When St. John the Beloved Disciple says, “God is love” (1 John 4:8), he makes it clear that the love he has in mind is “of God” (1 John 4:7). Not all that passes for love is of God, and not all that we humans take for God is love. St. John knows this. And he knows that the […]
The Berrien County Clergy Association consists of Protestant ministers who meet from time to time. I haven’t been free to attend these meetings, but I like to stay connected. Last year during Western Holy Week, I was asked to address that passage in the Gospel of John where Mary Magdalene visits the tomb of Christ. […]
My son Will writes plays. He and I have been talking about the playwright Moss Hart, who maintained (with Aristotle) that “character is destiny”; and we agreed that this is true—certainly when it comes to playwriting. A character in a play is sketched out by the playwright, and his outcome is determined by the playwright. […]
Father Angelo Maggos of the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church of Rochester, NY responds to a recent New York Times article which claims that the Holy Cross is a hot new accessory.
Is it always wrong to doubt? We all have our doubts about many things: the survival of our nation, even of our planet; we doubt our politicians and our leaders; we doubt each other and ourselves. God help us, some non-Orthodox, so-called “Christian theologians” even doubt the physical Resurrection of Christ! And yet we might […]
On April 12, 1961, Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first man thrust into outer space. On returning, he said, “I didn’t see God out there”. The Soviet propaganda machine made much of this. But Gagarin was an Orthodox Christian, and he spoke truly. He didn’t see God out there, and he wouldn’t see God out there—because, as Christ says, “The Kingdom […]
We have received many requests during this Lenten season on how to create an Orthodox Prayer Rope. Dr. Christine Kerxhalli of the Orthodox Christian Devotionals YouTube channel provides a very helpful step-by-step instructional video on how to tie a wool or acrylic yarn Orthodox Christian Prayer Rope with yarn cross and tassel. Within the Orthodox […]
Time always comes up short. We haven’t enough to do all the things we want to do. Our days are numbered, and our number is bound to come up sooner or later. Andrew Marvell is right: “Time’s winged chariot” hurries near regardless. And yet we want to break outby any means. We try to prolong […]
The subject of Tollhouses is certainly not new. This idea has been around since the 2nd century in the writings of Tertullian, Ignatius, and Origen and certainly by the majority of the Holy Fathers of the 3rd – 5th centuries. It is told that the blessed Theodora of Constantinople in the 10th century when she […]
Abbess Thaisia (+1915) was a spiritual mother to Holy Russia and spiritual daughter of St. John Kronstadt (+1909). In the first of her Letters to a Beginner, she talks about “the first condition of our salvation”: Here is the word: Strive to love everyone! The commandment is not difficult but is proper to our very nature…If […]
