The word of the day is “creature.” As we end one year and begin another, we might consider the nature of the material world in which we live. Yes, we live in the hope of a “better country,” our eternal inheritance.  But the material world, though subject to corruption, is not evil. In our reading of 1 Timothy 3:14-4:5, St. Paul writes, “For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving. For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer” (vs. 4). The Law of Moses divided food and drink into qualities of “clean” and “unclean” as if they were intrinsically good or bad. But the Lord said, “Not…
The word of the day is “food.”  Today on Meatfare Sunday, we eliminate meat from our diets as we ramp up for the Lenten Fast.  But dairy products are allowed until next Sunday, Cheesefare Sunday. These prescriptions of Orthodox tradition might give us the wrong impression.  We might think that the focus of fasting should be on the abstinence from certain foods.  But if this is our emphasis in Lent, we should reread Paul’s words in our reading of 1 Cor. 8:8-9:2. The apostle writes, “But food does not commend us to God; for neither if we eat are we the better, nor if we do not eat are we the worse” (vs. 8). From the Lord’s teaching, we should…
The word of the day is “food.” Today on Meatfae Sunday, we eliminate meat from our diets as we ramp up for the Lenten Fast.   But dairy products are allowed until next Sunday, Cheesefare Sunday. These prescriptions of Orthodox tradition might give us the wrong impression.  We might think that the focus of fasting should be on the abstinence from special foods. But if this is our emphasis in Lent, we should reread Paul’s words in our reading of 1 Cor. 8:8-9:2. The apostle writes, “But food does not commend us to God; for neither if we eat are we the better, nor if we do not eat are we the worse” (vs. 8).  From the Lord’s teaching, we should…