The word Theophany, in ancient Greek (Θεοφάνεια, Theophaneia) means a vision of God – a historical event that manifested God’s existence. There have been many different theophanies in human history for people who believe there is a God. Judaism recognizes a … Continue reading
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It is a tradition of our Church that the day before Theophany, that is Tuesday January 5th, is a day of strict fast and abstinence: no meat or dairy products should be eaten. While we will celebrate this feast on … Continue reading
OUT OF EGYPT I HAVE CALLED MY SON It should be noted that the Church uses the Gospel of Matthew to relate the story of Jesus’ birth. In Matthew’s account, which differs from Luke’s, Joseph is the central and the … Continue reading
In the last issue of this article, which was before the feast of Christmas, I had already introduced the Holy, Holy, Holy prayer which takes place near the beginning of the Anaphora. It is the prayer, according to St. John’s … Continue reading
In this article before Christmas, I shared with my readers the debate that the Church Fathers had about finding just the right words to express Who Jesus is. The words they chose are Greek philosophical terms that have a very … Continue reading
A very important word in Eastern Christian spirituality is the word synergy. Eastern Christian theologians use this New Testament Greek word synergy to express the biblical teaching that God does not force His grace upon us, but, rather, guides and … Continue reading
In this article I have been looking at the context in which Matthew’s Gospel was composed. His intensified invective against Jews flows from conflicts between his community of Christian Jews and other Jews in his setting. This realization does not … Continue reading
The Call to Holiness, that is to be vibrant Christians, is a journey that is replete with obstacles, challenges and struggles. These are meant to strengthen us and help us grow in our commitment to becoming holy. The direction a … Continue reading
The first important event in the life of Jesus following his birth is his circumcision and naming. In Luke’s Gospel we read: When the eighth day arrived for his circumcision, the name Jesus was given the child, the name the … Continue reading
Help me, O Lord, to now prepare myself for the second great manifestation of Your incarnation, namely Your baptism by John in the Jordan. I know that one of the revelations of this feast is that You are Father, Son … Continue reading