Our not yet two-and-half-year-old grandson Matthew spent the afternoon with us. Like a master conductor, he directed the two-piece orchestra of Yiayia and Papou. To the playground! But first, he wanted to feed the ducks. As we walked to the playground he advised Papou to be sure not to step in the puddles. The slide was the first attraction. He … [Read more...]
The First Christian
Small details often convey great meaning. Take for example in the Gospel of John where we are told that Peter and John ran to the tomb in the early hours of the morning and the disciple Jesus loved outran Peter and arrived at the tomb first. What does this mean? The Gospel of John is full of language that we quickly learn is not to be taken … [Read more...]
The Myrrh Bearing of the Holy Theotokos
[1] Not many stories are recounted in all four of the Gospels. Jesus having his feet anointed with a pound of the myrrh of pure nard [2] is one of those stories. [3] Here myrrh refers to a medicinal aromatic essential oil called spikenard or muskroot which is derived from a flowering plant of the valerian family that grows in the Himalayas of … [Read more...]
Not By Comparison
Adam and Eve created enmity with each other and the world around them when they started comparing themselves to God and each other. God found out about their dis-ease when He entered the garden looking for communion. Calling out for them, Adam answered, “I heard You in the garden and I was afraid because I am naked so I hid.” [1] “Who told you, … [Read more...]
The Hidden Revelation of Epiphany and Theophany
“For behold, Magi (μάγος, plural, μάγοι, a Greek word of an earlier Persian origin) from the east arrived in Jerusalem asking ‘Where is the one born king of the Jews? For we saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.’” [1] Who were these mysterious foreign “wise men and kings” who journeyed to Bethlehem, seeking to worship the newborn … [Read more...]
Three Times Begotten
Christmas 2017 is almost here. So here is a riddle. How many birthdays does Jesus have? As Orthodox Christians we stand on solid bedrock when affirming the paradox that Christ has two natures, human and divine, united unconfusedly in one person. Nevertheless, the first birthday of the “only begotten Son of God, eternally begotten before all ages … [Read more...]
Re-member me in love forever Lord!
On an occasion when Jesus was in Capernaum, the city of the Apostle Peter’s family, the leaders of the local synagogue appealed to him on behalf of a certain Roman Centurion, whose servant was ill. They made their case for Jesus to intervene on the basis that the Centurion was worthy because “he loves our nation and built our synagogue.” Nothing … [Read more...]
Treasure in Earthen Vessels: Prayer and the Embodied Life
Treasure in Earthen Vessels “In the following pages, Fr. Stephen Muse provides us, not with a manual of prayer, but with an opening into the life of prayer by unveiling for us “the mystery of embodied life and the uncreated divine life.” He provides an entryway for us, as human beings with all our brokenness, weakness and fear, to dialogue … [Read more...]
Christ is in our midst…Face to Face!
This morning the angels sang. Servant of the Lord, Simon, was received into the Church after being doused three times in the Baptismal waters and sealed with Holy Chrism on his head and back, ears, nose, mouth, chest, hands and feet! His silky dark locks were shorn from four sides of his head in the mark of the cross, and a small gold cross was … [Read more...]
Orthodox Women in Healing Ministries – Annual Conference, Dormition Monastery
The Orthodox Women in the Healing Ministries celebrates 25th Years (1992 - 2017)! Orthodox Women in the Healing Ministries was founded in 1992 with the mission of providing support to Orthodox Christian women who work in the medical and healing professions. This includes doctors, nurses, therapists, social workers and the like. From its inception … [Read more...]
