Oatmeal in the Arena

This morning I read the Introduction and Foreward to The Arena while choking down a little too much oatmeal. It's a book that gets talked about a lot (and even read!) in some Orthodox circles, especially during Great Lent, but I've never read it entirely. Since we have just begun the Nativity Fast, I thought I'd try and make this book my companion until the Feast of the Nativity of Christ (Christmas).

The last thing in the world I was looking for this morning was a raison d'être for my blog. I often question whether or not God is pleased with my blog. . .especially when I get laudatory comments. When I read a comment from someone who has found my blog entries useful or even helpful, instead of just simply thanking God, I find myself caught up in an internal dialogue peppered with lots of Uriah Heepish "We are so very ‘umble. . ." slobberings. The ensuing nausea always makes me stay away from my computer for a while. So, anyway, I was surprised (and relieved) that perhaps there is some redeemable aspect to posting my scattered reflections about the various struggles I encounter in my particular journey. Perhaps I'm not as guilty of exhibitionism as I think...

St. John of the Ladder says that certain people who had passed through swampy places got stuck in the mud. But while still covered with filth they told others who passed that way of how they had sunk there, doing this for their salvation. And the Almighty delivered from the swamp or slough of despondency those who, for the salvation of their neighbors, warned them against falling into it.

Of course, St. Ignatius Brianchaninov wrote this to set the context for his offering of The Arena. Obviously, I'm not suggesting that my Cracked Mirror is on the same level, but I do hope I can offer it in the same spirit. Maybe if St. Ignatius would pray from me, I could do this a little better.