_________________
«Русскому человеку лучше всего удаётся невозможное!»
***
«Родиться русским – слишком мало… Им надо быть. Им надо стать!»
И. Северянин

From under the altar I saw the souls of those who had been slaughtered because of the Word of God and their loyal testimony to Christ. And the martyrs cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, will You refrain from judging and vindicating our blood over those who dwell upon the earth?” ~ Revelation 6:9-10

_________________
«Русскому человеку лучше всего удаётся невозможное!»
***
«Родиться русским – слишком мало… Им надо быть. Им надо стать!»
И. Северянин

_________________
«Русскому человеку лучше всего удаётся невозможное!»
***
«Родиться русским – слишком мало… Им надо быть. Им надо стать!»
И. Северянин

Amen

_________________
«Русскому человеку лучше всего удаётся невозможное!»
***
«Родиться русским – слишком мало… Им надо быть. Им надо стать!»
И. Северянин

_________________
«Русскому человеку лучше всего удаётся невозможное!»
***
«Родиться русским – слишком мало… Им надо быть. Им надо стать!»
И. Северянин

_________________
«Русскому человеку лучше всего удаётся невозможное!»
***
«Родиться русским – слишком мало… Им надо быть. Им надо стать!»
И. Северянин

Our Lord's Transfiguration.

The Transfiguration demonstrates that Christ’s human nature was not obliterated by His divinity but was instead glorified by it. Similarly, theosis does not involve humans becoming God by essence (which is impossible) but rather, participating in God’s divine energies—His grace, love, and glory—while remaining fully human. The radiant transformation of Christ’s human body prefigures the glorified state of believers who, through theosis, are called to become “partakers of the divine nature” without losing their created identity.

The Role of Grace and Asceticism:
The Transfiguration occurred in the context of prayer (Luke 9:28-29), highlighting the necessity of spiritual discipline and communion with God for theosis. Orthodox theology emphasizes that deification is a synergistic process, requiring human effort (struggle against our distorted passions, prayer, fasting, turning our hearts and minds into oneness with the heart and mind of Christ) and divine grace. The presence of Moses and Elijah, representing the Law and the Prophets, underscores that the path to theosis is rooted in obedience to God’s will and participation in the sacramental life of the Church.
Eschatological (End Times) Hope:
The Transfiguration is a foretaste of the resurrection and the Kingdom of God, pointing to the ultimate fulfillment of oneness with God in the age to come. The glorified state of Christ on the mountain foreshadows the transformation of the faithful at the general resurrection, where their bodies and souls will be transfigured by God’s glory. This end times dimension encourages Christians to persevere in their spiritual journey toward unity with God.

Communal and Cosmic Dimension:
The presence of the apostles as witnesses and the voice of the Father (“This is My beloved Son, listen to Him”) affirm that theosis is not an individualistic pursuit but a communal reality within the Church, the Body of Christ. Moreover, the Transfiguration’s radiance extends to creation itself (e.g., Christ’s garments), suggesting that the theosis involves the restoration and glorification of the entire cosmos (“reconciling all of creation to God)”, as creation is renewed through humanity’s deification (Romans 8:19-21).

So, the Feast of the Transfiguration teaches us that theosis is the calling of every Christian to be transformed by God, as exemplified in Christ’s glorification on Mount Tabor. It reveals the potential for humans to share in divine life through grace, prayer, and participation in the sacraments, culminating in the end times hope of eternal communion with God. As St. Athanasius famously said, “God became man so that man might become god” (by grace, not essence), and the Transfiguration is a vivid icon of this mystery.

_________________
«Русскому человеку лучше всего удаётся невозможное!»
***
«Родиться русским – слишком мало… Им надо быть. Им надо стать!»
И. Северянин