Homilies, commentary, and the shownotes for OrthoAnalytika, a podcast on spirituality, science, culture, prepping, the paranormal, and current events
Gospel Reading: St. John 20:19-31 Love is Always Personal There is no such thing as love in the abstract; it is not a phenomenon that can be measured in a laboratory, isolated from everything else. It is always personal. You all know what … [Continue reading]
[written for the 2016 Great Lent Giveaway] On Miracles in the Holy Bible and Now Miracles in the Old Testament Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness. Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the … [Continue reading]
Posted so I don't lose it. PASCHA CHEESE For the quark: 1 gallon whole milk + 1 quart buttermilk. I put the milk in the pot and heat to steaming for about 5 minutes, then add buttermilk and mix well. Let it rest, covered, for 2-3 days, stirring a … [Continue reading]
On Christian Leadership Challenge of consumerism. Giving my life to Christ – and even coming to Church on Sunday – is one of a million good options. Americans are shoppers, we do the math and make the call. But it’s not a purchase, it’s a … [Continue reading]
From The Ladder of Divine Ascent, St. John of the Ladder. Step 28: On holy and blessed prayer, mother of virtues, and on the attitude of mind and body in prayer. What is Prayer? The Union of Man with God 1. Prayer by reason of its nature is the … [Continue reading]
[Delivered at the Lehigh Valley Pan-Orthodox celebration of the Triumph of Orthodoxy] Since 843 the dominant theme of the first Sunday of Great Lent has been that of the victory of the icons. In that year the iconoclastic controversy was finally … [Continue reading]
The Podcast is here. Review: Ten (Eleven!) Commandments for Pastors New to a Congregation In a previous post and podcast, I reviewed Rev. Lawrence W. Farris’ book Ten Commandments for Pastors Leaving a Congregation. It was full of good … [Continue reading]
Homily on the Last Judgment Matthew 6:14-21 Our actions have consequences. Everything we do affects both ourselves and our environment, to include the people around us. This is a simple fact of nature: our lives are intertwined with those of our … [Continue reading]
Homily on the Prodigal Son: A Metaphor on FoodSt. Luke 15:11-321 Corinthians 6:12-20 Introduction Some people think of sin, judgment, and salvation as a courthouse: God gave us rules we have to follow. Because we fail to follow the rules, God … [Continue reading]
Big problem: the deep-rooted temptation/sin of self-justification. Justifying by religion – especially by religious leaders. Hypocrites are the worse. Priests and bishops really do have to set a good example The news gives us constant … [Continue reading]
