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Steve Herrmann's avatar

Beautiful piece. The saints don’t give us abstractions, they give us tea in a hill house, hands rubbing ointment into wounds, the scent of thyme and myrrh rising from ordinary soil. Matushka didn’t heal from a distance, she labored with the broken, her love as tangible as steam on bruised skin.

The world isn’t disenchanted, it’s burning with presence. Holiness doesn’t escape the body, it sanctifies even the dirt. The greatest miracle isn’t the swinging lamp or the fragrance of relics, it’s God breaking into our despair and saying “Here, let me kneel beside you”.

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Norwich girl's avatar

Beautiful reflection, thank you. Reminds me of a Catholic writer who said 'Where love is, healing is always occurring." I was interested to read that one of the proofs that we have been healed is a zest for life. Where people lack that, something needs healing.

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Janine's avatar

Thank you. I have had some similar experiences so this is familiar to me. I'm so glad you put it all in writing

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micharlaird's avatar

Beautiful!

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Rufino Ty's avatar

This is not to comment on St Olga.

I am only talking about the subject of holiness. I believe holiness is defined by state of his human condition, or when one can say “He (Satan)has no hold over me”

From one point of view Jesus had tangentially referred to holiness in the following verse. “I will not say much more to you, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold over me,” (John 14:30, NIV)

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Nicholas Smith's avatar

“But be of good cheer, I have overcome the world”

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Rufino Ty's avatar

In the same verse prior to that you quote is “In the world you will have tribulation.”

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Nicholas Smith's avatar

I didn’t mean to suggest otherwise.

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Rufino Ty's avatar

I was implying just because people who are undergoing tribulation cannot be holy.

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Robert C Culwell's avatar

Holy Matushka Saint Olga of Alaska, pray for us!

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