126. War and Peace: Part One – Christ, the Early Church, the Just War Theory

Christ is risen! Truly he is risen! “Wars and Rumors of Wars” The time to think about war rationally is before we get into one. Once war begins it’s too late. Then all sorts of emotions and reactions, pride and propaganda take over. And after people are killed in war, there is a fervent and very […]

Read More »

125. The Gospels of Pascha Season: Third Sunday – Saint Joseph of Arimathea, Nicodemos, and the Holy Myrrhbearing Women

Christ is risen! Truly he is risen! The Church Fathers did nothing haphazardly. During Pascha, as our lectionary takes us through the Gospel of John, * the Fathers selected particular Sunday readings for a reason. This week we get a very clear moral lesson from these holy men and women who ministered to the Lord […]

Read More »

124. How Saint Nicholas Founded Saint Nicholas Church, Cedarburg

Christ is risen! Truly he is risen! What? Saint Nicholas in May? I explained this last year, but in case you’re new here: May 9 is a lesser feast of Saint Nicholas. Actually Nicholas is an ever-present, ever-relevant saint to us Orthodox, not confined to December 6 – or to December 25. By the way, […]

Read More »

123. GREAT AND HOLY PASCHA

Christ is risen! Truly he is risen! Father Alexander Schmemann called our Orthodox Paschal celebration “an explosion of joy”. The following is the lighting of the Paschal candle, the sharing of the Fire and the beginning of the Paschal Procession at Saint Ignatius Church, Franklin, Tennessee. This next video is the conclusion of the Midnight Office […]

Read More »

122. Holy Saturday morning Vesperal Divine Liturgy of Saint Basil

Gospel Reading: Matthew 28 Many themes today. This Liturgy begins as a celebration of Christ’s victory over Satan and death “down below”, and before we’re done we’re proclaiming the Resurrection here “up above”. Yet after that, later in the Liturgy Christ is singing “Do not lament me, O Mother”, as if she hasn’t yet heard […]

Read More »