Among my less-public duties is that I serve in the Department of Liturgics for the archdiocese in which I serve. I am not a liturgical scholar nor a translator. My job is mainly to help make sure that the English we use is the finest and most appropriate. I am, however, a liturgist in the sense of being a liturgical celebrant at the holy…
Sixth Sunday after Pentecost / Sixth Sunday of Matthew, July 8, 2018 Romans 12:6-14; Matthew 9:1-8 In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, one God. Amen. Today I would like to speak about blessing and cursing. Our epistle reading from Romans 12 ends with this verse: “Bless those who persecute you; bless, and do not curse”…
Ss. Cosmas & Damian of Rome / Fifth Sunday of Matthew, July 1, 2018 1 Corinthians 12:27-13:8; Matthew 8:28-9:1 In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, one God. Amen. What is love? If you grew up when I did, you probably now have that 1993 Haddaway song in your head. But if you don’t know what…
Sunday of All Saints, June 3, 2018 Hebrews 11:33-12:2; Matthew 10:32-33, 37-8; 19:27-30 In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, one God. Amen. This first Sunday after Pentecost is dedicated to the commemoration of all the saints, and so it is commonly called “All Saints Sunday.” So I thought we could spend a little time today…
Sunday of the Samaritan Woman, May 6, 2018 Acts 11:19-30; John 4:5-42 In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, one God. Amen. Christ is risen! Today let us begin by contemplating the meaning of water. The Gospel we read today is focused quite literally on water, in which Jesus meets with the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s…
Sunday of the Paralytic, April 29, 2018 Acts 9:32-42; John 5:1-15 In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, one God. Amen. Christ is risen! Something happened in my life this past week that for years I wasn’t sure would ever happen. And it’s something that hadn’t happened in my life for almost 20 years. On Friday,…
Sunday of the Myrrh-bearers, April 22, 2018 Acts 6:1-7; Mark 15:43-16:8 In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, one God. Amen. Christ is risen! On this third Sunday of Pascha, we are returned mystically to a series of events in Scripture which have to do with the body of the Lord Jesus. This is the Sunday…
Today marks the 20th anniversary of my reception into the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church — the Orthodox Church. I was just 22 years old at the time and still in college (I had something of a “career” in college, accumulating one BA, most of another, and three minors, all while working to support myself). In 1998, April 19 was Pascha, and at…