What do you say to someone who has suffered a great loss? This is a question all of us face at some point in our lives. It’s certainly a question pastors, chaplains, and anyone whose work focuses on offering consolation to the broken-hearted encounter regularly. As a trained disaster/crisis chaplain I have been deployed twice […]
Tag: Gospel
On the Christian Response to the Orlando Shootings
“I am so sick of this! I can’t believe people say those kinds of things!” My fourteen year old son burst through the door, visibly agitated. We could barely discern exactly what he was trying to communicate. But it was certainly urgent, and it appeared to have something to do with social media. “Ugh, more […]
Tradition! Part Two: “By word or by letter” (2 Thess. 2:15)
“So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.”- 2 Thessalonians 2:15 “Without counsel, plans go awry, but in the multitude of counselors they are established. “- Proverbs 15:22 As I mentioned in my last post, my wife […]
The Sweet Relief of Repentance
The end is approaching, O my soul – it is approaching! So why do you not care or prepare yourself for it? Arise! The time is short! The Judge already stands at the door. Life is vanishing like a dream – so why do you continue living in vanity? Arise, O my soul, and reveal […]
No One Takes My Life From Me: On ISIS and Martyrdom
Originally published in the Journal Review “Faith” Section, March 7, 2015 I’m sure many who are reading this are aware of a story from several weeks back about 21 Egyptian men who were killed by the so-called Islamic State. Their deaths made the news, and showed up all over social media because of the public […]
Pardon the Interruption
I don’t like being interrupted. If I’m really honest with myself, I’m the kind of person who likes to know what to expect from each day, have my plan set out, and hopefully enjoy a few moments of down time at the end of the day. I like to think most of us operate like […]
Why Have We Fasted?
‘Why have we fasted,’ they say, ‘and You have not seen? Why have we afflicted our souls, and You take no notice?’ This week, Orthodox Christians are in the final week of Great Lent, a period set aside during the church year for repentance and preparation for the remembrance and celebration of Jesus Christ’s […]
Guatemala Reflection #3 – “We Are Your Neighbors”
GUATEMALA REFLECTION #3: We Are Your Neighbors A few years ago, as I was in the midst of my final year at St. Tikhon’s Seminary, I remember Metropolitan Jonah (the OCA Archbishop of Washington, Metropolitan of All America and Canada) made a surprise visit to our choir practice. He unassumingly entered the room, our backs […]
Saved Together 