Recent news reports of the ancient Psalter found in Ireland, especially those filtered through blogs, placed great weight on the book’s — prophetically, some believed — being “open to” Psalm 83 or to that Psalm’s pristine condition. Some became energized about their understanding of the prophetic nature of this Psalm about Israel coupled with their beliefs about the current war in the Middle East. Now this …27-July-2006 Clarification re Psalm 83 in Ancient Book of Psalms In the press release... Read more

Praised are you O Christ our Teacher, for you enrich with absolutely everything those who cleave to you. Lord, if someone gives his possessions to the state, then he receives in return great honour; how much more will you, Lord, magnify and praise that person who offers his whole self to you, possessing nothing besides you! Make our souls grow by your grace, Lord, so that we may grow in you and give praise to you, for no one can... Read more

TO BE READ FROM THE PULPIT AND PUBLISHED IN THE PARISH BULLETIN July 25, 2006 Brother Hierarchs, Reverend Clergy, Esteemed Members of the Archdiocese Board of Trustees, Parish Councils and God-fearing Faithful of our Archdiocese: Greetings in the name of our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ. It is with great sadness and a heavy heart that I write to you while the bombs are falling on Lebanon. As you have been hearing in the media (i.e. television, newspapers and... Read more

AN ANCIENT prayer book found in a bog has been hailed as one of Ireland’s most significant discoveries in decades, and perhaps centuries. “This Irish equivalent to the Dead Sea Scrolls is being hailed by … experts as the greatest find ever from a European bog,” it said. Source. HT: Fr Josiah TrenhamInitial impressions placed the composition date of the manuscript at about AD800, a time of Viking raids in Ireland. Someone over at Free Republic chimed: “It’s mine. Amazon... Read more

That’s my boss, Fr John Salem, in the middle (Fathers Michael Pavez & Thomas Zain flanking). The Antiochian Archdiocese held its biannual Clergy Symposium last week at Antiochian Village. Yours truly was excused due to 1) travel conflicts, and 2) I’m the assistant! Rumour has it that the War in the Middle East weighed heavily on the souls at the gathering. (A resolution concerning the war follows.) Not only that, but the war seems to have affected the thoughts, words,... Read more

It was bound to happen, One day it did … Orthodox RapHT: Greek Pilgrim And, no, I can’t offer any Mormon Rap. (That’s just an unrelated pic of Weird Al Yankovic.) But, this cartoon sure gives Mormons a bad one … Rap, that is.What Mormons Believe (Caveat Lector) Thanks to Keith & Jean-Michel. Read more

From TheDay.com New London – “We’ve called an emergency medical team,” announced an emissary from where the bride sat with her right hand raised high, her third finger swollen from trying vainly to transfer her wedding band to her left hand. When an EMT from the city’s fire department arrived and cut the platinum band with a special implement made just for that purpose, bridesmaids scrambled to gather the diamonds that spilled onto the floor. “I didn’t know they had... Read more

My brother is seven years younger than me. When we were kids, I thought he was Jesus. No, he didn’t sport the beard and hair. Actually, he had a shining cotton top. He was quiet. And, most importantly, he never seemed to do anything wrong! (Mom, if you’re reading this … trust me, he really did do all those bad things I said he did and he deserved, I’m pretty sure, those spankings.) But it occurred to me around the... Read more

For many Christians today marks the Feast of St Elias the Tishbite. In fact, especially in light of the war in the Middle East, honourable memory of the Prophet Elias (or Elijah) is also kept by Jews, Muslims, and Druze. Through the prayers of the Holy Prophet Elias, may God have mercy and save us! Here are some excerpts from today’s edition of DYNAMIS on St Elias … While St. James commends all the Prophets as models of patience in... Read more

I realize that the following comments are controversial. But as I serve a parish filled with Syrian, Lebanese, and Palestinian Christians, I, for one, am glad to hear something other than Unanimous Talking Points on the current conflict in the Middle East. The Lebanon that Israel, with Bush’s blessing, is smashing up has a pro-American government, heretofore considered a shining example of his democracy crusade. Yet, asked in St. Petersburg if he would urge Israel to use restraint in its... Read more