Category Archives: Blog

Panteleimon’s Christian mother passed away when he was just a child.  His pagan father sent him to study the medical sciences.  He became such a skilled physician that he was invited to become the doctor to the royals in Nicomedia.  His curiosity for Truth, Goodness and Beauty was not satiated by his studies though and he was led […]

Elijah accomplished many great and wonderful works.  He prophesied a draught (1 Kings 17:1) then ended it  (1 Kings 18:45).  He gave life (1 Kings 17:22) and took it (1 Kings 18:19).  He parted the Jordan River (2 Kings 2:8) and was taken to heaven in a fiery chariot (2 Kings 2:11).  And yet, among all these great works, the […]

Vladimir the Great (feast July 15) was a seeker.  He was raised a pagan but was not content worshipping man-made idols.  As the prince of Kiev (modern Ukraine) at the turn of the 11th Century, he sent delegates to inform him of the various world religions.  He intended to discern which was the true faith […]

The Samaritan woman marks the point of gentile inclusion in the message that Jesus is life itself and His life is offered to all. Have you considered being a missionary or supporting the world of missions? If this is an interest to you, talk with your pastor about it. God has given us the opportunity […]

Here is some guidance on fasting.  The Eparchy’s guidance is in bold. As with everything I share, please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.  There are many different reasons why one may customize their fasting regimen including eating disorders and other medical realities.   Another very important and helpful teaching is to […]

Prayer, Fasting and Almsgiving Remember that prayer, fasting and almsgiving are tools, given by Our Lord, to help us navigate this pilgrimage of life, but especially during the desert journeys of the fasts.  They make us aware of, and able to receive, the treasures that are offered, and to avoid the hazards that are placed […]

Today this fast is considered part of the Great Fast, a preparation period in which we enter gradually into the asceticism of the Fast. It originated, however, in the Oriental Orthodox (non-Chalcedonian) Churches and was separate from the Great Fast. It was called the fast of Nineveh, and was observed three weeks before the Great […]

On the Sunday of the Prodigal Son, we recall the reality of our daily reality. If you are anything like me, you find that during the previous day you walked away from God in some way. He let us run amuck and we are sorry for what we have done. The great news about God […]

Pride and humility are contrasted in today’s gospel parable of the Publican and the Pharisee. Pride is a defect of character few of us find easy to admit about ourselves; it is more easily perceived in somebody else. What can we do to offset such an affliction? A look at the life of Christ Himself […]

Today the Church, through the proclamation of the Gospel, reminds us that the Lord sees and values things in a way that the world cannot understand. Oftentimes, what the world sees as strength is a pitfall for those who seek the Lord; and what the world sees as weakness is an opportunity for spiritual growth. […]