June 21/ July 4 2009. 4th Saturday after Pentecost Harsh is death, yet, when thou didst unite Thyself to it, having become divinely hypostatic though the Virgin, Thou didst destroy it. Blessed art Thou, O Lord, the God of our Fathers. (Sunday, Tone 3, Matins Canon to the Theotokos, Ode 7, Sticheron 2) … Continue reading Moments of Clarity. Many feelings. The importance of evening services. The easy way to be an Evangelist. We need quantity in order to obtain quality.
Category: Pastoral Journal
To the Jew first, and also to the Gentile. Freely you have received, freely give. Hunters for humility.
Matthew 10:5-7 These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: 6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. (Matthew 10:5-6) Why did Jesus send his disciples to the Jews, and… Continue reading To the Jew first, and also to the Gentile. Freely you have received, freely give. Hunters for humility.
Freely ye have received, freely give. A fundamental principal of priestly ministry
Simony. Almsgiving. A great privilege. The multitudes and the pastoral heart. Laborers. 3rd Monday after Pentecost. http://www.orthodox.net/journal/2009-06-21.htm http://www.orthodox.net/journal/2009-06-21.doc A fundamental principle of the priestly ministry is contained here: “freely ye have received, freely give.” (Matthew 10:8) Actually, this is a fundamental principle of the Christian life, and therefore even more so of… Continue reading Freely ye have received, freely give. A fundamental principal of priestly ministry
Lovest Thou Me? Meekness. Patience. Learning things the hard (and only) way. Saturday before Pentecost. Soul Saturday. 2009
One of my favorite Matins Gospels is read today, today, but not in matins. I marvel at how, no matter how many times I read this gospel, alone, or in church, I am filled with ineffable emotion and hope. It seems to me that St John’s Gospel is filled with hidden instructions to the soul,… Continue reading Lovest Thou Me? Meekness. Patience. Learning things the hard (and only) way. Saturday before Pentecost. Soul Saturday. 2009
What is “all truth” How do we find it? Campus Crusade for Christ. Dogma is moral. Monasticism.
Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth:
This reading has particular significance for me, as it caused me to search for the true church; thank God that God revealed it to me! During this search, I was in Campus Crusade for Christ, ?witnessing? in the student union at Purdue University on a regular basis, and even went to Daytona Beach one Spring break to evangelize all the motorcycle riders, and to Cape May Courthouse, New Jersey for about two months to evangelize the New Jersey boardwalk.
I have ?Campus Crusade? to thank for leading me to Orthodoxy. They are quite serious, and also quite inconsistent in their faith. They basically agree that ?We all believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and must invite Him into our heart? in order to be saved. They do not have any significant theological precision about WHO Jesus Christ is, and belief in any or all of the following is ?optional?: …
Prayer for the Prosperity of the Russian Church. Pastoral Zeal. Liturgical Renovationism. A three sided coin.
Friday after Ascension, May 16/29 2009 I am always full of things I want to say to my flock, and there is so little time. There is so much to say about Ascension, which, together with Pascha and Pentecost, I consider to be different sides of a “three sided” coin. I hope to discuss… Continue reading Prayer for the Prosperity of the Russian Church. Pastoral Zeal. Liturgical Renovationism. A three sided coin.
An Eclectic Commentary on the Book of Job. Praying for our children with the Jesus prayer.
5th Tuesday of Pascha – May 6/19 2009 Today we remember Righteous Job. His story is a difficult one to understand in all its specifics, but we can glean useful and soul-saving nuggets from it. This is a good approach with Wisdom literature and much of the Psalter, and indeed the Old Testament especially. Remembering… Continue reading An Eclectic Commentary on the Book of Job. Praying for our children with the Jesus prayer.
Why do we pray facing East? Why does the priest not face the people when he prays?
Why do we pray facing East? Why does the priest not face the people when he prays? Orthodox Christian worship is prayer, not entertainment. Some people smile too much. The Domino Theory. St. John of Damascus, Book IV, chapter 12. 4th Saturday of Pascha. May 3/16 2009 From http://www.orthodox.net/journal/2009-05-16.html I have a pet… Continue reading Why do we pray facing East? Why does the priest not face the people when he prays?
3rd Friday of Pascha
Scripture is blunt. Slogans. Jesus wept. Even right brains can get things done! Scripture can be very blunt. It can say more with less words than any literature I can think of. Some of my favorite verses are very short and blunt. For some reason, the blunt verses really penetrate into me, and become… Continue reading 3rd Friday of Pascha
Friday of Thomas Week 2009. The pleasure of little things. Rutabagas. A recipe.
Ok, a little late, but I started this journal entry over a week ago, and its contents are still timely. The pleasure of little things. Pascha season fasting rules. Difference in services in the Paschal season. Repetition is necessary. The safe way to saut? with Olive oil. Rutabagas are great. A recipe that… Continue reading Friday of Thomas Week 2009. The pleasure of little things. Rutabagas. A recipe.