Dear Friends in Christ, Christ is Risen! Χριστός ανέστη! We’ve passed through half of the Paschal season, and will soon be celebrating the Feast of Pentecost, which falls this year on May 23. Pentecost is the day when Christ sent His Holy Spirit upon His Apostles so that their souls would be illumined and they… Continue reading The Samaritan Woman
Ancient Aliens? A Troubling “Documentary” Series
Last night, my brother-in-law Mark and I watched the first half of the first episode of the new “Ancient Aliens” series on the History Channel. It’s an expansion of the documentary that came out a little while ago. Not being a scientist, as my friend George P. can attest, I watched the program solely with… Continue reading Ancient Aliens? A Troubling “Documentary” Series
Seeing a Familiar Protestant Painting Reminds Me That I Did not Completely “Reject” My Religious Upbringing
<disclaimer> This post will be a little more emotional and personal than what I usually post. Also, since this is a reflection, I will not be providing extensive citations. It’s kind of a tribute. Perhaps I will convert this in to a proper essay, after I’ve had time to let it sink in.</disclaimer> Some people… Continue reading Seeing a Familiar Protestant Painting Reminds Me That I Did not Completely “Reject” My Religious Upbringing
Pascha: Our Renewal
Dear Friends in Christ, Christ is Risen! Χριστός ανέστη! I write you this message during Bright Week, the glorious week immediately following Pascha, the feast of the Resurrection of Christ. The theme of Pascha (Easter) is exemplified by the following hymn: It is the day of Resurrection; Let us be radiant in the festival! Let… Continue reading Pascha: Our Renewal
The Easter Bunny *Is* Welcome!
Dear Mr. Easter Bunny, Contrary to what you’ve been told, just because I converted to the Orthodox Church some years ago, you have not been banished from our holiday celebration. In fact, you are welcome to come over on the joyous day. We can’t let you in for the service (animals, except for cats, are… Continue reading The Easter Bunny *Is* Welcome!
The Prayer of Saint Ephraim
Dear Friends in Christ, As I write this message, we’ve already celebrated two Sundays of Lent, and the Sunday of the Holy Cross is approaching. Lent is thus almost halfway over. Lent is truly a time of joyful mourning, where we are reminded through fasting and penance of our sinful nature, while at the same… Continue reading The Prayer of Saint Ephraim
The Prodigal Son
Dear Friends in Christ, We’re in the midst of the Triodion now, the service book which provides us with hymns for the four preparatory weeks before Lent, and the weeks of Lent itself, ending with Pascha, the feast of the Resurrection of Christ. Two weeks ago, we celebrated the feast of the Publican and the… Continue reading The Prodigal Son
The New Testament Church
When you sit down to think about it, there sure are a lot of Christian denominations: Baptists, Lutherans, Methodists, and Episcopalians, to name a few. Is this what Jesus wanted? The Bible says that Jesus is the head of the Church (Ephesians 5:23). Can a head be a head to more than one body? Some… Continue reading The New Testament Church
Christ Is Born! Glorify Him!
Dear Friends in Christ, Christ is Born! Glorify Him! Χριστός Γεννάται! Δοξάσατε! Christmas is upon us again, the Nativity of Our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ! St. John Chrysostom, who lived in the 4th and 5th centuries, and for whom our most common Divine Liturgy is named, composed a sermon for this feast from… Continue reading Christ Is Born! Glorify Him!
Spiritual, but not Religious
Dear Friends in Christ, We sometimes hear people say that they are “spiritual, but not religious.” In our present age, it is fashionable to champion some type of spiritual relationship with God, while rejecting all the formalities and dogmas of organized religion. Such people view these formalities and dogmas as things that inhibit spirituality, a… Continue reading Spiritual, but not Religious