Americana stalwart Bill Mallonee’s latest album, “Glimmer Vol. 1” opens with the kind of incisive “word on the street” reporting he’s well known for delivering: We built a world to fall a part Right before our eyes With faith in Progress or Whatever Is anyone surprised? The malaise runs deep Deeper than eyes could see And […]
The Only Holy War
A homily given on Palm Sunday, April, 28, 2024 at St. Stephen the First Martyr Orthodox Church, Crawfordsville, Indiana The Orthodox Church begins Holy Week with a celebration, the Entry of Our Lord into Jerusalem, commonly referred to as Palm Sunday. The remembrance of Jesus arriving in Jerusalem, where He will face betrayal, arrest, trial, […]
Icons Matter
Like many of the adults in the parish I serve I did not grow up Orthodox. I came to the faith well into adulthood. There were many things in the Church that at first I was very unsure about. Veneration of icons was certainly one of those things. From a non-Orthodox background at first the […]
On Muttering and Forgetting the Poor
“Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” Luke 15:1-2 Muttering. Jesus responded to their muttering (“grumbling” in other translations) and heavily implied distaste and disapproval of his actions with a series […]
How Can I Be Saved?
One of the greatest blessings of being a priest is meeting people who have just become interested in the Church. It is energizing to hear the questions and to walk alongside someone discovering the faith for the first time or returning to it after years but with new eyes. Even greater perhaps is meeting someone […]
Five Years Later: Why Charlottesville Matters
“Oh my God, have you seen what is happening in Charlottesville? Turn on the news now” I got this text from a fellow pastor the night before the infamous “Unite the Right” Rally in Charlottesville, VA. The one that would result in a violent clash and ultimately the death of Heather Heyer after a white […]
Never Forget: The Importance of Names
“…Ram begot Amminadab, Amminadab begot Nahshon, and Nahshon begot Salmon. Salmon begot Boaz by Rahab, Boaz begot Obed by Ruth, Obed begot Jesse, and Jesse begot David the king…” On the Sunday before Nativity in the Orthodox Church we read St. Matthew’s account of the genealogy of Jesus. Beginning with Abraham the lineage is recounted… […]
Body of Death: A Quarantine Reflection
On December 5th, the Eve of the Feast of Saint Nicholas, I fell ill quickly. Three days later I found out it was COVID-19. Despite my best efforts to mask, distance and limit being out the virus found me. At the time of writing this I am now two days feeling pretty good – Day […]
BLM and The Cross
“During the Ferguson disturbances, near St. Louis, MO, a young Black Orthodox man told me that he would like to be involved in the Black Lives Matter movement, to which I replied, “By all means, do it right away, but you must take my direction in this matter. I want you and your friends to […]
No Repentance No Peace
(Originally offered as the opening speech for the “March for Peace and Equality” May 30, 2020, Crawfordsville, Indiana) George Floyd Ahmaud Arbery Dreasjon Reed Breonna Taylor We know these names because we read about them in the news. Some of them we heard or saw their murder. Four people with unrepeatable lives, families, friends, […]
Saved Together 