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 … [Continue reading]
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 … [Continue reading]
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 … [Continue reading]
Day Seventeen – Holiday Depression
December 2, 2013 By
[Please note that I am writing about malaise, not actual depression. If you are suffering from depression, seek professional help.] Studies show that cases of depression and general malaise increase during the Christmas season. It's a real … [Continue reading]
Day Sixteen – Saint Andrew
November 30, 2013 By
The Orthodox Church takes apostolic succession very seriously; the preservation of "the faith passed on to the apostles" is maintained by the physicality of the ordination of bishops by bishops, all of who can trace the history of the ordination of … [Continue reading]
Day Fifteen – Avarice (love of money)
November 29, 2013 By
There are two things priests can talk about that are pretty much guaranteed to either get filtered out (ignored/missed) or opposed with varying levels of indignation: sex and money. The problem is that our scriptures - and Christ Himself - spend a … [Continue reading]
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 … [Continue reading]
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 … [Continue reading]
Day Twelve – Vestments
November 26, 2013 By
One of the things that Christians - and all humans! - are called to do is bless every moment with holiness; to "redeem the time" (1 Ephesians 5:16). One of the ways we do this is through continually prayer (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Orthodox … [Continue reading]
Day Eleven – Turkey
November 25, 2013 By
There's a funny thing that happens every year among the Orthodox in America around this time of year. Many Old Calendarists hop on their high horse and lord it over New Calendarists for breaking the Nativity Fast on Thanksgiving. The built-in … [Continue reading]
