Lenten reading, quotes, video links, etc.

[Monica child of God 1]

Post whatever you like here as long as it is related to Orthodoxy and/or the Great Fast. This is just a thread to keep us encouraged.

M.

 

[Monica child of God 1]

Hymns from the Triodion for the first Monday in Lent:

Let us acquire compunction of soul
As God-given first-fruits of the fast.
Let us cry: accept our prayer as pure incense, o Christ our master.
Deliver us, we entreat you, from the stench of corruption
And from fearful torment.
For you alone are ready to forgive!

Grant us your mercy, Theotokos,
Fount of tender compassion.
Look upon the people who have sinned,
And manifest, as always your power.
For trusting in you, we cry out as once did Gabriel, chief of the bodiless hosts:
Rejoice, full of grace, the lord is with you!

Let us begin the all-holy season of fasting with joy;
Let us shine with the bright radiance of the holy commandments of Christ our God:
With the brightness of love and the splendor of prayer,
The strength of good courage and the purity of holiness!
So, clothed in garments of light,
Let us hasten to the Holy Resurrection on the third day,
That shines on the world with the glory of eternal life!

 

[MariaRegina]

Great idea, Monica.

I am reading:

(1) Defeating Sin: Overcoming our passions and changing forever
by Fr. Joseph David Huneycutt.
The meditation of the two trees is western influenced, but the rest of the book is okay.

(2) Confronting and Controlling Thoughts: According to the Fathers of the Philokalia
by Anthony M. Coniaris
This book is excellent as Father Anthony quotes from the Fathers and then explains each passion so that we have the mind of the Church. I have been enjoying the readings, and the advice given to control logosmoi and help purify the nous (or spiritual intellect). Interestingly, Father Coniaris and the Fathers say that many people do not have a spiritual intellect or nous. The nous is described as a rudder or helm which fills the soul with light.

(3) The Forgotten Medicine: the Mystery of Repentance
by Archimandrite Seraphim Aleksiev
This short little book is not to be read quickly.
There are quite a few gems in it that aid us during this season of Great Lent.

These three books illuminate the prescribed readings for Great Lent. As I listened to the Epistle and Gospel yesterday, I gained new insights because our nous guides us in searching for the truth with JOY. Indeed, as the readings prescribed for Monday which you have posted indicate, we must fast with JOY or our fasting is in vain.

 

[musicluvr83]

Lenten/Fasting resource page posted this morning on Mystagogy: MYSTAGOGY: Fasting Resource Page

 

[Ortho_Cat]

A good podcast which gives us some perspective on "why do we fast"?

Why Do We Fast - A Voice From The Isles - Ancient Faith Radio

 

[Breaking Babylon]

"Fire will not catch alight with wet wood, and fervour for God will not be kindled in a heart that loves ease."

"The knowledge of God does not reside in a body that loves comforts."

"Even if you do not possess a pure heart, at least let your speech be pure."

"Ease and idleness are the destruction of the soul, and injure her more than demons."


-- St Isaac the Syrian, Ascetical Homilies​

 

[Dorothea]

For church Orthodox book club/adult education, we're reading Great Lent by Father Alexander Schmemann. He is such a wonderful communicator. He says things so beautifully, yet so plainly we simple-minded can understand.

I'm also reading Ezekiel in the OT. When I finish that, I will be reading the Gospel of John (again) for Lent.

I'm also still reading the life and works of Fr. Seraphim Rose. I have enjoyed reading it so far, and all the info on St. John of Shanghai and San Fran is priceless.

I finished listening to the lectures by Fr. David Anderson on what we believe, but will be listening and watching again without taking notes to be able to sit and enjoy it.

I listened to the Apocalypse by Fr. Tom Hopko a couple days ago that I found at my Church that someone had donated.

I hope to continue to read and watch Orthodox things during this time and beyond. It's spiritually uplifting and nourishing for my soul.

 

[Blackknight]

I need to get back into my pile of books and actually read them. Been working on Christ the Eternal Tao and the Philokalia for a while now.

 

[Breaking Babylon]

[FONT=&quot]Some labor and struggle hard to earn forgiveness, but better than these is the man who forgets the wrongs done to him. Forgive quickly and you will be abundantly forgiven. To forget wrongs is to prove oneself truly repentant, but to brood on them and at the same time to imagine one is practicing repentance is to act like the man who is convinced he is running when, in fact, he is fast asleep. St John Climacus[/FONT]​

 

[Khaleas]

I know someone here started a website with recipes last year, anyone have the link?

Nvm, I found it
http://www.lenten-season.com/index.php

 

[ArmyMatt]

The Ladder of Divine Ascent, Acts, and Psalms are what I am reading right now.

 

[Monica child of God 1]

Since I have reading and research for my university classes, I am sticking to Isaiah, Genesis and Proverbs for now. We have an audio Bible on CD, so I am going to load up my iPod with Scripture.

M.

 

[Monica child of God 1]

A movie called The Gospel of John is available from Netflix. I watched it last summer when it was available for instant viewing. It is an almost word for word rendering of the text in movie form. I might get it to watch with the family over a weekend.

M.

 

[SoulFoodEater]

The first hymn "On Fasting" by St Ephraim the Syrian is here:
2.iath.virginia.edu/anderson/ephrem.hymns/fast.demo.toc.html

1.3
Fasting is bright and beautiful for any who bright enough
To gaze on God. The Turbid One, stirred up by anything
Cannot fix the eye on that Clear One. He who possesses a clear eye
He can gaze upon him; as much as it is given to him to gaze.
Instead of the clarifying wine, let us clarify our thought
So that we will be able to see the Clear One
Who overcame the Evil Oneby means of fasting, that Disturber of All.

1.4
This is the fast through which greed escapes
The peoples at the top of the mountain ; clothed in fasting he overcame the Greedy One.
Who had clothed himself with the food of Adam's house.
The Lord of Victories gave us his weapon, he ascended on high to be an observer.
Who would not run to the weapon by which God overcame
It is a shameful thing, my brothers, to be bested by the weapon
Which overcomes and causes to overcome all creation.

1.5
Because the enemy is not visible, let us purge our thinking so that he sees that we see him.
He is able to steal some of those whom he sees
That they have not noticed him.
When a soul undertakes a fast,
The the fast bears it and gives it back to its counterpart.
Amid the volleys of sharpened arrows, hiddren from view, the hidden eye
Is polished to see from whence they come.

1.6
This is the instructive fast, it teaches the athlete the ways of the contest.
Draw near to it, study, learn to struggle shrewdly.
Behold he instructed us to fast with our mouths and hearts,
Let us not fast from bread and think thoughts
In which the hidden poison of death is hidden.
Let us confess on the fast day the First Born
Who gave us the word of life to meditate on.

 

[-Kyriaki-]

I'm re-reading For the Life of the World. It's been a few years, and I love it! I want to get Fr Alexander's book on Great Lent too sometime soon

 

[Monica child of God 1]

Welcome soulfoodeater!

M.

 

[Philothei]

I am re-reading:

The Orthodox Way
Being as a communion
(Zizioulas)
Encountering Evil (live opitions of theodicy)
2 The Spirit of Eastern Christendom (600-1700) by Jaroslav Pelikan
Jesus through the centuries (His place in the History of Culture) by Jaroslav Pelikan
Byzantine Theology by Meyendorf
Invitation of Philosopy Issued and Options by Honer and Hunt
Elements of Faith by Yannaras
And Taking Bread ... Cerularius and Azyme Controversy of 1054 by Mahlon H. Smith III
The Mystical Theology of the Eastern Church by Lossky
Come Holy Spirit by Limouris...


Also reading for the first time:
Encountering women of faith by Kyriaki Karydoyannis -Fitzerald
In Defense of the Faith by John Travis
Mision in Christ's Way by Archbishop Anastasios
Orthodoxy and Catholicity by Meyendorf
The Nature and Mission of Theoogy by Pope Benedict XVI


I hope I am done by September....hehe...

 

[RobNJ]

I hope I am done by September....hehe...

What year?

 

[Breaking Babylon]

I'm going to be reading Proverbs and Sirach from the Bible, and A night in the desert of the Holy Mountain by Bishop Hierotheos.

 

[Philothei]

What year?

I'm going to be reading Proverbs and Sirach from the Bible, and A night in the desert of the Holy Mountain by Bishop Hierotheos.

^This I wish I could do.... I like Hierotheos Lucky!!


2011 or course I shouldl be reading 50 pages a day ...:o:o:o