Archive for May 2018

During this period between Ascension and Pentecost, when the Church is “waiting” for the coming of the Holy Spirit, we are reminded that the Holy Apostles were anxious about the wait. We must keep in mind they thought the coming of the Messiah would mean the end to their suffering. They thought (this explains Judas’…

On the night of Holy and Great Pascha we stood in our dark churches prepared to receive the “Light from the unwaning light” and begin our celebration. For those few moments our eyes were fixed on the candle coming from the Holy of Holies, spreading from person to person until the Church was ablaze with…

During a conversation recently, I was asked to explain how we determine the truth among all the different teachings in the world. How do we know the Church is teaching the truth? I believe this question haunts many today in the Church who are seeking to know the truth. With the availability of the internet…

When we contemplate such horrific instances such as the most recent school shooting by a Greek Orthodox young man, we wonder how such things can happen. Some even turn to blaming the Church for not doing enough to help people in their struggles. The truth is, painfully enough, that people can choose to use their…

Today is the Leavetaking (that’s a fancy word for end) of Pascha. That means today is the final day we sing and say Christ is Risen for another year. Our Churches will undecorated today in anticipation of the Feast of Ascension which begins with Great Vespers this evening. The Resurrection Banner is put away, the…

Take a moment, right now, to step away from your computer and go outside and look around. Then come back, If you’re on your phone, put it down for a moment and look around. I’ll wait…… If you’re like most people, this may have been the first time today you made a conscious effort to…

We began this week’s theme of blindness with the healing of the man born blind. (see John 9.1-38) No matter how many times the man had given his witness to how Christ healed him, many refused to believe, even calling Christ evil because He healed on the Sabbath. The man’s parents and many in the…

We’ve all heard the saying before, “seeing is believing”. Saint Thomas had to see Jesus raised from the dead in order to believe. The Myrrhbearing women saw Jesus and believed. The Apostles saw him and believed. Jesus appeared to hundreds after His resurrection, but still some never believed their own eyes. For many who are…

When we look into our mother’s eyes for the first time, we see her love and learn to trust that she is will protect and guide us through life. In the story of the man born blind found in the Gospel of John 9.1-38, God’s healing is revealed in our ability to see and believe…

A friend of mine had a birthday the other day. After we joked about his age for a few moments, and I reminded him that he had “many more” years behind him than I did, he said, “May you have many more ahead of you!” It was a kind gesture between friends, but it caused…