Source: uncutmountainsupply.com  Dear Parish Faithful, At the Liturgy on Sunday, we heard what must be the shorter epistle reading on our lectionary - I Tim. 1:15-17. Here is that text: "The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. And I am the foremost of sinners; but I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ may display his perfect patience for an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. To the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory ..read more

  Source: blessedmart.com Dear Parish Faithful, The years of our life are threescore and ten, or even by reason of strength fourscore; yet their span is but toil and trouble;  they are soon gone, and we fly away. (Psalm 89/90) I just read an essay entitled, "The Longevity Revolution," by Jonathan Rauch. Actually it is an extended book review of two books: Golden Years: How Americans Invented and Reinvented Old Age, by James Chappel; and The Longevity Imperative: How to Build a Healthier and More Productive Society to Support ..read more

Source: blessedmart.com  Is An Apology Necessary? Dear Parish Faithful, "Go and learn what this means, 'I desire mercy and not sacrifice'." Matt. 9:13 "To be united in a country with so many riches of diversity, we need mercy. We need compassion. We need empathy. And rather than list that as a broad category, as you heard me say, I decided to make an appeal to the president."  Those are the words of Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde in response to president Trump insisting that she apologize to him for publicly pleading with him to show mercy to various marginalized Americ ..read more

Source: orthodoxroad.com  Dear Parish Faithful, Today, January 14, is the Leave-taking of Theophany. We celebrated Great Vespers yesterday evening to commemorate our "farewell" to this glorious Feast. As a complement to the fulsome and festal Liturgy on Sunday, the service yesterday evening was almost kenotic in its simplicity. I would to simply add a short reflection on one of the main themes of the Feast. In the Troparion, sung many times over the course of the last few days, we sing and hear: "When Thou, O Lord, was baptized in the Jordan, the worship of the Trinity was made ..read more

  ‘MAN-MADE’ & NOT ‘MAN-MADE’ DISASTERS “There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you wi ..read more

Source: www.standrewsgreekorthodoxcathedral.co.uk  Dear Parish Faithful, "God is wonderful in His saints, the God of Israel!" Ps. 68:36 I hope that everyone - or nearly everyone - has picked up the new ecclessiastical/church calendar for 2025. If not, there are about 20 copies left in the church hall. Remember to pick one up on Sunday! Such a calendar, in contrast to our "secular" calendar, is probably something new for our inquirers, catechumens and neophytes. My intention is still to spend some time describing the structure of the calendar in an upcoming post-Liturgy ..read more

  WATER BURSTS FORTH IN THE DESERT “Be glad, thirsty desert: let the wilderness exult, and flower as the lily. And the desert places of Jordan shall blossom and rejoice; the glory of Libanus has been given to it, and the honour of Carmel; and my people shall see the glory of the Lord, and the majesty of God. Be strong, weakened hands and feeble knees. Comfort one another, fainthearted ones; be strong, fear not; behold, our God renders judgment, and he will render it; he will come and save us. Then shall the eyes of the blind be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall hear. Then shall ..read more

Source: oca.org   Dear Parish Faithful, I believe that yesterday - January 6 - was the first time in my priesthood that I was unable to serve the Liturgy for Theophany. No sense trying to fight the elements! That means that we have yet to bless the waters for this year. Since Theophany is such a great Feast, that means that the Afterfeast extends until January 14. Therefore, since next Sunday falls within the Afterfeast, we will serve the Great Blessing of the Waters at the close of the Liturgy. In preparation, here is an excellent explanation of that "ancient rite" fro ..read more

  THE LIGHT OF HUMAN BEINGS There’s so much to write about today: It’s New Year’s Day; it’s also the NC (meaning New Calendar and not North Carolina, just so you know)-feasts of The Circumcision of the Lord and St. Basil the Great; it’s the OC day before the Forefeast of Nativity and Holy Martyr Bonifatius; and it’s a Wednesday. All faith-invigorating topics, particularly on New Year’s Day. But I’ll reflect just on the faith-inspiring coincidence that we are beginning this year on a Wednesday, called “the fourth day” in Hebrew and Greek, which signifies the Fourth Day of cr ..read more

Image source: goodfreephotos.com  Dear Parish Faithful, Do You Celebrate the (Civil) New Year? Most of us certainly do, so by anticipation, I hope and pray for a blessed upcoming year of 2025 for one and all in our parish. Personally, I prefer looking forward to a blessed New Year more than a happy New Year. What, by the way, would a "happy" new year look like? I assume something like: Everything works out for us as we hope it all will. Well there is always a "reality check" on such wishes, so whatever may be in store for us (a "cross?") we ..read more