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Feast of St. Joseph, Guardian of Our Lord

Scripture Readings2 Samuel 7:4-16Romans 4:13-18Matthew 2:13-15; 2:19-23We pray:Almighty God, from the house of Your servant David You raised up Joseph to be the guardian of Your incarnate Son and the husband of His mother, Mary. Grant us grace to follow the example of this faithful workman in . . . . Continue Reading »

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

As an Irishman, on my father’s side, I’m very pleased to celebrate Saint Patrick’s day as the day to honor the one who was instrumental in bringing the Gospel to my ancestoral people and home. Here from “Crosstalk.com” is the real story of Saint Patrick:If you ask people who Saint Patrick . . . . Continue Reading »

Laetare: The Fourth Sunday in Lent

The study of how traditions developed surrounding the Church Year is fascinating. This Sunday in Lent is traditionally known as “Laetare” Sunday. Here’s an explanation of how this came to be called the Sunday of Joy, in the middle of Lent. The traditional/classic vestments worn by . . . . Continue Reading »

Free Digital Church Calendar EO Version

Given that this post points to one digital calendar, here is another, this one, Menologion, which offers an Eastern Orthodox perspective.And if you happen to be in or around the Atlanta area, do drop in on the parish (St. John Maximovitch) to which the author of the software attends. I did while on . . . . Continue Reading »

Oculi: The Third Sunday in Lent

The Scripture ReadingsExodus 8:16–24Ephesians 5:1–9Luke 11:14–28Summary: Jesus Overcomes the Strong ManJeremiah was charged with speaking evil when he spoke the Word of the Lord (Jer. 26:1–15). So also, Jesus is accused of doing evil when in fact He is doing good. He casts out a . . . . Continue Reading »

What Shall I Read?

I have a very weird Lenten practice which I’ve attempted to hold to over the last few years. I’m a reader. I’ve always read books. It is the thing I am most likely to do given more than a few minutes free time. Somehow a few years back at the start of Lent, a rhyme that brides use . . . . Continue Reading »

Reminiscere: The Second Sunday in Lent

Scripture ReadingsIntroit: Ps. 91:1–2, 9–10, 13; antiphon 15-16Psalm of the Day: Ps. 32; antiphon v. 7Old Testament Lesson: Genesis 32:22–32Gradual: Ps. 91:11–12Epistle Lesson: 1 Thessalonians 4:1–7Verse: Ps. 91:1, 4a, 15a, 16Gospel Lesson: Matthew 15:21–28Lectionary . . . . Continue Reading »

Unremarkable Matthias

A sermon by my colleague, Rev. Dr. Benjamin Mayes, on this day of St. Matthias, Apostle and Martyr.Unremarkable MatthiasIn the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Dearly Beloved:Matthias is unremarkable. We have his feast on our Evangelical-Lutheran church year calendar simply . . . . Continue Reading »

Icons and the Triumph of Orthodoxy

A recent post by Christopher Benson on the Sunday of Orthodoxy in which he mused about the anathematising of the iconoclasts ... and what that says about him as a non-icon worshipping Christian. I’m not going to essay and defence of icons, the Lossky/Ousspensky book (The Meaning of Icons) is . . . . Continue Reading »

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