-
Reaching Out into Infinity
Trading enlightenment for illumination “And Jesus, having seen their faith, saith to the paralytic, ‘Child, thy sins have been forgiven thee” (The Gospel According to St. Mark 2:5). Epistle — Heb. 1:10-14;2:1-3 Gospel — Mk. 2:1-12 St. Gregory Palamas lived in the 14th century and was one of the last witnesses of Christ before the…
-
The Canon of Truth
Another historical essay Well, turns out keeping up with weekly posts during mid-terms and the start of Lent is a tall order. So, here is what has been keeping me busy lately—an essay from my History of Christianity to 1517 class. I, for one, oppose the rational skepticism that underlies the course’s material, but I…
-
With Arms Outstretched
Reflections for Forgiveness Sunday “My friends, pray to God for gladness. Be glad as children, as the birds of heaven. And let not the sin of men confound you in your doings. Fear not that it will wear away your work and hinder its being accomplished. Do not say, ‘Sin is mighty, wickedness is mighty,…
-
He Who Has Ears
Reflections on Luke 8:5-8 “A Sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside; and it was trampled down, and the birds of the air devoured it. Some fell on rock; and as soon as it sprang up, it withered away because it lacked moisture. And some fell among thorns,…
-
Repentance: A Beginning
Reflections on Luke 7:44-48 “Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, ‘Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to…
-
Romanticism, Slavophilism, and the Philosophy of Division
A follow-up to the “Messiah or Mouthpiece?” series The transition from Romanticism to Slavophilism in 19th-century Russia shaped the nation’s collective consciousness, fostering a search for a uniquely Russian identity grounded in Orthodoxy. In contrast to Romanticism’s fragmentation of spiritual authority in the Protestant West, Russian Romanticism provided a philosophical framework for reclaiming Orthodoxy as…
-
Prelest or Life
Reflections on Luke 6:6-10 When Christ healed the man with the withered hand on the Sabbath, He asked, “Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath, or to do harm? To save a life, or to kill?” (Luke 6:9). The hearts of the Pharisees, hardened by self-love and legalism, are unable to perceive the…
-
Revelation and Awareness
Reflections on Luke 5:8 The Trinity is revealed in Jesus Christ, bringing the fullness of healing to the world through the Incarnate Word, the true Healers and Lover of mankind. The Baptism of Christ points to the reality of His mission: to make all things new and restores man, reconciling him back to God through…
-
Wrath or Comfort
Reflections on Luke 4:25-29 Jesus Christ’s proclamation of His mission to bring deliverance and healing is met with astonishment and rejection in His hometown. This tension highlights humanity’s struggle to accept divine truth, a struggle that persists today. The God-man informs the people of the synagogue, “This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears”…
Witness, NM 