There are three great themes of Christ’s manifestation which are played out over the Epiphany season: the coming and worship of the Gentile Magi, the baptism of Jesus with the manifestation of the Holy Trinity, and the first sign at Cana in which water is turned to wine. Today we deal with the second, Jesus’ baptism, as recorded so succinctly in St. Mark’s Gospel.
Continue reading “Reflections on the Second Sunday after Epiphany”Reflections on the Sunday in the Octave of the Epiphany
Proverbs 8 speaks of the Wisdom of God – the excellency, nature, power, riches and eternity of Wisdom. It is something to be desired above all else. And we know that the wisdom of God is generally opposed to what men call wisdom. St. Paul waxes eloquently about this in 1st Corinthians 1:19-25 and 2:6-10. How is this wisdom acquired? How do we enter into this wisdom? This is the theme of Romans 12…
Continue reading “Reflections on the Sunday in the Octave of the Epiphany”Reflections on the Sunday in the Octave of the Nativity of Our Lord
This Sunday falls in the middle of the 12 Days of Christmas, and nearly at the end of the secular year, and that ending is often a time of reflection on the past and a looking with hope to the future. With a slightly greater perspective, we might reflect on the state of religion in America. In just the past few decades, its face has changed rather radically. A recent article reported that “post-modernist” Americans, if they are looking for religion at all, want it on very individualistic terms.
Continue reading “Reflections on the Sunday in the Octave of the Nativity of Our Lord”Reflections on the Nativity of Our Lord
The Son of God was incarnate for two primary purposes: first, to conquer death on our behalf and grant us an entrance into the kingdom of light, and to manifest & restore the image and likeness in which we were created through the great Atonement for sin.
Continue reading “Reflections on the Nativity of Our Lord”Reflections on the Fourth Sunday in Advent
“Make straight the way of the Lord”
For us Orthodox, the spiritual work is almost entirely the inner work of the purification and illumination by God of our hearts. We make straight the way of the Lord within, that we may walk in it without. This infinite universe within us is not always easy to find, but by faith and discipline and perseverance, it will open to us. Our spiritual fathers and masters of prayer have taught us as much. Theology is a matter of prayer, not intellectual exercise:
“Seek the answer in God’s grace, not in doctrine; in the longing of the will, not in understanding; in the sighs of prayer, not in research; Seek the bridegroom, not the teacher.” Bonaventure
Continue reading “Reflections on the Fourth Sunday in Advent”Reflections on the Second Sunday in Advent
[I am indebted to Fr. Patrick Henry Reardon for many of the remarks on the Revelation to John from his new book Revelation – a Liturgical Prophecy]
In Advent we look to the first and second comings of our Lord simultaneously. We look at past and future to shape our present – to fashion our way of life.
Our daily office readings reflect this perspective, as we read Genesis to look at our distant past, I Kings to reflect on the later monarchical history of Israel, Mark’s Gospel to focus on our Lord’s first coming to us, and the Revelation to John which looks both at his present and ahead to the end of the ages. In our Gospel for today, Jesus points to the future in the sort of language we associate with the Revelation – apocalyptic – unveiling.
Continue reading “Reflections on the Second Sunday in Advent”Reflections on Pilgrimage to Holy Britain (and Iceland) – Part 2
Rising above the river Wear is Durham Cathedral (a World Heritage site and according to Bill Bryson, “the best cathedral on planet earth”). On our last trip to England in 2005, we trained up to Durham, but in order to make our other commitments and schedules, it left only an hour and a half to see the Cathedral. We weren’t going to make the same miscalculation this time! As soon as we plunked down our bags, we headed for the cathedral and venerated the relics of St. Bede in the Galilee Chapel (and were allowed to offer very quiet prayers) and then venerated the relics of St. Cuthbert (and likely the head of St. Oswald and possibly relics of St. Aidan) in the shrine behind the High Altar – silence paramount – no vocal prayers allowed. Continue reading “Reflections on Pilgrimage to Holy Britain (and Iceland) – Part 2”
Reflections on Pilgrimage to Holy Britain (and Iceland) – Part 1
My little pilgrim, Peregrine, (did you know there were pilgrim action figures?) which my wife bought me in France last year, accompanied us on our journey to the holy places of Great Britain. Here I must stop, even before I begin, to give a little of the backstory of this pilgrimage. Continue reading “Reflections on Pilgrimage to Holy Britain (and Iceland) – Part 1”
Reflections on the Eleventh Sunday after Trinity
Humility is the subject of today’s Gospel and Epistle. It is not always an easy virtue to define. But it is the preeminent one according to all the spiritual writers of our tradition. Continue reading “Reflections on the Eleventh Sunday after Trinity”
Pilgrimage!
On August 19, my wife, Kh. Helen (Nancy) and I will be departing, Lord willing, for a pilgrimage to the holy islands of Iona and Lindisfarne, and points in between, with our friends Fr. Nicholas Alford and Kh. Becky. I won’t be posting during that time, as I hope to be as far away from a computer as possible. I do hope to record some reflections on the journey, which I will share after our return (September 3). May God grant us a safe journey.