Category: Redeeming the Time

The Mystery of the Annunciation Two soul nourishing talks about the Theotokos, our Panagia by Papa Demetrios Carellas Hosted by St. Nicholas Orthodox Church, McKinney TX May 27 2017 The Saturday after the Ascension. Everything is free, of course! There will be time for discussion and questions after each talk. Sat, May 27: 3:00 pm… Continue reading Papa Demetrios Carellas to speak on May 27th

“O my soul, fear the passions of the Sanhedrin! No matter how terribly criminal they are, they are not far from the weak human heheart. If you are not attentive to yourself, if you do not begin to watch over your feelings and desires, if you do not set the fear of God as a… Continue reading The Passions of the Sanhedrin

As we gathered this evening in worship at the Bridegroom Matins service of Great and Holy Monday, I was struck by the first sticheron on the praises: AS THE LORD WAS GOING TO HIS VOLUNTARY PASSION, HE SAID TO THE APOSTLES ON THE WAY, BEHOLD, WE GO UP TO JERUSALEM, AND THE SON OF MAN… Continue reading Entering Holy Week

(thank you to Natalia Hawthorne for finding and translating this story) St. Nicholas and the Church Keys This story is told by nun Maustrigia. During the Soviet persecution of churches, her monastery was closed down and all the nuns were told to leave. Nun Maustrigia had been living in the monastery with her blind sister.… Continue reading A Recent Miracle of St. Nicholas

he Biblical Odes are used especially during Great Lent. and during weekday matins, this verse, from ode 6, is always said: “They that observe vain and false things have abandoned mercy for themselves.” This is one of my favorite parts of the matins service, because this pithy verse describes the reason for ALL our problems, and the simple solution. It is sobering, rebuking, but also comforting. It reminds me of the oft read scripture: ” For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor might, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom 8:38-39) Nothing can separate the sinner from God, except if the sinner observes vain and false things without repentance.

“For God created man to be immortal, and made him to be an image of his own eternity. (24) Nevertheless through envy of the devil came death into the world: and they that do hold of his side do find it.” Wisdom (of Solomon) 2:23-24

This is why I read this book, and you should too. …

A letter sent to men I regularity visit in prison, containing an explanation of:
WHY do we fast?
Always do the things you CAN do
The Holy Fathers on Fasting.

"Holy Father, keep in Thy name those whom Thou hast given me, in order that they may be one, even as We." John 17:11   The reality of the Trinity, in which the persons of God live in perfect oneness, is not a dry, dogmatic fact. Here Christ ***defines salvation***; to be one with each… Continue reading John 17:11 No unity with God without unity with our neighbor

    "By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35). In a well-known first century text called the "Epistle of Mathetes to Diognetus", the Christians of the time are described as follows: "But while they dwell in cities of Greeks and barbarians as the lot… Continue reading By this all will know that you are My disciples…