Articles that I have read about the Russian Church document, “The Present and Future of the Russian World”, have deeply saddened me for that document portrays a Church which has abandoned its Gospel mission in favor of a nationalistic and imperial agenda. That document raises the Gospel question: “For what does it profit a man, to gain the whole world and lose his soul?” (Mark 8:36). The Church is supposed to equip each of its members to “attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ” (Ephesia ..read more

During the first week of Great Lent, and then again on Thursday of the 5th week of Lent, the singing of the Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete is prescribed. Fr Alexander Schmemann comments on the Canon: It is important that we return now to the idea and experience of Lent as a spiritual journey whose purpose is to transfer us from one spiritual state into another. . . . At the commencement of Lent, as its inauguration, as the ‘pitch’ which is to begin the entire ‘melody,’ we find the great penitential Canon of St Andrew of Crete. Divided into four parts, it is read at Great Compline on the ..read more

A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps. (Proverbs 16:9)  Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will be established. (Proverbs 19:21)  One piece of wisdom found in Scriptures, as in the quotes above, can be rephrased as “Man proposes but God disposes.” Or, paraphrasing what poet Robert Burns wrote in 1786, “the best laid plans of mice and men oft go astray.” St James offers us the same idea: Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and get gain ..read more

He who is slow to wrath has great understanding, but he who is impulsive exalts folly.   A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.  (Proverbs 14:29; 15:1) St John Cassian, who reveals in his writings a strong aversion against anger, comments that sometimes we cannot control our annoyance and rage, but we can suppress it so that we don’t openly afflict it on others. Even though suppressing it can be more loving towards others than always venting it, still from a spiritual point of view the rage is in our hearts and is at war with the Holy Spirit. Such hear ..read more

And often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:22-24) The 6th Century Syrian monk now referred to as Pseudo-Macarius comments on belief and doubt: There are some who, even though they have begun to develop a taste for divine things, nevertheless are disturbed and hassled by the adversary, so that ..read more

[Speaking of Jesus, …] they were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well. He makes both the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.” (Mark 7:37) Humans, created in God’s image and likeness, are meant to communicate with one another as well as with God. Being able to communicate means both being able to speak (express oneself) as well as to hear (receive what others are communicating). Christ’s healing the deaf and mute is Christ making these folk more fully human – which means more godlike! Additionally, Christ’s ability to give speech and hearing to people reveal Him as ..read more

In that day the deaf shall hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity and out of darkness. The humble also shall increase their joy in the Lord, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel. (Isaiah 29:18-19) Christians see Isaiah’s prophecy (above) as being fulfilled by Jesus Christ. Two passages from the gospels help us see this: And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well; he even makes the deaf hear and the dumb speak.” (Mark 7:37) And when the men had come to him, they said, “John the Baptist ..read more

During Great Lent, we read and contemplate the Genesis 1-3 accounts regarding the creation of humans and their fall from grace. Below is an interesting thought about God creating humans taken from the novel, The Little Liar, by Mitch Albom. As in the book of Job, there is a divine council which meets with God to discuss creation. “Truth”, personified in the book as one member of God’s council, is the narrator at this point in the novel: When God was about to create Man, He gathered all the top angels to debate the merits of the idea. Should it happen? Yes or no? The Angel of Mercy said ..read more

Then God spoke to Noah and to his sons with him, saying: “And as for Me, behold, I establish My covenant with you and with your descendants after you, and with every living creature that is with you: the birds, the cattle, and every beast of the earth with you, of all that go out of the ark, every beast of the earth. Thus I establish My covenant with you: Never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood; never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.” (Genesis 9:8-11) After the great flood, God made a covenant with Moses in which God pledges never to drown all hu ..read more

With the help of my family, I was able to get outside for the total eclipse of the sun. I was sitting in a transport chair. We had incredibly wonderful weather in Dayton for the eclipse and I was able to take several photos. It was an amazing experience – for me the first time I’ve experienced a total eclipse of the sun. I will say that having experienced a partial eclipse before, a total eclipse is a totally different and totally amazing experience in so many ways that a partial eclipse is not. The above photo shows the First Contact phase of the eclipse. Above: at eclipse totality. Above ..read more