It is detestable and dangerous for a wrestler to be slack at the start of a contest, thereby giving proof of his impending defeat to everyone. Let us have a firm beginning to our religious life, for this will help us if a certain slackness comes later. A bold and eager soul will be spurred on by the memory of its first zeal and new wings can then be obtained. — St. John Climacus Thanks to FWD from Fr Josiah... Read more

Embarrasing the Angels … At the Catholic college, a great one, we were to speak of faith and politics. This, to me, is a very big and complicated subject, and a worthy one. But quickly–I mean within 15 seconds–the talk was only of matters related to sexuality. Soon a person on the panel was yelling, “Raise your hands if you think masturbation is a sin!,” and the moderator was asking if African men should use condoms, yes or no. At... Read more

Okay. Let’s just say that you are a hard-headed fundie when it comes to God’s Creation. Perhaps you run a little blog and often comment on Evolution and such. Your efforts, though fun, often stir others to passionately disagree in the comments. In other words, for a moment, suppose you are me … and you read this story. Excerpt: An extraordinary family who walk on all fours are being hailed as the breakthrough discovery which could shed light on the... Read more

On this first day of the Great Fast, here’s a few articles of note: On Icons Adam Slipped His Wife a Fiver Kite Flying on Lent, Day One. And, for those not sworn off food entirely today, here’s some other ideas. Read more

As we begin the Great Fast with the Sunday of Forgiveness, I bow down before you, brothers and sisters, and ask, of your charity: forgiveness and prayers. O Lord and Master of my life, Take from me the spirit of sloth, despair, lust of power and idle talk; But give rather the spirit of chastity, humility, patience, and love to Thy servant. Yea, O Lord and King, grant me to see my own transgressions and not to judge my brother,... Read more

FEARRINGTON, N.C. The Rev. Canon Darwin Kirby Jr., DD., LHD, died February 28, 2006. Born August 6, 1918 in Chicago, Ill., Father Kirby graduated cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa in 1938 from the University of Illinois. He completed the M.A. degree in English literature at Yale in 1940 and graduated from Seabury-Western Seminary in 1944. Ordained to the priesthood in 1944, he served three years as curate at St. Luke’s Church, Evanston, Ill., before being elected rector of St.... Read more

Here in Texas, the annual Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is a big, B I G, deal — as is barbecued Brisket. So, before the Great Fast, what’s an Orthodox parish to do? Here’s a few scenes from our annual Country Western Dance (held a few weeks ago) … Remember the Blues Brothers? Meet the Black Brothers.The wife tells me, “Next time you get a gig, get a bigger hat!”I will mention no names, but suffice it to say that... Read more

YOU’VE GOT MAIL! What would happen if you received a letter from God? Would your heart pound? Would your mind race? Would your life change? With The Message®, Eugene Peterson’s best-selling paraphrase of the Bible, you can join the millions of readers who have experienced God’s Word in the form of a personal message. Psalm 513 I know how bad I’ve been;my sins are staring me down.4 You’re the One I’ve violated, and you’ve seenit all, seen the full extent... Read more

Here’s Alan Cooperman’s Washington Post update [previous links here] on the OCA Synod special Synod meeting in Syosset. Leaders of the Orthodox Church in America, facing allegations that they mismanaged millions of dollars, rejected calls for an immediate investigation but promised to follow better accounting procedures in the future. The 400,000-member denomination has been reeling since October from accusations by its former treasurer, Deacon Eric A. Wheeler. He says that during the late 1990s, its top officials diverted donations from... Read more

A little levity (and I do mean little) for a Friday. Alice Grayson was to bake a cake for the Baptist Church ladies’ group bake sale in Tuscaloosa, but she forgot to do it until the last minute. She remembered it the morning of the bake sale and after rummaging through cabinets she found a dusty old Angel food cake mix in the back of her kitchen cabinet and quickly made it while drying her hair and dressing and helping... Read more