The Ladder of Divine Ascent

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An Orthodox priest filling the oil lamps above the tomb at the Holy Sepulchre.

 A brave Benedictine nun positioned a ladder on the stairs leading down to the crypt and climbed up to extinguish the candle at one of the stations of the cross.
 At the Abbey of St. Mary of the Resurrection, Abu Ghosh.

A brave nun friend on chapel-cleaning day.
Chapel at the tomb of St. Elisabeth.
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Why am I posting pictures of monastics on tall ladders?
Because  today is the Sunday of  John of the Ladder!
St. John Climacus wrote the guide for his fellow monks, The Ladder of Divine Ascent.
He lived not far from here, at Santa Katarina monastery in Sinai and in desert caves in the 7th century.

I have been learning about him at Sr. Dr. Vassa's short video.
In it Sr. Vassa also talks about how you don't have to be a monastic to get into the habit of doing a little bit of spiritual reading, lectio divina, every day,  just for a few minutes.

The 12th C icon for The Ladder of Divine Ascent, this one from St. Catherine's Monastery.

You can sample some sections of the book here.
Or an outline of the steps of the ladder.
More about St. John Climacus.
An easy walk-through of the icon is at this nice icons blog.
Also at Wikipedia. 
But the most fun way is to see the Coffee with Sr. Vassa episode. Only ten minutes.
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A monk, pilgrims, and a granddaughter

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Psalm 86 for today's PsalmChallenge.
Our host, Robert Geiss in Athens, has a wonderful photo today for Verse 16--not to be missed! 
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PSALM 86.   A prayer.  Of David.

Incline Your ear, O LORD, answer me, for afflicted and needy am I.

2. Preserve my soul, for I am steadfast; deliver, O You, my God, Your servant who trusts in You.

3.  Be merciful to me, O my Lord, for to You I call all day long.

4. Bring joy to Your servant's soul, for to You, my Lord, I lift up my soul.

5. For You, my Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in loving kindness to all who call on You.

6. Give ear, O LORD, to my prayer; heed the voice of my pleas for mercy.

7. In the time of my trouble I call on You, so that You will answer me.

8. There is none like You among gods, O LORD, and there is nothing like You have created.

9. All the nations that You have created will come to bow down before You, O my Lord, and they will glorify Your name.

10. Indeed, great are You and creator of wonders; You are God, You alone.

11. Teach me Your way, O my LORD; I will go forward with your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart to fear Your name.

12. I will praise You, O my Lord my God, with all my heart, and I will glorify Your name forever.

13. Indeed, Your loving kindness toward me is great, and You will save my soul from the depths of Sheol.

14. O God, arrogant men have arisen against me; a band of ruthless men seek my soul―men without regard for You.

15. But You, my Lord, are the Deity Who is compassionate and merciful, slow to anger, abounding in loving kindness and faithfulness.

16. Turn to me and have mercy on me; grant Your strength to Your servant and deliver Your maidservant's child.

17. Create for me a miracle, for good, that those who hate me may see and be put to shame, for You, O LORD, have helped me and comforted me.

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Translation: Rabbi Benjamin J. Segal.  See also his explanations and the Hebrew original. 

PHOTOS:

1. An Ethiopian monk prays at the door to their church at the Holy Sepulchre. 

2. Pilgrims softly singing on the way, in the hill country of John the Baptist.  Probably devout Russian Orthodox Christians.  I met them as I hiked today.  They and I were the only ones out in the wilderness. 

3. Libby daughter of Naomi. My youngest grandchild.  At Jerusalem's Biblical Zoo.
All the photos can be enlarged. 

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(Added to Delirious Doors meme, too.)
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A monk at the door

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A monk at the door.
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This fine Sunday morning I took my visiting American friends to Mass at the Benedictine monastery in Abu Ghosh.
The sung worship of the monks and nuns sounded so nice in the old and beautiful 12th century Crusader church.
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(Fellow Israeli blogger Toby has a meme called Whimsical Windows, Delirious Doors; you are welcome to look in or come in.)
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Holy work (on a ladder)

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Holy work!
Today for the first time I saw how they fill the oil lamps on the edicule, above the entrance to the tomb of Jesus.

You see the monk's assistant holding up a little "tool kit," containing tweezers for the wicks (I would assume).

After his work on the tall ladder in the dimness inside the Holy Sepulchre, the Greek priest stepped out into the bright sunlight of the church's parvis and happily posed with many members of a tourist group.
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(A contribution to Our World Tuesday and Taphophile Tragics.)

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See-through in the sun

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A monk hurrying through the shadows of the Jerusalem's Old City lanes, past doors closed for Friday.
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For Shadow Shot Sunday 2 and Monday Doorways.
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Walking the Christian Quarter in search of Christmas things

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White Christmas (for W Day at ABC Wednesday) ?
No way.
In Jerusalem today it was hot enough for some tourists to change into their shorts.

Winter warmth is nice so I took advantage of the 20 C temps and went to walk in the Old City, in search of signs of Christmas.

A quite real-looking Santa with a hot sax at the entrance to a restaurant.

Hey, there are doors for Monday Doorways meme too!

"Welcome to my shop, come in," they say.

A modern glass door to a new store in a very old building.

Not surprisingly, the Christian Information Center has a manger scene.

A huge Santa Claus!
In the background is the Lutheran Johanniter Hospiz (the German Hospice of the Order of St. John) with the order's characteristic cross.

A Catholic monk walks down St. Francis Street.
Those little girls' red dresses--would the girls be dressing up as Mrs. Claus?
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Chanuka is starting tonight and I'll post some of those photos during the 8-day holiday.
Happy Festival of Lights!
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Inside the Ethiopian Church

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In the previous post we saw the exterior of the Ethiopian Church in central Jerusalem.
Let's take off our shoes and go inside.

It is rare in Jerusalem for a church and its sanctuary to be round, but this circular pattern is used in most of the principal churches in Ethiopia.

The high dome is a starry sky filled with angels.
(You can enlarge the photos.)

Here is a seraph!
The 6-winged seraphim are described in the Prophet Isaiah's marvelous vision. 

At the center, behind a circular partition, stands the inner sanctuary.

The priest puts on his vestments

and can then enter the chamber, called the Holy of Holies.

The outer wall has a few benches, like this on which the monk is sitting and reading (probably the Book of Psalms).

 But like most Eastern Orthodox churches, the Ethiopian Church is devoid of any permanent seats.
Worship is done while standing, or maybe a little sitting on the floor too.
The prayer can go on for hours so many regulars  use these long staffs with carved chin rests for support.
Shepherds in Ethiopia use similar sticks while watching their flock.

This particular folding chair also had warm house slippers under it.

On my first visit to this church years ago, it just happened to be prayer time.
With a handful of Ethiopian women, I stood and listened to the priest chanting from inside the Holy of Holies.
But I have read that music--singing, and even dancing--in an integral part of their worship.

Maybe tomorrow we can look at some of the paintings and  people in the church.

See more posts about this church here.
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(Linking to inSPIREd Sunday.)
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A monk and his cell. A toddler dwelling in safety.

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Psalm 4 today for Robert's "Psalm Challenge" at Daily Athens.
You are welcome to join the little but growing group of blogging Psalm illustrators.
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Psalm 4:
To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. A Psalm of David.
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Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness!

You have enlarged me when I was in distress;

have mercy on me, and hear my prayer.
O you sons of men, how long will you turn my glory into shame?
How long will you love vanity, and seek after falsehood? Selah.


But know that the Lord has set apart the pious man for himself;
the Lord will hear when I call to him.
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Tremble, and do not sin;
talk with your own heart on your bed, and be still. Selah.

Offer the sacrifices of righteousness,
and put your trust in the Lord.
There are many who say, Who will show us good?
Lord, lift up the light of your countenance upon us.
You have put more gladness in my heart
than they have whose grain and wine are increased.

I will both lie down and sleep in peace;
for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.
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א לַֽמְנַצֵּחַ בִּנְגִינוֹת מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִֽד: ב בְּקָרְאִי עֲנֵנִי אֱלֹהֵי צִדְקִי בַּצָּר הִרְחַבְתָּ לִּי חָנֵּנִי וּשְׁמַע תְּפִלָּתִֽי: ג בְּנֵי־אִישׁ עַד־מֶה כְבוֹדִי לִכְלִמָּה תֶּאֱהָבוּן רִיק תְּבַקְשׁוּ כָזָב סֶֽלָה: ד וּדְעוּ כִּֽי־הִפְלָה יְהֹוָה חָסִיד לוֹ יְהֹוָה יִשְׁמַע בְּקָרְאִי אֵלָֽיו: ה רִגְזוּ וְֽאַל־תֶּחֱטָאוּ אִמְרוּ בִלְבַבְכֶם עַל־מִשְׁכַּבְכֶם וְדֹמּוּ סֶֽלָה: ו זִבְחוּ זִבְחֵי־צֶדֶק וּבִטְחוּ אֶל־יְהֹוָֽה: ז רַבִּים אֹמְרִים מִֽי־יַרְאֵנוּ טוֹב נְֽסָה־עָלֵינוּ אוֹר פָּנֶיךָ יְהֹוָֽה: ח נָתַתָּה שִׂמְחָה בְלִבִּי מֵעֵת דְּגָנָם וְתִֽירוֹשָׁם רָֽבּוּ: ט בְּשָׁלוֹם יַחְדָּו אֶשְׁכְּבָה וְאִישָׁן כִּֽי־אַתָּה יְהֹוָה לְבָדָד לָבֶטַח תּוֹשִׁיבֵֽנִי
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Happy is the man

. Are you up to a new photo challenge? Robert of Daily Athens invites us to illustrate a favorite verse from the Psalms every Sunday. Like him, I start with Psalm 1. 

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(Please enlarge the photo)

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אַשְׁרֵי הָאִישׁ-- אֲשֶׁר לֹא הָלַךְ, בַּעֲצַת רְשָׁעִים;וּבְדֶרֶךְ חַטָּאִים, לֹא עָמָד, וּבְמוֹשַׁב לֵצִים, לֹא יָשָׁב כִּי אִם בְּתוֹרַת יְהוָה, חֶפְצוֹ; וּבְתוֹרָתוֹ יֶהְגֶּה, יוֹמָם וָלָיְלָה     Ashrei ha-ish asher . . . . 

1 HAPPY IS the man that hath not walked in the counsel of the wicked, nor stood in the way of sinners, nor sat in the seat of the scornful. 

2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in His law doth he meditate day and night. 

3 And he shall be like a tree planted by streams of water, {N}
that bringeth forth its fruit in its season, and whose leaf doth not wither; and in whatsoever he doeth he shall prosper.
4 Not so the wicked; but they are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.
5 Therefore the wicked shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
6 For the LORD regardeth the way of the righteous; but the way of the wicked shall perish.

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Note: The Hebrew term ashrei, usually translated as "happy," carries much deeper meaning than our modern use of the English word. Ashrei implies peace, satisfaction, fulfillment, and tranquility of worldview. It is the mindset of the righteous. 

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How to give tsdakah

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I've long been wondering how to use this funny photo.

The meditation that appeared today on a favorite Orthodox Christian website may have the sought connection.

Here it is, from Word from the Desert, Meditations on the Orthodox Life from the Early Church Fathers, Ascetics, Saints and Righteous:

An old man said, “There are monks who do many goods works, and the evil one sends them scruples about quite little things, to cause them to lose the fruit of the good they have done.

When I happened to be living in Oxyrhynchus near a priest who gave alms to many, a widow came to ask him for some wheat.

He said to her, ‘Bring a sack and I will measure some out for you.’

She brought it, and measuring the sack with his hand, he said, ‘It is a big sack.’

Now this filled the widow with shame.

I said to him, ‘Abba, have you sold the wheat?’

He said, ‘No, I gave it to her in charity.’

I said to him, ‘If you gave it all to her in alms, why did you complain at the amount and fill her with shame?’”

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