Recently visited a local Russian Orthodox Church, the divine liturgy was incredible, God bless!.

As usual, everything here is new to me. Though a Catholic for many years, this is the first time I’m aware that Jesus’ ascension was an observed, though now that I think about it, it makes perfect sense. Now, Pentecost is more familiar to me, though even that I have neglected to observe. No more, thanks to you, Brother Dale. Now I look forward to observing all these holy dates. As opposed to just the two, Christmas and Easter. Such richness of Christianity that I have neglected all these years. I feel like I just discovered fire.

My Old Calendar Serbian Orthodox friends just celebrated Pascha. 🙂 With all my heart, I believe in the Ascension of Jesus Christ. Happy Ascension Day!

Christ says He is The Way. At His baptism (and in all His life), he is demonstrating and literally living The Way, and as we follow the pattern that he revealed, we participate in The Way, and can even become The Way also. This is Theosis. To use a very poor analogy, say you decided to study violin with me. I suppose I could play for you a very beautiful and difficult piece of music. You would probably be impressed, and you might even wish to emulate my playing. But you would be clueless about how to get there. But week by week, I would demonstrate for you the most basic elements, gradually revealing the path from ignorance to mastery. Jesus, in His life, shows us how to become like Him. The first lessons are faith, repentance, obedience, baptism, Chrismation (receiving the Holy Spirit), and beginning our trial in the desert. That's my two cents.