Gladsome Light Dialogues - An Orthodox Blog » baptism

Frightened by Confession Part 3 – My first Confession?

Fr. Vasile — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 21:42:00 +0000

As the Great Lent is about to start, and Fr. X speaks again on Confession, Nick begins to realize that Confession should be part of his regular Christian life as a divine given tool that is indispensable for his continuing spiritual growth and the strengthening of His relationship with God. Overcoming the anxiety that is common before a first Confession, he sets up an appointment with Fr. X. However, the more he thinks about it the more he realizes that he does not really know what to say or do during Confession... Continue reading

The dividing wall of hostility – Theophany of our Lord

Fr. Vasile — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 17:05:29 +0000

Reading yesterday a Romanian Akathist Hymn dedicated to Epiphany (You can read it here in Romanian) I was moved by the following verse “Glory to you cause with Your body You broke down the dividing wall of hostility, so even us, who are far of upon the sea, will get closer to you. “ Doing a bit of biblical digging I found the corresponding scriptural context “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility” (Eph 2:13-14) From another source I found out that Continue reading

Theophany – reflections on the baptism of our Lord Jesus Christ

Fr. Vasile — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 19:43:04 +0000

The word Baptism comes, to no surprise, from Greek: baptisma, meaning immersion into water. So baptism is linked with water by definition. It is the general understanding that through the baptism the person that is baptized is receiving a blessing. In Christ case however the things are different. John's baptism was a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins, but Christ had no sin. Here is what a troparion form the Orthros service of the feast says:

Christ is baptized with us, even though He is above all purity; and thus He infuses sanctification into the water, which then becomes the purifying agent of our souls.

Through the baptism of the Lord the waters received God's blessing, being transformed in