Archive

The Eleventh Day of Christmas. The Theophany and Healing (Part I)

By Fr. George Morelli [1] “And the Spirit, in the form of a dove, confirmed the truthfulness of His word. O Christ our God, who hast revealed Thyself and hast enlightened the world, glory to Thee!” “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. (Mt 9:12) The Feast of the Theophany of Our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ brings greater understanding of God’s encounter with His Chosen

Human Development in Scripture

It is helpful for us to know about the whole arc of life and where it is tending and leading. Walter Brueggemann, one of my favorite scripture scholars, brilliantly connected the development of the Hebrew Scriptures with the development of human consciousness. Brueggemann says there are three major parts of the Hebrew Scriptures: the Torah, the Prophets, and the Wisdom literature. The Torah, or the first five books, corresponds to the first half of life.

Monday of the Sixth Week of Lent. The Passover in the Old and New Testaments

Since it was the day of Preparation, in order to prevent the bodies from remaining on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who had been crucified with Him; but when they came to Jesus and saw that

The Eleventh Day of Christmas. The Voice in the Wilderness

As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the Prophet, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make His paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth; and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.” -Luke 3: 4-6 (Gospel from

The Invitation of Grace

As I shared earlier this year, the Bible is “a text in travail.” Sometimes the biblical writers catch a glimpse of God’s true character–love, mercy, and justice–and sometimes they lose sight of it. Old Testament scholar and theologian Walter Brueggemann traces the evolution of human consciousness through three sections of Hebrew Scriptures: the Torah (the five books of the Pentateuch), the Prophets, and the Wisdom literature (including Job, the Psalms, Song of Songs, and Ecclesiastes).

Mary-Mother of God (Part I)

GOD’S KENOTIC LOVE St. Paul had grasped the essence of God’s self-giving love as a kenosis, an emptying. That Greek word contains a great mystery for us. God’s outpouring did not begin only on the Cross when He, whose state was divine, did not cling “to His equality with God but emptied Himself to assume the condition of a slave … even to accepting death, death on a cross…” (Ph 2:6-8). God’s kenosis began when

The Great and Holy Friday: On the Lament of the All-Holy Theotokos (Part II)

On the Lament of the All-Holy Theotokos When She Embraced the Precious Body of our Lord Jesus Christ A Homily of our father Among the Saints Symeon the Metaphrast, Archbishop of Thessaloniki (15th Century)  Part II O Mighty One, You manifested such great things in me! You chose me out of every generation! You declared me through the tongues of the Prophets! When You were about to descend from heaven, as You Yourself knew, You

The Fourth Tuesday of Great Lent: When the Mind is Well Disposed & ‘Pray for One Another’

When the Mind is Well Disposed So perhaps Abraham had some priest at his disposal? Some expert? Perhaps he had heard some teaching, some preaching, some wise counsel? But no written documents existed in those days, no Law, no Prophets, nothing of that sort at all. He successfully sailed a sea that was not favourable to him in the slightest. He traversed a road that was impassable, he who came from an idolatrous family. Nevertheless,

Third Day of Christmas Advent, The Christmas Fast and Prophesies

By Presbytera Emily Harakas Christmas, the most wonderful time of the year-wonderful, yes, but probably the busiest! There are so many things to do-especially for the homemaker. The special gift(s) to purchase, the house and tree trimming, the cooking, the baking, the Christmas party and entertainment, the Church Pageant and the caroling … etc., all this wonderful preparation for the most “wonderful time of the year!” During the year, our Orthodox Church observes many fast