Orthodixie

[Meditations are intended to be read sequentially, from 1 to 33.]

Again on the Hill …

“He did not die.”

It was but a voice, a thought. One not invited, but present nonetheless.

Of course he died … we’ve seen it. We continue to see it. It is somehow connected with love. Love for us.

“It is a lie. He did not die. It is a myth. In fact, he never even lived. It is wishful thinking. Nothing more.”

For days now, these thoughts — little demons, they are — have been on attack. At the same time, we’ve discovered that if we do not wish to stay,he does NOT die. Well, not exactly …

We’ve discovered that when we say, “Lord I want to stay here always” — he says, “I love you,” and dies.

However, if we simply gaze upon his loving death on the Tree, we are filled with awe and wonder. We are filled.

Then, if we say, “Lord, I want to follow,” the scene is transfigured. The Tree is replaced by an Empty Cave.

It is then that the little demons attack, just as we prepare to take our first step forward toward the new image.

“He died. He never lived. He died. He never lived. He died ….”

[Meditations are intended to be read sequentially, from 1 to 33.]

On the Hill …

An answer: “The key is not in the forgetting but in the forgiving.”

“This is too hard a thing for me, Lord. In the Garden, when I forget, I am able to live! Here, when I try to forgive, it seems that a part of me dies!”

Yes.

Patience. Long-Suffering. Peace. These live …

It seems that, on the Hill, with death there is new life.

The more we give, the more we gain. Forgiving is for getting.

This article is posted on Orthodoxy Today. While I understand the sentiments of the author — and have made similar arguments with regard to the coexistence of Islam and Christianity in the Middle East — I found a few areas of disagreement.

[Meditations are intended to be read sequentially, from 1 to 33.]

In the Wilderness?

The Creature. What would we do? Where would we be without him? He is so full of encouragement and knowledge.

We may be moving soon … to the Garden. The creature tells us that the Wilderness is actually part of the Hill.

“Unless you want to die, like him, you must flee the Wilderness. You belong in the Garden. You were created for the Garden, and the Garden for you. Yours is not to die, but to live! How can you live without the plenteous fruit of the Garden?”

We want so badly to trust.

Doubt. Friends. Betrayal. Sin?

We remember the past. Remorse.

[Meditations are intended to be read sequentially, from 1 to 33.]

Again in the Wilderness …

Our time on the Hill was very brief. We did not want to be there. But, because we trusted the voice in the Wilderness, there we were. But we did not want to be there.

We’d rather be alone. No one drove us into the Wilderness. We were not tempted. We made the decision all on our own. We are not headed back to the Garden. We just want to be alone.

Someone holds our hand. It is familiar … it is okay.