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On the Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets
Read more: On the Foundation of the Apostles and ProphetsNow therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the […]
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The Mystery of the Forerunner
Read more: The Mystery of the ForerunnerThere is a unanimous witness in the Christian gospels concerning the place of St. John the Baptist. In the Orthodox world he is generally referred to as the Forerunner. All of the gospels agree that he plays a key role in the coming of the Messiah. It is a role that is largely ignored by […]
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Life in a Sacramental World
Read more: Life in a Sacramental WorldAt the ordination of a priest, the consecrated Body of Christ is placed in his hands. He is told to “Guard this!” until the coming of Christ. It is a very solemn moment – the beginning of a lifetime in which a man’s relationship to bread will never be the same. It is also something […]
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The Day the Earth Stood Still
Read more: The Day the Earth Stood StillOrthodox Christians (New Calendar) commemorate the death (Dormition) of the Virgin Mary today. For those for whom such feasts are foreign, it is easy to misunderstand what the Orthodox are about – and to assume that this is simply a feast to Mary because we like that sort of thing. Flippant attitudes fail to perceive […]
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The Sacrament of the Heart
Read more: The Sacrament of the HeartScholars of the New Testament occasionally conjecture about what is termed the ipsissima verba of Christ, the “very words themselves.” It is a term for those sayings that are considered historically authentic beyond question. One saying which in my opinion belongs to such a category are the so-called “words of institution” (“this is my body…this […]
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God’s Grandmother
Read more: God’s GrandmotherToday is the patronal feast of my parish, St. Anne. St. Anne (Anna) was the wife of St. Joachim. Joachim and Anna were the parents of the Virgin Mary, according to the early tradition of the Church. In Orthodox commemorations they are referred to as the “ancestors of God.” It is a shocking title, perhaps […]
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Rational Sheep and the Word of God
Read more: Rational Sheep and the Word of GodAny parent who has raised a child has witnessed the miracle of human language. Even children with handicaps find ways to communicate except in the most extreme circumstance. The genius of language is not something we learn – it is instinctual for human beings. Those who study linguistics and neurobiology recognize that we have an […]
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Beauty and the Face of God
Read more: Beauty and the Face of GodEverything is beautiful in a person when he turns toward God, and everything is ugly when it is turned away from God. Fr. Pavel Florensky +++ In thinking about darkness and light – and their role in our apprehension of the truth – I cannot but think about Beauty, which is a primary place in […]
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Unshakeable Reality
Read more: Unshakeable RealityIn his novel, The Great Divorce, C.S. Lewis imagines a bus-load of people who travel from “hell” to “heaven.” Their trip takes them from a place described as “gray,” and ghost-like in its not-so-solid existence. Heaven, on the other hand, is quite solid. The day-trippers find the most immediate difficulty of their journey to be […]
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The Heart of Darkness – the Dawn of Mercy
Read more: The Heart of Darkness – the Dawn of MercyThe Christian faith is not about ideas – it is about things that are. As such, we do not need to cultivate theological systems – we need to know how to live. This also tells us something about darkness. The dangers we face are not found in mistaken ideas – they are found in the […]
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Matthew, I cannot conceive of God having any use for retribution.
Kate, You asked a healthy question – and I’m encouraged by the answer you received. May God give you grace!
Henry, I suspect that the “light” that is off is the “front porch” light, while there are lights in other…
What if someone’s mind snaps? or they’re no longer “there” as it were. Extreme abuse in prison or maybe some…
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Matthew, I very much agree. There is a “purging” taking place–and it is “restorative…all to God’s glory” and our salvation.…