Worship and Prayer – Fr. Bill's Orthodox Blog – Orthodoxy from the Third Coast

403. Let us keep the Feast! – by kneeling in penitence?

Posted on June 2, 2023June 3, 2023 by Fr. Bill

Holy Pentecost For my ancient commentary about Pentecost, you might want to go back to Posts 66, 67 and 68. Just scroll down on the far right to May, 2018. The Kneeling Prayers I do not understand. Pentecost is one of the Great Feasts, a beautiful day in and of itself. We celebrate Pentecost Week […]

378. Introduction to Holy Week

Posted on April 7, 2023 by Fr. Bill

Introduction to Holy Week Here we go again with the first of my annual Twice-daily Commentaries on our Orthodox Holy Week Services and their Scripture readings. These are based on talks I gave for many years at Holy Week services at Saint Nicholas, Cedarburg, and now have published in this Blog for the last six years. If […]

375. What (little) I’ve learned about Prayer: Some practical advice

Posted on March 17, 2023 by Fr. Bill

Great Lent is a time to concentrate on prayer and, as I see it, to “experiment” with prayer. In the Orthodox Church, personal prayer is not a “one size fits all” thing. Except for the very basics, each of us is allowed to (and should) adapt our prayer life to our situation and abilities. Since […]

372. The First Sunday of Lent: a Fast and a Feast

Posted on March 3, 2023March 6, 2023 by Fr. Bill

For many years I felt slightly whiplashed by this First Sunday of Great Lent. For a week we’ve been in the the Lenten Fast with its liturgical color: a sombre violet. Then suddenly and seemingly out of context, on this First of Sunday of Lent here comes the gold for the “Sunday of Orthodoxy” and […]

371. Last Minute Instructions before we go into Lent

Posted on February 25, 2023March 1, 2023 by Fr. Bill

If you think this Post reads suspiciously like the text for a homily or sermon… you are a very perceptive person. For reasons I won’t go into, I have suddenly become “un-retired” and am serving as interim priest at my old parish, Saint Nicholas, Cedarburg, Wisconsin. “But, Lord, I was already over-busy in retirement!” It […]