The Morning Offering

 

RE-ADJUSTMENT

I thought there would be a grave beauty, a sunset splendour

In being the last of one’s kind: a topmost moment as one watched

The huge wave curving over Atlantis, the shrouded barge

Turning away with wounded Arthur, or Ilium burning.

Now I see that, all along, I was assuming a posterity

Of gentle hearts: someone, however distant in the depths of time,

Who could pick up our signal, who could understand a story. There

 won’t be.

 

Between the new Hominidae and us who are dying, already

There rises a barrier across which no voice can ever carry,

For devils are unmaking language. We must let that alone forever.

Uproot your loves, one by one, with care, from the future,

And trusting to no future, receive the massive thrust

And surge of the many-dimensional timeless rays converging

On this small, significant dew drop, the present that mirrors all.

 

                                                                           - C.S. Lewis  

The North End of Vashon Island. (click to enlarge)

These photos were taken at dawn on the ferry dock.

Saturday November 5, 2011 / October 23, 2011

21^st Week after Pentecost. Tone three.

 

Demetrius (Parental) Saturday. Remembrance of the dead.
Holy Apostle James the Brother of the Lord (63).
Translation of the relics of Blessed James of Borovichi, wonderworker of Novgorod (1540).
New Hieromartyrs Nicholas, Vladimir, Alexander, Nicholas, Emilian and Sozont priests (1937).
New Hieromartyr Archpriest Vladimir Ambartsumov of Moscow (1937).
Venerable Euphrosyne (1942).
St. Ignatius, patriarch of Constantinople (877).
Venerable Elisha of Lavrishevo, Belo-Russia (1250).
Venerable Nicephorus of Charsianos, Constantinople.
Venerable Petronius, disciple of St. Pachomius the Great (346).
Venerable Oda of Amay, foundress of churches (723) (Neth.).
St. Macarius the Roman of Mesopotamia.
St. Ethelfleda, abbes of Romsey.
 

2 Corinthians 3:12-18

 

¹² Therefore, since we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech— ¹³ unlike Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away. ¹⁴ But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ. ¹⁵ But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. ¹⁶ Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. ¹⁷ Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. ¹⁸ But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

Luke 7:2-10

 

² And a certain centurion’s servant, who was dear to him, was sick and ready to die. ³ So when he heard about Jesus, he sent elders of the Jews to Him, pleading with Him to come and heal his servant. ⁴ And when they came to Jesus, they begged Him earnestly, saying that the one for whom He should do this was deserving, ⁵ “for he loves our nation, and has built us a synagogue.”

⁶ Then Jesus went with them. And when He was already not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to Him, saying to Him, “Lord, do not trouble Yourself, for I am not worthy that You should enter under my roof. ⁷ Therefore I did not even think myself worthy to come to You. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. ⁸ For I also am a man placed under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
⁹ When Jesus heard these things, He marveled at him, and turned around and said to the crowd that followed Him, “I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!” ¹⁰ And those who were sent, returning to the house, found the servant well who had been sick.