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06 April 2023

Annunciation - Sergey Averintsev; Благовещение

 

Annunciation


 

Water, settling, gives sediment
to the bottom, and the depth becomes clearer.

Between the bare, thoroughly washed walls,
where the floor is clay and the vault is low; in the shutter
between the four corners, where such silence
has settled that each thing
has regained its essence: where stone
is truly stone, in the hearth
fire is truly fire, in the tub
water is truly water, and in it there is
memory of the abyss, blessed by the Spirit, -

and the look will find nothing more, -


20 March 2023

poems by Miryana Basheva





It's so bright that it hurts!

wonderful poems by Miryana Basheva









* * *

Was it for the fast or the express train I waited?

I waited, smoked and got to be a man...

Someone was quietly swearing in the dark

And it was raining profusely.



Between two ocean puddles

like a small archipelago

two semaphores scattered
train after train in hundred directions.




19 March 2023

Euthanasia – Stoyan Mikhaylovski (1884)

 

Stoyan Mikhaylovski

Euthanasia

 

I

“Hey, who's knocking on the door?”
so late, it’s after three?…
“A faithful friend is visiting…”
“I will no night guest, go away…”
“Open for me! You were my
admirer before; you’ve called
me more than once
to help…”  “Who are, who are you?
Why you say not your name?”
“I don't know my name…”
“You’re looking for something or running away?”
“I bring something to give you…”
“Your name?” “Open,
please, these doors
and accept me as a brother…”
“There is no brotherhood here, go!”
“Don't be so angry, so strict, so evil,
oh people made to do good,
oh souls similar to God’s!”
“Are you a Deity or are you a man?
a spirit unclean, or a genius good?
Who sends you? Where are you from?
Do you bring day or dark?…”
“I am the Fate of the world,
the eternal Destiny —
the supreme power
and the spirit of all things!…”
"Run away, you mighty guest,
don't cross this threshold!
There’s no living person in this house –
here sits a human gloom!
Run! I'm done already
with all earthly chores!
There’s no longer any will in me!
I’m done; its over - what used to be!…
My song was sung!…
My path is lost before me
as if covered by fog;
everything inside me’s broken,
I am an old, deleted organ!…
Way too soon I hurried
to see the meaning of all things —
in disgust I pulled back
from the world stage —
and my soul I bound
to an iron rock!…
Run, you gloomy Fate, flee
to support the warriors,
but do not stop with me again…

 

II

“I'm the Fame, open up!
You called me many times,
when still a teenager—
behold, I came at last,
hey, to you I stretch my arms…


03 March 2023

Предговор - А. Чернявски - NEW TESTAMENT THEOLOGY, J. Jeremias







Йоаким Йеремия
НОВОЗАВЕТНО БОГОСЛОВИЕ


Йоахим Йеремия

БОГОСЛОВИЕ НА НОВИЯ ЗАВЕТ
Резултати от научни изследвания на новозаветни текстове и тяхното богословско тълкуване

Научното изучаване на Новия Завет започва с появата на книгопечатането, когато издателите на гръцкия текст на Новия Завет се натъкват на проблема как да се справят с многобройните несъответствия в достигналите до нас ръкописи. Първоначално учените се ограничават до това, което по-късно се нарича текстология: сравнение на гръцки ръкописи, древни преводи, цитати от раннохристиянски автори, за да се премахнат грешките и изкривяванията, които са неизбежни при многократно пренаписване, и да се пресъздаде най-древният текст.1 Въпреки това, до края на XVIII - началото на XIX век. религиозната свобода е достигнала такова ниво, че е станало възможно да се повдигат въпроси, които надхвърлят текстовата критика и засягат еволюцията на самото съдържание на новозаветните текстове и тяхното тълкуване като формиране и развитие на християнското вероучение. До каква степен традицията, записана в евангелията, възхожда до самия Иисус? Каква е историческата достоверност на евангелските разкази за Неговия живот и проповеди? Възможно ли е да се отдели провъзвестяването на Иисус от допълненията и промените, внесени от първохристиянската църква, и по този начин да се установи как самият Той разбира своята мисия? И накрая, до каква степен провъзгласяването на "историческия" Иисус и Неговата представа за Самия Себе Си и за Своята мисия съответстват на догматичното учение на християнската Църква, което се развива през първите векове на нашата ера?

04 February 2023

Stand Courageously and Trust Firmly in God - St. Silouan the Athonite


Stand Courageously and Trust Firmly in God. St. Silouan the Athonite



 

https://youtu.be/oa4EjLiuFvM

 

And sometimes for a long time the Lord tests the soul whether it is faithful to Him, and the soul, not seeing in itself the sweetness that it has known, craves that sweetness again and humbly waits for it and is constantly attracted to the Lord by the fervor of love.

With grace, it is easy to love God and pray day and night. But the wise soul tolerates even dryness and trusts firmly in the Lord and knows that He will not shame hopes and will provide in due time.

The grace of God comes sometimes soon, and sometimes it is not given over an extended period. But the wise soul humbles itself and loves its neighbor and meekly bears its cross and thereby defeats the enemies who try to tear it away from God. When sins like clouds hide from the soul the light of God's new indwelling, then the soul – although it thirsts for the Lord – is still weak and powerless as a bird imprisoned in a cage, although it breaks into a green grove it cannot fly to sing in freedom a song of praise to God. For a long time I suffered not knowing the way of the Lord. But now, through many years and through many sorrows and by the Holy Spirit, I have come to know the will of God. All that the Lord has commanded must be fulfilled exactly, for this is the way into the Kingdom of Heaven and we shall see God. But think not that you shall see God but rather humble yourself and think that after death you will be plunged into a dungeon and there you will languish and miss the Lord.

When we weep and humble our souls, the grace of God keeps us, and if we leave weeping and humility, we can get carried away by thoughts or visions. A humble soul has no visions and does not desire them, but with a pure mind it prays to God, and a vain mind is not pure of thoughts and imagination and can even go so far as to see demons and speak to them. I write about this because I myself was in this misfortune. Twice I was in PRELEST [delusive charm].