"We are travellers…not yet in our native land" – St. Augustine
When people visit my Byzantine parish, one question they often ask is: “Why do some of the icons have scarfs on?”
This scarf is an adornment which is simply a sign of devotion.
As far as I can tell, it began with the Kyivan Rus’ and Ukrainian Christians have continued to do so ever since. It appears to have links to the Holy Protection of the Mother of God
Today’s song is another from Tori Harris, a mellow number called “Less of Me”…
Lord, here I am
Here are my hands
they’re fragile, they’re small and they’re empty
but I give them to You
Lord, here I find
Here is my mind
It’s ignorant, it’s dim and it’s prideful
But I give it all to You
May there be less of me and more of You
May there be less of me my God
May there be less of me and more of You
May there be less of me my God
Because I’m small and I’m fragile and I’m empty
But I give it all to You
Lord, I’ll be still
Here is my will
It’s stubborn and it’s selfish and it’s weak
But I give it all to You
Love come quickly! Fall upon me! x3
Okay, this is admittedly a bit random, but I’ve recently had several conversations about what makes someone a 1st or 2nd Cousin and what makes one once or twice removed.
So, with the goal of using this to win all future arguments, here is a diagram which shows the different names used for different levels of consanguinity (literally, “with the same blood”):
Seemed an appropriate pun to make since it will soon be Epiphany…
Our most recent episode has focussed on the person of Jesus. Is Lunatic, Liar or Lord?
We shall soon be in a world in which a man may be howled down for saying that two and two make four, in which furious party cries will be raised against anybody who says that cows have horns, in which people will persecute the heresy of calling a triangle a three-sided figure, and hang a man for maddening a mob with the news that grass is green.
– G.K. Chesterton, Illustrated London News (August 14th 1926)