Category Archives: Uncategorized

AXIOS Today is the one hundredth birthday of St. Paisios the Athonite (d. 1994). I first encountered stories and teachings of this elder of Mount Athos in the book The Mountain of Silence by Kyriacos Markides, which remains, for me, … Continue reading →

Jesus’s teaching consistently attracted the irreligious while offending the Bible-believing, religious people of his day. However, in the main, our churches today do not have this effect. The kind of outsiders Jesus attracted are not attracted to contemporary churches, even … Continue reading →

A friend posted this meme, a friend who has moved away from Christianity and religion to what I might describe as a “Spiritual Scientism” — my description, not my friend’s. I thought to respond to my friend, but I decided … Continue reading →

Being new to something, even to something you want or need to do, can be disconcerting, particularly if the “something” is personal. That is certainly true in the case of the Reconciliation of Penitents (Confession). From time to time I … Continue reading →

Judges 5:1–2 (ESV): 5 Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day: 2  “That the leaders took the lead in Israel, that the people offered themselves willingly,bless the Lord! Verses mean what they mean in their literary, … Continue reading →

The Daily Office Lectionary appointed Psalm 109 for Evening Prayer recently, but I found that I could not, in good faith, pray it. It is a classic example of the imprecatory Psalms, those that curse one’s enemies, that invoke God … Continue reading →

Apostles Anglican ChurchFr. John A. Roop Psalm 86: HELP, THANKS, WOW(Ezekiel 10, Psalm 86, Luke 19:29-end) CollectO God, the protector of all those who trust in you, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy: Increase and multiply upon us … Continue reading →

It is natural, I suppose, to grow reflective about the priesthood as one’s ordination anniversary approaches. To guide my meditations this year, I have chosen to re-read The Rule of Benedict and specifically the commentary on it by Sr. Joan … Continue reading →

WARNING: MATURE CONTENT — SERIOUSLY I heard Fr. Stephen Freeman reference the book “Enlargement of the Heart,” by Elder Zacharias of Essex in a talk posted on YouTube. He spoke highly of the elder and, apparently, the book is something … Continue reading →

The conviction was expressed by an Orthodox priest — let’s call him Fr. Michael — whose insight and counsel I respect; the words were spoken as an excursus, as a tangential aside in an unrelated talk. He offered it not … Continue reading →