tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18902745.post144821793633477339..comments2024-03-24T15:19:06.377-04:00Comments on The Continuum: War in the heavensFr. Robert Harthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05892141425033196616noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18902745.post-6736196662681378892010-01-14T19:03:33.463-05:002010-01-14T19:03:33.463-05:00Let us remember the New Martyrs of Cordoba in Musl...Let us remember the New Martyrs of Cordoba in Muslim occupied Spain. June 14th is the feast of Ss.Anastasius, Felix, and Dignii. They constitute a part of those saints known as the New Martyrs of Cordoba.<br /><br />Martyed by the Moors at Cordoba about 852. Anastasius was an old priest of Cordoba, Felix was a monk originally out of North Africa, Dignii was a fiery young nun who was ordered killed after she upbraided the Judge in open court for the injustice of the sentences against Father Anastasius and Brother Felix<br /><br />Another New Martyr of Cordoba is St. Columbii, another nun who confronted the authorities directly about the Islamic prohibition on preaching Jesus.<br /><br />I have in my possession first class relics of Anastasius, Dignii and Columbii.Fr. Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18097549748468739701noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18902745.post-23355673790286510552010-01-14T14:13:23.766-05:002010-01-14T14:13:23.766-05:00Thank you Fr. Wells -- it means a lot coming from ...Thank you Fr. Wells -- it means a lot coming from you.<br /><br />And Canon Tallis, what a winsome and beautiful recollection.Paleologosnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18902745.post-23363855791498303422010-01-14T09:32:15.714-05:002010-01-14T09:32:15.714-05:00One thing we should never worry about- God's C...One thing we should never worry about- God's Church. He is in charge, and He will multiply His church when He wills. We must be faithful servants and go about His Great Commission, and He will honour our efforts- we plant, He waters and gives growth. That's how this great mystery works.<br /><br />Every migration into Christian Europe in history has resulted not in the conversion of Europe, but in the conversion of those arriving, whether by the sword or by immigration. Now is the perfect opportunity for the Church to witness the truth of Christ and His love to those who have now entered into our midst.<br /><br />Let's not see this as something to be feared, but as a chance to witness. So many of these migrants have fled oppressive regimes and failed states, and have seen what a false theocracy looks like. Deep down, they need Jesus just like everybody else, and they know that the alternatives are failures. Embrace them, love them, teach them.<br /><br />TTnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18902745.post-78932458357164613322010-01-14T03:25:59.922-05:002010-01-14T03:25:59.922-05:00It is better than nice to find something with whic...It is better than nice to find something with which you have total agreement. What Paleologos wrote says precisely what I believe and have attempted to live and practice since I discovered Anglicanism as a teenager. In my own mine I haven't done very well at it, because perhaps here alone I am a type A personality and want a perfection that I am not capable of.<br /><br />But I see in what he wrote not the spirit of Lent, but the joy of Easter. And one filled with memories of sitting on the steps of St. John's waiting for my turn to go in and make my confession, but in the meantime telling my fellows as they did to each all the sins which we had to confess. The joy of it was that it seemed in those now lost days so easy to bring others to Christ and to the Church - His Church and not ours - because He had chosen us and pulled us out of our sins and self worship.<br /><br />I was so fortunate in those days because books like Hilton's The Ladder of Perfection and The Cloud of Unknowing seemed to find their way into my hands and no matter how many times I put them down and attempted to walk away from them, be back until I surrendered and made them my own to read and re-read. But then to live. Asceticism wasn't pain and denial, but like an interior atheleticism such as was set out by St Paul.<br /><br />And than I began to watch, like the ancient Maya, while the modernist and the revisionist began destroying my culture and the Church all around me. But now, God is saying to all of us, even as he did to Francis, "Rebuild my Church which is falling down all around you." And whatever our problems with each other and the times, we need to be about our Father's work.<br /><br />Isn't that what this is really all about?Canon Tallishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05182884929479435751noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18902745.post-15053788152293055702010-01-13T14:52:31.260-05:002010-01-13T14:52:31.260-05:00I totally agree with the sentiments expressed here...I totally agree with the sentiments expressed here.<br /><br />The world is in ever need of more saints!<br /><br />Lord, please send us your wisdom and guidance.Jakian Thomisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13173059707881271764noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18902745.post-65513958487412616862010-01-13T07:14:22.167-05:002010-01-13T07:14:22.167-05:00"..... spiritual direction and ascetic strugg..."..... spiritual direction and ascetic struggle- not because these things will earn us salvation, but because they make us fit for the service of our Lord, and because their spiritual results spill out into the world around us."<br /><br />One of the best things I have read in quite some time! Bless you for that, Paleologus!<br />LKWAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18902745.post-55231283083242920482010-01-13T05:38:59.816-05:002010-01-13T05:38:59.816-05:00A fantastic article cited by Fr. Hart, and insight...A fantastic article cited by Fr. Hart, and insightful editorial by him also, and some useful and cogent commentary by Paleologos.<br /><br />The answer to the problems of both the Continuum and western Christendom is to take up the great commission of Our Lord and to go out and preach - to the atheists, to the homeless, to the modernists - to one and all.<br /><br />Are our sacraments the means of grace and mercy and spiritual life? Yes. Does the Anglican expression of the Catholic and Apostolic faith have something to offer? Yes.<br /><br />I hope and pray that this Lent that we all meaningfully fast and pray, for the renewal of the continuum, for the renewal of our commitment - lay and clerical to go out and preach, to share the Gospel of mercy.<br /><br />I agree with Paleologos. Lent should be a spiritual "podvig" or act of asceticism by laymen and clerics alike, that goes beyond tokens of giving up something like sweets, but which embraces serious prayer, Bible study and fasting, more frequent communion and use of the sacrament of confession. <br /><br />While Anglicans have long agreed that all may, some will use the sacrament of confession, the truth is if we search our hearts we all have need of the grace of penance and absolution.<br /><br />Individually confession, followed by receiving the Lord's Body and Blood can be so life-transforming, and we all in the continuum could do far worse than offer this to our Lord this coming Lent.Deacon Down Underhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14903366446394957630noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18902745.post-71821495983421439362010-01-12T19:27:36.002-05:002010-01-12T19:27:36.002-05:00We are, in both the Roman Catholic and Anglican Ca...We are, in both the Roman Catholic and Anglican Catholic Churches, far too un-evangelical. But before our people will go out and evangelize others, they must have hearts set afire for Christ through a living faith and its accompanying spiritual disciplines: prayer, fasting, and confession. We have to understand that prayer in the Liturgy must spill over into our whole lives, that fasting means more than giving up sweets for Lent, and that confession, examination of conscience, and spiritual direction are, along with frequent reception of the Sacrament of the Altar, are the spiritual medicine we sorely need.<br /><br />These disciplines impart a sense of urgency and watchfulness, a sense of expectancy, a sense that we serve a risen King Whom we expect to see soon. We'd call a man a fool who didn't watch over his investments, who didn't seek regular professional advice as to them, and who thus squandered an inheritance, but we think nothing of going without spiritual direction and ascetic struggle- not because these things will earn us salvation, but because they make us fit for the service of our Lord, and because their spiritual results spill out into the world around us. Just look at the lives of the saints: no one who puts himself wholly into the service of the Lord can fail to be a vessel for the transformation of those around him.Paleologosnoreply@blogger.com