Author: a fool

All alone with Jesus

transparency

This, then, is the formula that describes the state of the self when despair is entirely eradicated: in relating to itself, and in willing to be itself, the self is grounded transparently in the power that established it.

Sickness unto Death, #132

heroism

It is Christian heroism—and indeed, it is perhaps seen quite rarely —to dare to be oneself entirely, an individual human being, this particular individual human being, alone before God, alone in that enormous effort and that enormous responsibility; but it is not Christian heroism to be fooled by the abstract notion of pure humanity in itself, or to play “Guess Who?” with world history.

Sickness unto Death, #117

Ascension Day

Blessed feast to you. (As an aside, I think Acts 1 is the text I preached on in my Seminary chapel sermon. But I might be wrong.)

The Collect
Grant, we beseech thee, Almighty God, that like as we do believe thy only-begotten Son our Lord Jesus Christ to have ascended into the heavens; so we may also in heart and mind thither ascend, and with him continually dwell, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen.

For the Epistle: Acts 1.1-11
The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the Apostles whom he had chosen: to whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion, by many infallible proofs; being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God: and, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water, but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. But ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you; and ye shall be witnesses unto me, both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up, and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven, as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come, in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

The Gospel: St. Mark 16.14-end
Jesus appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen. And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe: In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. And they went forth and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following.

east of what?

What’s a classic book that you think is overrated?

So a book I think is overrated? Let me make sure, I could not get into this book no matter how hard I tried. Well, only one: East of Eden by John Steinbeck. Online claims are that it is the “perfect book” (and I agree that it has merits) but I could not get through it. It simply did not connect with me.

Maybe I should try it again?

der garstige breite Graben

Who are some underrated people in history?

I will not say Jesus because he is a person of faith, for me, more than a person of history. But …

Gotthold Ephraim Lessing (1729–1781) and his ditch (der garstige breite Graben) is highly underrated. Good insight into epistemology! And into faith. Only Kierkegaard, methinks, gives an answer.

In religion, St Mary of Egypt – penitence without the institution.

And maybe me!?

Fr Ignatius

  • The restoration of the ascetic life and continual prayer in the Church of England;
  • home mission work, by preaching, visiting the poor, and teaching the young;
  • to afford a temporary religious retreat for the secular clergy;
  • to raise the tone of devotion in the English Church to a higher standard by showing the real exemplification of the evangelical counsels;
  • to aid in bringing about the union of Christendom.
Joseph Leycester Lyne

Ascension Eve

The 1928 BCP UK calls today Ascension Eve. The 1662 BCP calls it Rodation Wednesday.


Epistle. Eph. 4.7-13

[But] unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.

Gospel. John 17. 1-11

These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was. I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word. Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee. For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me. I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine. And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them. And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.