Dionysius the Areopagite

Dionysius the Areopagite appears today in Acts. Legend has it that he became the first bishop of Rome after his conversion. I remember walking around Athens back on my extended trip through Greece and Turkey. I stood on the rock where Socrates was supposedly judged; I walked the Agora where St. Paul met Dionysius the Areopagite. (The Areopagus is a big hill in Athens next to the Acropolis; the city's chief court met there and Dionysius was a member.) There is much controversy about him. Many mysitcal writings exist which he supposedly wrote, but their origins are pretty vigorously disputed. Those who say the writings are not truly of the Biblical Dionysius date them from the fifth century and call their author Pseuso-Dionysius. The tradidtional Catholic position is that the writings are from this period, i.e. not from the Dionysius mentioned in the Bible, but from a Syrian who used "Dionysius the Areopagite" as a pseudonym.

Getting more practical here: I may one of only two people in Chicago sticking with Esther this year. (See the first Comment on the previous post to find the other person.) I know there's more action in Judith, but in just two chapters Esther has already given us pleas for naked dancing (1:10-11), 180 continual days of revelry (1:4), all with an open bar (1:7-8), a nationwide search for beautiful young virgins (2:2-3), and the description of a spa treatment (2:12) that takes an entire year to complete! Can you say harem?!? Anyway, let's keep watching as Esther grows from being a simple young beauty to a wise and rightous woman who saves her people. Right on, Esther!


Remember how I said I was lonely, sad, and depressed in my last post? Well I still am. But look what the Book of Common Prayer sent me tonight:

¹ The Lord is my shepherd, *
I shall not want.
² He makes me lie down in green pastures; *
he leads me beside still waters.
³ He revives my soul *
And guides me along right pathways for his Name's sake.

Some very familiar and comfortable words, for sure. Peace, everyone.