Monastics are the institutional and spiritual heart of Orthodoxy. I had a wonderful interview with Priest-monk Peter Preble yesterday. One of the things we agreed on was that we need to do a better job making monasticism real to our parishioners. This would provide a net benefit to everyone involved; monks, laity, calibates, parishes, and […]
Day Twenty-five – The Snowflake
December 9, 2013 By
We woke up to first covering of snow this morning. It’s funny how different the reactions in our house were: Our middle children: yippee there’s snow! (this would have been followed by the words; “do we have school today?!”, except that we homeschool) Our toddler: ” ‘now, Daddy! ‘now! See ‘now, Daddy? ‘now!” (I reckon […]
Day Twenty-one – Gift Giving (Bah Humbug)
December 5, 2013 By
Dave Ramsey likes to joke that Americans need to stop spending money they don’t have buying people gifts that they don’t need. He’s right. The Christmas “gift-giving” season is one of those things that outsiders must look at and just scratch their heads. It’s out of control and it’s doing real damage to us and […]
Day Twenty – Incense
December 4, 2013 By
The smell of incense is so much a part of our experience of worship that the smell – smell is one of the strongest triggers of memory for the brain – automatically calms us and moves us towards prayer. Low-church Christians are often uncomfortable with incense in part because it is used in pagan […]
Day Nineteen – Handel’s Messiah
December 3, 2013 By
I love Handel’s Messiah. I play it – and especially the pre-Nativity portions – this time of year. It is so much better than the Holiday schlock that they play on the radio. Every year, we used to sing it, complete with pit orchestra. In Charlottesville, there is a sing a long where everyone who […]
Day Eighteen – Feet
December 2, 2013 By
Psalm 120 I lift up mine eyes unto the hills, whence comes my help.My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.He will not suffer thy foot to stumble: He that guards you will not slumber.Behold, He that protects Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.The Lord is your protector: the Lord is your […]
Day Fourteen: Giving Thanks to Our God as a Nation
November 28, 2013 By
Council of Bishops of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA Archpastoral Message for 2013 Thanksgiving Day:We Offer Praise and Thanksgiving Once again, our nation pauses to celebrate Thanksgiving. Our tables will be spilling over with food and our homes will resonate with laughter and conversation as we gather to celebrate this special day. Thanksgiving […]
Day Thirteen – The Eucharist as Thanksgiving
November 27, 2013 By
What are you thankful for? In amongst the football, turkey, and shopping, Americans do try spend at least part of their Thanksgiving being grateful. I have a lot to be thankful for; wonderful marriage, loving wife, respectful children, beautiful family, good parish, plus the whole triangle from security on up on Maslow’s hierarchy. But […]
Day Nine – The Sabbath
November 23, 2013 By
We were made to work One of the great virtues of this nation is its commitment to work hard and to work well. This virtue does not allow us to see work in purely economic terms; it isn’t just about paying the bills, providing for the family, or having enough to give freely to those […]
20131123 Vocations are for everyone!
November 23, 2013 By
What is God calling you to do? This show opens with a talk on vocations geared for everyone – vocations are not just for men in black! I follow this with a short story by Rdr. Nicholas Perkins, and finish by asnwering some mail on paleo, fasting, and the Bread of Life. Enjoy the show! […]
