St. John of the Ladder (Our Annual Meeting Day) Great life. Not only did he enjoy it – and there is no doubt about his joy; (through his example and the book “The Ladder of Divine Ascent”) he made the same joy that he experienced accessible to others. In fact, that was the secret of […]
ON THE FIRST SUNDAY of the Great Fast our Church celebrates the triumph of Orthodoxy, the victory of true Christian teaching over all perversions and distortions thereof—heresies and false teachings. On the second Sunday of the Great Fast it is as though this triumph of Orthodoxy is repeated and deepened in connection with the celebration of the memory of one of the greatest pillars of Orthodoxy, the hierarch Gregory Palamas, Archbishop of Thessalonica, who by his grace-bearing eloquence and the example of his highly ascetic private life put to shame the teachers of falsehood who dared reject the very essence of.Orthodoxy, the podvig of prayer and fasting, which enlightens the human mind with the light of grace and makes it a communicant of the divine glory.
Home Bible Study – St. John of the Ladder
March 23, 2017 By
A bit of a change this week. Rather than looking at the scripture readings for the coming Sunday, we are looking at a (very) few chapters from St. John of the Ladder. Some Lessons from St. John’s “The Ladder of Divine Ascent” From Step Four: On Blessed Obedience 5. You who have decided to strip […]
A Homily on the Spiritual Life (lessons from The Ladder)
March 23, 2017 By
Every Sunday of Great Lent is dedicated to person or event, with the sequence of these commemorations designed to prepare us for a deeper participation in Christ’s passion and resurrection. This Sunday is dedicated to the life and work of St. John of the Ladder. Saint John was an ascetic, a spiritual athlete, and a […]
GGWB Episode #26 – Saving Ourselves from (Virtual) War
March 22, 2017 By
Saving Ourselves from the Damage of (Virtual) War by Fr. Anthony Perkins Good Guys Wear Black (AFR Podcast) March 18, 2017 In this episode, Fr. Anthony talks about Great Lent in the Lehigh Valley (PA) and about how the Lenten disciplines – and especially the Prayer of St. Ephraim – can protect and heal us from the […]
Retreat Notes: “Why Bother?”
March 19, 2017 By
Why do we bother? Why is this question worth asking? It comes to mind because lots of people do not bother, and our psychology is affected by their examples. It also comes to mind because it is hard. Takes up a lot of time. Takes up a lot of money. Takes up a lot of […]
Homily Notes: Pick up your cross and follow me!
March 19, 2017 By
“Take up your cross and follow me” There are many ways to understand this command. Many take it as God’s way of saying we need to put up with all the sufferings that our bodies give us. That’s true, but there’s more to it that. I want to use the example of the soldier to […]
Home Bible Study – The Cross
March 16, 2017 By
The Third Sunday of Great Lent: Sunday of the Veneration of the Holy Cross St. Paul’s Letter to the Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:1-6 Beloved in Christ, since we have a high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we have not a high priest […]
Homily Notes: St. Gregory Palamas (Let’s Be Quiet)
March 12, 2017 By
What do you meet in the silence? On Holy Saturday, at the First Resurrection service (3PM here), we sing; “Let all mortal flesh keep silence, and in fear and trembling stand; for the King of kings and Lord of lords comes forth, to be slain, to give Himself as food to the faithful.” Why should […]
Home Bible Study – Sunday of St. Gregory Palamas
March 9, 2017 By
Second Sunday of Great Lent: St. Gregory Palamas Epistle Reading: St. Paul’s Letter to the Hebrews 1:10-14; 2:1-3 [To the Son, God says;] “IN THE BEGINNING, Thou, Lord, didst found the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of thy hands; they will perish, but thou remainest; they will all grow old […]
Home Bible Study: Forgiveness Sunday
February 23, 2017 By
Home Bible Study Forgiveness Sunday (and the Expulsion of Humankind from Paradise) Romans 13:11-14:4 (NKJV) Theme: Put on Christ 11 And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. 12 The night is far spent, the […]
