“Past and present, God's will prevails. Hence, understanding is always best and a prudent mind” Beowulf. Godless persons will use even the greatest of tragedies for wicked ends. I think that it is very important to be soberly aware of such goals. I have already indicated this in some of my past posts. I find …
Continue reading Pestilence, Perfidious Persistence, and Penitence
“If anyone is to be taken captive, to captivity he goes; if anyone is to be slain by the sword, with the sword he must be slain” (Rev. 13:10). True Christianity calls a person to total faith in God. A Christian must believe wholeheartedly that his life and his bodily death are in God's hands. …
Continue reading The Masters of Death Are Now the Ministers of Life?
Below is a translation of a short word given by Met. Luke of Zaporozhye. What could be more terrible than the Coronavirus? The Coronavirus, about which so many are talking and writing, may have had help appearing thanks to evil human genius. However, what is bigger than even that, is how people have been killing …
“Instead of learning to live, people are learning to die” Bob Dylan. A reflection on the Div. Liturgy during these trying times. The Divine Liturgy not only teaches us how to live, but it is also the means whereby we truly live. We must understand that first and foremost we are “Ekklesia.” That is …
Continue reading The Divine Liturgy is the Heart of the Church
Introduction added on 3/25/20 - I originally penned this blog in response to ideas I encountered on the internet and blog-o-sphere. This piece is a response to the ideas of my peers in that realm. That is the sole intent. I am questioning some of the ideas put forth by my peers. It is a …
Continue reading “Social Distancing,” Desert Fathers, and Church Services
Addendum, 3/19/20 - Since I penned this article the synod of the OCA issued a statement effectively closing all the churches under their jurisdiction. I penned this reflection before that action was taken. In the article, I have strived to offer a reflection based upon an early Christian account of a time of epidemic. That …
Continue reading Christians in Times of Epidemic, Then and Now
The ongoing chaotic situation surrounding the Coronavirus to which, it seems, the general response is panic, revels to a degree certain spiritual realities. Obviously, people should strive to maintain good hygiene as it is continuously being pointed out to us. Such a virus has possible grave physical implications. My point, once again, is not to …
Continue reading What is More Deadly, a Physical or Spiritual Virus?
“Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, He it is that doth go with thee; He will not fail thee, nor forsake thee” Deut. 31:6. Fear and panic are tools of the devil to manipulate humanity. When humanity “materializes,” that is lives for …
Continue reading The Coronavirus, Fear as Control, and Fearlessness
As Holy and Great Lent fast approaches, I will be taking a little break from posting on my blog. Before that, I want to share with you a collection of quotes I have made from Archbishop Averky of blessed memory. He was a very holy man who strove to conform his mind to the Patristic …
Continue reading Destructive Self-Deception That Leads to the Depths of Hell
One of the physical reasons that the early Church was at times heavily persecuted by the ancient Roman Empire is because She would not proclaim the State and the leader of the State as "god." Ceaser desired to reign supreme over all things. But early Christians would not participate in the cult of the emperor. …
Continue reading Union Under the Kingdom of Man: Incense on the Altar of Caeser
