"Elizaveta Iurievna Kuzmina-Karavaeva Skobtsova, later known as Mother Maria, was a Russian Orthodox religious thinker, poet and artist. Her multi-faceted legacy includes articles, poems, art, and drama. In the 1910s she was part of the literary milieu of St. Petersburg and was a member of the Socialist Revolutionary Party. She fled Russia soon after the Bolsheviks' takeover and lived in Paris, where she became a nun. In 1935, she participated in organizing the so-called Orthodox Action, which was designed to help Russian immigrants in France. She and her fellow-workers from Orthodox Action opened a house for homeless and sick immigrants in Paris. During the Nazi occupation of the city, the house was transformed into a refuge for Jews and displaced persons. Mother Maria and her son were arrested by the Gestapo in 1943 and died in the Ravensbruck camp in Germany. Mother Maria's selfless devotion to people and her death as a martyr will never be forgotten. In 2004, the Holy Synod confirmed the glorification of Mother Maria." - from Columbia University Libraries Special Collection link

One Beggar Sharing Where He Found Food


Today as we begin the Lenten Journey (in the West) may we recognize the call to action.  A call that reminds us we are all beginning in the same place.  Our acts of mercy and compassion are not done because we are better than those we serve, our acts of service are nothing more than "beggars sharing where they found food with the other beggars."  This call is a call that comes to us from Christ's reminder to see Him in the "least of these" - those the world has chosen to ignore.  For, this is who we are - we are the ignored of the world.  We are the forgotten ones.  Forgotten, because the life of God's beggars is rubbish to the world.  To us, it is what makes us alive.  One beggar sharing where he found food - that is all.

Lord and Master of my life,
take from me the spirit of sloth, despondency,
lust of power, and idle talk;

But grant rather
the spirit of chastity, humility, patience, and love
to thy servant.

Yea, O Lord and King,
grant me to see my own transgressions,
and not to judge my brother;
for blessed art Thou unto the ages of ages.

prayer of Saint Ephrem the Syrian - 4th century



See also the tale of the Beggar King - a wonderful parable from Jewish folk-lore.  An apt reminder that our heart holds the key to how we see the world.  it is a wonderful tale quite parallel to our journey through Lent - our journey toward humility.




Peace,

Tom +


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