To Become, You Must Do
Posted: December 1, 2015 Filed under: The Eucharist and Living the Eucharist | Tags: ethic of being, St. Paul, transformation Leave a comment
St. George the dragon-slayer
An axiom is set forth: “to do you must become, to become you must do.” An axiom is a proposition. The worth of it is self evident. I have used this axiom in sermons, papers, and as a guide for my own life for many years.
Let’s look at its first half: “to do you must become…” This involves an initiation. The initiation for the Christian is baptism. St. Paul informs us:
Therefore, we were buried together with him through baptism [dia tou baptismos] into death, in order just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, that also we might walk in newness of life (Romans 6: 4).
Nous Sommes Paris!
Posted: November 18, 2015 Filed under: Etcetera | Tags: free will, Paris, Russia, solidarity, suffering, thanksgiving Leave a commentEarlier this year in January the world, in solidarity with Paris, declared, “Je suis Charlie!” Now and again our hearts go out to the city (and also with Russia). This time the slogan of solidarity seems to be “Nous sommes Paris!”
Our Heroic God, Our Fantastic Mission
Posted: November 10, 2015 Filed under: The Eucharist and Living the Eucharist | Tags: Doxacon, Eucharistic life, thanksgiving Leave a commentClergy keynote address of Doxacon Seattle 2015:
A look at God and our Christian life as Hero and Mission. Christ is the victor in the cosmic dimension. We are enchanted (enabled) to live out our lives Eucharisticly. Read the rest of this entry »
“She is Mary”
Posted: November 8, 2015 Filed under: Etcetera | Tags: prayer, The Theotokos Leave a comment
She is Mary
She, the long prepared vessel,
The well fashioned holder of our healing, held our Hope.
Yet she is a hope herself.
Nearest to Perfection himself,
She, the perfected offering of creation, bore the one Offering for our perfection.
She is Mary.
Death Cab For Cutie — A Perspective
Posted: October 31, 2015 Filed under: Music and Guitars | Tags: Death Cab For Cutie Leave a comment
In all honesty, I am a bit hesitant to compose this posting. Although a fan of the group, I don’t want to gush with unbridled enthusiasm, nor pose as a bona fide professional music critic. This posting is an Eastern Orthodox priest’s perspective of a contemporary musical group – mostly focusing on lyrical content of their songs. There be will only a brief bio, and no musings about matters best left to gossip columnists.
“Journey to the Source” – Chapter One: Unexplained Vessels
Posted: October 17, 2015 Filed under: Speculative Fiction | Tags: "Journey to the Source", short story Leave a comment“Journey to the Source”
Chapter One: Unexplained Vessels
Zetophos descended from the ambo of the vessel Friendship’s chapel down into its nave: “Let us depart in peace,” he called out.
“To serve in love and thanksgiving the Giver of Light and Life,” replied those assembled for the Sacred Liturgy. Zetophos completed the liturgy with the dismissal and final blessings. He consumed the remaining Bread and Drink of the Sacrament, reset the Altar, then began to remove his vestments in the sacristy. Read the rest of this entry »
Eastman Guitars — A Review Of Two Models
Posted: October 13, 2015 Filed under: Music and Guitars | Tags: Eastman AC530-12, Eastman AJ816, guitar review Leave a commentIf you have not heard of Eastman guitars (www.eastmanguitars.com), you need to be informed! The company makes a variety of stringed instruments: mandolins, archtop acoustics, flat top acoustics, and electric guitars. They are a very well made import, and their acoustic flat top models are always well reviewed, e.g. their dreadnought models E20D, E10D, E20SS, and E10SS. Here, in this posting, I offer my own reviews of my own two models: the AJ816, and the AC530-12. Read the rest of this entry »
Practicing The Eucharist in the World (Part Four)
Posted: October 8, 2015 Filed under: The Eucharist and Living the Eucharist | Tags: St. Paul, The Eucharist: The Restoration of Relationship Leave a commentThe following paper was written in the year 2000. It was formative and powerful as all the pieces of everything I had been learning about the Eucharist were put together. It was written while a seminarian at Regent College in Vancouver, B. C., Canada. I was not yet an Orthodox Christian, let alone ordained. Note that the liturgical passages are mostly from western sources – I was a liturgical / sacramental western Christian at the time. Also, some of the citations are from Protestant authors – after all Regent College is an evangelical seminary, yet the quoted authors impart wisdom, and their insights were employed in this paper. It is a bit lengthy and will be posted in parts.
PRACTICING THE EUCHARIST IN THE WORLD
(PART FOUR)
+ * +
By means of the presence and the work of the Holy Spirit, the Eucharist transforms the people of God into priests who offer God to creation and creation to God. It also transforms us into a sacrament that bears Jesus Christ to the world, and into an offering of broken bread and poured out wine for the life of the world. Read the rest of this entry »
The Eucharist as Ecclesial Practice (Part Three)
Posted: October 7, 2015 Filed under: The Eucharist and Living the Eucharist | Tags: The Eucharist: The Restoration of Relationship Leave a comment+ * +
The following paper was written in the year 2000. It was formative and powerful as all the pieces of everything I had been learning about the Eucharist were put together. It was written while a seminarian at Regent College in Vancouver, B. C., Canada. I was not yet an Orthodox Christian, let alone ordained. Note that the liturgical passages are mostly from western sources – I was a liturgical / sacramental western Christian at the time. Also, some of the citations are from Protestant authors – after all Regent College is an evangelical seminary, yet the quoted authors impart wisdom, and their insights were employed in this paper. It is a bit lengthy and will be posted in parts.
THE EUCHARIST AS ECCLESIAL PRACTICE
(PART THREE)
+ * +
While breaking into this present brokeness, alienation, and chaos we are to see that all which is not yet finally gathered together has a secure promise. It is the Holy Spirit who makes all these mysteries real and present. The Holy Spirit is the Guarantor of this future: Read the rest of this entry »
The Eucharist: The Re-Presentation of the Recapitulation (Part Two)
Posted: October 6, 2015 Filed under: The Eucharist and Living the Eucharist | Tags: The Eucharist: The Restoration of Relationship Leave a comment+ * +
The following paper was written in the year 2000. It was formative and powerful as all the pieces of everything I had been learning about the Eucharist were put together. It was written while a seminarian at Regent College in Vancouver, B. C., Canada. I was not yet an Orthodox Christian, let alone ordained. Note that the liturgical passages are mostly from western sources – I was a liturgical / sacramental western Christian at the time. Also, some of the citations are from Protestant authors – after all Regent College is an evangelical seminary, yet the quoted authors impart wisdom, and their insights were employed in this paper. It is a bit lengthy and will be posted in parts.
THE EUCHARIST: THE RE-PRESENTATION OF THE RECAPITULATION
(PART TWO)
To participate in some activity, practice, or event is to experience that event. One cannot truly understand the sport of tennis until one actually plays the game. Unless one has had the exhilaration of hitting a crushing backhand winner, or knows the frustration of double-faulting at game point, one does not know tennis. In like manner so it is with Christ: one cannot know Christ until one participates in Christ, lives Christ, and walks as Christ walked – however faulty that may be at times. Read the rest of this entry »
The Eucharist: The Restoration of Relationship (Part One)
Posted: October 3, 2015 Filed under: The Eucharist and Living the Eucharist | Tags: The Eucharist: The Restoration of Relationship Leave a commentThe following paper was written in the 2000. It was formative and powerful as I was learning about the Eucharist. It was written while a seminarian at Regent College in Vancouver, B. C., Canada. I was not yet an Orthodox Christian, let alone ordained. Note that the liturgical passages are mostly from western sources – I was a liturgical / sacramental western Christian at the time. Also, some of the citations are from Protestant authors – after all Regent College is an evangelical seminary, yet the quoted authors impart wisdom, and their insights were employed in this paper. It is a bit lengthy and will be posted in parts.
THE EUCHARIST: THE RESTORATION OF RELATIONSHIP
+ * +
Then they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden at the time of the evening breeze, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. But the LORD God called to the man, and said to him, “Where are you?”
Naked and ashamed our first parents hid themselves. They withdrew; from loving communion with the One who created them for relationship. Here is sorrow. Here is loss and lostness. Their nakedness exposed their infidelity and their loss of covenantal, trusting relationship. Lost and scattered also was their relationship with all of creation: the priests ordained to maintain the holy structure and furnishings of creation had thrust it back into the deep, sorrowful groaning of chaos. Read the rest of this entry »
A Change of Season – A Reason for Thanksgiving
Posted: September 20, 2015 Filed under: Etcetera | Tags: finding beauty, prayer, St. Paul, thanksgiving Leave a commentI love the summer, and I dread its passing. I try to ignore the signs, but there are too many to ignore. There are natural witnesses which declare warm, longer day’s passing. The appearance of one of my favorite flowers, dahlias, announces the close of summer and the coming of autumn. The appearance of another, smaller bloom, cyclomen, also bears this news of passing and change. So, all is sealed and set in place. I cannot stop the orbit of earth around the sun.
“The Incorporation of Tresuios”
Posted: September 19, 2015 Filed under: Speculative Fiction | Tags: "The Day of Light", short story, St. Paul Leave a commentAnother Short Story which precedes in time “The Day of Light.”
He has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in him, as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in Christ, those things in heaven and those on earth.
-St. Paul
“Tres, you’re daydreaming! We should hurry, the others are probably waiting for us by now.” Read the rest of this entry »
By This Sign Conquer!
Posted: September 14, 2015 Filed under: The Eucharist and Living the Eucharist | Tags: dying to self, Elevation of the Precious and Life-Giving Cross, Eucharistic life, spiritual power, transformation Leave a commentSeptember 14 commemorates the Elevation of the Precious and Life-Giving Cross, or commonly known as the Feast 
of the Holy Cross in the western church. In short, Emperor Constantine sent his mother, Empress Helen, to the Holy Land to find the Cross of Christ in Jerusalem in the year 326. The site was nearly forgotten due to the shameful desecration at the hands of previous pagan emperors. But, by Helen’s actions and those of the Patriarch of Jerusalem, St. Macarius, the site was located and the Cross of Christ was identified. Once again the Cross of Christ was elevated, but now to be venerated by the faithful.
However, St. Constantine had his own encounter with the Cross when he was a younger man, and not yet a Christian. Read the rest of this entry »
A Real Musician
Posted: September 13, 2015 Filed under: Music and Guitars | Tags: guitar instruction, voice coach Leave a commentThere are only two kinds of people: those who are and those who “wanna be”. Each one of us is a combination of an “is” and a “wanna-be”. I am many things, but I admire a truly good musician. I am, so my wife and my instructor tell me, a solid intermediate guitarist. They both encourage me when they note progress and advancement in my “chops.” But, I will never be a guitarist of the caliber of a Lindsey Buckingham, Nancy Wilson (of Heart), or The Edge to name just three Guitar Heroes. I will never come close. So, in terms of this category of people, i.e. musicians, I’m just a “wanna-be.” But I know someone who is truly a musician, my guitar instructor, and a family friend. Let me introduce you to Ann Herring. Read the rest of this entry »
…And Become Thankful.
Posted: September 7, 2015 Filed under: The Eucharist and Living the Eucharist | Tags: Eucharistic life, prayer without ceasing, St. Paul, thanksgiving, transformation Leave a commentIn his letter to the Colossians, St. Paul writes,
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which [peace] you were also called in one body: and become thankful [kai eucharistoi ginesthe]. (Colossians 3:15)
Being thankful and having the peace of Christ go hand in hand. Though it may seem an afterthought in the above verse, St. Paul likely puts emphasis on thanksgiving. In fact it can be argued that with thanksgiving first being given, peace comes with it, and both will reside in one’s heart in unison. Read the rest of this entry »
“The Visions of Theosebase”
Posted: September 5, 2015 Filed under: Speculative Fiction | Tags: "The Day of Light", short story, St. Paul Leave a commentA Short Story which precedes in time “The Day of Light.”
He has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ, as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.
– St. Paul
Kalous awoke prematurely. He remained motionless on his mat. His nose and eyes burned and itched because of the pollen released by the grasses of outlying fields. If it wasn’t for the stifling heat’s daily invasion during the late afternoon they wouldn’t have to leave the windows open to cool off the cell. Sleep would be impossible if they didn’t do so. Among his cellmates, he was the only one who suffered from these allergies, but the torment would be gone by the fourth full-turn [1] of the day. Read the rest of this entry »
“The Day of Light”
Posted: September 2, 2015 Filed under: Speculative Fiction | Tags: "The Day of Light", short story, St. Paul Leave a commentA Short Story by Fr. Irenaeus Williams
“For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in the heavens, making peace by the blood of his cross”
– St. Paul
With this first report from the journey, allow me to introduce myself: my name is Zetophos. In the Old Language it means “Light Seeker.” My background is that of Taerophos [1] (priest), historian, and auxiliary navigator. I was chosen to serve on this mission in those capacities because of my extensive study of the Day of Light and its historical setting, and my familiarity with flight conditions from limited missions within our solar system. Read the rest of this entry »
Leave-Takings
Posted: August 23, 2015 Filed under: Etcetera | Tags: Proverbs 3:5, SVOTS Leave a comment
Fr. Dcn. Joseph & Mka. Felicity
The Feast of the Dormition falls on August 15 every year. The feast’s leave-taking comes on August 23 (also the feast day of St. Irenaeus of Lyons!). On Sunday August 23, Holy Resurrection Orthodox Church is also noting the leave-taking of our second deacon, the Reverend Deacon Joseph Ramos. He is leaving our parish to do a year of special studies at St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary (SVOTS) in Crestwood, NY. He is going so to be ordained a priest, God willing.
Deacon Joseph and I, and our families, have known each other for about 15 years. Read the rest of this entry »
Father Irenaeus Williams 