions and save it according to Thy grace and mercy, by the prayers of our All-pure Lady the Theotokos and of all the saints.
10
Before thy glory, O Christ my Savior, I will announce all my misconduct and confess the infinitude of Thy mercies, which Thou pourest out upon me according to Thy kindness.
From my mother's womb I began to grieve Thee, and utterly have I disregarded Thy grace, for I have neglected my soul. Thou, O my Master, according to the multitude of thy mercies, hast regarded all my wickedness with patience and kindness. Thy grace has lifted up my head, but daily it is brought low by my sins.
Bad habits entangle me like snares, and I rejoice at being thus bound. I sink to the very depths of evil, and this delights me. Daily the enemy gives me new shackles, for he sees how this variety of bonds pleases me.
The fact that I am bound by my own desires should provoke weeping and lamentation, shame and disgrace. And yet more terrible is the fact that I bind myself with the shackles that the enemy places upon me, and I slay myself with the passions that give him pleasure.
Although I know how dreadful these shackles are, i hide them behind a noble appearance from all who might see. I appear to be robed in the beautiful clothes of reverence, but my souls is entangled with shameful thoughts. Before all who might see, I am reverent, but inside I am filled with all manner of indecency.
My conscience accuses me of all this, and I act as if I wish to be freed of my shackles. Every day I worry and sigh over this, yet I ever remain bound by the same snares. How pitiful I am; and how pitiful is my daily repentance, of it has no firm foundation. Every day I lay a foundation for the building, and again with my own hands I demolish it.
My repentance has not even made a good beginning as yet; yet there is no end to my wicked negligence. I have become a slave to passions and to the evil will of the enemy who destroys me.
Who will give the water to my head, and the founts to my eyes for tears, so that I may ever weep before Thee, O merciful God, that thou mightest send Thy grace and draw me, a sinner, out of the sea, furious with the waves of sin, that hourly convulses my soul? For my desires are worse than wounds that cannot be bandaged.
I wait hoping for repentance and deceive myself with this vain promise until my death. Ever do I say, "I will repent," but never do I repent. My words give the appearance of heartfelt repentance, but in deed I am always far from repentance.
What will happen to me in the day of the trial, when God unveils all things at His court! Certainly I shall be sentenced to torment, if here I have not moved Thee to mercy, O my Judge, by my tears.
I hope on Thy mercies, O Lord; I fall at Thy feet and beseech Thee: Grant me the spirit of repentance and lead my soul out of the dungeon of iniquity! May a ray of light shine in my mind before I go to the terrible judgement which awaits me, where there is no opportunity to repent of one's wicked deeds.
11
No one can heal my disease except He Who knows the depths of the heart.
How many times have I set boundaries for myself and built walls between myself and sin! But my thoughts transgressed the boundaries and my will tore down the walls, for the boundaries were not secured by fear of God, and the walls were not founded on sincere repentance.
And again I knock at the door, that it may open for me. I do not cease to ask that I may receive what I request; and I know no shame in seeking Thy mercy, O Lord.
O Lord, my Savior! Why hast thou forsaken me? Have mercy on me, O only Lover of mankind. Save me, a sinner, Thou only Sinless One.
Wrench me from the mire of my iniquities, that I may not be forever sullied by them. Deliver me from the jaws of the enemy, who roars as a lion and desires to swallow me up.
Rouse thy strength and come, that thou mightest save me. Beam Thy lightning and disperse his power, that he may be struck with fear and flee from Thy face, for he has not the strength to stand before Thee and before the face of those who love Thee. As soon as he perceives a sign of Thy grace, he is taken with fear of Thee and withdraws from such with shame.
And now, O Master, save me, for I flee to Thee!
12
Will it take thee long to repent, O my poor soul? The judgement is at hand, the fire is made ready for thy members.
All the days of my life have I wallowed in the sea of evil, and I did not lament my sins. And all at once death will place its shackles upon me.
Satan has seduced me and, having bound me with my own desires, he has taken me into captivity and ruthlessly cast me to the ground. Alas, what shall I do now?
Do Thou, O righteous Judge, disgrace the evil one who wars against me and who secretly sets out his cunning snares for me when I wish to repent.
Be my helper, O most merciful Lord, and I will rise up and mock him, I will tear apart all his snares. Woe is me in that day when Thou, O Lord, wilt judge sinners! O, may I not then be ashamed before the hosts of angels!
Be anxious and tremble, O my soul. Pray to thy Lord and say to Him: have mercy on me, O my Savior, and rescue me, for I have wallowed in vice. I am like the harlot and am ashamed to pray to Thee. Save me by Thy grace, O Lord, from gehenna.
The day of the Lord will suddenly shine forth for all creation, and the righteous will come out to meet the Lord with burning lamps; but I am in darkness; there is no oil in my lamp, that I might meet the Bridegroom when He comes.
My spirit trembles when it hears that the day of judgement is at hand; my thoughts become agitated when I consider the fire that awaits the lawless. According to Thy kindness which is merciful to sinners, have mercy on me who have perished--and I will sing Thy praises when Thy kingdom comes.
May Thy cross accompany me during that dreaded crossing, may it drive the powers of darkness away from me; may it be for me the key that opens the gates of paradise, that I may enter into bliss, rejoice and glorify Thy compassion, O most merciful One!
Monday, March 10, 2008
A Spiritual Psalter from the works of our Holy Father Ephraim the Syrian
5
Like the apple of Thine eye preserve me, O Lord god; defend me and beneath Thy wings shelter me from temptations.
Be the guardian of the eye, that it might not look about in the manner of a thief; be the guardian of the ear, that it might not perceive falsehood.
Be the guardian of the lips, that slander, judgement, criticism and idle words might not come forth from them.
Be the guardian of the heart, that it might not be inclined to evil and might not work iniquity.
Grant us, O Lord, knowledge, both of what we should do and of how to set about it.
Grant us, O our Lord, that we may be sweeter to Thee than fragrances and perfumes.
Grant us, O our Lord, that we may love Thee and hate the world. Grant us, O Lord, to acquire Only Three rather than all transient possessions. Grant us, O our Lord, to bring Three three choice gifts. Grant us, O our Lord, to burn three aromatic censers before Thee.
Grant us, O our Lord, to light for Thee three brightly burning lamps: the spirit, the soul and the body, these three gifts for the One Trinity.
Let us dedicate the spirit to the Father, the soul to the Son and the body to the Holy Spirit, the Spirit which will raise it again from dust.
O Father, consecrate our spirit to Thyself! O so, consecrate our soul to thyself! O Holy Spirit, consecrate to Thyself our body which is afflicted by sores.
Grant us, O our Lord, to rejoice in Thee, and mayest thou rejoice in us in the last day. To Thee is praise, from the spirit, soul and body. And unto us be Thy mercies.
6
The son of Jesse tunes his pipe and sings: blessed are the blameless who follow in the way of the Lord, who walk in His Law. And our Savior said in the Gospel of life: blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God; blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted; blessed are they who weep, for they shall rejoice.
To those who renounce the world and its vain things, who scorn its lusts and abhor its comforts, is given a promise of recompense in the Gospel of salvation--an everlasting habitation and eternal life.
Out of love for their Lord they have left their families in this world, their parents, their wealth and their possessions; for they heard that blessed are the poor in spirit. And in return for this the heavenly kingdom awaits them.
They have made their bodies into a temple of the Holy Spirit; by their strict way of life they have overcome lusts, they have borne the yoke of strenuous labor; out of love for their Lord they have despised their own life.
They have crucified their souls and nailed their bodies to the cross, and by their ascetic labors have they moved their Creator to mercy.
They have disdained the desires of the flesh and loved restraint. They have driven away the corruptions of the flesh and loved chastity.
They have chosen for themselves affliction and all manner of privation and have despised rest. They have shed pride and clothed themselves in humility.
They have conquered the enemy and triumphed over him. They have put him to flight and acquired glory for themselves. They have conquered him and they are magnified. They have scorned him and they are crowned.
The Father loves them, and with love the Son embraces them, and the Holy Spirit abides in their pure bodies.
Christ calls to them, saying: come, ye who labored in My name, enter the habitation, from whence those who are called do not go out.
On such as these does the Lord bestow crowns, and they taste bliss in His habitations in place of the sorrows which they bore with Him from morning til night.
The heavenly kingdom awaits those who have gained victory in warfare and have thus acquired glory.
It is habitual for the angels to descend and fortify warriors during battle.
The spirits rush to meet the victors. They call them blessed and say: come, ye who are troubled, and rest from your labors: by your patience in suffering have ye conquered the evil one.
Paradise opens its gates to them; they abide in dwellings of light and there they find repose.
In their mouth is a song of glory and praise to Him Who strengthened them in battle.
7
Thou, O Christ our Savior, hast become for me the path of life which leads to the Father. There is but one path, and it is my joy, and at the end of it is the heavenly kingdom.
Thou, O Master, Jesus, Son of God, hast become for me the path of life and enlightenment.
In the heart of Thy servant Thy grace has become light and joy, which are sweeter than the honey of the honeycomb to the lips of Thy slave.
In the soul of Thy servant Thy grace has become a treasure, which has made his poverty rich and driven away misery and corruption.
For Thy servant Thy grace has become a refuge, strength, a defense, ennoblement, praise, and food for the whole of his life.
How can Thy servant be silent, O Master, after having tasted the great sweetness of Thy love and grace? How could I dare once again to obstruct the waves of grace which pour forth into the heart of me, a sinner, and which are replete with sweetness according to the multitude of Thy gifts?
I shall sing of the glory of the Master of heavenly powers and shall magnify Thy grace, O Christ our Savior, and my tongue shall not cease to chant of Thy love.
Thy love draws me to Thee, O Savior, O praise of my life.
Thy grace makes it sweet for me to follow Thee with my mind.
May my heart be as a fertile field for Thee, and may Thy grace sprinkle the dew of eternal life upon it.
May Thy grace reap a good harvest on the field of my heart: humility, reverence, sanctity, and all that is ever pleasing to Thee.
Return my soul to the sweet garden of paradise, and may it abide in light that, surrounded by the delights of paradise, I too may say with all the saints: glory to the Immortal Father; honor to Him Who presents heavenly gifts to this worthless one, that he may bring a tithe of glory to the King of all.
8
Mourn over my nakedness, O my beloved brothers! I have angered Christ with my wanton life. For the Good One created me and gave me freedom, but I have abused it and repaid Him with evil, with my lawless deeds.
The Lord of all made me perfect and established me as an instrument of His glory, that I might serve Him and glorify His name; but I, wretch that I am, have made my members into instruments of sin and have used them to work all manner of deceit. Woe is me, for He will judge me justly.
My shameless deeds presage my fate at the judgement, for they will indict my poor soul. Unrelentingly I beg Thee, O my Savior: shelter me under Thy wings and do not expose my defilement at Thy great judgement, that I might glorify Thy kindness.
All manner of evil deeds which I have done before the Lord of all exclude me from communion with the saints. And because I have not served God with my life as they have, I have no share in their good deeds. Alas, I have perished!
Now the grief that I deserve overtakes me. For if I had struggled along with them, then, like they, I would be glorified. But because I was negligent and served the passions, I do not belong to the hosts of victors, but have become an heir of gehenna.
to Thee, O Victor pierced by nails on the cross Who calleth out to sinners saying: come, receive forgiveness freely--to Thee I unrelentingly pray, O my Savior: turn thine eyes away from my lawlessness, and by Thy sufferings heal my sores that I may glorify Thy kindness.
O All-good One, Whose kindness is immeasurably greater than the deceit of the world, strengthen my miserable soul with hope in Thy kindness, for it has been weakened and become exhausted to the extreme by the crushing infirmities of deceit and sin, and it holds on only by relying on Thee, for it hopes to find comfort in Thee!
Like the apple of Thine eye preserve me, O Lord god; defend me and beneath Thy wings shelter me from temptations.
Be the guardian of the eye, that it might not look about in the manner of a thief; be the guardian of the ear, that it might not perceive falsehood.
Be the guardian of the lips, that slander, judgement, criticism and idle words might not come forth from them.
Be the guardian of the heart, that it might not be inclined to evil and might not work iniquity.
Grant us, O Lord, knowledge, both of what we should do and of how to set about it.
Grant us, O our Lord, that we may be sweeter to Thee than fragrances and perfumes.
Grant us, O our Lord, that we may love Thee and hate the world. Grant us, O Lord, to acquire Only Three rather than all transient possessions. Grant us, O our Lord, to bring Three three choice gifts. Grant us, O our Lord, to burn three aromatic censers before Thee.
Grant us, O our Lord, to light for Thee three brightly burning lamps: the spirit, the soul and the body, these three gifts for the One Trinity.
Let us dedicate the spirit to the Father, the soul to the Son and the body to the Holy Spirit, the Spirit which will raise it again from dust.
O Father, consecrate our spirit to Thyself! O so, consecrate our soul to thyself! O Holy Spirit, consecrate to Thyself our body which is afflicted by sores.
Grant us, O our Lord, to rejoice in Thee, and mayest thou rejoice in us in the last day. To Thee is praise, from the spirit, soul and body. And unto us be Thy mercies.
6
The son of Jesse tunes his pipe and sings: blessed are the blameless who follow in the way of the Lord, who walk in His Law. And our Savior said in the Gospel of life: blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God; blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted; blessed are they who weep, for they shall rejoice.
To those who renounce the world and its vain things, who scorn its lusts and abhor its comforts, is given a promise of recompense in the Gospel of salvation--an everlasting habitation and eternal life.
Out of love for their Lord they have left their families in this world, their parents, their wealth and their possessions; for they heard that blessed are the poor in spirit. And in return for this the heavenly kingdom awaits them.
They have made their bodies into a temple of the Holy Spirit; by their strict way of life they have overcome lusts, they have borne the yoke of strenuous labor; out of love for their Lord they have despised their own life.
They have crucified their souls and nailed their bodies to the cross, and by their ascetic labors have they moved their Creator to mercy.
They have disdained the desires of the flesh and loved restraint. They have driven away the corruptions of the flesh and loved chastity.
They have chosen for themselves affliction and all manner of privation and have despised rest. They have shed pride and clothed themselves in humility.
They have conquered the enemy and triumphed over him. They have put him to flight and acquired glory for themselves. They have conquered him and they are magnified. They have scorned him and they are crowned.
The Father loves them, and with love the Son embraces them, and the Holy Spirit abides in their pure bodies.
Christ calls to them, saying: come, ye who labored in My name, enter the habitation, from whence those who are called do not go out.
On such as these does the Lord bestow crowns, and they taste bliss in His habitations in place of the sorrows which they bore with Him from morning til night.
The heavenly kingdom awaits those who have gained victory in warfare and have thus acquired glory.
It is habitual for the angels to descend and fortify warriors during battle.
The spirits rush to meet the victors. They call them blessed and say: come, ye who are troubled, and rest from your labors: by your patience in suffering have ye conquered the evil one.
Paradise opens its gates to them; they abide in dwellings of light and there they find repose.
In their mouth is a song of glory and praise to Him Who strengthened them in battle.
7
Thou, O Christ our Savior, hast become for me the path of life which leads to the Father. There is but one path, and it is my joy, and at the end of it is the heavenly kingdom.
Thou, O Master, Jesus, Son of God, hast become for me the path of life and enlightenment.
In the heart of Thy servant Thy grace has become light and joy, which are sweeter than the honey of the honeycomb to the lips of Thy slave.
In the soul of Thy servant Thy grace has become a treasure, which has made his poverty rich and driven away misery and corruption.
For Thy servant Thy grace has become a refuge, strength, a defense, ennoblement, praise, and food for the whole of his life.
How can Thy servant be silent, O Master, after having tasted the great sweetness of Thy love and grace? How could I dare once again to obstruct the waves of grace which pour forth into the heart of me, a sinner, and which are replete with sweetness according to the multitude of Thy gifts?
I shall sing of the glory of the Master of heavenly powers and shall magnify Thy grace, O Christ our Savior, and my tongue shall not cease to chant of Thy love.
Thy love draws me to Thee, O Savior, O praise of my life.
Thy grace makes it sweet for me to follow Thee with my mind.
May my heart be as a fertile field for Thee, and may Thy grace sprinkle the dew of eternal life upon it.
May Thy grace reap a good harvest on the field of my heart: humility, reverence, sanctity, and all that is ever pleasing to Thee.
Return my soul to the sweet garden of paradise, and may it abide in light that, surrounded by the delights of paradise, I too may say with all the saints: glory to the Immortal Father; honor to Him Who presents heavenly gifts to this worthless one, that he may bring a tithe of glory to the King of all.
8
Mourn over my nakedness, O my beloved brothers! I have angered Christ with my wanton life. For the Good One created me and gave me freedom, but I have abused it and repaid Him with evil, with my lawless deeds.
The Lord of all made me perfect and established me as an instrument of His glory, that I might serve Him and glorify His name; but I, wretch that I am, have made my members into instruments of sin and have used them to work all manner of deceit. Woe is me, for He will judge me justly.
My shameless deeds presage my fate at the judgement, for they will indict my poor soul. Unrelentingly I beg Thee, O my Savior: shelter me under Thy wings and do not expose my defilement at Thy great judgement, that I might glorify Thy kindness.
All manner of evil deeds which I have done before the Lord of all exclude me from communion with the saints. And because I have not served God with my life as they have, I have no share in their good deeds. Alas, I have perished!
Now the grief that I deserve overtakes me. For if I had struggled along with them, then, like they, I would be glorified. But because I was negligent and served the passions, I do not belong to the hosts of victors, but have become an heir of gehenna.
to Thee, O Victor pierced by nails on the cross Who calleth out to sinners saying: come, receive forgiveness freely--to Thee I unrelentingly pray, O my Savior: turn thine eyes away from my lawlessness, and by Thy sufferings heal my sores that I may glorify Thy kindness.
O All-good One, Whose kindness is immeasurably greater than the deceit of the world, strengthen my miserable soul with hope in Thy kindness, for it has been weakened and become exhausted to the extreme by the crushing infirmities of deceit and sin, and it holds on only by relying on Thee, for it hopes to find comfort in Thee!
A Spiritual Psalter from the works of our Holy Father Ephraim the Syrian
1
Blessed is he who has in the Lord become completely free of all earthly things in this troublesome life, and who has loved the one good and merciful God.
Blessed is he who has become a doer of good works and, like a fruitful field, brings forth a great abundance of the fruits of life in the Lord.
Blessed is he who stands at prayer in service to God and, like the heavenly angels, at all times has pure thoughts and does not allow the evil one to approach him, that he may not enslave his soul and lead it away from God the Savior.
Blessed is he who loves sanctity (purity) like light, and has not defiled his body before the Lord with shameful acts of the evil one.
Blessed is he who always retains in himself remembrance of God, for such a person on earth is like a heavenly angel, constantly celebrating the Lord with fear and love.
Blessed is he who loves repentance, which saves all sinners, and does not delight in sin, that he might not appear ungrateful before God our Savior.
Blessed is he who, like a courageous warrior defending heavenly treasures, preserves his soul and body without reproach in the Lord.
Blessed is he who like the heavenly angels, has pure thoughts, and who with his lips sings praises to the One who has authority over all that breathes.
Blessed is he who has become like unto the seraphim and cherubim and is never slothful in spiritual service, who ceaselessly glorifies the Lord.
2
I bow down to Thee, O Master; I bless thee, O Good One; I beseech Thee, O Holy One; I fall down before Thee, O Lover of mankind; and I glorify Thee, O Christ; for Thou, O Only-begotten master of all, O Only Sinless One, wast, for the sake of me, an unworthy sinner, given up to death on the cross in order to free the soul of a sinner from the bondage of sin.
And how shall I repay Thee, O Master? Glory to Thee, O Lover of mankind! Glory to Thee, O Merciful One! Glory to Thee, O Longsuffering One! Glory to Thee, Who forgivest every fall into sin!
Glory to Thee, Who didst descend to save our soul! Glory to Thee, Who didst take flesh in the womb of the Virgin! Glory to Thee, Who didst suffer bondage! Glory to Thee, Who didst accept scourging! Glory to Thee, Who was made an object of humiliation! Glory to Thee, Who wast crucified! Glory to Thee, Who was buried!
Glory to Thee, Who didst rise from the dead! Glory to Thee, of Whom the prophets spoke! Glory to Thee, in Whom we have believed! Glory to Thee, Who didst ascend into heaven! Glory to Thee, Who didst sit with glory at the right hand of the Father and Who art coming again with hosts of angels to judge every soul that has scorned Thy holy passion!
In that anxious and dreadful hour when the heavenly powers are roused, when all the angels, archangels, seraphim and cherubim will stand with fear and trembling before Thy glory, when the foundations of the the earth will be shaken, and when all that breathes will be terrified by the incomparable greatness of Thy Glory--in that hour mayest Thou take me under Thy wing and may my soul be delivered from the terrible fire and from the gnashing of teeth, from outer darkness and eternal lamentation, that I may bless Thee and say: Glory to Him Who has desired to save a sinner according to the great compassion of His mercy!
3
Make me whole, O Lord, and I will become whole! O only wise and merciful Physician, I beseech Thy benevolence: heal the wounds of my soul and enlighten the eyes of my mind that I may understand my place in Thine eternal design! And in as much as my heart and mind have been disfigured, may Thy grace repair them, for it is as true salt.
What shall I say to Thee, O Knower of the heart who searchest the heart and the inner workings of men? Indeed, Thou knowest that, like a waterless land, my soul thirsts after Thee and my heart longs for Thee. And Thy grace has always sated those that love Thee.
Thus, as Thou hast always heard me, so now do not scorn my prayer. For Thou seest that my mind, like a prisoner, seeks Thee, the Only true Savior.
Send Thy grace, that it may satisfy my hunger and quench my thirst. For insatiably do I desire Thee, O my Master! And who can have enough of Thee if he truly loves Thee and thirsts for Thy truth?
O Giver of light! Fulfill my supplications and grant me Thy gifts according to my prayer; impart to my heart just one drop of Thy grace, that the flame of Thy love may begin to burn in my heart; and, like a fire, may it consume evil thoughts like thorns and thistles!
Give me all this in abundance; grant it to me as God unto man, as the King to His subjects, and increase it as a kind Father.
4
We search for Thee in prayer, O Lord, for all is comprehended in Thee. May we be enriched by Thee, for Thou art wealth which diminishes not with the changes of time.
May Thy loving-kindness come to our aid! May Thy grace defend us! From Thy treasury pour out upon us restoration to heal our sores.
We must seek Thee above all else, and not seek anything else but Thee, for he who seeks Thee finds all in Thee.
In Thee is wealth for the needy, heartfelt joy for the sorrowing, restoration for all the wounded, consolation for all who mourn.
Accept our prayer, O our Lord, and grant us Thyself. May we live in Thee, may we possess Thee instead of all else, for then all is ours.
Grant, O Lord, that we may be Thine. And according to Thy loving-kindness be Thou ours: for the righteous Father gave us Thee for the healing of our sores.
Thou art ours according to the will of Thy Father; and Thou art ours according to Thine own desire. Thou art with us, O Emmanuel! Thou art with us, as our Lord.
Accept these prayers from us, O our God, Who hast descended to us. Accept the tears of sinners and show mercy to the guilty.
According to Thy desire Thou hast been united with us; be the intercessor of our prayer. Raise it up to Thy Father and establish peace in our souls.
Blessed is he who has in the Lord become completely free of all earthly things in this troublesome life, and who has loved the one good and merciful God.
Blessed is he who has become a doer of good works and, like a fruitful field, brings forth a great abundance of the fruits of life in the Lord.
Blessed is he who stands at prayer in service to God and, like the heavenly angels, at all times has pure thoughts and does not allow the evil one to approach him, that he may not enslave his soul and lead it away from God the Savior.
Blessed is he who loves sanctity (purity) like light, and has not defiled his body before the Lord with shameful acts of the evil one.
Blessed is he who always retains in himself remembrance of God, for such a person on earth is like a heavenly angel, constantly celebrating the Lord with fear and love.
Blessed is he who loves repentance, which saves all sinners, and does not delight in sin, that he might not appear ungrateful before God our Savior.
Blessed is he who, like a courageous warrior defending heavenly treasures, preserves his soul and body without reproach in the Lord.
Blessed is he who like the heavenly angels, has pure thoughts, and who with his lips sings praises to the One who has authority over all that breathes.
Blessed is he who has become like unto the seraphim and cherubim and is never slothful in spiritual service, who ceaselessly glorifies the Lord.
2
I bow down to Thee, O Master; I bless thee, O Good One; I beseech Thee, O Holy One; I fall down before Thee, O Lover of mankind; and I glorify Thee, O Christ; for Thou, O Only-begotten master of all, O Only Sinless One, wast, for the sake of me, an unworthy sinner, given up to death on the cross in order to free the soul of a sinner from the bondage of sin.
And how shall I repay Thee, O Master? Glory to Thee, O Lover of mankind! Glory to Thee, O Merciful One! Glory to Thee, O Longsuffering One! Glory to Thee, Who forgivest every fall into sin!
Glory to Thee, Who didst descend to save our soul! Glory to Thee, Who didst take flesh in the womb of the Virgin! Glory to Thee, Who didst suffer bondage! Glory to Thee, Who didst accept scourging! Glory to Thee, Who was made an object of humiliation! Glory to Thee, Who wast crucified! Glory to Thee, Who was buried!
Glory to Thee, Who didst rise from the dead! Glory to Thee, of Whom the prophets spoke! Glory to Thee, in Whom we have believed! Glory to Thee, Who didst ascend into heaven! Glory to Thee, Who didst sit with glory at the right hand of the Father and Who art coming again with hosts of angels to judge every soul that has scorned Thy holy passion!
In that anxious and dreadful hour when the heavenly powers are roused, when all the angels, archangels, seraphim and cherubim will stand with fear and trembling before Thy glory, when the foundations of the the earth will be shaken, and when all that breathes will be terrified by the incomparable greatness of Thy Glory--in that hour mayest Thou take me under Thy wing and may my soul be delivered from the terrible fire and from the gnashing of teeth, from outer darkness and eternal lamentation, that I may bless Thee and say: Glory to Him Who has desired to save a sinner according to the great compassion of His mercy!
3
Make me whole, O Lord, and I will become whole! O only wise and merciful Physician, I beseech Thy benevolence: heal the wounds of my soul and enlighten the eyes of my mind that I may understand my place in Thine eternal design! And in as much as my heart and mind have been disfigured, may Thy grace repair them, for it is as true salt.
What shall I say to Thee, O Knower of the heart who searchest the heart and the inner workings of men? Indeed, Thou knowest that, like a waterless land, my soul thirsts after Thee and my heart longs for Thee. And Thy grace has always sated those that love Thee.
Thus, as Thou hast always heard me, so now do not scorn my prayer. For Thou seest that my mind, like a prisoner, seeks Thee, the Only true Savior.
Send Thy grace, that it may satisfy my hunger and quench my thirst. For insatiably do I desire Thee, O my Master! And who can have enough of Thee if he truly loves Thee and thirsts for Thy truth?
O Giver of light! Fulfill my supplications and grant me Thy gifts according to my prayer; impart to my heart just one drop of Thy grace, that the flame of Thy love may begin to burn in my heart; and, like a fire, may it consume evil thoughts like thorns and thistles!
Give me all this in abundance; grant it to me as God unto man, as the King to His subjects, and increase it as a kind Father.
4
We search for Thee in prayer, O Lord, for all is comprehended in Thee. May we be enriched by Thee, for Thou art wealth which diminishes not with the changes of time.
May Thy loving-kindness come to our aid! May Thy grace defend us! From Thy treasury pour out upon us restoration to heal our sores.
We must seek Thee above all else, and not seek anything else but Thee, for he who seeks Thee finds all in Thee.
In Thee is wealth for the needy, heartfelt joy for the sorrowing, restoration for all the wounded, consolation for all who mourn.
Accept our prayer, O our Lord, and grant us Thyself. May we live in Thee, may we possess Thee instead of all else, for then all is ours.
Grant, O Lord, that we may be Thine. And according to Thy loving-kindness be Thou ours: for the righteous Father gave us Thee for the healing of our sores.
Thou art ours according to the will of Thy Father; and Thou art ours according to Thine own desire. Thou art with us, O Emmanuel! Thou art with us, as our Lord.
Accept these prayers from us, O our God, Who hast descended to us. Accept the tears of sinners and show mercy to the guilty.
According to Thy desire Thou hast been united with us; be the intercessor of our prayer. Raise it up to Thy Father and establish peace in our souls.
Thursday, March 06, 2008
Dallas Blues
Poor Dallas. The city can't seem to get a break. Most of my limited interaction with urban life happens here, as I live about 100 miles southeast of the city. It is certainly no Austin. Or San Antonio. Ft. Worth runs rings around Dallas when it comes to charm, culture and livability. But at least it's not Houston.
But Dallas has always been the city of big plans. There's lots of glitzy new construction transforming the skyline from the new American Airlines Center through Uptown. If ever (never, it seems) the Trinity River Project takes off, with its Calatrava bridges, then the city will blossom into a new Seattle or Portland, I suppose. The plans to build a Central Park-like park over Woodall Rogers Expressway is one of the more intriguing concepts.
But that is all off in the future, somewhere, maybe. What the city will have before long...ready or not...is the George W. Bush Presidential Library. So, for the foreseeable future, Dallas will be known for the J.F.K. Assassination, J.R. Ewing and the Bush Library. As Barack Obama joked in his recent Texas appearances--"He's coming back. He's coming back. What are y'all going to do with him?" Oh well, a state that foisted LBJ on an unsuspecting nation shouldn't be squeamish about GWB.
Anyway, The Chronicle Review, here, conducted a "back-of-the-envelope" design contest in which readers could submit their own plans for the Bush Library. One of my favorites is this one, with its Language Lab wing ("What I Meant to Say"):
Another good one:
Check out the site for other submissions. Enjoy.
But Dallas has always been the city of big plans. There's lots of glitzy new construction transforming the skyline from the new American Airlines Center through Uptown. If ever (never, it seems) the Trinity River Project takes off, with its Calatrava bridges, then the city will blossom into a new Seattle or Portland, I suppose. The plans to build a Central Park-like park over Woodall Rogers Expressway is one of the more intriguing concepts.
But that is all off in the future, somewhere, maybe. What the city will have before long...ready or not...is the George W. Bush Presidential Library. So, for the foreseeable future, Dallas will be known for the J.F.K. Assassination, J.R. Ewing and the Bush Library. As Barack Obama joked in his recent Texas appearances--"He's coming back. He's coming back. What are y'all going to do with him?" Oh well, a state that foisted LBJ on an unsuspecting nation shouldn't be squeamish about GWB.
Anyway, The Chronicle Review, here, conducted a "back-of-the-envelope" design contest in which readers could submit their own plans for the Bush Library. One of my favorites is this one, with its Language Lab wing ("What I Meant to Say"):
Another good one:
Check out the site for other submissions. Enjoy.
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
A Muslim "Reformation?"
Well, this, is interesting.
The BBC reports that a team of Turkish theologians, working under the auspices of the powerful Department of Religious Affairs, is revising the Hadith, the second most sacred text in Islam. The Hadith is “the principal guide for Muslims in interpreting the Koran and the source of the vast majority of Islamic law, or Sharia.” The Turkish government, eager to modernize, sees the dated interpretations of the Hadith as “obscuring the original values of Islam…that now need to be reinterpreted,” to effect a return “to a form of Islam it claims accords with its original values and those of the Prophet.” Revolutionary and controversial, this proposed modernization is being billed as a Muslim “Reformation,” if you will.
Well, we will see.
Some scholars connected with the project note that many of the “hadiths” were invented hundreds of years after the Prophet Muhammad died, to address contemporary concerns, and that the teachings of Islam have been “hijacked” by the conservatives, who have, at times, “embellished” the text to make the Prophet speak to their particular agenda.
You don't say.
One spokesman sought to calm the fears of traditional Muslims, maintaining that the story was much overblown. Another was quoted as saying, “I cannot impress enough how fundamental [this change] is."
I have long maintained that if there is indeed any future for "moderate Islam," it would be here. So, is a new Islam taking shape in Turkey?
There are many reasons to think not.
First, it is arguable whether this projected reform really represents authentic Islam (and as one whose roots were in the restorationist wing of Protestantism, I understand the fallacies of this approach.) One is reminded of contemporary Episcopalian efforts to redefine what the New Testament scriptures really meant. Second, traditional Islam is nothing if not resilient. The new thinking may be a hard sell, even in Turkey. Third, Turks are not Kurds. They are not Arabs. They are not Persians. These distinctions still matter greatly. The conclusions emanating from a government-sponsored Ankara think tank won’t have much traction in Riyadh, or Cairo, or Baghdad, or Tehran. Finally, when you worship, in effect, the words in a book--in this case, the supposedly inerrant spoken voice of God, in Arabic, no less--then any reinterpretation becomes dicey, leading only to schism upon schism, as the witness of sola scriptura attests.
Despite this cynicism, I view this as a good thing. As a Christian, Islam will remain, to me, a heretical false religion, whether it be moderate or otherwise. My hope is not that they become less traditional and conservative, but rather that they come to believe in Jesus Christ. In the meantime, many ancient Christian communities suffer under Muslim rule. Whether it be the Patriarchate in Constantinople, or the Kosovo disaster, or northern Cyprus, or the plight of the Egyptian Copts, or the Palestinian Christians or the Armenians, or the various Christian churches of Iraq, the story is much the same--dhimmitude and a recurring cycle of persecution.
Whether a “moderate” Islam would make any real difference here is unclear. But it could not be any worse.
(For a Turkish insight, see Mustafa Akyol, here.)
The BBC reports that a team of Turkish theologians, working under the auspices of the powerful Department of Religious Affairs, is revising the Hadith, the second most sacred text in Islam. The Hadith is “the principal guide for Muslims in interpreting the Koran and the source of the vast majority of Islamic law, or Sharia.” The Turkish government, eager to modernize, sees the dated interpretations of the Hadith as “obscuring the original values of Islam…that now need to be reinterpreted,” to effect a return “to a form of Islam it claims accords with its original values and those of the Prophet.” Revolutionary and controversial, this proposed modernization is being billed as a Muslim “Reformation,” if you will.
Well, we will see.
Some scholars connected with the project note that many of the “hadiths” were invented hundreds of years after the Prophet Muhammad died, to address contemporary concerns, and that the teachings of Islam have been “hijacked” by the conservatives, who have, at times, “embellished” the text to make the Prophet speak to their particular agenda.
You don't say.
One spokesman sought to calm the fears of traditional Muslims, maintaining that the story was much overblown. Another was quoted as saying, “I cannot impress enough how fundamental [this change] is."
I have long maintained that if there is indeed any future for "moderate Islam," it would be here. So, is a new Islam taking shape in Turkey?
There are many reasons to think not.
First, it is arguable whether this projected reform really represents authentic Islam (and as one whose roots were in the restorationist wing of Protestantism, I understand the fallacies of this approach.) One is reminded of contemporary Episcopalian efforts to redefine what the New Testament scriptures really meant. Second, traditional Islam is nothing if not resilient. The new thinking may be a hard sell, even in Turkey. Third, Turks are not Kurds. They are not Arabs. They are not Persians. These distinctions still matter greatly. The conclusions emanating from a government-sponsored Ankara think tank won’t have much traction in Riyadh, or Cairo, or Baghdad, or Tehran. Finally, when you worship, in effect, the words in a book--in this case, the supposedly inerrant spoken voice of God, in Arabic, no less--then any reinterpretation becomes dicey, leading only to schism upon schism, as the witness of sola scriptura attests.
Despite this cynicism, I view this as a good thing. As a Christian, Islam will remain, to me, a heretical false religion, whether it be moderate or otherwise. My hope is not that they become less traditional and conservative, but rather that they come to believe in Jesus Christ. In the meantime, many ancient Christian communities suffer under Muslim rule. Whether it be the Patriarchate in Constantinople, or the Kosovo disaster, or northern Cyprus, or the plight of the Egyptian Copts, or the Palestinian Christians or the Armenians, or the various Christian churches of Iraq, the story is much the same--dhimmitude and a recurring cycle of persecution.
Whether a “moderate” Islam would make any real difference here is unclear. But it could not be any worse.
(For a Turkish insight, see Mustafa Akyol, here.)
Friday, February 29, 2008
Lenten Foolishness
Lent begins for Orthodox believers in a little over a week, with Forgiveness Vespers the night of March 9th. The extent of Orthodox Lenten fasting and services can seem rigorous at first glance. But I suppose it is all how you look at it. We are reminded that Lent is not about giving up anything, but rather, taking on more in the way of spiritual disciplines. It is a time to be quieter, more centered, more focused, if you will.
Orthodox Lent rarely makes the news. Not so with Catholic and Anglican Lent, which fits the more mainstream perception of the season. And every year, some news article quotes someone who just doesn't get it. A good case in point is this story, in which 2 Anglican bishops encourage their flocks to give up carbon instead of chocolate. Oh good grief. One expects this sort of thing from Anglicans these days. In fact, I would be disappointed if Lent rolled around without some such silliness as this from that quarter.
What one doesn't expect is this. The Dutch Catholic charity Vantenaktie is now referring to Lent as "Christian Ramadan." Lord. have. mercy. As I said, one would expect this sort of thing from the British Anglicans, but from a Catholic group? Christian Ramadan? The mind reels.
A spokesman explains:
"The image of the Catholic Lent must be polished. The fact that we use a Muslim term is related to the fact that Ramadan is a better-known concept among young people than Lent," said Vastenaktie Director, Martin Van der Kuil.
Oh, I see. Well, that makes it all okay then.
If memory serves me correctly, Christianity precedes Islam by over six centuries. Therefore, you cannot define or describe the Faith in Islamic terms. It would be akin to describing the Magna Carta in terms of the Declaration of Independence, or describing the battle of Agincourt in terms of the battle of Gettysburg. You can, however, legitimately define Islam in terms of Christianity, Judaism, Zoroastrianism and everything else of which it is a derivative.
I recall my 2006 visit to the Meryamana Kilisesi (Church of the Virgin Mary) in Diyarbakir, Turkey. I wrote about it at the time, here. This city is well off the tourist trail. In fact, it is the only place, in all my visits there, that I ever felt the least bit uncomfortable. Diyarbakir is an ancient city, but the population surged to over a million due to the dislocation of Kurdish villagers during the PKK troubles of the 1990s. The city is considered the epicenter of the Kurdish nationalist movement in Turkey. A heavy military presence guards a sometimes seething population. But the old city is enclosed by ancient Byzantine walls, said to be the longest outside of China. Also, deep within a maze of alleyways and warrens lies the Meryamana Kilisesi.
Hidden behind a protective walled compound, the church dates back to the late 4th century. Three or so Syrian Orthodox Christian families hold out within the compound. The church is one of the oldest in the world. Anyway, my Turkish guide, as well as our driver, joined me for part of the Vespers service there (in Aramaic, no less). They were both surprised to see that we did prostrations in the course of the service. My friend Turan asked me about it afterwards, and I gently chided him a bit by saying, "Of course we do prostrations. Where do you think y'all got the idea?"
All of that is to say that Islam can be seen in light of the Christian and Jewish practices that form the basis for its own practices. In the early years of Islam, it was often viewed as just another Christian heresy. But it cannot, and should not, work the other way around. This is just inexcusable.
Orthodox Lent rarely makes the news. Not so with Catholic and Anglican Lent, which fits the more mainstream perception of the season. And every year, some news article quotes someone who just doesn't get it. A good case in point is this story, in which 2 Anglican bishops encourage their flocks to give up carbon instead of chocolate. Oh good grief. One expects this sort of thing from Anglicans these days. In fact, I would be disappointed if Lent rolled around without some such silliness as this from that quarter.
What one doesn't expect is this. The Dutch Catholic charity Vantenaktie is now referring to Lent as "Christian Ramadan." Lord. have. mercy. As I said, one would expect this sort of thing from the British Anglicans, but from a Catholic group? Christian Ramadan? The mind reels.
A spokesman explains:
"The image of the Catholic Lent must be polished. The fact that we use a Muslim term is related to the fact that Ramadan is a better-known concept among young people than Lent," said Vastenaktie Director, Martin Van der Kuil.
Oh, I see. Well, that makes it all okay then.
If memory serves me correctly, Christianity precedes Islam by over six centuries. Therefore, you cannot define or describe the Faith in Islamic terms. It would be akin to describing the Magna Carta in terms of the Declaration of Independence, or describing the battle of Agincourt in terms of the battle of Gettysburg. You can, however, legitimately define Islam in terms of Christianity, Judaism, Zoroastrianism and everything else of which it is a derivative.
I recall my 2006 visit to the Meryamana Kilisesi (Church of the Virgin Mary) in Diyarbakir, Turkey. I wrote about it at the time, here. This city is well off the tourist trail. In fact, it is the only place, in all my visits there, that I ever felt the least bit uncomfortable. Diyarbakir is an ancient city, but the population surged to over a million due to the dislocation of Kurdish villagers during the PKK troubles of the 1990s. The city is considered the epicenter of the Kurdish nationalist movement in Turkey. A heavy military presence guards a sometimes seething population. But the old city is enclosed by ancient Byzantine walls, said to be the longest outside of China. Also, deep within a maze of alleyways and warrens lies the Meryamana Kilisesi.
Hidden behind a protective walled compound, the church dates back to the late 4th century. Three or so Syrian Orthodox Christian families hold out within the compound. The church is one of the oldest in the world. Anyway, my Turkish guide, as well as our driver, joined me for part of the Vespers service there (in Aramaic, no less). They were both surprised to see that we did prostrations in the course of the service. My friend Turan asked me about it afterwards, and I gently chided him a bit by saying, "Of course we do prostrations. Where do you think y'all got the idea?"
All of that is to say that Islam can be seen in light of the Christian and Jewish practices that form the basis for its own practices. In the early years of Islam, it was often viewed as just another Christian heresy. But it cannot, and should not, work the other way around. This is just inexcusable.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Ralph Wood's Orthodoxy
I recently enjoyed reading The Catholic Fantastic of Chesterton and Tolkien, by Dr. Ralph Wood, found here, on the First Things blog. This is a 3-way hook for me. Both authors are favorites of mine, each playing a role in my spiritual maturation and education. Dr. Wood is a scholar I have come to respect and admire, as well.
The article in question is actually a book review of Alison Milbank's Chesterton and Tolkien as Theologians: The Fantasy of the Real. Dr. Wood's review is highly laudatory, but as priced (originally $119.24 for a 184-page book!), I am going to just have to take his word for it. I particularly like his summation:
With clarity and wit and verve, she shows that the gift-quality of Tolkien’s and Chesterton’s art is premised on the gift-character of the universe itself. Their work, as she splendidly verifies, has profound moral implications. For in a gift-giving and gift-receiving world, we are not meant to seek our own advantage at the expense of others. Rather we are meant to create gifts—like those presents into which Galadriel has woven her own character before she gives them to the Company—that serve to free their recipients rather than putting them into our debt. Milbank has gifted us with what may well become our finest study of these Catholic artists in their unique relation not only to each other but also to our imagination-starved churches and culture.
I first became acquainted with Dr. Wood in his Flannery O'Connor and the Christ-Haunted South, published in 2004. This book is, quite simply, essential reading. You don't even have to be Southern (but it helps). Dr. Wood is a native of northeast Texas, who in his youth aspired to be a Baptist preacher. His family was too poor to send him to Baylor, so he had to settle for a nearby teacher's college. As Dr. Wood tells it, this turned out to be his salvation. For at this institution he found something he would have never encountered at that Bastion of Baptistocracy on the Brazos, namely, a Catholic professor. [This reminds me of a quotation from W. C. Brann, "the Iconoclast," in reference to the Baylor administration of the early 1900s. He observed that they "couldn't father an original idea if they were hurled bodily into the womb of the Goddess of Wisdom."]
Young Wood's professor opened his eyes to the Catholic literary tradition, and by this I mean Chesterton, Waugh, Percy, Maritain, Gilson and O'Connor, among others. This mentor even arranged for O'Connor to visit the small East Texas campus in 1962, two years before her death. Dr. Wood has made this his life's work, and he is today one of our nation's foremost authorities on Chesterton, Tolkien, Percy and especially, O'Connor. He is a professor of literature and theology at Baylor, introducing his students--Protestants, in the main--to the riches of the Catholic literary tradition.
And yet, Dr. Wood remains true to his roots, a committed Baptist. As one reviewer notes, he is that rarest of birds, a "Catholic Baptist Southern Literary Critic." Dr. Wood maintains a website, here. He links a number of articles and essays. Some are copies of published works, while others are simply short outlines intended for his classes. Such is his "A Brief Introduction to the Orthodox Tradition." It is very basic, intended as an encompassing overview for students. An error or two creeps in, but we won't quibble with that. I find it to be among the best of such summaries I have seen. The entire essay (only 4 pages) is found here.
Dr. Wood:
The largely unrecognized irony is that, despite the common reading of Orthodoxy as merely the Eastern version of Catholicism, Rome and Protestantism have more in common with each other than either does with Orthodoxy.
True.
Dr. Wood identifies 3 major claims the Orthodox make against Roman Catholicism:
1. They refuses to accept primacy of the See of Rome, and Roman additions.
2. They deny that apostolic succession in confined to Rome alone, (Indeed, Wood observes that "the Eastern church has a much better claim to an unbroken chain of the laying on of hands, all the way back to the earliest bishops, including Linus, the first historically-attested bishop of Rome.")
3. They view the Virgin Mary in "maternal terms," and rebut Marian claims that interpret her in "sub-incarnational terms"
He names 4 major claims the Orthodox make against the West, both Catholic and Protestant:
1. God is indeed Trinity, but God is 3 distinct persons or hypostates, not a unipersonal subject who revealed himself in three different ways. Consequently, the Holy Spirit plays a much larger role, for example, in the life of the Eastern than in the Western churches.
2. Salvation is not understood primarily in juridical terms.
3. Thus, they understand the human condition differently. It is our likeness to God which, after the Fall, must be restored. Orthodox thus speak of “ancestral” rather than “original” sin.
4. They view the Christian existence as a lifelong undertaking in theosis—"the divinization of human life by praying and practicing the faith of the Church." .
Finally, Dr. Wood finds 4 distinguishing characteristics of Orthodoxy:
1. Their insistence that Christian faith is not a set of religious ideas but an entire way of life: a life of worship and prayer, of devotion and service.
2. Orthodox inseparably link liturgy and theology. Worship lies at the center of Orthodoxy.
3. Their use of icons in worship and devotion.
4. Orthodox understanding of the Christian life as theosis, the divinizing and deifying of our humanity.
This is hardly the first time these distinctions have been drawn. This favorable analysis from a Baptist scholar, however, is refreshing. When Protestants become Orthodox, family members sometimes remain bewildered and confused by the path their loved-ones have taken. For those in this situation, Dr. Wood's essay would be a good one to copy and leave laying about the house.
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Time to Move On, We're Told
The Kosovo aftershocks are playing out much as expected. The U.S. Embassy in Belgrade was torched--unfortunate, but hardly surprising. Bloody-handed pols from the Clinton era (Holbrooke, Cohen, etc.) are huffing and puffing on cue. Tensions are on edge in the fault line city of Mitrovica, see here.
And on top of that, Condeleeza Rice is losing patience with Serbia.
In Washington, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said it was time for Serbs to accept that Kosovo is no longer theirs. She also suggested it was time to drop centuries of grievance and sentimentality in the Balkans. "We believe that the resolution of Kosovo's status will really, finally, let the Balkans begin to put its terrible history behind it," Dr. Rice said Friday.
Oh, really. Her message to Serbia seems to be something like this: We are America and we know what is best for you. We have divvied-up your country in a manner we think best, and it is high time for you to stop your whining and learn to live with it.
But I have saved the best for last. Rice continues:
"I mean, after all, we're talking about something from 1389 – 1389! It's time to move forward."
With the President out of the country--last seen getting-down, so to speak, with some Liberian tribal dancers--this statement is easily the most inane commentary coming from the Bush administration in recent memory.
The American people have been told that Secretary Rice's expertise lay in the field of Russian--or to be more exact, Soviet Union--studies. Such petulant comments display an appalling ignorance of Slavic history, culture and sensibilities. Beyond that, it dismisses the very thing which defines a people, any people--their shared history.
It's worse than we imagined.
Lord, have mercy.
And on top of that, Condeleeza Rice is losing patience with Serbia.
In Washington, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said it was time for Serbs to accept that Kosovo is no longer theirs. She also suggested it was time to drop centuries of grievance and sentimentality in the Balkans. "We believe that the resolution of Kosovo's status will really, finally, let the Balkans begin to put its terrible history behind it," Dr. Rice said Friday.
Oh, really. Her message to Serbia seems to be something like this: We are America and we know what is best for you. We have divvied-up your country in a manner we think best, and it is high time for you to stop your whining and learn to live with it.
But I have saved the best for last. Rice continues:
"I mean, after all, we're talking about something from 1389 – 1389! It's time to move forward."
With the President out of the country--last seen getting-down, so to speak, with some Liberian tribal dancers--this statement is easily the most inane commentary coming from the Bush administration in recent memory.
The American people have been told that Secretary Rice's expertise lay in the field of Russian--or to be more exact, Soviet Union--studies. Such petulant comments display an appalling ignorance of Slavic history, culture and sensibilities. Beyond that, it dismisses the very thing which defines a people, any people--their shared history.
It's worse than we imagined.
Lord, have mercy.
Friday, February 22, 2008
Remembering Buenos Aires
I didn't watch the debate last night. From all accounts, Obama and Mrs. Clinton comported themselves amicably. The morning paper did mention that she was booed upon attempting to make hay out of that phony plagiarism charge against Obama. This, from a partisan crowd in the most liberal city in Texas. You might say that the firewall has been breached.Instead, my wife and I attended a production of Evita. What great fun. No, this wasn't exactly Broadway, but the performing arts center at our local university has consistently attracted some pretty impressive touring companies, or least for a community our size.
My only disappointment was not with the play, but in the receptiveness of the audience. Most of the theater-goers were older (old, of course, being anyone older than me). Listening to the conversations during the intermission and afterwards, it dawned on me that this lukewarmness stemmed from a general unfamiliarity with the story. How could anyone of a certain age not know about Juan and Eva Peron? Theirs is one of the great melodramas of the 20th century, involving, along the way, the ruination of a once great nation. Simply put, it is one helluva story.
Film clips of 1940s Buenos Aires served as a backdrop to several of the scenes, which served to put me in fond remembrance of the city. Almost 9 years have passed since I was there. And what a city! First of all, it is very European. In fact, these days it is probably more so than many cities in Europe. You will see no headscarves or burkhas. You will see Italian fashions. Architecturally, Buenos Aires may be one of the most significant cities in the world. There's plenty of soulless, modern ugliness, to be sure. But the greater part of the city was constructed during the first few decades of the 20th century, when Argentina was one of the world's richest countries. The streets are chock-a-block with magnificent, soaring beaux arts and art deco buildings.
My memories of the city came flooding back: the Plaza San Martin, the Cafe Tortino, Casa Rosada, Avenida Pacifica, the flea market at San Telmo, the tango show, the bar at the Plaza Hotel, tea at the Alvear Palace, an Argentine steak supper, the Circulo Militar, the horse races, exquisite Argentine Malbec served in beer-sized bottles with your meal, the taxi drivers, Palermo, the macabre Recoleto Cemetery, the Opera House, our friends Julio and Peter.
Buenos Aires is laid out in the grand style, with many wide avenues (the Avenida 9 de Julio reputedly the widest in the world), but it is definitely a city for walking, and of course, doing what Portenos enjoy most--talking and people-watching. The venue of choice is the coffee shop. It is a rare block that is not anchored with a coffee shop at each end, and perhaps one in the middle for good measure. Many of these establishments were grand art deco affairs, with plate-glass windows along the street, white-jacketed waiters, and even mezzanine seating.
We found countless opportunities to stop and cool our heals a bit, and watch the parade of handsome humanity pass outside our window. Invariably, we would have a cafe con leche and a plate of medialunas ("half-moons," for the Spanish-impaired). These medialunas are small glazed croissants--oh, they were so good!
And that has become my most cherished memory of Buenos Aires--not the tango shows or the architecture, but rather a good cup of coffee, a bit of sweet bread, and a simple savoring of the natural rhythm of life. Political enthusiasms usually come to a bad, or at least a disappointing end, whether it be Evita or Obama. There are more important things. Like a good medialuna.
Monday, February 18, 2008
Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee
Yesterday was the Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee in the Orthodox liturgical year. A fellow parishioner has some wonderful thoughts on this particular lesson in her blog, Chicken Marm. I highly recommend this site. And be sure and scroll on down. For only here will you be able to read about the "Chicken of the Week." Thanks, Mary.
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Kosovo: The Real Clinton Legacy
Well, we knew it was coming. Kosovo has declared independence, with celebrations in Pristina. This is largely a situation of our making. The crowds in the street are waving American flags, alongside their Kosovo flags. They are also carrying signs saying "Thank you, America," and holding up pictures of Bill Clinton.
It seems increasingly obvious that the chances for a Clintonian Restoration are slipping away, and with it, the hope of solidifying and confirming their place in history. Future scholars will give the Clinton years a mixed review, at best. With no second Clinton administration, there will be no "Clinton era" for the history books. But Bill Clinton does have a legacy--if you want to call it that--and it is Kosovo.
Western Europe and the U.S. will fall into line recognizing the new state. Serbia and Russia will protest indignantly, but in the end, nothing much can be done. It will be interesting to see how quickly the "Kosovo principal" will be utilized by each and every separatist group in the world--many of which are uncomfortably close to western Europe and, I might add, the U.S. And when this happens, those of us who love irony can at least relish the sight of Western Europe and the U.S. preaching against the very same medicine they prescribed for Serbia.
The Kosovo story, here.
Friday, February 15, 2008
My Sentiments Exactly
I came across the following, in the combox to a Eunomia post. The contributor, known as Grumpy Old Man, usually has good things to say and his site can be found, here.
My bitter rant of the month:
There’s something deeply hypocritical about a country that took away a third of a neighbor’s territory in war, that went to war when Saddam Hussein did the same thing.
There’s something deeply hypocritical about the one country that used atomic weapons against inhabited cities threatening war because a distant rival might be manufacturing the same type of weapons.
There’s something deeply hypocritical about a country that fought a bloody war to keep eleven states from seceding, abetting secession from the heartland of a distant country three times as old, whose soil is thick with the blood of its martyrs.
There’s something deeply hypocritical about a country that wallows in trade and fiscal deficits preaching austerity and creditworthiness to the poorest nations on earth.
There’s something deeply hypocritical about a country that fancies itself a City on a Hill imagining it is enlightening the world with fast food, gangsta rap, celebriporn, and explosion-and-chase movies.
America, America
God mend thine every flaw!
Confirm thy goal in self-control,
Thy liberty in law!
As if.
My bitter rant of the month:
There’s something deeply hypocritical about a country that took away a third of a neighbor’s territory in war, that went to war when Saddam Hussein did the same thing.
There’s something deeply hypocritical about the one country that used atomic weapons against inhabited cities threatening war because a distant rival might be manufacturing the same type of weapons.
There’s something deeply hypocritical about a country that fought a bloody war to keep eleven states from seceding, abetting secession from the heartland of a distant country three times as old, whose soil is thick with the blood of its martyrs.
There’s something deeply hypocritical about a country that wallows in trade and fiscal deficits preaching austerity and creditworthiness to the poorest nations on earth.
There’s something deeply hypocritical about a country that fancies itself a City on a Hill imagining it is enlightening the world with fast food, gangsta rap, celebriporn, and explosion-and-chase movies.
America, America
God mend thine every flaw!
Confirm thy goal in self-control,
Thy liberty in law!
As if.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
The Texas Firewall Primary and Beyond
As I was scanning the local paper this morning, I came across a short announcement (warning?) that on the morrow, former President Bill Clinton will be traveling through our part of the state, stopping even here, in the reddest county of a cat-house red state.
So it has come to this. The Clinton candidacy is in such dire straits that President Clinton is being dispatched to behind the Pine Curtain, to stir up what votes can be had in East Texas. Meanwhile, Mrs. Clinton, or as the television ads call her, Nuestra Amiga, is camping out in South Texas, an area we now learn is her "second home."
We Texans are not averse to attention, but we never thought that our March 4th primary would amount to anything. Now it turns out that we, more specifically our Latinos and white women, are to be Mrs. Clinton's firewall. Well...maybe not. It appears to me that Mrs. Clinton has been swimming against the tide of history for some time now, and I am afraid the waves are about to wash over her. First, Obama seems to have closed the white-woman-voter-gap in the Virginia primary. Second, much is made of her strength in the Latino community, which certainly cannot be discounted. But Texas is not California. Our Hispanic population is long-established and much more integrated, in my view, than in California. Texas (Tejas, if you will) started off Hispanic, and that influence has remained an element of our culture, from the very beginning. The Rio Grande Valley has always been integrated economically and culturally with northern Mexico. When we drive down to the shopping outlet malls between San Antonio and Austin, we meet Mexican shoppers who drive up from Monterey. Our border has always been porous. And the Hispanic voter in Texas is more independent, much less susceptible to control by party bosses. Generalizations made about the Valley simply do not necessarily hold for San Antonio, Houston, Dallas and Austin.
So, Mrs. Clinton may very well carry Texas, but if so, it won't be by much. And in the current dynamics, it won't be enough.
Last weekend, in the nearby Starbucks, 10 or 12 of us were gathered around, having a free-wheeling pontification on what has to be the most exciting political season in almost 50 years. I was struck by several currents of thought. First, there is the ever-present Clinton loathing among some. It is visceral, emotional and irrational. One can certainly make a legitimate case, based on the issues, to be against Mrs. Clinton. But this opposition seems purely personal. To one of this mindset, it is inconceivable that the nation could ever elect Hillary Clinton (a fact I dispute). Some of us tried to suggest that our city is not even representative of Texas, much less the rest of the country. But they were having none of it, provincialism being a tough nut to crack. And yet, these same people were ambivalence towards Barack Obama, who is arguably more liberal than Mrs. Clinton. Some still do not think he can win the nomination--or better put, they don't see how Mrs. Clinton will not win the nomination (another fact I dispute--see above). I observed no hand-wringing over the prospect of an Obama administration. Next, everyone was underwhelmed by McCain--no discernable enthusiam. Finally, I observed an undercurrent that cut across the group--Republicans, Democrats and independents--that is, the desire to punish the current Bush administration. A discussion of the Bush-Cheney years leaves even the rock-ribbed Republicans sputtering and cussing. These observations are obviously just anecdotal. A roundtable discussion at a coffee shop in a medium-sized city in East Texas may mean something. Or it may mean nothing at all.
While I am enjoying the twists and turns of the political season (a guilty pleasure), the end game is not hard to figure out. Here is how I see it:
First, start with these 3 truisms:
- The Democratic Party was only 1 state away from winning the electoral vote in both 2000 and 2004.
- Democrats who voted for Al Gore in 2000 and John Kerry in 2004 will not balk at either Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama. Why should they?
- There is a deep-seated dissatisfaction/anger at the current administration which permeates all regions and parties.
Now, let's do the math. Take a yellow tablet. Draw a line down the middle, making 2 columns. On the left hand column, label it "States that voted Democratic in 2000 and 2004 that are now trending Republican." Go ahead, take you time. Now, on the other column, label it "States that voted Republican in 2000 and 2004 that are now trending Democratic." Use the second page if you have to. You get my point. By all means, enjoy the show, but I have just given away the ending.
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