Thou shalt not kill (cf. Ex. 20:13). We are told we must respect life, because life is a gift, life is holy, for life comes from God. The Holy Spirit is the Lord and giver of life – those who disrespect life, disrespect the Spirit of Life. Those who recognize it is holy see and discern the holiness of God behind it. Life is to be treasured. We must not kill. We must not seek to destroy life. “But,” some... Read more
For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven, and gives life to the world – John 6:33 RSV. The bread of life not only gives us life, but preserves it too: For in it all that is, all that was, all that will be is to be had. How is this so? How can this remarkable fact be true? Is it not crazy to believe this, have we become mad? God created all things, God... Read more
In his reflections on providence, St. Thalassios considers the depths of God’s love for us. God is for us, so who can be against us? God seeks us out, desires to lift us up from the depths of despair. God wants to liberate us from bondage, from the bondage of sin in all of its manifestations (including, of course, the structures of sin which hinder the common good). The eschaton is immanent, the kingdom of God is within. God directs... Read more
The martyr, St. Philumenos, was a bread merchant by occupation, and a Christian by faith. He might have sold bread, but received his sustenance from the bread of life.[1] Despite his simple occupation, he made enemies, and they reported to the authorities that he was a Christian. This was during the reign of the emperor Aurelian, when one could be executed for being a Christian.[2] Philumenos, taken before a judge, was, like many martyrs before him, given the chance to... Read more
In a decision released late at night, the Supreme Court lifted restrictions on religious houses of worship in New York which were put in place to help stop the spread of COVID. That decision goes against decisions made previously in the year, when the Supreme Court was not willing to reject the right of each State to use their rightful power to deal with the COVID pandemic. Likewise, it goes against precedent, precedent which recognized the authority of the States,... Read more
TThe Temple of God held the presence of God within, which is how and why, among its many important features, it can be understood, not only as something important in and of itself, but also foreshadowing (through typology) Mary, the Mother of God, who conceived and carried within her womb Jesus, the Word of God.[1] Likewise, Jesus called his own body a temple (cf. Jn. 2:21), because he was the Spirit-bearer, the Christ.[2] Christians, being incorporated into the body of Christ... Read more
No one is self-made. No one establishes themselves in the world without the help of others. Society comes together with people doing different jobs, different tasks, and no one who claims to be self-made has achieved their success all by themselves. They might have done a few things well, but that is all; for everything else, they still rely upon others. How many people grow their own food? How many collect and purify all the water they drink? How many... Read more
Through baptism, we have been incorporated into the body of Christ. Joining in with Christ, we are called to share in his work. He entered the world to help us all. He serves us out of love; now, we are expected to live in the world, serving others like he did, and do so out of love. This is how we are to follow Paul’s words and live a life worthy of the promises which we received: I therefore, a... Read more
It is undeniable that so many Christians have tied themselves with Donald Trump because they have been led to believe it is a Christian duty to do so by various Christian leaders. They believe in Trump. They believe he is their savior, which is why when Eric Trump said his father literally saved Christianity, they nodded in agreement. This is also why they want to hold on to the notion that Trump won the election, because they came to believe... Read more
Often, those who write on or discuss the need for government to work for the common good, that is, those who write on social justice, are told that charity should be not regulated by the government. That is, they are told that we should be free to choose for ourselves whether or not we will be charitable. Of course, the problem is that such a response confuses charity with justice. It suggests that many defects of justice can only be... Read more
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