This Sunday we commemorate the Fathers of the First Six Oecumenical Councils. Together with these notes, we’ve included an overview of these Councils. This has been published before, but newer readers may not have seen it. Those of you who have seen it before might welcome the opportunity to refresh the memory, because it can … Read more
Gospel [Matthew 14:14-22 (§58); John 17:1-13 (§56)] In the Name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Dear Father, Brothers and sisters: Spraznecom! Happy Feast! But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart; give ye them to eat. On this day we commemorate all the holy Fathers of … Read more
Monasteries and the monastic life have always been prominent features of Christianity. We sometimes think of cathedrals as being a focal point because they are large and impressive, as well as being the seat of the diocesan bishop. A monastery usually has a significant influence on church life as a powerhouse of prayer. In some … Read more
Matt. 9:27-35 (§33) In the Name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. My dear Father, brothers and sisters: With today’s reading we are still in chapter nine of St Matthew’s Gospel in Jesus’ home town of Capernaum on the north side of the sea of Galilee. This particular section … Read more
We are fortunate in having the example of so many saints to demonstrate the character and quality of a life devoted entirely to Christ. Today the Calendar of Saints gives us a wide spread of names covering many centuries. The earliest is the Holy Martyr Hyacinth, who was martyred early in the 2nd Century. Today … Read more
Gospel: [Matt. 9:1-8 (§29)] In the Name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Dear Father, brothers and sisters: Today’s Gospel reading follows directly on from last week’s reading where, if you remember, we were with our Saviour in the country of the Gergasenes or the Gadarenes, in the small … Read more
In the calendar of Saints for today we find two saints who are linked. St David of Thessalonika, is sometimes called St David the Dendrite. He was born in Northern Mesopotamia in about the year 450, but little is known of his background. As a young man, he travelled to Thessalonika and became a monk … Read more
Gospel: [Matt. 8:28-9:1 (§28) & Luke 10:38-42, 11:27-28 (§54)] In the Name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Dear Father, brothers and sisters: Spraznecom! Happy Feast! From our first Gospel reading today you may well have experienced a certain strange déjà vu. Our Gospel today sounds almost identical to … Read more
St John the Wonderworker reposed in the Lord on this day in 1966. His shrine is in the “Joy of All Who Sorrow” Cathedral in San Francisco. Below is a very significant quote from the end of his lengthy address on the day of his ordination as a bishop, 27 May 1934. “We cannot but … Read more
Matt. 8:5-13 & John 10:9-16 In the Name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Dear Fathers, brothers and sisters: Spraznecom! Happy Feast! Today is another truly joyous feast for us here in this diocese as it is the actual feast day of our beloved Vladyka St John who was … Read more