Faith Encouraged
TODAY You Are My Son!
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It’s time to insist on some heavy theology today. It’s time to stop playing around with this Orthodox Faith as some Christmas toy! So, let’s buckle our proverbial seat beats and do some soul stretching theological work out! Jesus Christ is 100% God and, at the very same time 100% Man. As St. Basil declares “What is not assumed is not healed.” This powerful identity of Jesus Christ is at the very…
Word of the Day
A Different Kind of Kingdom (Thurs. Dec. 24)
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Christ is born! Glorify Him! The word of the day is “kingdom.” On the eve of the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus Christ, we hear of the identity of the child to be born and the significance of His birth. As our reading of Hebrews 1:1-12 begins, the apostle argues that the angels may be magnificent. But the divine Son of God is greater than the most stupendous angel.  Through Him, the worlds were made. He was His Reign is Forever the agent of the Creator who laid the foundations of the earth. In Him, the brightness of God’s glory shines.  With Him, there is no change or alteration. On Him, God has poured the anointing oil of kingship,…
The Morning Offering
In Our Aloneness We Have Each Other
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No forced separation in this world can separate us from the Body of Christ In our moments of loneliness and despondency, we are together. We are together in our celebration of life, and even in our death. When we seem so alone, we are together, for in Christ we are One Body. This pandemic lockdown only seems to be separating…
Behind the Scenes
An Ancient Faith Family Christmas Letter
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Blessed Nativity! In the spirit of those family Christmas letters your relatives send, recounting adventures they’ve had since last Christmas, we’re delighted to bring you this round up of news from our content contributors. We have been blessed and delighted by what our people have accomplished. Not only are they overcoming difficult circumstances in their own lives, but they are actively working to encourage and edify others through their work. Glory to…
No Other Foundation
Christmas and the Humility of Yahweh
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To really appreciate and understand the Old Testament, one needs to place it in the religious and cultural context of the Ancient Near East. Having done this, one can then see how much the Old Testament shares with that world and also how much it differs. Take, for example, the Tabernacle that Yahweh commanded Moses to construct, the house and shrine where He would dwell in the midst of His people. The…
Faith Encouraged
Time To Graduate From Kindergarten!
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They say “Christmas is for kids” and that is an intoxicating lie, but ONLY if we resign ourselves to not growing up in our Universe Changing Orthodox Faith. It is a particular temptation in our increasingly secular society where it seems everything in the public realm is reduced to sentimentality and all about our “feelings.” But that perpetual kindergarten mentality only guarantees a childish life instead of the robust and profound life…
Word of the Day
Spiritual Growth Requires Solid Food (Wed. Dec. 23)
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The word of the day is “solid.” Today, our reading of Hebrews 5:11-6:8 emphasizes the necessity that everyone should continue to grow in faith and the knowledge of the faith. The apostle writes, “Therefore leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation…” (vs. 6:1). As this passage begins, the apostle notes that there is much more to say about the High Priest Melchizedek. Yet, he gives up trying to explain it because he complains that his readers have become “dull of hearing” (vs. 11). The  Greek word that the apostle uses means sluggish (Strong’s #3576, 174). They have become slothful in their comprehension of the teachings of the…
The Morning Offering
The Christ-centered Family
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Good parenting and the Orthodox Christian Home Any good parent knows that he must love all his children equally. No favoritism should be displayed when raising children if we want them to know they are loved. Troubled children often get more attention from loving parents because mom and dad know this child is in greater need of parental support. One…
Beyond the Bars
Christ is Born! Glorify Him!
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Glory to God for All Things
Being Found by God
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I was flying into Denver a year or so back to speak at a conference. Seated next to me on the plane was a very well-dressed Muslim woman, who looked quite professional in her outfit and her demeanor. About 45 minutes away from landing, she turned to me and spoke: “Are you a Christian priest?” I was wearing my cassock. “Yes,” I responded. “I have never met a Christian before,” she said.…
Word of the Day
The Doors Are Open: Let Us Enter (Tues. Dec. 22)
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The word of the is day is “rest.”  In our reading of Hebrews 4:1-13, we hear that the doors of God’s offer of “heavenly rest” remain open to us. Therefore, we should not pass by the opportunity. But we should mix the hearing of the Gospel of hope with faith in its promise lest we lose that heavenly calling. Think what our Heavenly Father offers us in the proclamation of the apostle. It is the rest of divine help in trial and temptation now and the greater rest of glory and relief from our labors in the age to come.  It is the precious  “heavenly calling” (vs. 3:1) that as the Creator rested from his works on the first Sabbath,…
Faith Encouraged
How Did You React to The News?
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The news struck me as wonderful, but my friend looked at m with surprise when I reacted with a smile and “congratulations” at him telling me that the company he worked for was letting him go. He seemed to be genuinely amazed that I was actually happy for him. You see, the company he worked for some time was now notorious as a dysfunctional corporate culture with swirling rumors of misappropriation of…
The Morning Offering
The Limits of Human Reason
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The limits of human reason and the knowledge of God There is the seen, and there is the unseen, the material and the immaterial. That which is material can be scientifically examined and experienced, the immaterial can only be seen and experienced spiritually. These are two worlds that are only seemingly at odds with one another. If you attempt to…
A Healing Driven Life
Resolving the Unmerciful Heart
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Most of us at one time or another in our life have struggled with forgiveness. Most often this was in the form of forgiving someone else. Perhaps it was a specific incident that occurred with a specific person, group, or even a community. Some of us might find that our struggle in forgiving was largely tied to that specific incident and that we generally do okay being a forgiving person. However, some of us may begin to sense or notice that we chronically struggle to forgive others. We might notice that we have a chronic unmerciful disposition. It is not just one person or the sporadic incident with which we struggle, the struggle to be merciful and forgive is chronic…
Faith Encouraged
A National Virtual Young Adult Conference!
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I am honored to be one of the speakers at this YAL Conference next month. And the GOOD NEWS is it’s no cost AND you can register from anywhere to participate! My topic is Maintaining Connection amidst Social Distancing. Some of the other speakers are people you know and respect. Just look at this line-up! Steven Christoforou, Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministries, Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America Dr. Ann Bezerrides,…
Faith Encouraged
In The Home Stretch
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We’re in the Home Stretch for our End-Of-Year Fundraising goal. We’ve had over $3800 come in so far toward our $5000 goal and we have 10 more days until the New Year. I wanted to personally thank everyone who has participated in this annual effort. The monthly support through our Patreon supporters and the onetime gifts we’ve received through our PayPal and FaceBook donations make it possible for us to pay for…
Faith Encouraged
Your ETERNAL Home
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“Home is where the heart is.” “There’s no place like home.” “I’ll be home for Christmas.” OK, this could go on all day. It seems we humans have an attachment to “home.” Even the word itself conjures up images, feelings, and nostalgia. But what is “home?” Why all this human focus on such a notion? I’m convinced it’s because we were made for a true home and our human heart automatically desires…
Word of the Day
To Soften the Heart (Mon. Dec. 21)
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The word for today is “harden.” In Hebrews 3:5-11, 17-19, we read of the apostle’s urgent plea that we should “hold fast our confidence” (3:6 and 3:14) and not “harden our hearts.” We should not falter lest we should forfeit our heavenly calling (vs. 3:10). The apostle quotes the psalmist who recounts the rebellion of the Children of Israel in the wilderness (Psalm 95:8-11).  The psalm referred to the incident of “rebellion” when the Israelites “provoked” the Lord (Strong’s #4894, 191) and “tested” Him. They “challenged him to prove Himself” (Strong’s #3986, 196).  Because of the people’s contempt and Moses’ disobedience, God vowed that Moses would not bring the people into the Promised Land (Numbers 20:12). Entering into God’s Rest…
Nearly Orthodox
Glorify Him!
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Word of the Day
Not Apart from Us (Sun. Dec.20)
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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, Jacob. The apostle brings to mind: Joseph, Moses, Joshua, deon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets  (vs. 11:4-32). Then he recounts…
The Morning Offering
The Christian Family
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And the importance of the Domestic Church The recent storms hitting the Midwest and East Coast of the United States, have resulted in power outages that have left millions of homes without power, with thousands still waiting for their power to be restored. In an age when most depend on electricity for warmth, light, and cooking, these outages are particularly…
Eastern Christian Insights
We May All Find Our Place in the Living Family Tree of the Messiah: Homily for the First Day of the Forefeast of and Sunday Before the Nativity of Christ (The Genealogy) in the Orthodox Church
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Hebrews 11:9-10, 32-40; Matthew 1:1-25      Today begins the forefeast of our Lord’s Nativity, the final period of preparation for the great feast of Christmas.  A few weeks ago, we celebrated the Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple, which shows us what the entire season of Advent is about. From now through December 25, we must refuse to be distracted from following her example of getting ready…
Every Thought Captive
Orthodoxy and Neo-Calvinist Social Thought
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And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.” Matthew 28:18 Who said it? “The man of faith acts, not as one endowed with free will, but as a beast that is led by the will of God.” Martin Luther? John Calvin? No, the answer is St. Peter of Damascus, from the Philokalia. He goes on to pray, “Do what Thou wilt to Thy creature; for I believe that, being good, Thou bestowest blessings on me, even if I…
Praying in the Rain
How (not) To Change A Corrupt World
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The Prophet Samuel was one of the holiest prophets of the Old Testament. But what I find most interesting is that Samuel grew to be a holy prophet while living in the midst of a very corrupt religious and political context. Samuel’s holy mother, Hannah, was barren. But God heard her prayer after many years and much humiliation. God gave her a son, and at the age of three, Hannah gave her…
Word of the Day
The Riches of Our Inheritance (Sat. Dec. 19)
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The word of the day is “inheritance.” In today’s reading of Ephesians 1:16-23, St. Paul speaks of the inheritance that is in store for all the faithful. He tells the Ephesians that he prays that “the eyes of your understanding being enlightened, that you may know… what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints” (vs.18). Paul begins his letter with the assurance of the birthright of the faithful. He writes, “In Him we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will” (Ephesians 1:11). Yet Paul considers that it is not enough for the faithful to believe that they have a…
The Whole Counsel Blog
Zealotry and the Priesthood
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The priesthood was, in the Old Testament, generally seized in its initial stages by force. It comes as a reward for manslaughter. This is a simple fact that confronts any careful reader of the Old Testament in general and the Torah in particular. This truth produced an entire tradition of zealotry within the Old Testament that continued into the New Testament period. Simply defined, zealotry in this context is the idea that acts of violence, even the killing of other human persons, are not only allowed but required in defense of that which is holy and pure. This idea has been (wrongly) appealed to and applied throughout Christian history to defend everything from the inquisition to the crusades to witch-hunting. …
The Morning Offering
Darkness and Light
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The Light of Christ dispels the darkness In many of my writings I have shared the joy and healing that is to be found within the walls of the Orthodox Church, and the depth of an encounter with Christ that brings about transformation, and the restoration of the human heart as God meant it to be. The mixture of anger…
