Links recently encountered and recommended.
Clean Saturday 2010
A sometimes eclectic mix, reflecting the tastes of a voracious reader who cannot eat cereal without reading the box. If it is here, I have read (listened to) it or written it.
Great Lent
By Fr. Vasile Catalin Tudora. Fr Vasile is “one of our own” from the DFW area. He pastors St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church in Euless, Texas, and edits the Gladsome Light Dialogues blog
The idea that any Westerner has about fasting is strongly linked with renunciation, with giving-up, with sacrificing something for God. In the Eastern Orthodox Church however, fasting achieves a much richer meaning. Fasting is not only about giving up, but it is actually more about gaining, about being able to reach things that are possible only through this spiritual exercise. …
Repentance and Confession
By Fr. Sergei Sveshnikov
For the Russian version go to http://osergii.wordpress.com/
In order to understand what repentance is, one must first think about what sin is. Most often, people liken sin to breaking God’s law or transgressing against God’s commandment. Undoubtedly, such a characteristic of sin has its basis in the Old Testament. But just like all Old Testament things, this is only a shadow or a symbol of that which has received a deeper meaning in the New Testament. …
On Humility
Dorotheos of Gaza: Discourses and Sayings. Chapter 2 On Humility.from the blog Scholé
2010 Great Lenten Clergy Retreat for the Diocese of Chicago and Middle America (ROCOR)
Holy Virgin Protection Cathedral, Des Plaines, IL – March 7-9
Media
Archimandrite Zacharias on the theology of St. Silouan
Interview with Archimandrite Zacharias of the St. John the Baptist monastery in Essex, England. Fr. Zacharias explains the theology of St. Silouan the Athonite and Archimandrite Sophrony Saharov. The recording is made during his visit for the presentation of the Bulgarian edition of the book "St. Silouan".
This is incredible.
Fallen Man or Exiled Son? Inaugural lecture of Revd Professor Matthew Steenberg
In an inaugural lecture on 31 October, Revd Professor Matthew Steenberg spoke to a large audience on the topic ‘Fallen Man or Exiled Son? Voices from Antiquity on “Original Sin” for the Twenty-first Century’.
Beginning with a reflection on the Confessions of St Augustine and the common view of humanity as ‘fallen’, Professor Steenberg went on to address a different paradigm for the human condition, drawn from the writings of early Christianity and the liturgical life of the Eastern Churches. Exploring the theme of ‘exile’ as found in the parable of the Prodigal Son, as well as a number of patristic and liturgical considerations of it, he reflected on the different nuances to human nature, development and potential bound up in this somewhat different approach to articulating the human condition. …
This is a video. I just listened to it. I rarely listen to things, because I am impatient, but this was an excellent lecture. One of these days I am going to write Fr Matthew and try to get a transcript.
Recipes
From a great recipe blog “101 Cookbooks” Lots of vegan or close to fasting stuff. The writer is a vegetarian. I had Posole down in the Valley at the St George retreat in the Winter (I was one of the few still in the Nativity fast) and it was great. I have not tried this recipe yet, but her stuff is usually pretty good.