Thursday, May 26, 2016
Tuesday, May 24, 2016
Athens foundation myth
Once, a long, long time ago first king of
Athens, King Cecrops (quite an extraordinary king himself as he was part human
and part snake) set out to find a patron deity for his city state; already a
prosperous and vibrant city. He called on Athena and Poseidon because both in
fact desired to be the patron of this beautiful city. Their rivalry was so
intense that they almost went to war and just as they were about to attack each
other, Athena, with her typical, wise approach suggested that they should hold
a contest for the city. With King Cecrops the judge they set up the contest and
decided that whoever presented the city with the best gift would be rewarded with
the city itself as the grand prize.In the midst of a huge crowd, with King Cecrops
presiding over the contest they went up to the Acropolis to present their gifts
to the city. Poseidon was to go first, and he lifted his massive
trident (three pointed spear) and struck the earth with it. At the point where
the spear struck, a frothy spring burst out producing a sea which is now called
Erekhtheis. The people loved it but as they went closer to taste the water, to
their dismay the water was salty. Don’t forget that Poseidon was ruler of the
sea and the water sources he controlled were inevitably salty, just like the
seas he ruled.When it was Athena's turn her act was far less
dramatic. She quietly knelt and buried something in the ground which in time
grew into an olive tree. This turned out to be a much more useful gift,
granting the Athenians, not only the olives themselves as sustenance, but also
a source of oil for their lamps and for cooking their food as well as the wood
from the olive tree to build their boasts and houses. Clearly Athena's gift was
deemed by far the better by Cecrops and he declared her the winner, and the
patron deity of Athens
Thursday, May 19, 2016
Jesus and the Greeks
20 Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the festival.
21 They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. “Sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.”
22 Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus.
23 Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.
24 Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.
25 Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
26 Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.
St.
John New Testiment, Ch. 12
Thursday, May 12, 2016
St. Paul Speaking to the Athenians for God
24
God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is
Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands.
25
Nor is He worshiped with men’s hands, as though He needed
anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things.
26
And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell
on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and
the boundaries of their dwellings,
27
so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they
might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us;
28
for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some
of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also His offspring.’
Acts 17:26, speaking to Athenians for the Unknown God.
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