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. … [Continue reading]
Day Twenty-seven – Deborah, Judge of Israel
December 12, 2013 By
Deborah was a hero. A bit of historical context: Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt. As preparation for leading them into the Promised Land of Canaan, he sent twelve spies into Canaan to find out the enemy's disposition. Of the twelve, ten came … [Continue reading]
Day Twenty-six – Oil Lamps
December 10, 2013 By
Tending the Flame of Anor I'm pretty granola when it comes to certain things. This is especially the case when it comes to church. Being crunchy and being Orthodox go together like cream in coffee. Because the Glory of God resonates throughout … [Continue reading]
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 … [Continue reading]
Day twenty-four – The Zygote
December 8, 2013 By
On the New Calendar, today (12/8) celebrates the conception of the Birthgiver of God, when Joachim and Anna conceived Mary, the girl who would grow up to become the Mother of God. How hard it must be for modern men and women to understand the beauty … [Continue reading]
Day Twenty-three – Christmas Trees
December 7, 2013 By
Despite my "Bah Humbug" post about gift giving, I actually love the rituals of Christmas. The home ones are especially nice: hanging stockings (made by my Mom for my Pani, each of my kids, and me), putting up the Nativity banners, setting up the … [Continue reading]
Day Twenty-two – Saint Nicholas
December 6, 2013 By
There is amusing meme bouncing around Facebook that plays on St. Nicholas' defense of Orthodoxy against Arianism during the first Ecumincal Council (325): he punch-uated this defense by striking Arius in the face. Both Christ and His Mother … [Continue reading]
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 … [Continue reading]
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 … [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]
