Beyond the Bars
The light of Christ reaches even into prison cells this Christmas
·
Jen became a grandmother at a much younger age than she ever imagined. She felt bitter that a new, unexpected grandbaby would derail her teenage son’s future. When her grandson, Matt, was born at Christmas and she finally had a chance to hold him, her anger faded away. “I looked at him and it melted my heart,” she said. Jen promised to never abandon that little baby. But Matt’s life was not easy and he…
The Word of the Day
Life and Immortality Have Come to Light (Fri. Dec. 24)
·
The word of the day is “immortality.” In today’s reading, we hear Paul proclaim the Gospel that Christ has “brought life and immortality” to light. Our reading of 2 Timothy 1:1-2, 8-18 is a glorious beginning of Paul’s second letter to the young Bishop Timothy of Ephesus. The Orthodox Study Bible notes that according to tradition, this was probably Paul’s last letter before His martyrdom in Rome about 67 AD. Paul himself says that his “departure” from this world is “at hand” (vs. 4:6). Paul begins his letter by recalling that God has both saved us and given us a holy calling (vs. 9). Once again, he sounds his constant theme that salvation has come to the faithful by the “purpose and grace” of God…
Faith Encouraged
Christ IS Born!
·
Tonight’s the night! And my girls are absolutely thrilled to go to bed after Liturgy this evening! Why? Not because it’s bedtime, but because after Liturgy in the morning, we’re going to open presents and eat sweets and generally celebrate! It really is the most wonderful time of the year on many levels! But, for me, it’s the prayers, the liturgy, and the worship that captures my attention and joy. For most…
Living Water
Nativity - The Light in the Darkness
·
Fear of the Dark When I was young, my family took a trip to New Mexico. While there, we toured Carlsbad Caverns. One of the things I remember most about that tour was when the park ranger turned off the lights. There we stood, darkness all around us. In hindsight, the lights were not off for all that long, but it was the first time I had experienced true darkness. No streetlights or moon and stars to give a faint glow. Only emptiness, silence, and the feeling of darkness becoming palpable, real, an entity to itself. I remember thinking that…
Glory to God for All Things
And Honesty for All
·
There are “bogus” Scriptures out there – special “revelations” to various characters (generally self-described as “prophets” and such). They have as a hallmark, a kind of self-promotion and a carefully crafted message to “solve” various religious problems. I’ll not name names lest I wind up on someone’s hit list. I’ll let the reader fill-in the blanks. However, there is something quite striking about the writings of the Bible, both Old and New…
Faith Encouraged
Merry Christmas!
·
Faith Encouraged
Truly Living!
·
“I don’t believe in God.” “OK,” I told him. “Tell me about this god you don’t believe in.” This young man began describing Zeus. You know, a god who is vindictive and angry; who punishes the mortals with the lightning bolts of pain and sorrow. This god tries to control humans through threats and rewards. As the young man kept describing this “god” he didn’t believe in, I discovered I agreed with…
The Word of the Day
Two Kinds of Riches (Thurs, Dec. 23)
·
The word of the day is “rich.” If you are rich, “be rich in good works” (vs. 18). That is Paul’s instruction in today’s reading from 1 Timothy 6:17-21. In this passage, St. Paul closes his epistle with directives for the God-pleasing use of wealth. He says, “Let them [the rich] do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share” (vs. 18). Two Kinds of Riches There are all sorts of riches. There are riches in this present age (vs. 17). These are the riches that many desire (vs. 9), the riches of money (vs. 10), the riches of the haughty (vs. 17), and the riches that many store up for themselves on earth (Luke 12:21). In contrast, there are riches of the age to come (vs. 19). These are the riches of…
Beyond the Bars
An OCPM visit to Pennsylvania Part Two
·
by Niko Petrogeorge Recently, my colleague Fr. Stephen Powley made a pilgrimage to St. Tikhon’s Orthodox Theological Seminary in Pennsylvania. Among the many esteemed staff at St. Tikhon’s is our friend, Fr. John Kowalczyk, who is a chaplain at a nearby prison and also teaches a class on “Foundations of Pastoral Theology” to our seminarians. As part of this class, the seminarians do an internship at the nearby prison, SCI Waymart. The…
No Other Foundation
Does the Orthodox Church Have a Woman Problem?
·
One sometimes hears the assertion that the Orthodox Church has what has been called “a woman problem”. Usually the assertion comes from people (most often women) from other churches who cannot understand Orthodoxy’s refusal to ordain women as pastors and bishops, and attributes this refusal solely to an ingrained and irrational misogyny. Or, as one woman with whom I worked once said, “Your church is very retro!” She said it without venom,…
The Word of the Day
Contentment: a Form of Faith (Wed. Dec. 22)
·
The word of the day is “contentment.” In our reading of 1 Timothy 5:22-6:11, St. Paul continues to instruct the young Bishop Timothy on establishing order in his congregation. Paul especially denounces the troublemakers who think they can earn material benefit from their godliness. Paul says that indeed, “Godliness with contentment is great gain” (vs. 6:5). But it is not the profit that the agitators in Ephesus think it is. The word “gain” in the original Greek comes from the thought of providing for oneself (Strong’s #4200). Thus, it refers to acquiring or gaining possession of something, such as money. Paul notes that the congregation’s troublemakers believe that they can profit materially from their supposed godliness, piety, and devotion (Strong…
Walking an Ancient Path
A Former Protestant Contemplates Mary's Ever-Virginity
·
I watched the soprano in her choir robes reach with the long brass candle lighter to light the taper in the Advent wreath. A golden chain suspended the greenery-covered wheel in the air at the front of the church, its four candles surrounding a larger white one in the middle. I was in high school, and the lighting of the Advent wreath was for me a highlight of church services during…
Faith Encouraged
Are You Content?
·
“You are so blessed!” Those were the words said to the lady who had just gotten a big raise at work! And, it was true. But there is a danger here. In many cultures and even religions, the idea that to be rich is to be favored by God is a popular belief. This notion says that if someone is blessed with great wealth then God has given this wealth to them…
Praying in the Rain
Self-Importance
·
St. Basil the Great, in letter 156, responds to a priest asking for advice and help to resolve a conflict between two parties—we don’t know whom or what the parties are. St. Basil is asked to intervene in person, or at least by a letter. St. Basil’s response to this priest instructs us on the spiritual disease of self-importance (which is what some Fathers refer to as self-esteem). Self-importance is a tricky…
Faith Encouraged
Principles To Treat Everyone Right!
·
“Well, to be fair…” I cringed when I heard these words because I knew what followed was an attempt by the speaker to shut down the discussion. After all, everyone wants “to be fair,” don’t we? Of course, we want to be “fair.” It seems to be an ingrained and foundational “sense” we humans all share. This idea that there should be an equality of treatment no matter who you are is…
The Word of the Day
Safeguarding Church Order (Tues. Dec. 21)
·
The word of the day is “charge.” Today, we read 1 Timothy 5:11-21, and we find that Paul is continuing to instruct the young Bishop Timothy on establishing order and harmony in his congregation. In this passage, Paul continues to recommend policies on sensitive matters that might disrupt the congregation’s life. Among these volatile topics are the treatment of young widows (vs. 11-15), the wages of the elders (presbyters) (vs. 17-18), accusations against elders (vs. 19), and the judgment against elders convicted of open sin (vs. 20). Today, we learn that the apostle’s instructions are not merely recommendations that can be “bent” to the leader’s own interests and purposes. They are unbending commands for the good order of the church.…
Glory to God for All Things
The Danger and Shame of Forgiveness
·
Forgiveness is so terribly hard. On a psychological level, it feels dangerous. The shame engendered by any insult or injury is our experience of vulnerability, and we instinctively react to protect ourselves. That, we must understand, is not a sin, it is an instinct that is a gift from God. The example of Christ, who did not “turn His face from the spitting and the shame,” is also the example of just…
Faith Encouraged
How NOT To Abandon The Faith
·
It seems we Southerners have an “old saying” for everything. When I was in Boston for seminary, a young man from another part of the country asked me “Barnabas, is there a book I can buy with all these Southern sayings in them?” I laughed and told him “No, son, we Southerners guard these sayings very closely!” Of course, there are tons of books out there that recount all our “old sayings.”…
The Word of the Day
A Measure of Piety: The Care of Widows (Mon. Dec. 20)
·
The word for the day is “widow.” In our reading of 1 Timothy 5:1-10, St. Paul gives practical instructions for caring for the widows in Timothy’s congregation who are especially vulnerable. Paul directs that the church should support widows who do not have a family to support them (vs. 3). But the Apostle teaches that “If any widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to show piety at home and to repay their parents…” (vs. 3). Both the Old and New Testaments pay special attention to the plight of widows. In ancient society, most often, women had no means of support besides their husbands. The word “widow” in Greek refers to those women who have suffered loss, are…
The Word of the Day
Not Apart from Us (Sun. Dec. 18, 2021)
·
The word of the day is “faith.” Today’s reading from Hebrews is a memorial of the Old Testament saints who by faith persevered in the hope for the coming of the Messiah, the Christ. In Hebrews 11:9-10, 17-23, 32-40, we read of the faithful witness of those who endured incredible suffering as they firmly clung to God’s promise, a pledge that is now fulfilled in the birth of the Savior. Heroes and Heroines of Faith In today’s passage, the writer of Hebrews names the ancients: Abel, Enoch, and Noah. He recalls the patriarchs: Abraham and Sarah, Isaac, and Jacob. The apostle brings to mind: Joseph, Moses, Joshua, Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets (vs. 11:4-32). Then he recounts the sufferings…
Eastern Christian Insights
Preparing for Christmas Requires the Right Kind of Hope: Homily for the Sunday Before the Nativity of Christ (The Genealogy) in the Orthodox Church
·
Hebrews 11:9-10, 32-40; Matthew 1:1-25 As we enter into our last days of preparation for celebrating our Lord’s Nativity this week, we need to consider what we are hoping for. No, that does not mean focusing on what presents we want to receive or what fine foods we anticipate enjoying for Christmas dinner. It means attending to the long-awaited Savior as we entrust ourselves to Him. In…
Frederica
Anti-Western Bias and Anti-Intellectuallism in American Orthodoxy
·
[12/19/2021] A friend played for me a few minutes of an AFR podcast about “anti-Western” bias among Orthodox. There was a reference to something in one of my books (politely done, without naming me). I messaged the hosts to say that there are two stages, one in which inquirers into…
The Word of the Day
Living by the Law or Living by Faith (Sat. Dec. 18)
·
The word of the day is “faith.” In our reading of Galatians 3:8-12, St. Paul maintains that those whom God counts as righteous do not live by doing works of the Mosaic Law. But, the apostle declares, “The just will live by faith” (vs. 12). Paul’s argument that it is not works but faith that gives life is two-fold. First, the apostle notes that before God gave the Law to Moses, the Almighty gave a universal promise to Abraham. The Almighty pledged that He would bless all the peoples of the world “in Abraham” (vs 8). Thus, the apostle taught that already before Moses, David, or the prophets, inspired scripture foresaw that the Gentiles would receive the fulfillment of the…
A Lamp for Today
Lighting Up the Apocalypse 21: The Woman, the Dragon, and the Child
·
Rev 12:1-6, Deut 1:29-33; Ps 2:7-9, Dan 7:13-14 As we approach chapter 12, which could be called the “inner shrine” of the Apocalypse, it is helpful to remember that our chapter divisions are not part of the originally signaled structure of the biblical books: the chapters were added in about the thirteenth century, and the verses later, in the sixteenth. Though this is convenient for those who want to easily confer on…
Faith Encouraged
Which of Us Is the Greatest?
·
I remember as a boy dreading recess at school. You see, I was a bit of a bookworm and not very athletic, and so when it came to being picked for teams, I was usually the kid who got picked last. Ugh! I hated that. It was embarrassing and it made me feel like a loser! Of course, when report card time came, all the jocks wished they were me! We humans…
The Word of the Day
Training in Godliness (Fri. Dec. 17)
·
The word of the day is “training.” In our reading of 1 Timothy 4:4-8, 16, St. Paul motivates Timothy to train vigorously in piety and holiness. He states, “For bodily exercise profits a little but godliness is profitable for all things…” (vs. 8). In our reading, Paul recommends exercise to combat the depravity that his opponents are fostering through their “old wife’s fables” (vs. 7). The Greek term for “exercise” refers to vigorous training for the Greek games (Strong’s #1128, 62). But the workouts that Paul promotes are spiritual not physical. As professional athletes develop their body, so Paul’s understudy should develop his mind and spirit so that he can rebuff the misleading myths and fables of his challengers. Godliness:…
Every Thought Captive
Analyzing the Hartford Appeal – Part 3
·
It was not too long ago that the “New Atheists” ruled the discourse of religion in the public sphere. The agitations of Richard Dawkins, Daniel Dennet, Christopher Hitchens, and Sam Harris rocked the bookshelves and journals for some time. This was the popularization and revalorization of certain criticisms of the Christian faith that have been with us for some time. Put simply, the God of Christians cannot be good or even believable according to our current understanding of science and morality. Religion must submit to the strictures of the empirical and the parameters of the scientific…
