The Word of the Day
Delivered from the Law: A Life Free of Condemnation (Mon. June 27)
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The word for today is “delivered.” Have you kept God’s law? You might ask, “What do you mean by God’s law.” We would add that if we are speaking of the Law of Moses, then we have not tried to keep it. But if we are speaking of the Ten Commandments, then we have to admit that we have broken them in spirit as well as deed. But do we feel regret and remorse for our failures to do God’s will? Today we read in Romans 7:1-13 that “we have been delivered from the law” (OSB vs. 6). Paul says that we have died to the law so that we should serve [God] in the newness of the Spirit (Romans…
Remembering Sion
The Missionary Life of Prayer
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One week ago we celebrated the Feast of All Saints on the first Sunday after Pentecost, noetically beholding the sanctification of mankind that has been continuously underway for two thousand years through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Now, on the second Sunday after Pentecost, we celebrate the feast of all the saints of the Local Church of which we are a part. Although all of us are Americans — and our…
The Word of the Day
Mission Work Is In Our Blood (Sun. June 26)
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The word of the day is “partiality.” On this the Second Sunday after Pentecost, we commemorate “All Saints of North America.” The word for today is “partiality.” As we honor the saints of our land, it is appropriate that we read from Romans 2:10-16 that “there is no partiality with God” (Romans 2:11). St. Paul’s point is that the Almighty God will judge each person according to his or her deeds (Romans 2:6). Whether one is a Jew who knows the Law of God or a Gentile who does not, one will be judged by the same standards. The dividing line is whether one does good or evil. Therefore, in God’s eyes, the divisions among human beings make no difference.…
Eastern Christian Insights
We Have Everything We Need to Obey Christ's Call to "Follow Me": Homily for the Second Sunday After Pentecost and the Second Sunday of Matthew in the Orthodox Church
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Romans 2:10-16; Matthew 4:18-23            There is a clear logic to the feasts and commemorations of the Church during this time of year.  Celebrating the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost is followed by the Sunday of All Saints, for all who fulfill the basic human vocation to become like God in holiness do so by the transforming power of the Holy Spirit within their hearts. Pentecost and All Saints remind us…
The Word of the Day
In What or In Whom Do We Trust? (Sat. June 25)
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The word for today is “faith.” Our currency announces, “In God We Trust.” Do “we”? And what is “our” conception of God who is the object of our trust? Today we emphasize that the One who has earned our trust is the Lord Jesus Christ. Our study will suggest that if we put our faith in anything else (the Mosaic Law, our education, our abilities, our cultural or ethnic background, even our fate), then the Cross will be meaningless to us. In this passage from Romans 3:19-26, we hear that in Christ, the righteousness of God is manifest “apart from the Law” (Romans 3:21). This is the righteousness that is freely given “by faith to those who “believe” (Galatians 3:22).…
Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick
A Historic Day for Life
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Faith Encouraged
A Priority Check! Are You Paying Attention?
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OK, I’ll come clean. I really have a hard time really paying attention. Oh, I can keep attention for a while, but, inevitably, my strength gives out and I’m distracted by my pain, or expectations, or even my hopes. My attention is pulled in a million different directions by a world and the passions that want me to focus only on them. And I give in to that temptation too much! No…
The Word of the Day
What Lies Beneath Human Sinfulness? Two Contrasting Views (Fri. June 24)
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The word of the day is “death.” What is at the bottom of human sinfulness? The Western church answers unequivocally, “original sin.” Attributed to Augustine (354-430 AD), this doctrine holds that the sin of Adam and Eve infected human nature with incurable sinfulness. Since the Garden, the guilt of Adam has been passed down throughout the human race. Thus, in today’s reading of Romans 15:17-6:2, we read, “Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin…” (OSB Romans 5:13). Yet this answer to the origin of sin depends on the translation and the perspective that accompanies it. Today we will sketch out the Eastern counter view to the Western teaching of how the sin of Adam affected humans. Yesterday, we read that…
Rethinking Sacrifice
Discussion Questions for Welcoming Gifts
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In response to a request, I’ve put together some discussion questions for groups reading through my book Welcoming Gifts: Sacrifice in the Bible and Christian Life. Individuals reading the book might also find them helpful for reflection along the way. These are in addition to general questions like, “What did you find interesting or helpful in this chapter?” “What was confusing?” etc. Chapter 1: “Our Cloud Was Their Silver Lining” How have you used…
Faith Encouraged
Peace in The Middle of the Storm
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What struck me was his strong, silent presence even in the face of chaos and tragedy. Here we were, dealing with the human tragedy and destruction in the aftermath of a hurricane. We were there as clergy to help people. We were moving through the American Red Cross “tent city.” It was set up to hold hundreds of displaced people and we were there as IOCC Frontliners, the First Responders ministry of…
The Word of the Day
Who Needed to be Reconciled? God or Humankind? (Thurs. June 23)
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The word of the day is “reconciled.” It is possible to find those who consider themselves enemies of God. But most people would deny it. Instead, many may admit that “God” does not mean much to them. They harbor no ill will toward God as long as He does not interfere with their lives.  Today in our reading of Romans 5:1-10, Paul writes that “If when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son…” (OSB Romans 5:10). Today we will explore what it means to be an enemy of God. From this study, we can gain a deeper appreciation of our reconciliation with God. One question sets the direction of our thought. Paul charges…
Glory to God for All Things
Healing the Soul and Unbelief
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I have long been convinced that “believing” is grounded in something other than intellectual activity. I am simply unimpressed by most of the intellectual arguments that I see regarding both belief and unbelief. In both, I hear so much that is unspoken, and even much that is likely hidden from the speakers themselves. That being the case (if I am right), then conversations about belief require great patience and not a little…
Walking an Ancient Path
Understanding the Ever-Changing Apostles Fast
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This week we have entered one of the least known and possibly most widely ignored fasting seasons of the Orthodox Church: the Apostles Fast. It began on Monday. If you forgot about it, you’re probably not alone. Unless your priest and your church bulletin reminded you, nothing in our society signals us that another fasting season has arrived. One of the difficulties with the Apostles Fast is that its duration varies widely.…
Faith Encouraged
To Know Him Is To Become LIKE Him!
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“Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him, Horatio; a fellow of infinite jest, of most excellent fancy; he hath borne me on his back a thousand times; and now, how abhorred in my imagination it is! My gorge rims at it. Here hung those lips that I have kissed I know not how oft. Where be your gibes now? Your gambols? Your songs? Your flashes of merriment, that were wont to set the…
The Word of the Day
How Are We Saved? The Importance of the Words We Use (Wed. June 22)
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The word of the day is “imputed.” How can we put the meaning of our salvation into words? As God’s mercy is infinite, so his work of salvation is beyond human comprehension. Today in our reading of Romans 4:13-25, we find Paul’s understanding of what the Lord has done for our salvation. He writes, Abraham’s faith was “accounted to him for righteousness. Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead…” (OSB vs. 22-24). Today, we will study the words Paul uses to describe how we become righteous before God. We…
Remembering Sion
The Forgotten Virtue of Stability
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When people think about the vows that a monk or a nun takes before God (if they think about such things at all), three likely come to mind: chastity, poverty, and obedience. Such vows are quite striking, since in the modern world these three things are no longer generally considered to be virtues common to the life of all Christians, exemplified in monasticism chiefly by the degree to which they are put…
Faith Encouraged
Fr. Barnabas Powell - Why A Pentecostal Became Orthodox
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I recently enjoyed being on the “According to John” podcast. If you have friends who are interested in Orthodoxy, this might be a good video to send them. Hope you enjoy it and I pray you’ll share it too! “In this interview, you will hear Father Barnabas Powell speak about his faith journey, from being a Protestant pastor to an Orthodox priest. It was a journey that affected other families, involving historical…
Faith Encouraged
Developing The Discernment to Spot the Wolves!
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Marketing experts expect U.S. companies to spend over 200 BILLION dollars on advertising and marketing this year. While TV advertising is still number one in marketing dollars, online ads are gaining ground, with the mobile ads now appearing on the phone screens of Americans gaining the most ground. And do you know why American companies will spend this much money on advertising? Because it works! In fact, something horrible happens when you…
The Word of the Day
God’s Mercy Surpasses His Justice (Tues. June 21)
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The word of the day is “accounted.”  When we hear that God “accounts” faith as righteousness, we are likely to think of our salvation in terms of a law court. And if we use this metaphor for understanding the work of Christ for our justification, we may think of it as a legal acquittal of the debt we owe God for our sins. Today we reconsider what Paul means when he says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him as righteousness” (OSB 4:3). We will present a contrasting view to the usual emphasis on justice. This perspective stresses the mercy of God, His active benevolence that brings us into a restored relationship with Him. In today’s reading of…
Shepherding our Little Flock
Summertime Vigilance
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Summer is officially here. We spent a beautiful first week of summer break – lazing around reading-aloud on a picnic blanket in the sun, building complicated tunnel and bridge creations in the sand box and a lovely road trip to visit one of my oldest and closest Orthodox friends and her children. Letting down first from the rigor of Lent and then from the business of the school year is a beautiful…
Faith Encouraged
Loving Rightly - A Cosmic Invitation
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On this Sunday of All Saints in our Orthodox calendar, we are confronted by the stark beauty of the “friends of God” and how they loved God first in their lives. All other priorities are AFTER my love for God. Jesus, Himself, says a disturbing truth when He declares that I must love Him more than my mother, and if I don’t love Him more than my mother I cannot be His…
No Other Foundation
Gregory of Nazianzus: the Cappadocian and the Creed
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Everyone once in a while one finds a book that is illuminating, easy and fun to read, opens doors, and leaves you larger than you were before. Fr. John McGuckin’s St. Gregory of Nazianzus: An Intellectual Biography is such a book. I read it before (it was published by SVS Press in 2001) and I recently re-read it. It is (if he will forgive the comparison) like re-watching Bogey’s Casablanca—McGuckin’s St. Gregory…
Faith Encouraged
"No" Makes "Yes" Possible!
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So, I’ve been doing something called “intermittent fasting” to help with the battle of the bulge! My doctor recommended I try it and it has really helped me. But, surprisingly, the biggest help hasn’t been the weight loss! Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad about that. No, the biggest change for the better is how this discipline has made me more attentive to my food choices and portion size! Imagine that, Fasting…
The Word of the Day
God Is Not to Blame for Human Fault (Mon. June 20)
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The word of the day is “blame.” Today’s reading from Romans 2:28-3:18 involves us in Paul’s complex discussion about the rejection of many Jews to the Gospel. The question is who is to blame for the unfaithfulness of the Jews? God had given them his “oracles,” that is, His words (Strong’s 3051, 152). In these messages, the Almighty had shown them special favor. St. John Chrysostom says that “the honor that God treated them was so great that even when He saw what would come thereof, He withheld not His goodwill toward them” (NfPf1:11, 373). Thus, God’s forbearance demonstrated His faithfulness. Unbelief Does not Nullify the Faithfulness of God Yet, according to Chrysostom, the Jews “made the honors bestowed on…
The Word of the Day
Wondrous In His Saints (Sun. June 19)
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The word for today is “wondrous.” Today on All Saints Sunday we commemorate the saints who have gone before us. And during Matins (Morning Prayer), we sing “God is wondrous in His saints.”[i] From a worldly viewpoint, we might ask what is “wondrous” about the trials of the saints? What is so glorious about the suffering that we read about in today’s reading of Hebrews 11:33-12:2? Our commentary will explain how the saints are wonderful as they give glory to God. The Glories of the Saints In this well-known passage from Hebrews 11, the apostle recounts the astounding examples of the saints of the Old Testament. Through faith these holy ones subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths…
The Word of the Day
Blessings Multiplied by Meeting Together (June 18)
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The word of the day is “mutual.” It is hard to explain to non-church goers how much of a privilege it is to worship together with our fellow members of the Body of Christ. Perhaps, Paul’s example can help us explain. In today’s reading of Romans 1:7-12, Paul expresses his eager hope to meet in person with the believers in Rome. We learn from him that mutual encouragement is one of the most precious blessings of joining with others in worship, study, and fellowship. Today’s passage takes us back to the beginning of the Epistle to the Romans. To begin his letter, St. Paul introduces himself as a servant of Christ and an apostle. Then he addresses the faithful in…
A Lamp for Today
Lighting Up the Apocalypse 30: Dark Mystery, the Dirty Deal, and Double-Dealing
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Rev 17; Jeremiah 51:6-10 Most of the mysteries unveiled in the Apocalypse have to do with God’s glory, worship in heaven, the Lion-Lamb, and the Church who is the Bride of Christ. However, the curtain is also drawn back so that we can see something we might prefer to ignore: the dark “mystery” of Babylon, that woman-city who opposes God, in league with the scarlet beast, and seducing the mighty of this…
