Icons: Part One

"The icon is a song of triumph, and a revelation, and an enduring monument to the victory of the saints and the disgrace of demons." 

 ~St. John of Damascus

I will never forget the first time I experienced worship in an Eastern Orthodox church.  As I entered the Nave through the large wooden double doors, it was as if I was stepping out of this world and into another.  My senses were overcome with the unexpected beauty of sights, sounds, and smells that crashed into my cognisance.  I was awed...elevated...transported to a different realm...a realm of transcendent beauty and holiness that has yet to be matched in my earthly experience. 

Everywhere I looked, my eyes feasted on the images of the faith I hold dear to.   No matter where I turned or what I attuned my ear to, the landscape of heaven and the symphony of the saints drew near to me in rapturous occasion.  While each corner and every wall held some mystery worth exploring, I could not help but thinking that this was the heavenly shadow or copy that Hebrews 8:5 speaks of.  The congregants moved freely about the nave as being led by an invisible wind, stopping to pray, to bow, to meditate, to kiss, or to venerate some saint or holy object.  The priests and deacons moved in a similar fashion in what seemed like perfect harmony to and from the sanctuary as they began preparing the Holy Table, while the readers and choir filled the hall with the chanted canticles of scripture and antiphonal singing.  The activity of this place was constant and vibrant, yet the organic participation afforded by the Divine Liturgy gave one not only the sense of incredible freedom, but perfect order.  Even the repetitious litanies served to instill a sense of timeless wonder and sacred worship that I yet to find elsewhere.

On the beautifully carved Iconostasis the life-sized icons of Christ the Pantocrator,Mary the mother of our Lord, John the Baptist, the patron saint of the church, and the two archangels Gabriel and Michael, stand as both guards and hosts to the sacred table behind it.  Their rich colors and glorified figures paint seemed to shout that we had indeed "...come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the first born who are registered in heaven, to God the judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, to Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant..."  I was surrounded...as it were...by a great cloud of witnesses. 

Growing up as a protestant evangelical, I had been subliminally taught that the senses were unsanctified creatures that needed to be denied in order to achieve holiness. Touching, tasting, seeing, and smelling were ways to get around in the world, not a means to encounter God.   I thank God however for the witness of the ancient church that seems to say, that if faith comes by hearing, then how much more can it come through seeing, tasting, touching, and smelling! 

Why Mary Matters: Part Two

"And it happened, as He spoke these things, that a certain woman from the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, 'Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts that nursed you!' But He said, 'More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!'"  ~Luke 11:27-28. 

The above passage is often used by Evangelicals to "demonstrate" how Jesus de-emphasized His mother's role in the Gospel story.  At first glance, it might appear that Christ was being critical of his mother.  However, if we take a closer look at Scripture and examine it as a whole, concerning the Theotokos, we should come to a better conclusion. 

First, let me point out that Jesus was not contradicting the woman's statement about his mother's womb.  Rather, He was pointing his disciples to a higher truth, making the most of every opportunity as was and is so characteristic of Christ.   For example, in Paul's first letter to Timothy, he points out that "bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things..."  In the above passage, Jesus wasn't being critical of His mother as some would try to suggest, rather he was trying to shift their focus to a deeper and more meaningful reality!  In other words, it was not Mary's physical body that was so important to God, rather it was her willingness to hear the voice of God and obey!  In fact, we could go so far as to imagine that Jesus had Mary in mind when He said, "More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!"  He seems to be saying, "Yes, her womb and breasts are blessed because she gave birth to me and raised me as her son, however, more importantly, she is most blessed because she listened to God and obeyed his command!  You should follow her example."

Why Mary Matters: Part One

Yesterday (Mother's Day), the boys and I fixed French toast smothered in syrup, covered in peaches and sprinkled with powdered sugar, and an omelet filled with chopped onions, ham and cheese and brought it to my wife in bed.  A glass of freshly squeezed orange juice, a flower from our garden, a pecan pie scented candle, a hot cup of coffee, a gift certificate for a pedicure, and some heartfelt cards for Mother's Day also accompanied our entourage. She was blessed, not because she thought she deserved it, but because we chose to honor her for her role in our lives and in our home.

Of all the mothers who were honored amongst Protestant Evangelicals this past Sunday, I cannot help but think of one mother who was most likely ignored on this special day set aside to honor those who bring us into this life, who nourish us as tender shoots, and help carry us through this thorny trek we call life.... Mary...the mother of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

To mention her name among most evangelical Christians, conjures a variety of mixed thoughts and emotions; unfortunately, many of them are negative. Almost immediately, our "anti-catholic" radars are set off like air-space defense alarms in our fundamentalist minds to quickly shoot down any proposition that may cause us to think anything but suspicious thoughts about this woman we often ignore in Scripture. As evangelical Bible-believing Christians, we have oft been guilty of bearing an almost haughty attitude towards all things Mary, going so far as to highlight the times when Jesus supposedly rebuked his mother as our only recollection of this woman in Scripture. Because of our ignorance of, and lack of due-diligence in researching more "catholic" expressions of Christianity, we quickly assume that these "sub-Christians" are engaging in some sort of perverted pagan or tribal goddess worship when Mary is given a place of honor in their church experience. While, some extremes do and will always exist, we can no longer immaturely ignore 2,000 years of Church tradition or certain Biblical mandates to venerate Mary. It is much to my chagrin that I myself, in the past could even imagine an afterlife where Mary did not exist, or was somehow hidden away in some distant corner of heaven so that I would not have to deal with her in the eternal reality. Oh how foolish I was!

On Tradition: Part Three

Tradition is giving your ancestors a vote.

~G.K. Chesterton

As we conclude our discussion On Tradition, it might do us well to refer back to part one and part two so that we don't get lost in the questions that have already been addressed in the previous posts.  With that said, let us dive right into the matter of Holy Tradition. 

As stated in the previous post, I wish to remind you that the only way to combat the traditions of men, is to apply the traditions of God.  But how do we do this? And how do we determine if a tradition is of God?  Most Protestant Evangelicals will answer with the simple assumption that if it's in the Bible, then it's God's tradition, and if it's not, then it's man's tradition.  Although sincere, this statement cannot fully safeguard the church from heresy and doctrines of demons that so often deceive the faithful.

For example, the Mormons and the Jehovah's Witnesses also believe that the Bible is the inspired and inerrant Word of God, yet most Evangelical Christians would label them as cults, and rightly so.  History has taught us, that the written Word or logos, alone, is insufficient as a defense for correct doctrine and theology because Scripture can be wrongly interpreted by anyone who can read.

Book Release!

Our journey toward a new monasticism often requires tools and resources to help us along this thorny trek.  i cannot begin to tell you how books and other multi-media resources have helped to light my path and encourage me to continue on this narrow road we walk in the Kingdom of God.  It's been nearly two years since i began re-monk.com, and it is now my great privilege to offer you a tool that has come to life as a result of my decision to "re-monk" my life.  Part of my calling and the primary purpose of this site is to encourage and equip other whole-hearted believers on their journey with Jesus.  With that said, i am humbled to announce the release of my third book of centering prayers, called Song of Songs: Centering Prayers for the Bride of Christ.

After more than ten years of studying, preaching, and praying through the Song of Songs, i wrote this  book of centering prayers to coincide with each chapter and verse of the Biblical book written by King Solomon. Now, i'm inviting you to experience its passion and power through the poetic prayers of Song of Songs: Centering Prayers for the Bride of Christ.  This book is about three times the length of my other two books for sale on the side bar------->, and by far my favorite of the three.

For a donation of $10.00 or more to Eleventh Hour Mission, we will send you a signed copy of the book as our gift to you (Don't forget to mention offer SOS). Should you prefer to order online, we are offering a discounted price through the months of February and March in honor of Saint Valentine and Saint Patrick. Click here to order your discounted copy directly from our distributor! You can also order on Amazon at full retail price by clicking here.

I want to personally thank each of you who have read the articles, listened to sermons, ordered books, prayed for this ministry, and/or have taken the challenge to re-monk urselves!  May God richly bless you and continue to assist you in your journey toward a new monasticism by the power of the Holy Spirit!

In the Lion, In the Lamb,

Mark