40 Days of Blogging: Bread or Beer? Or Bozhe?!

Today’s topic is “bread or beer”?  I’m writing from Constantinople (Istanbul), a country that was once the heart of a vibrant Christian empire… but is now 99% Mulim.  It’s a shock.  But I’ve seen it before even in my lifetime: so many Christian youth give up their baptismal garment to pursue demonic idols (“the gods […]

Day Eleven – Turkey

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 assumption is that there is no way any Tradition-loving, Real Orthodox Christian (TM) would […]

Day Nine – The Sabbath

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 […]

Day Five – He who began a good work in you

Saint Paul is such a great example of leadership.   First, he gave himself 100% in service to God and the Church, showing us what commitment looked like, what it costs, and how it can transform people and communities.  I love that.  Enthusiasm is contagious, and St. Paul was enthusiastic for all the right things. […]

Day One: Get your beard on (or off)!

Beards are all the rage.  Here in New England, the Red Sox just won the World Series by getting their beards on; the male cast of Duck Dynasty has also done their part to bring respect to the beard.  In my profession, beards are often seen as part of the game.  When I was catechized, […]