Category: Pastoral Journal

Gleanings from the Holy Fathers Thanksgiving, thankfulness. St John Chrysostom

Nov 13/26 2009 St John Chrysostom   Today is the commemoration of St John the Golden mouthed (Chrysostom), and also the day of the American Holiday of Thanksgiving.   St John givens us our first gleaning: before he died of tuberculosis, while traveling in exile, his last words were “Glory be to God for all… Continue reading Gleanings from the Holy Fathers Thanksgiving, thankfulness. St John Chrysostom

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His Holiness, Patriarch Pavle Another glimpse into his remarkable life.   Nov 12/25 2009 25th Wednesday after Pentecost     Patriarch Pavle reposed recently and was buried last week. You can find video of his funeral on the Internet if you want, but I am more concerned with descriptions of the man, who was a… Continue reading Untitled

Children’s liturgy and children’s sermon 1 Thessalonians 5:1-8

Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Children’s liturgy and children’s sermon 1 Thessalonians 5:1-8 Nov 7/ 20 2009 24th Friday after Pentecost[U1]  The sermon in the Children’s liturgy contained something for all children of God – we are children… Continue reading Children’s liturgy and children’s sermon 1 Thessalonians 5:1-8

30(40) days of blogging

Nov 5/18 2009 24th Wednesday after Pentecost An initiative of the Preachers Institute (which I belong to) was to challenge us blogging pastors to blog daily during the Nativity fast, beginning with the start of the fast, up through Nativity.   As is usual in such cases, I am the one who is the answer… Continue reading 30(40) days of blogging

Patriarch Pavle stories

Patriarch Pavle stories Nov 4/17 2009 24th Tuesday after Pentecost. Patriarch Pavle reposed in the Lord on Sun Nov 2/15 2009. I believe he was a righteous man. It is good to honor the righteous by telling stories about them. Here are a few I found. Memory Eternal!   From Archpriest Stefan Pavlenko   VECHNAYA… Continue reading Patriarch Pavle stories

Let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil

Idolatry, Honesty Mat 5:33-37 Oct 31/Nov 13 2009 23rd Friday after Pentecost Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths:  (34)  But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is… Continue reading Let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil

St. Basil the Great on the Psalter from the Russian Orthodox Psalter

 Oct 30/ Nov 12 2009 23rd Thursday after Pentecost   No other book so glorifies God, as does the Psalter. It profits the soul; it glorifies God together with the angels, and exalts and extols with a powerful voice, and imitates the angels.   At times, it flogs the demons and drives them out, and… Continue reading St. Basil the Great on the Psalter from the Russian Orthodox Psalter

The Athanasian Creed from the Russian Orthodox Psalter

Mystery Oct 29/ Nov 11 2009 23rd Wednesday after Pentecost A traditional Russian Orthodox Psalter has a lot of things in it besides the Psalms. There are prayers said before and after each Kathisma, the Biblical Odes, and lots of instructional material. To my knowledge, the Russian Orthodox Psalter, edited by David James and recently… Continue reading The Athanasian Creed from the Russian Orthodox Psalter

“Hope in our Lord Jesus Christ” is only possible when there is “work of faith, and labor of love”

“Hope in our Lord Jesus Christ” is only possible when there is “work of faith, and labor of love” When is the Gospel…  “not … in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost”?   Oct 27/Nov 9 2009 23rd Monday after Pentecost   We begin 1 Thessalonians  in the cycle of… Continue reading “Hope in our Lord Jesus Christ” is only possible when there is “work of faith, and labor of love”