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Word of the Day
Joy Overflowing in Generosity (Sat. Nov. 27)
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The word of the day is “ joy.” In our reading of 2 Corinthians 8:1-5, St. Paul holds up the Macedonians as examples of generous giving. The apostle boasts that despite their abject poverty they begged Paul for the favor of receiving their gift for the poor in Jerusalem. He states, “Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia: that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality” (vs. 1-2). Single-minded in Sharing Thus, Paul intends to impress his readers with the “liberality” of the Macedonians. The word is derived from the thought of singleness of purpose. …
Growing the Church
Remnant Activities: Rediscovering the Felt Presence of God, Part II
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Picking up where we left off last time… 3. What can it mean then to perceive God (Christ)? As I mentioned, the introduction of persons into our discussion has raised a number of significant challenges rooted in the composite, that is, finite/infinite nature of human beings and the personal, infinite character of God. So in order to be complete, our perception of humans has to somehow include that infinite dimension and…
Faith Encouraged
You Are Our Glory And Joy!
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St. Basil said, “And so let us be glad and bear with patience everything the world throws at us, secure in the knowledge that it is then that we are most in the mind of God.” What a true blessing to read and know, especially in a moment in human history when those who control the popular narrative being fed to us on a daily basis have decided that Christ-followers are “dangerous.”…
Word of the Day
Patience Prevails Against Hindrances (Fri. Nov. 26)
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The word of the day is “hindered.” In our reading of 1 Thessalonians 2:14-19, Paul speaks of the hindrances that retrained Paul’s work among the Gentiles of this important port city. Yet, despite these obstacles, Paul gives thanks to God for their enthusiastic reception of the Gospel. And he assures them that they are with him in his heart and that he desires to see them face to face (vs. 17). Hindered from Reaching the Gentiles In our reading, Paul speaks of the frustrating roadblocks to his plans, both human and supernatural. First, there was the opposition of the Judaizers who insisted on the circumcision of Gentile believers. Paul writes that the Thessalonians had suffered persecution just as the Jewish…
Faith Encouraged
On This Thanksgiving Day
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I hated what was coming and, what made it worse was, it was unavoidable. It was a confrontation with a supervisor that had been building for some time, and it wasn’t going to be pretty. As he and I sat in the office of the consultant that the company had brought in to help several employees come to some resolution with a common challenge we all had with this supervisor, it was…
Word of the Day
Three Essential Actions of the Preaching and Hearing of the Gospel (Thurs. Nov. 25)
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The word of the day is “father.” In our reading of 1 Thessalonians 2:9-16, St. Paul breaks down the task of Gospel proclamation into three categories. The Apostles writes, “…you know how we exhorted, and comforted, and charged every one of you, as a father does his own children” (vs. 11). By studying the original Greek terms for these activities, we can better understand what the preaching and hearing of the gospel entail. In our English OSB translation, Paul begins his profile of preaching by saying how he “exhorted” the Thessalonians. The Greek term is derived from the idea of “calling near.” The gospel proclamation thus “invites” and “intreats” its hearers to give heed to the message and respond to…
Glory to God for All Things
Thanksgiving as Mystical Communion
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“This is good. This is bad.” In one form or another, we divide the world into light and dark. It might take the form, “I like this. I do not like that.” What we find easy are the things we see as good and the things we like. If a day is filled with such things, we are likely to be happy. If the day is marked by things we do not…
No Other Foundation
Samson: God’s Hell-raiser
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One of the most exciting stories in all the Bible is the story of Samson—made culturally famous by the penultimate episode of the story, that of “Samson and Delilah”. His story forms a significant part of Israel’s history, occupying an entire four chapters of the Book of Judges—even more than the story of Gideon, whom the distributors of Bibles chose for their patron. Though Samson was not exactly a poster boy for…
Word of the Day
Corrected Version: Serving with Tender Affection (Wed. Nov. 24)
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I apologize that I sent an unedited version of today’s post. Here is a corrected copy. The word of the day is “affection.” In this season of the Nativity Fast we pray and fast to intensify our hope in the coming of our Savior. But are we just marking time before the Savior appears? In our reading of 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8, Paul reflects on his success among the Thessalonians. He recalls that he preached the Gospel to the Gentiles in Thessalonica. But in our reading, the apostle discloses that he earnestly desired to give the believers something more than the Gospel. He writes, “So, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you, not only the gospel…
Faith Encouraged
A Blessed Thanksgiving To All
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From all of us at Faith Encouraged Ministries, Faith Encouraged TV, and Faith Encouraged Daily Devotionals, may the God of Loving Grace keep you and your family during this Thanksgiving Holiday. Remember that Fr. Alexander Schmemann once said: “Everyone capable of Thanksgiving is capable of salvation and eternal joy!” We are SO THANKFUL for YOU! (And for all of you outside the US, we are especially grateful on this American Thanksgiving for…
Faith Encouraged
Being Grateful Makes You Strong
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St. Paisios said, “Sometimes the devil deceives us and makes us unable to be pleased with anything; however, one can celebrate all things in a spiritual manner, with doxology, and secure God’s constant blessing.” The older I get, the more I see the gratitude and the cultivation of gratitude that is the key to spiritual peace. The ability to be grateful is in direct proportion to humility and honesty. But how do we…
Walking an Ancient Path
Liturgy Quick-Start Guide #3: Traveling Companions on the Journey
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We’re standing in the nave of our local parish, discreetly adjusting our waistbands because of the Pandemic Pounds we’ve gained, taming the children and taming our thoughts. But where are we, really? When I set out on a road trip, I usually consult Google Maps on my phone. To find directions to the place where I want to go, I input my current location then type in my destination. My starting point…
Word of the Day
Serving With Tender Affection (Wed. Nov 24)
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The word of the day is “affection.” In this is the season of the Nativity Fast we pray and fast to intensify our hope in the coming of our Savior in both his Advents. But are we just marking time before the Savior appears? In our reading of 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8, Paul reflects on his success among the Thessalonians. Yes, he recalls that he preached the Gospel to the Gentiles in Thessalonica. But in our reading, the apostle discloses that he earnestly desired to give the believers something more than the Gospel. He writes, “So, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you, not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives, because you…
Faith Encouraged
Imitators Of Christ!
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“Early is on time. On Time is late. Late is unacceptable!” These were my words, but they were coming out of my daughter’s mouth! She was giving a friend of her’s a hard time about being late to dance practice. We don’t “do” “Greek time” or “Country time” or any other ethnic excuse for being late in our house. That’s not how we treat other people or ourselves. Needless to say, I…
Word of the Day
Waiting with Eager Longing (Tues. Nov. 23)
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The word of the day is “wait.” In our reading of 1 Thessalonians 1: 6-10, Paul recalls that the Thessalonians had received the Gospel with joy as well as trials. The Apostle thanks God that the Thessalonians have turned from idolatry to the service of God. And they have learned “to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead…” (vs. 10). The virtue of waiting is a predominant theme in this Epistle. Here at the beginning of his letter, the Apostle refers to the expectation of the return of Christ. And at the end of the Epistle, St. Paul prays that “your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord…
Beyond the Bars
An OCPM visit to Pennsylvania Part One
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by Niko Petrogeorge If someone approaches you with anger how do you respond? Last week, my colleague Fr. Stephen Powley and I visited SCI Waymart, a state prison in Pennsylvania. We made rounds with Fr. John Kowalczyk, an Orthodox priest and contract chaplain at SCI Waymart. At a certain point, we walked into a unit that had two or three day-rooms that shot off of a central control area. When we walked…
Every Thought Captive
An Orthodox Defense of Patriarchy
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“Patriarchy” is not a monolith. There is the patriarchy of fallen nature, whereby fallen men rule for the sake of ruling, and the patriarchy of Christianity, whereby men rule lovingly for the sake of peace. Christian patriarchy is feared or hated because of the abuses of natural patriarchy, and it’s admittedly difficult to distinguish the two because men sometimes use faith to legitimate their selfish desires. They are distinct, nonetheless, and in what follows, I’m going to expound on and defend this particular form. The Marital Polity The marital union could be described as the smallest…
Faith Encouraged
My Slave, My Bishop!
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The transformation in our world from a time when slavery was a “peculiar institution” to a time when the notion of “purchasing” a human being is unthinkable is nothing short of wonderful! And yet, human trafficking is still a very real crime in our modern world, even in our own “land of the free.” Look at our lesson today in Philemon 1:1-25: PAUL, a prisoner for Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother,…
Word of the Day
Five Marks of Effective Preaching (Mon. Nov. 22)
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The word of the day is “power.” Today we read 1 Thessalonians 1:1-5. This passage begins the first epistle of Paul that is included in the New Testament. Paul established the congregation at the important seaport of Thessalonica on his second missionary journey. According to the Orthodox Study Bible, he wrote this letter from Corinth in 50 or 51 AD, about six months after he had organized the church. Paul indicates that the work of building the church in Thessalonica had been exceptionally successful. He writes, “For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among…
Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick
Angels are the Original Saints
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Remembering Sion
Making Angels Out of Men
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We celebrate today the Synaxis of the Bodiless Powers, the feast-day of all the holy angels, from their Chief Commanders Michael and Gabriel to each of the guardian angels whom the Lord God appointed to watch over every one of us — throughout all our lives — at Holy Baptism. Today should therefore be a day of great joy and profound gratitude for every Christian, no less than our namesday on which…
Word of the Day
Nothing Matters but a New Creation (Sun. Nov. 20)
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The word of the day is “new.” In our reading of Galatians 6:11-18, St. Paul dismisses both “circumcision” that would identify one as a Jew and “uncircumcision” that would identify one as a Gentile. He writes, “ For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation” (vs. 15). Various versions say that neither one of these marks of identity “avails for nothing” (NKJV), “means anything” (Berean Bible), “counts for anything” (NET Bible), “is of any importance” (Weymouth New Testament) or “matters” (Good News Translation). What Matters Yet the Greek term assigns even less significance to these outward signs. The original language says that neither “circumcision” nor “uncircumcision” “is” anything (vs. 15). The only thing that…
Glory to God for All Things
I Will Go Into the Altar of God
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Most of my early Church memories center around Sunday School (I think that we did not “stay for preaching” very often). The small Baptist church that we attended was about a mile from our house and was conveniently connected by a railroad track, generally inactive on Sundays. My older brother and I often walked along the track on Sunday mornings when the weather was pleasant. The earliest Bible verses I can recall…
Eastern Christian Insights
Preparing for Christmas by Offering Ourselves as Holy Temples: Homily for the Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple in the Orthodox Church
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Hebrews 9:1-7; Luke 10:38-42; 11:27-28 Today we celebrate the feast of the Entrance into the Temple of the Most Holy Theotokos. Her elderly parents Joachim and Anna offered Mary to God by taking her to live in the Temple in Jerusalem as a young girl, where she grew up in prayer and purity as she prepared to become the Living Temple of the Lord in a unique…
Word of the Day
From Tent to Temple: the Resurrection of the Body (Sat. Nov. 20)
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The word of the day is “resurrection” In our reading of 2 Corinthians 5:1-10, St. Paul uses a metaphor to describe our hope of transformation from the corruptible physical body to the resurrection of the incorruptible body. He states, “For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens (vs. 1). Remember that in Plato’s Greek philosophy, the body is the “prison house of the soul.” The body’s functions, such as the five senses and the body’s sensations of pleasure and pain, are restraints to realizing the soul’s true nature. Death is the release of the soul and its return to…
Frederica.com
Found: The Church of the Glorious Martyr
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[2021-11-19] Biblical Archeology Review has reported the discovery of a 1500-year-old church about 15 miles southwest of Jerusalem. It began as a simple chapel, built inside a cave where a saint was martyred (a “martyrium”) and buried. Archeologists found a large mosaic set in the floor of the courtyard that…
Faith Encouraged
Salvation IS Violence!
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Our modern world seems to run on violence. And it seems that every day the news is of more violence there and more violence here. From college campuses arguing over speech and “safe zones” and “trigger warnings” to the very real violence of terrorism all meant to disrupt and destroy. And can we even talk about what seems to be “perpetual war” in hotspots around the world where our soldiers are sent…