I came across one of the most extraordinary posts I have ever read, concerning the Orthodox Hieromonk Elder Joseph of Vatopaidi, his photo in death shown above. Elena of Fountain of Elias blog has posted the Elder's teaching on prayer. Go here to read. After reading it, I was filled with a blessed peace.
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Incidentally, the novena for the feast of St. Therese has begun. And of course, today is the feast of St. Pio.
Thank you for the link, Terry.
ReplyDeleteI saw that on Elena's blog, too---beautiful.
ReplyDeleteSt. Pio of Pietrelcino, pray for us!
ReplyDeleteI was priveleged to offer Mass in his honor twice today...once in the Ordinary Form in Latin (our conventual Mass for the community) and again in a Parish in the Ordinary Form in English. He is such a powerful intercessor and guide. I stressed in my homily that his greatness was in his love for our Lady, especially in the Holy Rosary, his love for the Sacrifice of the Mass, and his martyrdom-like commitment to the Sacrament of Penance. His holiness was in his fidelity to grace, his living of the heroic virtues; his extraordinary phenomenon of mystical graces was to show the faithful the presence of "the kingdom of God."
I study his face (now a facade) and I wonder what incomprehensible, unimaginable reality his must be experiencing behind it. Then the more intellectual, somewhat skeptical side of me wants to say that it's nothing more than the contraction of facial muscles during the rigor mortis process.
ReplyDeleteIt's the "incomprehensible reality" explanation that keeps me coming back to his face. That's the one I choose to believe.