nick cobb wrote:

in French :

http://stmaterne.blogspot.com/2007/01/la-grande-bndiction-des-eaux.html

nick cobb wrote:

in French :

http://stmaterne.blogspot.com/2007/01/thophanie-la-grce-de-dieu-sest.html

with pictures of the Liturgy this morning in a Greek parish - the movie of the Great
Benediction of Waters will be on the same page tomorow, when google will be more
accessible than tonigh, internet being overloaded

jm

Dear group,

May this find you all well and in good spirit.

As we can all see, the world of today is in a big mess, with wars,
cruelty and violence everywhere. Everyday it seems to only be getting
worse, with lies, deceit, oppression and the rapid loss of our freedoms
and many of us have asked (or should be asking) the following question:

How, and why did this world that we are all sharing, get to be this way
- and more importantly, is there anything I can do to do my bit to
help to put things right again, thereby doing my part to make it a
better world for myself and others to live in, please? ("love thy
neighbour")

The answer is a definite YES - YOU can do something. In fact, we were
all COMMANDED by Jesus to do it.

From St. Gregory Palamas (The Homilies Vol. 1; St. Tikhon's Seminary Press
pgs. 188-189):

"Christ came for baptism partly out of obedience towards the One Who
sent John. As He Himself said, 'Thus it becomes us to fulfill all
righteousness' (Mt. 3:15). Other reasons were to make Himself known, to
make a beginning of guiding us towards salvation, and to confirm to His
followers, Who were baptized in accordance with His teaching and
commandments, that the Holy Spirit is given in baptism, and that through
the Holy Spirit baptism is made a cleansing remedy for the stains sunk
deeply into us, because of having been born and living in the passions.
Although Christ had no need of cleansing even as man, since He was born of
a pure Virgin and lived completely without sin, He was purified for our
sake, just as it was for our sake that He deigned to be born."

In His Name,
Keith C. Wilkerson