Category: Uncategorized

“And now for something completely different.” Or maybe not – since Saint Francis didn’t lend money. He didn’t possess any. Usury: lending money at interest I was visiting family this week, so I took this an as easy topic: I’d just find the Scriptural and Patristic references to Usury and copy them here. Wrong! I found […]

Read More »

What was it Francis “almost made”? He “almost made it” onto the calendar of the Orthodox Church. Why didn’t he? 1  Because he missed the deadline! It was not Francis’ fault, of course, that he was born in 1182, but unfortunately the year 1054 is the cut-off, the officially accepted date for the split between […]

Read More »

What we’re talking about is Anselm’s misunderstanding of how Christ saves us – which, combined with a little mistranslation by Saint Jerome, led finally to Protestantism. But a lot happened in between, and we’re getting ‘way ahead of the story. Why this topic today? Because of this next Sunday’s Epistle reading (Galatians 2:16-20), which in […]

Read More »

That ought to keep us busy for today! I’ve been working up to this for a while. What brought it on now was a September 1 Message from His All-Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew, regarding the Protection of the Environment. I know, I’ve quoted the Ecumenical Patriach frequently – but every time I read something by him […]

Read More »

Last Wednesday, September 1, began our Orthodox Ecclesiastical New Year. Happy * New Year! In NT Greek, the word “happy” (makarios / μακάριος) also means “blessed”. icon from Orthodox Church of America September 1 is also the feast of many saints. Among them is Saint Simeon Stylites – first row, first right from the Lord – whose lifestyle, […]

Read More »