Except for the curious inclusion of Ss Anna & (Infant) Mary — at :44 — this is fascinating to watch: Source Read more

“Ain’t Skeered!” is a Southern takeoff on the once popular “No Fear” emblems paraded on sweatshirts and automobiles. Yet, when it comes to certain words, I am afraid. We live in an age when using the wrong word could mean the end of one’s good reputation, career, or, at least, God-pleasing relations with others. It’s sort of like the ol’ joke: “What’s the last words out of a redneck’s mouth?” – “Hey y’all, watch-isss!” Our words often precede our demise.... Read more

WASHINGTON, DC [OCA] — Orthodox Christians from across the country will gather here on Friday, January 22, 2010, for the annual March for Life. His Beatitude, Metropolitan Jonah, will lead hundreds of Orthodox Christians in proclaiming life as a precious gift from God. Services and events surrounding the March include the following. * On Thursday, January 21, the eve of the March, the faithful are invited to join Metropolitan Jonah and other members of the Holy Synod of Bishops for... Read more

I‘m in bed, writing in my nightly journal (first house blessing – 8am, final one – 7pm), and I suddenly exclaim: “Oops! I pledged 30 posts in 30 days; I forgot to update the blog.” My wife says, “Well, you better get out there and do it … tell them I said ‘you’ve got to go to bed!'” Heh! I’m not sure that kind of chatty-diary-stuff counts as blogging. I mean, who cares? So, FWIW — and before the midnight... Read more

When I was pastor of a small Mission, one of our members thought it would be a neat idea for the local TV station to come out and cover one of our house blessings. And … the TV station agreed. Being TV and all – great publicity for our growing Mission – it was decided that members of the choir and others of the community would join in this joyous event, singing the Theophany hymn … You know, the one... Read more

Just the other day,on my way to work,amid the wet and damp of Houston winterMust have had my window cracked —enough, that is, to hear … I thank God for them.By the 20s, the 50s,hundreds or more,they sit on the power lines and sing Image Source To A Bird At Dawn O bird that somewhere yonder sings,In the dim hour ‘twixt dreams and dawn,Lone in the hush of sleeping things,In some sky sanctuary withdrawn;Your perfect song is too like pain,And... Read more

That saying? – A time is coming when people will go mad and when they see someone who is not mad, they will attack him, saying, “You are mad, you are not like us” – is attributed to St Anthony the Great. And that was 1,500 years ago! St Anthony pray to God for us! One day after a teaching on Jesus saying to the people, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to... Read more

Those of English heritage, bewildered by the state of the world today (in relation to religion), would do well to remember a part of our own history … On this day [January 16th] 429 years ago, the English Parliament outlawed Roman Catholicism. This 1581 statute stated that it was an “act to retain the Queen’s Majesty’s subjects in their obedience” and made it high treason to “reconcile anyone or to be reconciled to ‘the Romish religion.'” It forbade people to... Read more

The following quotes are from Elder Paisius the Athonite … We should neither create problems in the Church nor magnify the minor human disorders that occur, so as not to create greater evil and the wicked one rejoice. He who is irritated about a minor disorder and abruptly rushes to ostensibly correct it … resembles the light-headed sacristan who sees a candle dripping and abruptly dashes to fix it, stumbling over people and candlesticks, and thus creating an even greater... Read more

Uhm … just got home, 9:30 PM, from home blessings. My first home blessing was at 7:40 AM; the last blessing of the day was at 7:40 PM, followed by a big dinner. All told, I think my “home blessing tour guide” and I logged 24 houses today — and I visited one home before hooking up with her. It’s beginning to look like it’s easier to bless 25 homes in a day than it is to post 30 blog... Read more