Lenten understanding: God's gifts and the coming of His greatest gift
Excerpts from Psalm 76 (77)
(How much like children were the souls of the Old Testament. God gave them their exodus from slavery and sustained them. They responded, with a modernized refrain, “What have You done for us lately?” If the Old and New Testaments are bound by and divided by the coming of Jesus, then the Old represents the maturation of enough followers and history of the Law, that God deemed it time to commit the ultimate act of love. Jesus was sent, “not to destroy the Law, but to fulfill it.” He came to prove God’s love in His sacrifice for the atonement of all sins, before and now.)
[God] set up a covenant with Jacob, he gave a law to Israel; he commanded our ancestors to pass it on to their children, so that the next generation…[would] put their trust in God…so that they do not become like their fathers, rebellious and troublesome, a generation of fickle hearts, of souls unfaithful to God.
The sons of Ephraim…did not keep their covenant with God, they refused to follow his law. They forgot his deeds and the wonders he had shown them. They insisted on sinning against him, they stirred up the wrath of the Most High in the desert. They put God to the test in their hearts, asking for food, their desire.
The Lord heard all this, and he flared up in anger…against Jacob, his wrath rose up against Israel. All this, because they had no faith in God, they had no trust in his saving power. He commanded the clouds nevertheless, and opened the doors of the heavens. Men ate the food of angels; he gave them provisions in abundance.
In the middle of their enjoyment, when the food was still in their mouths, the wrath of God rose up against them, and slew the healthiest among them, and laid low the flower of Israel.
Whenever he was killing them, they sought him, repented and came back to him…they remembered that God is their helper…their saviour; but their speech to him was only flattery: they lied to him with their tongues, their hearts were dishonest towards him, they did not keep his covenant.
But the Lord is merciful: he forgives sin, he does not destroy. Always he turned aside his anger, held back from unleashing all his wrath. He remembered that they were flesh – a breath, that goes and does not return.
Excerpts from a homily of Pseudo-Chrysostom: Prayer is the light of the soul
Prayer lifts the soul into the heavens where it hugs God in an indescribable embrace. The soul seeks the milk of God like a baby crying for the breast. It fulfils its own vows and receives in exchange gifts better than anything that can be seen or imagined. Prayer is [not] simply words…not from routine...[nor] assigned to particular days or particular moments in time, but…happens continuously by day and by night. Prayer is the desire for God, an indescribable devotion, not given by man but brought about by God’s grace.
My Lord and Father, ruler of my heart, mind and soul, may I always respond to the desire of my soul for You. May I remember always that this life’s journey is across foreign lands, and that the ends of desire are for You and to be with You. Blessed be the teachers of this understanding, who reveal the source of this often hidden yearning. Bless today Steve Angrisano in his music and faith ministry. Amen.
Readings excerpted from Universalis
(How much like children were the souls of the Old Testament. God gave them their exodus from slavery and sustained them. They responded, with a modernized refrain, “What have You done for us lately?” If the Old and New Testaments are bound by and divided by the coming of Jesus, then the Old represents the maturation of enough followers and history of the Law, that God deemed it time to commit the ultimate act of love. Jesus was sent, “not to destroy the Law, but to fulfill it.” He came to prove God’s love in His sacrifice for the atonement of all sins, before and now.)
[God] set up a covenant with Jacob, he gave a law to Israel; he commanded our ancestors to pass it on to their children, so that the next generation…[would] put their trust in God…so that they do not become like their fathers, rebellious and troublesome, a generation of fickle hearts, of souls unfaithful to God.
The sons of Ephraim…did not keep their covenant with God, they refused to follow his law. They forgot his deeds and the wonders he had shown them. They insisted on sinning against him, they stirred up the wrath of the Most High in the desert. They put God to the test in their hearts, asking for food, their desire.
The Lord heard all this, and he flared up in anger…against Jacob, his wrath rose up against Israel. All this, because they had no faith in God, they had no trust in his saving power. He commanded the clouds nevertheless, and opened the doors of the heavens. Men ate the food of angels; he gave them provisions in abundance.
In the middle of their enjoyment, when the food was still in their mouths, the wrath of God rose up against them, and slew the healthiest among them, and laid low the flower of Israel.
Whenever he was killing them, they sought him, repented and came back to him…they remembered that God is their helper…their saviour; but their speech to him was only flattery: they lied to him with their tongues, their hearts were dishonest towards him, they did not keep his covenant.
But the Lord is merciful: he forgives sin, he does not destroy. Always he turned aside his anger, held back from unleashing all his wrath. He remembered that they were flesh – a breath, that goes and does not return.
Excerpts from a homily of Pseudo-Chrysostom: Prayer is the light of the soul
Prayer lifts the soul into the heavens where it hugs God in an indescribable embrace. The soul seeks the milk of God like a baby crying for the breast. It fulfils its own vows and receives in exchange gifts better than anything that can be seen or imagined. Prayer is [not] simply words…not from routine...[nor] assigned to particular days or particular moments in time, but…happens continuously by day and by night. Prayer is the desire for God, an indescribable devotion, not given by man but brought about by God’s grace.
My Lord and Father, ruler of my heart, mind and soul, may I always respond to the desire of my soul for You. May I remember always that this life’s journey is across foreign lands, and that the ends of desire are for You and to be with You. Blessed be the teachers of this understanding, who reveal the source of this often hidden yearning. Bless today Steve Angrisano in his music and faith ministry. Amen.
Readings excerpted from Universalis
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