“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
“And to the angel of the Church in Pergamos write ...” (Rev. 2:12). The historic church of Pergamos “was planted in the midst of a city extremely corrupted by paganism … In it there was a temple to the pagan god Aesculapius, the patron of physicians. Its sorcerers occupied themselves with medicine and offered great …
Continue reading The Church in Pergamos: Balaam is in Your Midst
With great joy today I received in the mail a copy of the Orthodox Word. One of the subjects in this issue is His Beatitude Met. Onuphry of Ukraine. I will start by encouraging anyone reading this to get a copy and read it, here is a link to the digital copy (hard copies may …
Continue reading Met. Onuphry, Ukraine, and Orthodox Unity in America (and throughout the world)
