Andrew

Greetings on the feast day of Saint Barlaam and Saint Josaphat.

The spooky thing about this is I only this morning read a book review which referenced these two saints, popped online to read more about them, and found that today is their feast day (at least in the Greek Orthodox Church).

The story of Barlaam and Josaphat is syncreticism at its wackiest best: the Buddha adopted as a Christian saint via an Islamic tradition.

http://www.princeton.edu/~achaney/tmve/wiki100k/docs/Barlaam_and_Josaphat.html

http://omacl.org/Barlaam/

Bernard, Abbot of Clairvaux and Teacher of the Faith, is remembered in the Anglican calendar today.

“He (the Lord) is himself the Loveable in his essential being, and gives himself to be the object of our love. He wills our love for him to issue in our bliss, not to be void and vain. His love both opens up the way for ours and is our love’s reward. How kindly does he lead us in love’s way, how generously he returns the love we give, how sweet he is to those who wait for him! He is rich unto all that call upon him, for he can give them nothing better than himself. He gave himself to be our Righteousness, and keeps himself to be our great Reward. He sets himself to the refreshment of our souls, and spends himself to free the prisoners.”