I have heard that St. Seraphim of Sarov would greet everyone he met with, “Christ is Risen, My Joy.” It did not matter what season of the year it was. He would always use the Paschal greeting, and rather than use a name, he would call each person, “My Joy.” I do not think he just had trouble remembering names. He truly felt joy in the presence of each visitor that came to him. I was considering what that would be like to look at each person we meet with joy like that. We so often see other ... [Read more]
About Josh Ensley
A Father, Son Walk
I’m often reminded of my priest’s words to me after my son entered my life. “All children come with a PhD,” he said, “a Parental Healing Doctorate. Your son will be your teacher.” I was reminded again of this while waiting with my son for my car to be fixed. I misjudged the time, and we had several hours to wait rather than just one. I decided we’d go for a walk and run some errands to fill the time. Walking hand in hand with my five year old son brought me reflections on my walk with my ... [Read more]
Bird’s Nests and Healing Hearts
There is a story from the early Christian monastics that tells of a student approaching his spiritual father and saying something like, “Father, I am continually struggling with these wandering thoughts. What should I do?” The father replies, “Can you stop those birds from flying over our heads?” “No, father “Can you stop them from swooping down and building a nest on your ... [Read more]
Lenten Reflection: “Everything To Me”
A few nights ago, my son was falling asleep on my shoulder as I was reading Galatians 4:4-7. In brief, it says that God sent forth His son to redeem us so that we might receive adoption from God. Since we are now His children, God sent forth the Spirit into our hearts to cry ‘Abba Father’. We are not slaves, but heirs of God through Christ. Time and time again, I am struck by the fact that God wants us for his children. It hit me especially that night because my son was so near, and ... [Read more]
Come and See: Christ transfigures darkness into light through Song
There’s an old story that may not be true about a monk that trapped a demon in his cell. The demon begged release, and the monk said that he would release him only if the demon sang the songs of the angels, which the demon had sung prior to the fall. The demon protests but finally gives in. As the demon sings, he is transfigured back into his original angelic being and is saved from hell. That is a very brief rendition of the story, and I have no way of knowing if it is true or not; however, I ... [Read more]
