Psalm 98
O sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things!
(Psalm 98:1)
We as Orthodox are committed to upholding, defending and passing on the Tradition. Indeed, the words “new” and “innovation” are often used as warning labels. So it’s striking to me how often the scriptures speak of God doing something new.
St Jerome in commenting on this psalm says that what is most new in God’s work is His entry into history as the Savior, crucified and risen from the dead. And He gives his followers a new name: Christian.
The story of the Son of God crucified is the new song that had never been heard before. A new event should have a new song…A new name merits a new song. This thought is intrinsic to what Scripture says in another place: “You shall be called by a new name” (Isaiah 62:2)…So in Revelation: “to him who overcomes will I give… a white stone, and on the stone a new name is written” (Rev 2:17, 3:12). The new name is that of Christians.
Fr Alexis (Trader)
Fr Alexis (Trader) visited His Beatitude and the Chancery yesterday. He is a graduate of St Tikhon’s Seminary (and an MA in Divinity from the University of Chicago) and was part of the monastic brotherhood before going to Mount Athos over twenty years ago. He spent ten years as a monk in Karakalou Monastery and then was given the spiritual care of a small community of nuns outside of Thessalonica and has an active ministry as a father confessor. He completed a doctorate at the University of Thessalonica on the interface between contemporary psychology and patristic teachings on the spiritual life.
Ancient Christian Wisdom and Aaron Beck’s Cognitive Therapy was published in 2011 and has been widely acclaimed. Fr Alexis is especially interested in the insights from both these worlds as to how our thinking influences our emotions, behaviors and our lives, and how that thinking can be reshaped according to “the mind of Christ.” From the back cover: “Readers are not only provided with a thorough introduction to the elegant theory and practical techniques of cognitive therapy, they are also initiated into the perennial teachings of ascetics and monks in the Greek-speaking East and Latin-speaking West whose powerful writings not only anticipated many contemporary findings, but also suggest unexplored pathways and breathtaking vistas for human growth and development.”
Early this afternoon His Beatitude, Fr Eric Tosi and I will head to Philadelphia for events tonight and tomorrow around Bishop Mark’s installation as Bishop of Philadelphia and Eastern Pennsylvania. Treasurer Melanie Ringa will join us on Saturday but will drive from her hometown of Jermyn, PA with a group of parishioners.