Sermon ~ He is not Here
Last Sunday we came face to face with the person of St. Thomas and an act of faith that changed him from one filled with uncertainty to one of great faith. Today we come face to face with the women who came to the tomb of Jesus to prepare His sacred body for burial. The crucifixion took place very close to the Sabbath and so there was no time for the burial ritual to take place. Joseph of Arimathea came and took the body down and placed the body of Jesus in his own tomb. They did this … [Read More...]
Sermon ~ See What Happens When You Miss Church!
I find the lives of the Apostles some of the most interesting of all of the saints that we have in the Church. I often wonder what Jesus was thinking when He chose the ones that He did. One would betray Him, one would deny Him, two would argue over who would be the greatest. When He went to pray, they fell asleep, and when He needed them the most the deserted Him. Today we focus on the figure of St. Thomas. Thomas, like the rest of them, was imperfect but in the end, like the rest of … [Read More...]
National Animal Disaster Preparedness Day
If you have been reading these pages for any length of time you know that I have the honor of serving as Chaplain for a local fire department. I also work with that fire department in the area of disaster planning and serve the town as the animal inspector. All three of those seem to be coming together on this day when FEMA is paying attention to caring for animals in disaster situations. Disaster preparedness folks will tell you that you need a plan for your family. The most recent study … [Read More...]
Hades was Angered
One of the more well-known sermons of St. John Chrysostom is the Paschal sermon that is read in Orthodox Churches during the Paschal Matins service. The sermon is short, which proves the point that one does not need to preach for an hour to make a point, and it encapsulates the entire message of Easter. At the Agape Vespers service yesterday, I focused on one line towards the end of the sermon. In the translation that I use it says the following referring to Christ’s decent into Hades … [Read More...]
Statement by the President on the Occasion of Orthodox Easter
This weekend, Michelle and I extend our best wishes to members of the Orthodox Christian community here in America and around the world as they observe Holy Friday and the Feast of the Resurrection. For millions of Orthodox Christians, this is a joyful time. But it’s also a reminder of the sacrifice Christ made so that we might have eternal life. His decision to choose love in the face of hate; hope in the face of despair is an example we should always strive to follow. But it’s especially … [Read More...]
Great & Holy Saturday
On Saturday, the high priests and Pharisees gathered together before Pilate and asked him to have Jesus' tomb sealed until the third day; because, as those enemies of God said, "We suspect that His disciples will come and steal His buried body by night, and then proclaim to the people that His resurrection is true, as that deceiver Himself foretold while He was yet alive; and then the last deception shall be worse than the first." After they had said these things to Pilate and received his … [Read More...]
Holy and Great Friday ~ Taking Down from the Cross
On the afternoon of Great Friday, we conduct the service of the Great Vespers with great solemnity. This Vesper service concludes the remembrance of the events of the Lord's passion, and leads us towards watchful expectation as we contemplate the mystery of the Lord's descent into Hades, the theme of Great Saturday. In popular language the Vesper Service of Great Friday is often called the Apokathelosis, a name derived from the liturgical reenactment of the deposition of Christ from the … [Read More...]
Great and Holy Friday ~ The Lamentations at the Tomb
A decorated "Tomb" for Holy and Great Friday On Friday night, the Matins of Holy and Great Saturday, a unique service known as the The Lamentation at the Tomb (Epitáphios Thrēnos) is celebrated. This service is also sometimes called Jerusalem Matins. Much of the service takes place around the tomb of Christ in the center of the nave. A unique feature of the service is the chanting of the Lamentations or Praises (Enkōmia), which consist of verses chanted by the clergy interspersed … [Read More...]
