The Cross

September 14… the feast of the Elevation of the Holy Cross of Christ… The Cross is the weapon of righteousness that dispels all darkness.  Defeats all satanic attacks.  Provides life to anyone who embraces it, picks it up, and carries it.  For we glory in the Cross of Christ for indeed it is the very [...]

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The Uncessary Necessity of ‘smells and bells’

At 33,000 feet, soaring above the earth and clouds and yet infinitely beyond  touching the rich expanse of the universe and eternity… I was reading a work of art.  The Inner Kingdom by Bishop Kallistos Ware.  No setting could have been more perfect as I read about the beauty of the Holy Eucharist, while gazing out [...]

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From Emergent to Orthodox

Yet another fascinating account of an “emerging/emergent  non-denominational Christian” who has come home to the Church.  The truly fascinating part is that this journey from being ‘hip‘ and ‘relevant’ to ‘historical’ and ‘orthodox‘ (or better yet ‘catholic’ and ‘apostolic’) is happening almost daily in these times of consumer, me-centered, faith as therapy, make me feel good Christianity.   Welcome home. [...]

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Good Guys Wear Black

If you know a godly priest or monastic father… give thanks for the blessing that they bring to our lives.  May God increase his church through the increase of His holy Deacons and Priests. NEW WEBSITE FOR PROSPECTIVE PRIESTS, DEACONS June 1, 2011 – Today marks the launch of a unique new website in the [...]

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Pain, Suffering and the Paralytic

John 5:1-15 -    +  εἰς τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ Πατρὸς  + καὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ  + καὶ τοῦ Ἁγίου Πνεύματος Gospel for the Sunday of the 4th Sunday of Easter – Sunday of the Paralytic “Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples and said to Him, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or shall [...]

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Of Hospitals and Emergency Rooms

This past Sunday April 24 Pascha Sunday, the day of Resurrection, 60 Minutes aired a marvelous and very well done video documentary on the Holy Mountain, Mt. Athos, in Greece.  Mt. Athos is the heart, the center, the core, the spiritual hub, the catalytic center, and source of Orthodox piety, wisdom and holiness for more [...]

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Faith That Establishes the Universe

On the first Sunday of Great Lent, we celebrate the ‘Sunday of Orthodoxy’ when we remember the restoriation of Holy Icons to the church.  This Sunday, and each day, remind us that Icons are not ‘art’, but theology – the love of God in real tangible earthly forms.  It is an Incarnational theology that reminds us that [...]

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A Return to Normal

Lent is here.  In the popular media, and in conversations around cubicles and water coolers the daily ‘chit-chat’ sometimes gravitates towards the idea of Lent, especially on the Wednesday known in the West as “ash” Wednesday, and the banter often goes like this, “So, (snicker, snicker) What are you giving up for Lent?”  Then follows an [...]

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Christ is Born! Glorify Him!

  Troparion – Tone 4 Your Nativity, O Christ our God, Has shone to the world the Light of wisdom! For by it, those who worshipped the stars, Were taught by a Star to adore You, The Sun of Righteousness, And to know You, the Orient from on High. O Lord, glory to You! Kontakion [...]

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Peter Gabriel, Coffee, Bagels and Worship?

Just imagine. The band is playing Peter Gabriel. A woman leads worship with stories of real life, social challenges and human frailty. The lights dim and a video spoof of “Cops” fills the 16 foot screen. After that we watch a skit that is more like Saturday Night Live than the typical church drama. Adults [...]

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No Electricity? No Problem.

Yet another reason to embrace the ancient faith; to come home to Orthodoxy. A few Sundays ago, in the middle of the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom (the primary Eucharistic Liturgy of the Orthodox Church…dating to about the 5th century and still in use today unchanged) the lights went out.   Everything went black.  Boom [...]

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Your Holy Cross Redeemed the World

The Elevation of the Holy Cross is one of the Great Feasts of the Orthodox Church, celebrated on September 14. This feast is also referred to as the Exaltation of the Cross. This is also a popular name day for Stavroula/Stavros (from “stavros” meaning cross). This feast commemorates two events: The finding of the Cross [...]

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God always helps.

When we open our eyes.  Or better yet, when we open the “eyes of our heart”, we begin to see the unbelievable and continuous goodness of God.  It’s never in the BIG things, but always in the small, seemingly inconsequential things that speak the loudest to us.  The still small voice of God is only surpassed [...]

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Pentecost – Come Holy Spirit

Fifty days after the celebration of Pascha (the Passover) from death to life, the resurrection of Christ, comes the great feast of Pentecost.  This Sunday, Christians all over the world remember the promise Jesus gave to his fearful, and anxious apostles and disciples.  Imagine the self-doubt, the wonder, the inadequacy that they must have felt.  “Go, [...]

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Eliminating Positions.

One thing is certain in today’s economy.  Corporations can, and do, eliminate positions.  But there’s one thing they can never eliminate.  People.  People remain.  Positions vanish like smoke. After having eluded eliminations for so long, after seeing friends and colleagues come and go, now,  it is my turn.  I join with them and with millions of [...]

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“Why are you Orthodox?”

When people ask, “Where do you go to church?”  I say, Holy Cross Orthodox.  (I don’t even muddle things up by saying “Holy Cross Antiochian Orthodox” since we trace our roots back all the way to Acts Chapter 11 and the city of Antioch.) But, almost 100% of the time, what happens next is this: [...]

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Post #100

 I began this little writing adventure, called “Anaphora” on July 29, 2008, about one month prior to the arrival of our ’mid-life’ surprise and miracle – John Patrick Cook (8/27/08)   They say that when a baby comes, the mother goes into a ‘nesting‘ mode in which she makes the house ready for the reception of this new [...]

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Let us begin.

For the Orthodox Church, there is no week like Holy Week.  Simply put, it is the week of weeks, the ultimate of everything.   Nothing is better. This week is the summation of our entire Faith.  It is life, light, truth, and our certain hope.  The 40 Day Fast has ended, and now the Holy Week [...]

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Hail, Mary? (Hail, yes.)

March 25th The Feast of the Holy Annunciation of the Virgin Mary. 9 months.    March 25 to December 25.   One Virgin.   One holy conception.  One birth.   One Savior.  True God and true man.  One in essence and undivided.  Conceived in time, from the beginning of time, for all mankind.  Today, this very day, the incarnation, the enfleshment [...]

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Icons & Incarnation

To make our confession short, we keep unchanged all the ecclesiastical traditions handed down to us, whether written or unwritten. One of these is the portrayal of painted representations, which by the way is a tradition in agreement with the message of the Gospel. For since both the painted representations and the message of the [...]

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