The word of the day is “confusion.” Orthodox worship reflects a sense of the sacredness of God and the dignity of persons. It follows an ancient “ordo” or structure with words that stem from St. Basil the Great or St. John Chrysostom in the fourth century. Some might call this reverent and graceful attitude of worship formal and ritualistic. But the stately mood reflects the teaching of today’s reading of 1 Corinthians 14:26-40. In this reading Paul instructs the Corinthians to set their worship in order. We will find Paul advises a serene atmosphere in worship. And that mood reflects the holiness of God who is a God of harmony and peace. The Mood of Pagan Worship Infects the Church…
The word of the day is “understanding.”  Some equate the mystical with the esoteric. They believe that the more incomprehensible the utterance, the more sacred the speech is. This claim is like the boast of those who “spoke in tongues” in the congregation at Corinth.  These troublemakers who could utter strange sounds boasted that they had superior spiritual knowledge. Their speech may have been ecstatic, but it had no message that could be communicated to others. In response to this bragging, in today’s reading of 1 Corinthians 14:6-9, the apostle minimizes the importance of unintelligible speech.  The ecstasy of those who boasted about being carried away into a higher mystical state, did not do anyone else any good, he said.…
The word of the day is “endures.” People these days do not value things that last.  But when the trials of life come, they realize that they have taken the good things of life for granted, and what is valuable has slipped away from them.  Then, they begin to seek something that endures. In today’s reading of 1 Corinthians 13:4-14, Paul answers that quest. It is love. The apostle writes that love “…bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things (vs. 7). The Love God Has for Us and the Love We Share The love that Paul refers to is not the love of romance, friendship, or family.  It is the everlasting love that God has for us and the…
The word of the day is “glory.” The Cross. A symbol of the world’s hatred, yet the sign of God’s infinite love; an image of defeat, yet an emblem of victory.  A sight of shame, yet a vision of glory. Today the Orthodox Church observes one of several feast days that celebrates the cross.  This is the “Feast of the Procession of the Cross.” It dates to the practice of carrying the cross through the streets of Constantinople in early August. August, you see, was a time when the people were especially vulnerable to sickness, like our “flu season.” The cross is our salvation and so it was carried throughout the city with prayers for the safety and healing of…
The word for the day is “speaking.” Even today in our secular world, we hear voices that claim to deliver messages from the divine. How do we know which if any are true? In our reading of 1 Corinthians 11:31-12:6 Paul proposes a test of how we might discern the genuine proclamations of the Word of God from false prophecies. He writes, “Therefore, I make known to you that no one by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit” (vs. 3). We will find that this principle points to a significant difference between true and deceitful prophecies of messages that claim to come from the divine. The Abundance…
The word of the day is “owe.”  In today’s reading of Romans 13:1-10, St. Paul speaks of the believer’s duty to the government. He writes that we are to be subject to its secular authority, for God has appointed it. By it, the Almighty orders the world for its good (Romans 13:1-4). However, elsewhere, St. Paul said that we are citizens of another Kingdom. He wrote in Philippians that “… our citizenship is in heaven” (Phil. 3:20a). And in Ephesians, the Apostle wrote, “Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God” (Eph. 2:19). Today we will answer the question that if we are subjects of the…
The word of the day is “division.” Our world seems hopelessly divided. Many delight in division and profit from polarization. Even the church is divided. Ecclesial denominations maintain and promote the distinctions between Christians. In today’s reading of 1 Corinthians 11:8-22, St. Paul gets to the rotten core of the problems in the congregation at Corinth. The members of the church are divided in mind, behavior, and worship. Their separation from each other is most apparent at the time when they ought to be united. They are separated from each other when they ought to be sharing together in the one Heavenly Bread and one Cup of the Body and Blood of Christ. In response to reports of the divisions Paul expresses his distress, “For…
The word for today is “edify.”  In today’s reading of 1 Corinthians 10:28-11:7, Paul outlines even more ethical principles on the question of whether believers should eat the meat from pagan sacrifices.  Just before our reading, he writes, “All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify” (1 Cor. 10:23).  And in today’s passage, the apostle writes, “Give no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks or the church of God (OSB vs. 32). But how do we decide what is “edifying,” that is, what builds up the faith and love of others and what tears it down? And how can we to determine…
The word of the day is “type.” Sometimes temptation surprises us with a sudden and unexpected assault. At other times, temptation comes upon us so gradually that we hardly notice it at first. In the beginning, the enticement to sin carries us along gently as a hint of desire. But then that passion propels us along more swiftly until we find ourselves in the raging currents of craving. In today’s reading of 1 Corinthians 10:5-12, Paul warns the Corinthians against the complacency of spiritual pride.  They should be watchful lest they get carried away in grievous sins such as lust, idolatry, sexual morality, or complaint against the Almighty.  He writes, “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest…
The word of the day is “motive.” Our motivations are hidden from others and even ourselves. But God knows the secrets of the soul. Thus, St. Maximus the Confessor says that the “Logos” (Jesus Christ who is the Word Incarnate) judges the intentions and thoughts of the heart, that is, the invisible underlying disposition and the motives hidden in the soul” (St.-Maximus-the-Confessor 1981, Kindle Loc 13302). Today in our reading of 1 Corinthians 9:13-18, Paul defends himself against the false accusation that he is proclaiming the gospel for monetary reasons. He answers, “What is my reward then? That when I preach the gospel, I may present the gospel of Christ without charge, that I may not abuse my authority in the…