Sources

Timeline of Sources

October 1, 2008 by zaltair

This timeline was made by Vik Slen during our first reading at St. Gregory’s. I thought others might like a reference.

Tags: Dates, Fathers
Posted in Early Church Fathers | Leave a Comment »

Drinking and Savoring

October 1, 2008 by zaltair

I just left a reply to Huw’s Post #3 http://raphael.doxos.com/2008/09/30/roots-post-3/#comment-7778 .

The first time I read this book I was drinking up the beauty of the quotes often with tears streaming down my face. I was hungry for more. This time I find myself reading slowly, savoring Clement’s words as well as those of the Fathers. I am savoring the wisdom of the collation.

I find this is a slow read. I take in some phrase and let it percolate.

I am not sure how much is due to this internal percolating and how much is due to getting ready for my research trip (October 9-24) in Ravenna, but I am not up to speed with the schedule.

I’ll just keep posting.

Blessings.

Tags: Olivier Clement
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Beauty and the Word

September 22, 2008 by zaltair

My roommate asked me what I was reading. I told him. I added that the first time I read this book it changed my life. He asked me to read a passage. I read: (p. 21) Dionysius the Areopagite, Divine Names, IV, 7 (PG3,701)

This Beauty is the source of all friendship and all mutual understanding. It is this Beauty … which moves all living things and preserves them whilst filling them with love and desire for their own particular sort of beauty. For each one, therefore, Beauty is both its limit and the object of its love, since it is its goal … and its model (for it is by its likeness to this Beauty that everything is defined).

and following.

However, he asked me to re-read this section three times. He was raised in a very strict fundamentalist family where the threat of the Devil was rigorously called to quell the desires, actions and acts of children. He told me that even at age 17 he was afraid to close his eyes in the shower for fear that the Devil would get him when he wasn’t looking.

I spoke of a Christianity that is based on love/Love. Later in the day he asked me to read the passage one more time. He said, “That is it!”

Then he told me that perhaps my calling was to spread the friendship and Love that is evident and manifests at Saint Gregory’s.

Ah! As I have said to Huw many times, Why not become Holy Fire?

Tags: Beauty and Goodness, Dionysius the Areopagite, friendship, Holy Fire
Posted in Early Church Fathers, Patristics | 8 Comments »

Chrsit is Risen!

September 20, 2008 by zaltair

01-semaines-de-paques_ouverture-pasc

Click on link to hear music. Be patient, this takes a few seconds to load.

I’ve been preparing for my research trip to Ravenna, Italy, in October. As part of the process I want to record my interviews with various professors at the Polo di Ravenna-Universita di Bologna. My son encouraged me to get an ipod with attendant voice recorder. Of course, once the ipod arrived I began loading it up with music. I came to Entre Terre et Ciel, Choeur des moines de Chevetogne http://www.monasterechevetogne.com/index.php?taalkeuze=3 . As I was listening to the first track I was filled with joy.

Joy. What could be more joyous than Christ arising from the dead? The essence of what makes us Christians and the basis of why we are all reading this book Sources/Roots together.

I decided to share this beautiful music with you.

Priest: Blessed is our Lord, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages.

Choir: Amen.

Priest and deacon: Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down Death by death, and upon those in the tomb bestowing life (3x).

Prist and deacon: Let God arise, and let his enemies be scattered, and let them also that hate him flee before him.