Reflections in Christ

Psalm 97: “When the Land was Restored”

Light dawns for the righteous,
 and joy for the upright in heart.
Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous…

Saint Alexis Toth: Confessor and Defender of Orthodoxy in North America

I was at the canonization of Saint Alexis during Memorial Day weekend in 1994 at Saint Tikhon’s Monastery. Along with scores of priests taking…

Psalm 96

Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice
(Psalm 96:11) ...

Saint Thomas, it seems, can never catch a break, at least in popular culture.  Our culture knows him as “doubting Thomas,” and one single and uncharacteristic lapse has forever labelled him as a doubter and made…

Christ is risen!

Recently, I posed a question to the faithful of our parish:  Is there life after Pascha?  Another question has formed in my mind this morning:  Is there Lent after…

In recent months I have come to the conclusion that the best place to appreciate the significance of Pascha is in a cancer ward, or a hospice for the dying, or by a deathbed.  When one stands in any of these…

At the beginning of Holy Week we contemplate “The End”—of the earthly ministry of Christ, of our own lives and the judgment that will lead to, and of the “end of the world.” In other words, there is something of an “apocalyptic edge” to the…

Psalm 95

This is my last “Chancellor’s Diary” entry until after Bright Week. But what a fitting psalm for today and these special days! ...

Psalm 94: God of Vengeance

There are times when we are just so angry and dispirited by the state of the world. Church life too can leave us bitterly disappointed and furious that…

Saint Nino, All-American Council, Syrian Patriarch and a devastating fire

It has been a busy few days at the Chancery. ...