The first three services of Holy Week in the Orthodox Church are the Bridegroom Services. They began Palm Sunday night and are celebrated on Palm Sunday night, Holy Monday Night, and Holy Tuesday Night. They are actually Matin services, which normally are the morning services of the Church, but on Holy Week the services go topsy turvy, […]
Saint John Climacus on humility
The quote below is from Saint John Climacus: A man who takes pride in natural abilities — I mean cleverness, the ability to learn, skill in reading, good diction, quick grasp, and all such skills as we possess without having to work for them — this man, I say, will never receive the blessings of […]
Oh, how we delude ourselves
The comic above is from my favorite cartoonist Pithless Thoughts. As he says, it is a reprint of a “classic” and classic it is. During this period of Lent, we are called to examine ourselves and to stop deluding ourselves. And it is so easy for me to do that. Every year most Orthodox parishes […]
of whom I am the worst
Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe […]
Vatican plea for change in outlook on the Theotokos
The following quote comes from the UK’s Daily Mail, online edition: … The official newspaper of the Holy See has declared it is time to undo four centuries of church disapproval of traditional representations of Mary as an earthy, fleshy mother doting on her newborn son. … The latest edition of L’Osservatore Romano ran two […]
The primordial sin
I had the opportunity of hearing Father Thomas Hopko speak. He quoted a young seminary student, who is now Metropolitan Jonah of the OCA, who he said wrote a most felicitous phrase in one of his papers. I doubt I can fully quote it correctly, but he said that the phrase was that the primordial […]
Lenten attitude adjustment
A big thank you goes out to M. Thomas for posting a comment on this on her Facebook wall. Let me begin by quoting from an article in the National Catholic Register. I will only quote parts, the full post is well worth reading: I love chant. I love vaulted ceilings. I love stained glass […]
The center of Orthodox piety
I have been thinking about Orthodox basics lately. My mind has roamed from liturgics through catechism through living out the Orthodox Christian life in a practical way (orthopraxy) through Holy Scripture, the Ecumenical Councils, and Holy Tradition (orthodoxy). In fact, I began to realize that my mind has not really been roaming through basics as […]
Prophetic voice and confession – Keith Green
One of the things that has impressed me as I have been remembering Keith Green in a couple of the lasts posts, was the remarkable humility that the man had. You can see it in a song like, “Create In Me a Clean Heart.” The lyrics are: Create in me a clean heart Oh God, and renew […]
Some Orthodox sayings for January 2011
Your enemies have not fallen asleep, and night and day they do not forget to set traps for you. Do not seek after honors, then, so you will not be humiliated to the great joy of your enemies. Seek rather humility. — St. Pachomius the Great (5th C) Do not accept any thoughts of pride suggested […]
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