Saint Nicholas Orthodox Church: Recent Episodes
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The Mystery of the Annunciation Two soul nourishing talks about the Theotokos, our Panagia by Papa Demetrios Carellas Hosted by St. Nicholas Orthodox Church, McKinney TX May 27 2017 The Saturday after the Ascension. Everything is free, of course! There will be time for discussion and questions after each talk. Sat, May 27: 3:00 pm […]
“O my soul, fear the passions of the Sanhedrin! No matter how terribly criminal they are, they are not far from the weak human heheart. If you are not attentive to yourself, if you do not begin to watch over your feelings and desires, if you do not set the fear of God as a […]
As we gathered this evening in worship at the Bridegroom Matins service of Great and Holy Monday, I was struck by the first sticheron on the praises: AS THE LORD WAS GOING TO HIS VOLUNTARY PASSION, HE SAID TO THE APOSTLES ON THE WAY, BEHOLD, WE GO UP TO JERUSALEM, AND THE SON OF MAN […]
(thank you to Natalia Hawthorne for finding and translating this story) St. Nicholas and the Church Keys This story is told by nun Maustrigia. During the Soviet persecution of churches, her monastery was closed down and all the nuns were told to leave. Nun Maustrigia had been living in the monastery with her blind sister. […]
SYNOPSIS:On Holy Thursday we simultaneously contemplate the sin of Judas and the institution of the Eucharist. There are two hymns from the matins canon that perfectly explain the greatest sin of Judas - it was not avarice, but to not be angry against sin. This is important to know, and apply to your life. Be angry in a godly way, and become godly. Many partake of communion without understanding why, or what it does. Another hymn from the canon perfectly explains this. We should know why we do things, and how we should do them. Learn from these two hymns the essence of Christianity.
Lacking all conscience, he received the Body that delivers men from sin and the divine Blood that was shed for the world. He was not ashamed to drink what he had sold for money, he felt no anger against sin, for he knew not how to cry, #39;O ye works of the Lord praise ye the and exalt Him above all for ever#39;.
Since I am man not merely in appearance but in reality, the human nature united to Me is made godlike through the exchange of attributes. Know Me, then, as one single Christ, who saves those among whom I have been born and whose nature I have taken.(Canon, Ode 8,9, Matins for Holy Thursday)
Overview of the Gospel on for Presanctified Liturgy on Great Monday, in which the Lord teaches about the state of the world, and His second coming, especially emphasizing the coldness of the hearts of modern man. Our reactions to this coldness and depravity? our hearts must be hot to compensate for the cold, or else we risk being deceived with all the rest. Also a story explains how to know if Christ is coming when someone "Here is Christ"
Text and commentary of Do not say, after spending a long time at prayer... The Ladder, John Climacus, Step, 28, Prayer
http://www.orthodox.net/sermons/great-lent-sunday-04_2014-03-30+if-thou-canst-believe-all-things-are-possible-to-him-that-believeth_mark9-17-31.mp3 In the healing of the demoniac boy, context is important. The healing occurred immediately after the Transfiguration and the failure of the other disciples to cast out the demon. There is an important lesson for us. God is very near, even though we do not always (or even often) fell Him. Things can change […]
he Biblical Odes are used especially during Great Lent. and during weekday matins, this verse, from ode 6, is always said: "They that observe vain and false things have abandoned mercy for themselves." This is one of my favorite parts of the matins service, because this pithy verse describes the reason for ALL our problems, and the simple solution. It is sobering, rebuking, but also comforting. It reminds me of the oft read scripture: " For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor might, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Rom 8:38-39) Nothing can separate the sinner from God, except if the sinner observes vain and false things without repentance.
"For God created man to be immortal, and made him to be an image of his own eternity. (24) Nevertheless through envy of the devil came death into the world: and they that do hold of his side do find it." Wisdom (of Solomon) 2:23-24
This is why I read this book, and you should too. ...
What is "life"? You cannot understand the cross unless you understand life.
We cannot understand the cross, and the way of the cross unless we understand life. What is life? Most people do not know the answer to this simple question or understand why the way of the cross is the only way to have life, or understand what is meant when we are told to "lose our life", or that everything in our life is an exchange - with life or death.
A letter sent to men I regularity visit in prison, containing an explanation of: WHY do we fast? Always do the things you CAN do The Holy Fathers on Fasting.
I am full of joy for Mykael and Anastasia (Gloria), who were crowned (married) yesterday (Sunday afternoon, after having received communion[1]). I am profoundly disappointed that I could not be the celebrant, because of my Shingles outbreak and probability that I was contagious with the Chicken Pox virus (and Myke has never had Chicken Pox!). Thank God that Fr Gregory was available to serve the liturgy and the wedding. His kindness made all of this possible, and allowed me to keep my promise to Myke that he would be wed on this date, no matter what.
Certainly, our God works in mysterious ways. I baptized Myke many years ago, and catechized Anastasia and baptized her recently. She has been an apt and willing pupil, and I believe that she is fully into the process of having Orthodoxy completely in her heart (as we all should be!). I wanted to see this thing through to the end (which of course, as all our Sacraments are, is really another beginning), but God had other plans for me and my little flock...
A letter to prisoners that describes Monophytism in detail, and touches on sharia law, injustice and the purpose of our life.
"Holy Father, keep in Thy name those whom Thou hast given me, in order that they may be one, even as We." John 17:11 The reality of the Trinity, in which the persons of God live in perfect oneness, is not a dry, dogmatic fact. Here Christ defines salvation; to be one with each […]
In the 16th chapter of John, Christ is preparing His disciples for is upcoming passion, on the very night of His arrest. Judas the betrayer of Christ did not hear these words. There is a great and deep well of theology here, a Christological treasure trove. It must be understood, and this happens over time and with repetition - of reading the Scripture texts and living the Christian life. There is something else in this chapter that is too beautiful to talk about properly. It is so wondrous that we cannot explain it, because it promises things that "eye hath not seen, nor ear heard". Our Lord describes ourend state, the fruit of our labors. This is the entire and only goal of life - perfection in Christ.
The conversation and conversion of the Samaritan woman by the well, recorded only in John, is the conversation of Christ with the soul. This is good news for us, as the future Equal to the Apostles Photini (Svetlana) was not a good woman - she had many sins - and we are not good either, however, she listened to the Lord, even as He sternly corrected her false beliefs and immoral lifestyle. The same conversation is happening to us, every day. Are you listening? Do you know how to listen? St Photini teaches us.
A commentary on the prayer "Lord, Thou hast accounted me worthy today, but cast me not away from Thy sight in that great and notable day when Thou wilt come again.". We must find ways to keep holy things from becoming common.
"By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35). In a well-known first century text called the "Epistle of Mathetes to Diognetus", the Christians of the time are described as follows: "But while they dwell in cities of Greeks and barbarians as the lot […]
As Orthodox Christians, we must strive to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, strength and mind (c.f. Luke 10:27) — in other words, with our entire being. The cultivation of the love of God in the mind consists in large part of studying the faith. We must immerse ourselves in the […]
Today, we as a church family are reading the first half of the Gospel according to John the Theologian. (If you are not there yet, don't worry — the main thing is to keep reading!) This selection tells of two things: Jesus' washing of His disciples feet and His knowledge of Judas' betrayal. The Church, […]
In the second half of John 10, Jesus says: "I and the Father are one." "I am the Son of God." "…the Father is in Me, and I in Him." What do we mean when we say the Jesus is God, that He is the Only-Begotten Son of God, of one essence with the Father? […]
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he […]
Sometimes the order in which we pray also teaches us important things. Our services and prayer books are comprehensive and teach us every way we should approach God in prayer. They are full of dogmatic truths and compunctionate sayings and prayers to the martyrs, especially in the weekday Matins services.
I was struck about even the order in which our prayers are said in Matins when I was singing (I am using the term loosely) the praises for Monday of the week of the Myrhhbearers. The first sticheron was about the resurrection, the next was a compunctionate one, and the next was an ode to the martyrs.
How sensible this is! Without the Resurrection we are nothing; ...
SYNOPSIS:The Scriptures tell us that Joseph "became bold" and asked for the body of Jesus from Pilate. He did a dangerous thing, which would likely cost him his life, as did the Holy Myrhhbearers when they went to the tomb on the day of the resurrection, to anoint a dead man. Why did they become bold? This is very important! They did not quite " get things right", since Jesus was not dead, so it is not so important that we get everything right and understand everything, but we must &become bold", because of love, and God will cause everything to work to the good. Also, at the beginning, an instruction about praying for people during the most sacred part of the Divine Liturgy, which is an obligation for all Orthodox Christians, and not only the clergy.
Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, (29) And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation." [1] [John 5:28-29]
We who are true Christians know that the way we live shows what we believe. The greatest heresy (meaning the most egregious to the soul) of our age is a relatively new one - that salvation is by faith alone. Those who espouse this heresy do not understand what faith is, and who its always present companion is. It is plain as day in the Scripture, as the Holy Apostle and brother of the Lord James says:...
oday in Philadelphia, the jury, after 10 days of deliberation, delivered several guilt verdicts in the trial of the abortionist Dr. Kermit Gosnell. He will face the death penalty in some of these convictions.
Most people do not know who this man is, since he is the real face of abortion in this country. The mainstream media and too many politicians are totally enslaved to the sins of this age, and since abortion is an important pillar of these sins, they strive to protect it as often as they can, even by censoring news about obscene acts of evil. This is why there is very little information available on mainstream sources about Kermit Gosnell. His trial reads like the script of a horror movie....
The Apostle Thomas is a perfect example of how we are, deep inside. We have doubts, problems, unresolved issues. We must follow his example to resolve all these problems. We also talk about the closing of the doors in the altar on Bright Saturday night, and what it means. It is VERY related to the story of Thomas, which must become our story if we are to be saved.
Learning holy things is hard. The mind must be changed; we do not naturally think about heavenly things or reason in spiritual ways. ... Nicodemus was a good man, and very pious and learned. ...Even though he was such a man, he could not understand what the Lord was telling him, and was even rebuked about it.... Many stories we read from the Gospels during the Paschal season drive home this point[4] - understanding heavenly things is hard. Let's just flat out admit it ...
"... What sign showest Thou to us, seeing that Thou doest these things?" This question the Jewish leaders asked Jesus after he routed the money changers out of the temple. It is a stupid question. They shouldn't be asking "what sign", instead they should be asking for forgiveness! The Lord had showed them a very personal sign, much like He would later do to the people of the Gergesenes[2]. Their greed blinded them to the blessing the Lord gave them; He exposed their sin and gave them an opportunity to repent. This was the sign! Sins blind us to the signs the Lord is continually showing us. We also look for external signs, but the truest and most reliable signs are those that the Lord reveals to the heart...
"... Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it"[1] [John 2:5]
This is is advice that we need to follow closely. ... Our will is unreliable since it is tainted by the passions. We often get things wrong. God's will is always GOOD. Sometimes we know and understand why God is telling us to do a certain thing such as that we should love our enemies or we should we should do good to those who do evil into us. That is the easy stuff (to understand, but not always to do!). The hard part is the following God's will when we do not understand why or perhaps we don't even understand exactly what it is we are to do or what the result is supposed to be.....
"And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see." [John 1:46]
[Our parish is being encouraged to read the Gospel of Jon during the Pentecostarion period. If we read 1/2 chapter a day plus the remainder (about 2 chapters) the day before Ascension, we will finish in forty days. On Bright Monday, the suggested reading is John 1:1-28, on Tuesday the rest of the chapter (John 1:29-51)]
The following is a prayerful meditation on some part of the "assigned" reading. REMEMBER - read the scripture to apply it to yourself. This is all important. There may be parts you do not understand, but there will always be something that touches your heart if you read it prayerfully.
Meditation on "But as many as received Him, to them he gave power to become Children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were begotten not of blood, nor of the flesh, nor the will of man, but of God." [John 1:12-13]. How do we become a child of God?
We are a poor diocese, but we are very rich. I have been around a little, especially because of the Internet, and I do not know of a more peaceful diocese anywhere. I truly enjoy being around my brother clergy, and it is always warms my soul to see how freely and easily we interact with our chief shepherd, Bishop Peter. We are truly free to say anything, in public or private, and there is a sense in our gatherings of acceptance, support and calm....
Something always happens at some point during the Divine Liturgy, usually around the time of the Great Entrance. This is always the highlight of my trip, but talking about it cannot convey the experience. I become overwhelmed ...
SYNOPSIS: Are you a glass half full or half empty person? How do you look at the Last Judgment story in Matthew 25:31-46? Many people concentrate on the condemnation of those who go to Hell, but the story actually emphasizes that we are eternal beings ("Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world"), and therefore every thing we do and every work of mercy must be eternal. It teaches us how to accomplish this: "Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me"
Synopsis: The healing of the woman with a spirit of infirmity of 18 years warns us to not be formal in our religion. Love is the highest law; we can only obey this law if we understand something critically important about ourselves. This healing teaches us both of these things.Also 7 homilies on Psalm 118.
An excellent way to pray for someone is to pray a short prayer for them, then say the Jesus prayer for the person, for a set number of times.
One may say "Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on N", or, more inclusively, "on us".
After the Jesus prayers, one may repeat the short prayer, or use another one. Two suggested prayers are below.
Synopsis: What must I do to be saved? Follow the Greatest commandment and understand how to do this by understanding the Parable of the Good Samaritan. also links to meditations on Psalm 118, verse by verse.
The number 12 appears twice in the story of the raising of the daughter of Jairus and the healing of the woman with an issue of blood; this is not accidental. We see two kinds of faith - weak and strong, and the good news that the Lord will respond to even to weak faith, but we must also respond when He does! Of course, the whole point of His response to our weak faith is that it would become stronger! We look at the weak faith of Jairus and his necessary response to the Lord, and learn form the strong faith of the woman with an issue of blood. Also links to meditations on Psalm 118, verse by verse.