By Michael Haldas, Quotes of the Day for April 20, 2020
“From the beginning of the world’s creation until this time, the course of time was so divided that day preceded night, according to the order of primeval making. On this night, because of the mystery of our Lord’s resurrection, the order of time was changed. He rose from the dead during the night, and on the following day, He showed the effect of His resurrection to His disciples …Most properly was night joined to the light of the following day, and the order of time was settled that day would follow night.” (Saint Bede)
“Symbolically moving from evening to morning, night to day, darkness to light, is a movement from disorder to order. In the Hebrew Old Testament, the word evening, as used in the opening chapters of Genesis is erev (air-rev). The root of this word is disorder or chaos. The word used for morning is boker (bo-kare) and it comes from the root or words that means “being orderly” and able to be discerned. Thus in the creation account we see God moving things from disorder to order. It’s interesting to me too that the Hebrew word for order is linked to discernment which is wisdom. We read in Proverbs 8:22-31, a book all about Wisdom who is Christ, more about creation and the way God ordered it. This Scripture talks about Wisdom as the agent of creation. In the end of the book of Job we get hints of the same thing when God questions Job for several chapters and many of those questions point to a deliberate order and precision in creation. Our movement toward Christ to have union with Him is to move from night to day, that disorder to order, in our being and thus we also grow in His wisdom.” (Sacramental Living Ministries)
“I have always enjoyed for many years getting up before the sun rises to have my morning prayer. It has always just felt different to me than on the rare days when I sleep past sunrise and begin my daily prayer with the sun in the sky and light is streaming through my blinds. Maybe it is because Christ was resurrected before the sun rose (John 20:1). Maybe it is because time has always been marked spiritually with morning following evening (Genesis 1:1-31). I am not sure. I just know that beginning to pray in the silence and solitude of the pre-dawn darkness and finishing my prayers after the rising of the sun has made me feel closer to Christ more than anything I have ever done.” (Sacramental Living Ministries)
“Over and over again the scriptures sets “light” and “darkness” side by side so we humans can finally wake up to the contrast of our choices; to the reality of what is at stake by our lives and our purpose. Whether we are of it or not, every moment of our lives invites us to choose which aspect of reality we will support or deny! Contrary to other philosophies that insist both light and darkness are eternally existing and in need of some “balance” … Christ’s Light overcomes and overwhelms all darkness.” (Father Barnabas Powell)
“As no darkness can be seen by anyone surrounded by light, so no trivialities can capture the attention of anyone who has his eyes on Christ.” (St. Gregory of Nyssa)
~Michael Haldas, https://www.ancientfaith.com/contributors/michael_haldas.
Michael Haldas is an author, a religious educator and a speaker. He wrote Sacramental Living: Understanding Christianity as a Way of Life (published by Eastern Christian Publications), a book which he presented special editions of as gifts to Pope Francis and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew in private audiences. Michael is also published monthly in Theosis Magazine and he has authored several Orthodox Christian themed articles for various publications. Additionally, he has recorded and contributed to multiple YouTube, DVD and CD educational projects. He teaches adult religious education and high school Sunday school at the Greek Orthodox Church of St. George in Bethesda, Maryland and has worked with the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese Religious Education Department to create educational lessons and materials.
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