Praying in the Rain
Fr. Gregory and Working With Your Hands
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Over the past few years I have had the privilege to get to know and spend time with an Orthodox hermit. Fr. Gregory and I don’t always see eye to eye, but over the years his prayers and the wisdom of his words have worked on me.* His words are making more and more sense me. One of the words Fr. Gregory often gives young men and women who are looking for…
The Morning Offering
Monday, August 23 / 10
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(Church Calendar) Saints of the Day August 10 / 23. Afterfeast of the Transfiguration. Holy Martyr and Archdeacon Laurence of Rome Hieromartyr Sixtus, Bishop of Rome, and Martyrs Felicissimus and Agapitus, deacons. Martyr Romanus, soldier, of Rome. Blessed Laurence, fool-for-Christ at Kaluga. (Greek Calendar: with St. Laurence, Martyr Hippolytus of Rome. Six Martyrs of Bizin. St. Heron the Philosopher.) Please,…
Glory to God for All Things
Fellowship and the Tower of Babel
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I had an occasion last week to be confronted by a Protestant fundamentalist “street preacher.” Wearing a cassock and a cross in public clearly identifies me as a priest (though in this part of the world most people know nothing of Orthodox priests). It also makes you a target for some who want to have arguments about religion. Thus, last week, while doing work on the local university campus, I was approached…
Praying in the Rain
The Tongs Revisited
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In response to my blog entry called The Tongs, someone has asked me if, as a convert to Orthodoxy, I had a hard time at the beginning praying to the Theotokos. The answer is yes. In my whole-life confession the week before I was received into the Holy Orthodox faith, I confessed to the priest that I had a hard time praying to the Theotokos. I told him that I had no…
The Morning Offering
Sunday, August 22 / 9 (Church Calendar)
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Saints of the Day August 9 / 22. Afterfeast of the Transfiguration. Apostle Matthias. Martyr Anthony of Alexandria. Martyrs Julian, Marcian, John, James, Alexius, Demetrius, Photius (Phocas), Peter, Leontius and Mary of Constantinople. St. Psoes of Egypt. St. Macarius, abbot of Oredezh. Photo of the Day Another photo, taken on my flight in the Aircam. Quote for the Day: “So…
Praying in the Rain
The Feeling of Triumph, Mixed
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I have an odd mix of feelings when I read the first few verses of Psalm 97 (LXX): Sing unto the Lord a new song, for the Lord has done wondrous things. His right hand and His holy arm have worked salvation for Him. The Lord has made known His salvation; in the sight of the nations He has revealed His righteousness. My first feeling when reading these verses is somewhat along the line…
Glory to God for All Things
To Walk in the Light
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If we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have communion with one another, and the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin. For a variety of reasons, my thoughts have been drawn increasingly to the imagery within Scripture of darkness and light. It is powerful imagery that, for me, echoes the inner, existential experience of the Christian life. To walk in the light is to walk in…
The Morning Offering
Saturday, August 21 / 8
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(Church Calendar) Saints of the Day August 8 / 21. Afterfeast of the Transfiguration. St. Emilian the Confessor, Bishop of Cyzicus. St. Myron, Bishop of Crete. Martyrs Eleutherius and Leonides of Constantinople, and many infants martyred with them. St. Gregory of Sinai (and Mt. Athos). St. Gregory, iconographer of the Kiev Caves. St. Gregory, Wonderworker of the Kiev Caves. Translation…
Praying in the Rain
The Tongs
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When Jesus’ disciples asked him why he spoke in parables, Jesus did not say so that it would be easy for simple people to understand Him. Actually, Jesus said the opposite. He said, “so that in seeing they may not perceive and in hearing they may not understand.” No wonder I don’t get it. Jesus intentionally spoke so that he would not be easily understood. Perceiving and understanding is not a mere…
Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick
Discerning the One Thing Needful
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Holy Dormition, August 15, 2010 In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, one God. Amen. Silence… is something that our culture wants to avoid at all costs. Some of us look for it on vacation. But on our way to that vacation, we make sure that we’re well insulated with noise, whether it’s blaring from the…
The Morning Offering
Friday, August 20 / 7
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(Church Calendar) Saints of the Day August 7 / 20. Afterfeast of the Transfiguration. Martyr Dometius of Persia and two disciples. Martyrs Marinus the soldier and Asterius the senator at Caesaria in Palestine. St. Poemen (Pimen) the Much-ailing of the Kiev Caves. St. Hor (Horus) of the Thebaid. St. Pimen, faster of the Kiev Caves. Translation of the Relics of…
Praying in the Rain
The Rage Monster, the Cage, the Counter and the Offering
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Most people who know me now would never guess that I have an “anger problem.” At moments of sudden pain or disappointment (i.e. physical or emotional pain), a surge of adrenaline rushes through my body, and with satanic force, a clear picture appears in my mind of something (or someone) to hit, break, throw or kick. In my late teens and twenties I learned to keep the rage monster in its cage. …
Glory to God for All Things
Icons in a Literal World
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I wrote this reflection nearly a year ago. Today I found my mind wandering back to the topic – searching beyond what I could see to what is unseen and yet more real. I have become increasingly convinced that the “literal” world we see is deeply distorted by our own self-deception. It is not a problem with the nature of creation – but rather the distortion of our own falsely constructed existence.…
The Morning Offering
Thursday, August 19 / 6
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(Church Calendar) THE HOLY TRANSFIGURATION OF OUR LORD, GOD, AND SAVIOUR, JESUS CHRIST Saints of the Day August 6 / 19. THE HOLY TRANSFIGURATION OF OUR LORD, GOD AND SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST. St. Theoctistus, Bishop of Chernigov. St. Job the Gorge-dweller on the Mezen River (Solovki). New-Martyrs Dimitry, Archbishop of Gdov (1938) and Priest Nicholas (Prozorov) (1930). Repose of Hieroschemamonk…
Glory to God for All Things
Knowing the Personal God
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The word personal has a commonplace meaning in English. If I have personal knowledge of an event, it means that I was actually there and saw what took place. Personal knowledge of another person, means that we have actually met, spent time together and shared information. Difficulty arises when this commonplace use of the phrase is mistaken for its theological meaning. The word person, is pretty much a Christian invention, or certainly comes to…
Praying in the Rain
Soy on Wednesdays
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It really is a small thing and feels somewhat exaggerated even to call it “fasting.” But it is fasting, it is going without. It is even strict fasting, but it certainly isn’t harsh. A small no. A limit that I do not set but that I submit to. I anticipate it as I wait for the coffee to brew: the sharp taste of soy instead of the smooth sweetness of cream. …
The Morning Offering
Wednesday, August 18 / 5
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(Church Calendar) Saints of the Day August 5 / 18. Forefeast of the Transfiguration. Martyr Eusignius of Antioch. Martyrs Cantidius, Cantidian and Sibelius (Sobel) of Egypt. Martyr Pontius at Cimella in France. Hieromartyrs Fabian and Antherus (Antheros), popes of Rome. Righteous Nonna, mother of St. Gregory the Theologian. Another photo of the Pilgrimage Quote for the Day: “Blessed is he…
Praying in the Rain
A Unique Monastic
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In the Preface to the English edition of St. Nikolai (Velimirovich) of Zica’s Akathist to Jesus Conqueror of Death, the following comment is made: “The foremost calling of a monastic is to be unique–unique in how one witnesses to the risen Christ.” Unique? A monastic? And yet, I have heard this saying before. Those of us not in a monastic setting are deluged from infancy by the presumptions of individualism which drive…
The Morning Offering
Tuesday, August 17 / 4
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(Church Calendar) Saints of the Day August 4 / 17. Holy Seven Youths (the Seven Sleepers) of Ephesus: Maximilian, Jamblicus, Martinian, John, Dionysius, Exacustodian (Constantine), and Antoninus. Martyr Eudocia of Persia. Martyr Eleutherius of Constantinople. New Hieromartyr Cosmas of Aitolia, Equal-to-the-Apostles (also entered at August 24). (Greek Calendar: Martyr Thathuil. Martyr Ia and 9,000 with her.) Photo of the Day…
Glory to God for All Things
The Quiet Work of God
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Now Moses built an altar and called its name The-Lord-My-Refuge; for with a secret hand the Lord wars with Amalek from generation to generation  (Exodus 17:16 LXX). After a number of decades as a Christian pastor, I am convinced that most of what God does in our lives and in our world remains hidden. I have many thoughts as to why this is so – but that it is so, I have…
Praying in the Rain
The Jesus Prayer and Pentecostals
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I ran across a blog this morning by “Orthodox Monk” in which the author recommends that Pentecostals not practice the Jesus Prayer because it may be spiritually dangerous. On the one hand, I agree that practicing the Jesus Prayer is dangerous–for anyone, especially someone who is not under the guidance of a spiritual father who has spent years practicing (himself under the guidance of a spiritual father) the prayer. The greatest danger…
The Morning Offering
Quote for the Day:
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Monday, August 16 / 3 (Church Calendar) Saints of the Day August 3 / 16. Saints Isaac, Dalmatus and Faustus, ascetics of the Dalmatian Monastery at Constantinople. St. Anthony the Roman, abbot of Novgorod. St. Cosmas, eunuch and hermit of Palestine. Holy Myrrhbearer Salome. Martyr Razhden of Georgia. (Greek Calendar: St. John, confessor, an abbot of the Monastery of Patalaria.…
The Morning Offering
Sunday, August 15
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Sunday, August 15 / 2 (Church Calendar) Saints of the Day August 2 / 15. Translation of the Relics of Protomartyr and Archdeacon Stephen [Acts 6:8-7:5, 47-60; Matt 21:33-42]. Translation of the Relics of Righteous Nicodemus, Gamaliel, and Abibus. Blessed Basil of Moscow, fool-for-Christ. Blessed Basil of Kubensk. Hieromartyr Stephen, pope of Rome. St. Marco of Belavinsk (Vologda). St. Friardus…
The Morning Offering
Saturday, August 14 / 1
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(Church Calendar) Procession of the Holy Cross The Monastery’s Patronal Feast of the All-Merciful Saviour Saints of the Day August 1 / 14. Procession of the Precious Wood of the Life-giving Cross of the Lord. Holy Seven Maccabees: Martyrs Abimus, Antoninus, Gurias, Eleazar, Eusabonus, Alimus, and Marcellus their mother Solomonia and their teacher Eleazar. Nine Martyrs of Perge in Pamphylia:…
Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick
Hussedaag
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Some years ago a resident of Emmaus said to the writer in her native dialect [Pennsylvania German], “Heit iss der Hussedaag” (Today is Huss Day). I asked her what that meant. She did not know, but said that they always sowed their turnip seed on that day. Thus did the memory of John Huss, the great pre-Reformation reformer, find a place in our local…
Glory to God for All Things
Right, Wrong and the Image of God
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I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God (Romans 12:1-2). St. Paul calls the Christians in Rome (as he would Christians…
Glory to God for All Things
Restful Beauty
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