Today is the Feast of the Holy Innocents. By traditional count, 14,000 infant boys under the age of 2 were slaughtered under Herod's orders in an unsuccessful attempt to kill the Messiah who could usurp his throne. (It has been suggested that given historical evidence, the number was nowhere near that number, but even … Continue reading Holy Innocents
Month: December 2012
The Feast of Stephen and Good King Wenceslaus
This was going to be a simple post about "Good King Wenceslaus" but I was surprised in the course of my research. First, the lyrics: Good King Wenceslaus looked out on the Feast of Stephen, When the snow lay round about, deep and crisp and even. Brightly shone the moon that night, though the frost … Continue reading The Feast of Stephen and Good King Wenceslaus
Christ is born! Glorify Him! Thy nativity, O Christ our God, has shown to the world the light of wisdom. For by it those who worshiped the stars were taught by a star to adore Thee, the Sun of Righteousness, and to know Thee the Orient from on high. O Lord Glory to Thee!
A Light in the Darkness
Today, these words seem just as terrible, as awesome, as wonderful, as staggering...as they did 2,000 years ago: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. [John 1:1] In Him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness, … Continue reading A Light in the Darkness
Readying the church…
Under large icons: magnolia leaves, nandina berries and foliage, camellia japonica blossoms Around stand icons: nandina berries and foliage, camellia japonica blossoms (plus two tiny poinsettias I found today in memory of Innocent and Andrew)
Four days til’…
We have a house full of sick people. I dragged myself out of bed today to finish decorating the tree (only two casualties - better than most years) and after taking some hefty cold medicine was able to finish decorating the inside of the house and cut some greenery. I feel like I have tapioca … Continue reading Four days til’…
Review of "The Scent of Holiness"
[This is the review I wrote for Amazon at Matushka Constantina's request (an honor, Matushka!) and I'm reproducing it here. The Scent of Holiness by Matushka Constantina Palmer is available from Amazon and from Conciliar Press.) Having visited both men's and women's monasteries I can attest to the fact that while they are similar in many ways, … Continue reading Review of "The Scent of Holiness"
Surrounded
I was feeling blue this morning, missing the boys and just a bit down in general. I was sitting next to Father and he said to "go ahead and say prayers and get it over with." [Note: I was procrastinating] I said, "Gee, that's not the way to think about it! I was hoping … Continue reading Surrounded
Pseudo-humility
Don't let's turn back to sins we have confessed. The recollection of sins is harmful. Have we asked for forgiveness? Then the matter is closed. God forgives everything with confession. We mustn't turn back and enmesh ourselves in despair. We need to be humble servants before God and have a sense of gratitude for the … Continue reading Pseudo-humility
Fr. Demetrios Carellas on the slaughter of innocents
[Thoughts from Fr. Demetrios Carellas, Nativity of the Theotokos Monastery, Saxonburg, PA:] My dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, I am certain that all of you have been offering prayers for the families of the 27 people, 20 of whom were children under the age of 8, who were murdered this morning by a deranged … Continue reading Fr. Demetrios Carellas on the slaughter of innocents
Praying With My Feet 