tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-103364992012-02-06T09:31:31.416-05:00Life as Eucharist and IconDn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.comBlogger6241100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-23285783018801611192011-12-17T09:36:00.001-05:002011-12-17T09:38:35.603-05:00

"When one undertakes to examine Scripture in an idle, intellectual way, he creates hatred and quarrelling. Why? Because the intellectual approach to Scripture does not help us to turn and reflect on our sins, but instead makes us focus on problems and concepts related to the study of Scripture, with the result that our logical and intellectual faculties are aroused to no real purpose. “Knowledge”

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-42509959590354399082011-10-29T07:50:00.000-04:002011-10-29T07:50:31.184-04:00

One of my favorite groups (a trio of siblings) plays my all time favorite song (and lullabye to all three girls).

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-22423219676137900252011-10-07T18:27:00.002-04:002011-10-07T18:29:37.004-04:00

"...some of those who once called for tolerance and individual freedom have adjusted to the success of their programme and decided to shift the boundaries. But their new goal cannot be achieved by appealing to tolerance, freedom, or even diversity because they now seek to impose their own implicit moral system upon the whole of society."From HERE. H/T to Fr. Gregory Jensen.

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-20478040164886222742011-10-04T10:21:00.005-04:002011-10-04T10:24:21.626-04:00

The original was HERE...I added us in.

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-18393586457571234712011-09-28T10:59:00.003-04:002011-09-28T11:24:29.702-04:00

I said I wasn't "inspired" to write about seminary. Perhaps one should make that claim after the year has begun.The year has gotten off to a roaring start, much more than in previous years. The main word of the year seems to be "homilies," with three of them already written, critiqued, rewritten, and delivered within the first month of classes. In between all this, we've just taken a trip down

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-91500674255907834862011-08-28T16:25:00.009-04:002011-08-28T23:11:17.127-04:00

Greetings from the ravaged leftovers of a post-Hurricane-Irene Crestwood, NY. Seriously: the photo to the right is the worst of our part of campus, as reports were (mercifully) overblown and the worst we got was a little wind and rain. Grateful for the mild evening. In anticipation for the worst, Divine Liturgy this morning was cancelled, but tonight's Vespers for the Beheading of John the

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-38470271898978513762011-07-26T20:57:00.014-04:002011-08-07T00:09:12.483-04:00

First off, a blessed beginning of the Dormition Fast to all on the Revised Julian Calendar.A week ago today we went up to New Haven, CT and communed at Holy Transfiguration (OCA), which will be my parish assignment for the Senior Year. Good night, has it been two years already?! How bizarre to think that we'll be the "big men on the totem pole" in the student body. Audra says she doesn't want

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-78008804398499974352011-07-02T21:01:00.001-04:002011-07-02T21:02:54.002-04:00

I just...don't know. Really?!

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-25585688495048334422011-06-28T09:16:00.002-04:002011-06-28T09:22:01.888-04:00

Forgive the lack of updates; just a brief note to ask any and all to lift up Leo DuMoulin and his parents Justin and Anna, who attended seminary with us and graduated after our first year here. Leo was born with hydrocephalus and underwent surgery yesterday to correct massive swelling in his head present since birth (months ago). He has experienced brain development that no doctor had predicted

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-38149881031052999812011-05-29T23:31:00.003-04:002011-05-30T00:52:11.348-04:00

The final few days of school, followed by the last week or two serving here and there, the final days of hospital internship...travel over the past few days.Ordination was, all at once, glorious and ordinary. Never have I been in a service which required less brain power. Deacons in the altar led me here, pointed there, told me to bow here, kiss this, kneel like this, go here, etc. In the end,

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-33871263980003631272011-05-11T21:01:00.000-04:002011-05-13T16:59:07.778-04:00

God willing, this Saturday, May 14, 2011, I will be ordained by Metropolitan JONAH to the Holy Diaconate at St. Sergius of Radonezh Chapel in Syosset, NY.Please keep us in your prayers.

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-36699713590049050392011-05-05T09:47:00.009-04:002011-05-05T10:15:13.252-04:00

The following is the gist of the homily I delivered this morning in chapel; this is a speech-to-text version from last night.The gospel reading can be found HERE.in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Christ is risen!We've worked our way through about a week and ½ of Paschal celebration. We’ve heard beautiful hymns like "The Angel Cried," wherein words such as

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-15115977225239751712011-05-01T23:29:00.011-04:002011-05-06T08:11:13.661-04:00

The following is the second written contribution for my Systematic Theology class. It is almost double the maximum word count; I apologize in advance to my professor. However, as with the first entry, comments have been turned off until the entry can be graded.----------------------------------------------Much in Orthoblogdom has been devoted to two often-competing blogs, OCANews and OCATruth,

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-89910426164310439932011-04-23T18:28:00.004-04:002011-04-23T20:10:11.261-04:00

I was chrismated into the Orthodox Church ten years ago today (liturgically speaking; as Pascha is a moveable feast, the actual calendar date doesn't matter so much). My family came up to Tulsa from West Texas, and a cute, petite blonde sat in a pew a little ways back (holding my then-baby cousin through the whole liturgy--one of the longest of the year!). She would be chrismated that December,

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-53684949309991760432011-04-21T15:45:00.003-04:002011-04-21T16:00:59.473-04:00

An old fav popped into my head at liturgy this morning. Poor Old Lu, anyone?Two stichera from today's Matins Praises:"Judas the transgressor at the supper dipped his hand into the dish with Thee, O Lord / yet sinfully he reached out his hands to receive the money. /He reckoned up the value of the oil of myrrh, /and yet was not afraid to sell Thee who art above all price. /He stretched out his

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-61113699913532025372011-04-10T22:54:00.004-04:002011-04-11T01:31:09.138-04:00

A full week. The seminary community put forth a relatively strenuous effort this past week with, in addition to the normal lenten daily Matins/Vespers and Wed. Presanctified, a reading of the entire Canon of St. Andrew of Crete and a reading of the life of St. Mary of Egypt on Thursday morning (beginning at 6am), followed by another Presanctified Liturgy at noon the same day. Akathist to the

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-61076949164032057252011-04-05T09:20:00.004-04:002011-04-05T09:48:26.990-04:00

From this morning in chapel...one of the difficulties for me in putting this together was the fact that seminary guidelines constrain us to five to seven minutes. We have a pretty short morning service--20-30 min. each weekday morning--and this is sort of a short sermonette (I call it "spiritual breakfast") that is given by second- and third-year seminarians at the conclusion to accompany the

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-19319216461189184242011-03-26T07:17:00.003-04:002011-03-26T19:04:27.078-04:00

"Listen to what the angel says: Therefore also that Holy Thing Which is [being begotten -- γεννώμενον] of thee, in other words, that Holy Thing Which is growing within your womb in extraordinary manner, and does not at once exist in completed form. Here the mouth of Nestorius is sealed. For that man said that the Son of God did not take flesh by dwelling in the womb of the Virgin, but that a

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-64815527660621402632011-03-06T22:23:00.002-05:002011-03-06T22:26:23.012-05:00

My eldest did this today.(Taken from my project, here.)

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-57217469071338647852011-03-06T21:40:00.012-05:002011-03-08T23:20:26.378-05:00

My wife told me about the OCA Truth blog the other day which means to serve as a corrective to the OCA News blog, which I sensed was kicking over the traces back in the "AOCANA bishop 'demotion'" days. I just rolled my eyes and said that none of this is helpful, that we can't ever really know anything with regard to these goings on...none of which stopped me from actually going to said blog and

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-34351445484685224682011-03-06T21:29:00.001-05:002011-03-07T21:45:40.718-05:00

A third post for the day: The following is my homily for Exegesis for Preaching. Constructive criticism is welcome.---------------------------------------------------In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.Just before today’s very familiar reading starts, Jesus hears that John the Baptist has been murdered by Herod the tetrarch due to a promise made at a banquet,

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-84080697824523026842011-02-22T23:26:00.002-05:002011-02-24T09:29:09.708-05:00

(This blog post is for a short assignment in Systematic Theology; as such, comments have been turned off)Almost four years ago, Luke Timothy Johnson and Eve Tushnet wrote two thoughtful and heartfelt articles regarding homosexuality and the Church (SOURCE) -- while, for both of them, "the Church" refers to the Roman Catholic Church, many of their observations are pertinent to the questions often

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-72674311966623395302011-02-13T21:59:00.001-05:002011-02-13T22:07:22.708-05:00

A blessed pre-lenten Sunday to all. This post is a few weeks in coming, I know; took a lazy Sunday afternoon to make enough room for it.Upon arrival at the National Mall, this was handed to us by a Byzantine Catholic group: A beautiful recension of the Virgin of the Sign. I'm always encouraged by the relatively young, somber witness given by the Catholic pro-lifers at the March. Gone are the

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-49133400314595490252011-02-05T23:11:00.003-05:002011-02-05T23:13:43.455-05:00

From one of my YouTube subscriptions...this is what comes from siblings in E. TX who are made to play from childhood. Now that's some good pickin', right thar...

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-55443462802870606082011-01-30T21:21:00.006-05:002011-01-31T08:42:18.364-05:00

...and one's blog is about oneself, here's what I've done recently...From time to time I've gone with a singing group here at SVS and sung responses to services, helped put on concerts, etc. We went to Harrisburg, then to York, PA the weekend before classes started and sang the Vespers responses in the former parish (Christ the Savior, OCA) and the Divine Liturgy responses in the latter,

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-2743697375969744772011-01-24T04:18:00.007-05:002011-01-24T05:06:38.657-05:00

Our seminary community was rocked recently with the tragic, very late-term death of the unborn child of our dear friends, Adam and Trish. Please say prayers for them; the newly-reposed saint is Evelyn Martha. They have a young son, named Luke. I have seen two other infants' funerals. Just when I think the caskets can't get any smaller...Several of us went with them from St. Vladimir's to St.

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-67837981916315098112011-01-07T14:42:00.003-05:002011-01-08T11:04:32.014-05:00

Yesterday Orthodox Christians on the Revised Julian Calendar celebrated the baptism of Christ in the Jordan river; today those on the Old Julian Calendar celebrate the Nativity of Christ in the flesh. Blessed Feasts to all!The hymnography of Theophany is thought-provoking, as are all the hymns of the Church; several hymns make mention of the absurdity of John the Baptist, a mere creature,

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-71098478705504209782011-01-01T00:21:00.016-05:002011-01-02T22:27:03.273-05:00

A bit of miscellany on this first morning of the New Year:We have been in and around Kentucky for the past couple of weeks; Lord willing, we'll be back in New York early this coming week. It was a white Christmas in Sturgis, though unlike New York, the snow has the good sense to come down in a quantity of an inch or two--enough to make a few snow angels, throw a few snowballs--and then go away.

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-25108141916998016332010-12-28T16:59:00.002-05:002010-12-28T17:08:54.451-05:00

I was talking with Audra last night about what a priest should be. This, of course, ties into what a seminary should aspire to be (and what it should not waste its time trying to be). I was pleased, then, to read THIS POST by Fr. Jonathan Tobias, which not only states my ideas about what a priest should be able to do and what kind of man he should be, but also expands into what a seminary

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-39632988710950902902010-12-21T11:26:00.004-05:002010-12-22T14:24:52.384-05:00

[Cue "Livin' on a Prayer" in the background]Well, it seems as though the seminary experience has let up for another break. Classes came to a relatively easy end, compared both to the rigor of the past semester and the nature of last year's finals. When one is committed to family and household, one has to pick one's battles in terms of what one will study for and what one will give a miss. In

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-31737444781380958482010-11-15T07:11:00.010-05:002010-11-15T11:08:50.449-05:00

These videos of some of the music from this past weekend's vigil were posted on YouTube. The relics of St. Vladimir made their only stop in the US at our seminary; I was blessed to sing the responses with two chorales of my brother seminarians, one made of us Vladimites, and another of visiting Tikhonaires (in my opinion, we were outsung by the good folks from S. Canaan, but God was glorified

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-43484566226911328572010-10-25T10:22:00.004-04:002010-11-06T00:29:34.009-04:00

I had a conversation with a faculty member and his wife last Sunday during coffee hour. He has been in the Orthodox Church for the entirety of his life; she had grown up in the Church, but had had some encounters with charismatics and evangelicals for a particular reason in her life which I won't go into here; suffice it to say, she came back to the Church later in life, and happily so. She and

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-89961920617179316422010-10-23T14:29:00.001-04:002010-10-23T14:30:26.350-04:00

Eleven years since the postseason. 50 years without a single postseason series victory. Well. Done. Rangers.

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-73434319498083104882010-10-17T23:56:00.001-04:002010-10-17T23:59:44.601-04:00

Not totally. Just sayin'.

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-3302299444134716282010-10-07T18:24:00.003-04:002010-10-07T18:32:39.648-04:00

My daughter, Laura Louise, was born today at 9am sharp.She weighs 8 lbs. and 13 oz. She is 20 inches long, and is beautiful.Mother and baby are both doing fine, and resting.We give glory to God for her safe delivery, and ask that St. Laura of Córdoba intercede for her. Your prayers are appreciated.

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-52243221013154637592010-09-19T12:36:00.006-04:002010-09-19T13:23:05.291-04:00

Och has beaten me to the punch on this, the 13th anniversary of the death of Rich Mullins. I remember someone coming up to me before Sunday school and telling me the news of his death. I don't keep silent much--anyone who knows me, knows me as a talker--but I distinctly remember speaking very, very little in the days following his death. One of the aspects to my loquaciousness, unfortunately,

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-6218631283981089552010-09-12T14:03:00.003-04:002010-09-12T14:28:54.411-04:00

Some September alms from the wind this morning after Divine Liturgy:Thou comest, Autumn, heralded by the rain,With banners, by great gales incessant fanned,Brighter than brightest silks of Samarcand,And stately oxen harnessed to thy wain!Thou standest, like imperial Charlemagne,Upon thy bridge of gold; thy royal handOutstretched with benedictions o'er the land,Blessing the farms through all thy

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-91464294895803033412010-08-27T19:06:00.003-04:002010-08-29T00:16:17.701-04:00

Tomorrow will be my last day of teaching for the summer; Monday begins a new school year. Your prayers are coveted.Those Orthodox Christians under the (Old) Julian Calendar will celebrate the Dormition of the Theotokos tomorrow; I wish all of them a blessed feastday; as we will be entertaining company from out of town who will be celebrating the feast on that day, I've been thinking (again)

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-3683800088453318822010-08-16T11:02:00.003-04:002010-08-16T11:03:56.264-04:00

Am currently working on a reflection of yesterday's festal liturgy and a sermon of St. Gregory Palamas on said feast; to read the festal homily, click HERE.A most joyous feast to all!

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-61464016782529285362010-08-05T23:56:00.004-04:002010-08-06T00:58:22.693-04:00

"Now, I beseech you, strive to lift up the eyes of your understanding towards the light of the gospel message, that you may be transformed by the renewing of your mind, and having acquired the divine brightness from above, be conformed to the likeness of the glory of the Lord, whose face shone like the sun today on the mountain."In what way like the sun? There was a time when sunlight was not

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-88084099475053167972010-08-02T00:18:00.005-04:002010-08-02T01:34:45.091-04:00

A song I've loved for over half my short life:"Old ain't a word that I'm fond of," he said."And these days I've begun to lose count."Mumbling she rolls in her wheelchair, and says,"I'm afraid that they've closed my account."There's a blur that occurs in the line of their lifeThat decays the whole notion of senseAnd they call to the past, insisting that it last,While they're climbing down

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-32323989699304097102010-07-26T00:05:00.004-04:002010-07-26T01:02:15.650-04:00

To say things have been quiet here on OTAS would be an understatement. We have successfully moved into a much larger apartment here on campus, in preparation for the arrival, Lord willing, of little Laura Louise in a few short months. With increased living space comes increased financial responsibilities. It is interesting to note that, in the words of Fr. Thomas Hopko, "either God will

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-78206755261325102362010-07-25T23:42:00.003-04:002010-07-26T00:05:09.133-04:00

George Michalopulos has weighed in at the AOI on a Franky Schaffer screed which happened as of late in my old stomping grounds of Tulsa, OK; his article has also been published in the Tulsa World. Why anyone would ask Frank Schaffer to speak *nowadays* for the Orthodox Church is beyond me, as he has departed from Orthodox faith in numerous ways. Conversations about this article on Facebook (I

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-4805800934739823472010-07-03T15:55:00.003-04:002010-07-03T16:03:10.339-04:00

Fr. Jonathan Tobias has a stirring, yet sobering, post that all American Orthodox Christians should read this weekend (and every weekend, as far as I'm concerned).So read it.

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-12914151982108914252010-06-28T16:58:00.005-04:002010-06-28T22:25:49.730-04:00

This past Sunday, following a visit to Holy Protection Cathedral in NYC, I drove over to the American Bible Society, where they had a display of Ukrainian icons and other liturgical items (this will be on display through most of September), called "The Glory of Ukraine." To the right, you have a pectoral cross of one of the saintly monks (you will have to forgive the lack of provenance in the

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-38736886916403025172010-06-22T12:55:00.002-04:002010-06-22T13:29:45.550-04:00

In response to a recent post at Beggars All, I thought I'd post an apt response here; this happens to be my answer to an essay question on my Patristics final, second semester.*********************************************The charge that "Only the Antiochene theologians present a realistic picture of the human Jesus" may seem to have some merit when taken at face value, but upon further inspection

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-78369342975051311932010-06-18T09:56:00.006-04:002010-06-22T12:42:01.179-04:00

[EDIT: The post linked to below is apparently no longer on Fr. Basil's blog]"I don’t personally care whether our hierarchs are from this continent or not. Insisting that the bishops be from the “mother country” or from the United States and Canada are just different forms of the same over-emphasis on race. What we need are bishops and church leaders (ordained and lay) who see that what stands

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-45235590500009684722010-06-11T12:29:00.003-04:002010-06-11T12:35:07.918-04:00

Troparia are linked to via the icon in the sidebar.Blogger won't let me link their lives to their names, so here it is (taken from oca.org HERE):****************************Apostle Bartholomew of the Twelve The Holy Apostle Bartholomew was born at Cana of Galilee and was one of the Twelve Apostles of Christ. After the Descent of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost, it fell by lot to the holy

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-16325910403816740262010-06-10T11:39:00.002-04:002010-06-10T11:48:33.873-04:00

Father Stephen recently cited an article by Dr. Donald Sheehan on the concept of "Memory Eternal" as used in the Orthodox Church, in commemoration of his recent repose in the Lord. Most of us have probably read Father's post; I thoroughly recommend reading the article by Dr. Sheehan. I quote the article's final words here (emph. mine): "[In an opening quotation of Zosima's biography] is the

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-23957334103782522492010-06-04T11:48:00.002-04:002010-06-04T11:56:46.826-04:00

Steve Robinson has written "one of those posts" which I imagine I will have to read over and over again. Beautiful meditation; to my knowledge, it's heretofore unprecedented in Orthodox thought, but very much in line with what we know and teach about theosis. What was it Florovsky said about "the mind of the fathers," again?

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-56545590346720329322010-06-04T10:33:00.000-04:002010-06-04T10:33:31.986-04:00

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-23331537655247285092010-06-03T11:29:00.004-04:002010-06-03T11:33:48.729-04:00

Darlene has raised some good questions in the comments in the Patmos post below. I posted the following there, then thought it might ought to be here, too:Darlene --Don't fret yourself; "If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might be an annoying convert, I more..." ;)I struggled with the issue of baptism, too, about five years ago. I met with Archbishop Dmitri about it--you can read

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-15448083896736887842010-06-02T10:08:00.011-04:002010-06-02T17:15:48.305-04:00

I couldn't pass up the chance to honor someone as eccentric (to our ears) as St. Dodo of Georgia. A good opportunity to lighten up. Click the name for his vita.Finished reading A Place of Healing for the Soul: Patmos by Peter France, a BBC religion columnist for several years who, after spending extensive time on the island of Patmos as a skeptic and secularist, eventually joined the Church of

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-56228223051704101492010-05-26T21:37:00.005-04:002010-05-27T12:52:42.303-04:00

Audra and I went to the doctor's office yesterday and got a glimpse of our little one--the glimpse that let us know that we are expecting our third in a set. Lord willing, Laura Louise will join us in our family in early to mid-October. What you see here may be a sign of things to come; her pinky finger is up, prim and proper. An elegant girl, apparently. Your prayers are coveted -- perhaps

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-32496959610762698182010-05-26T00:05:00.004-04:002010-05-26T03:25:44.789-04:00

The Ochlophobist has recently posted a whopper of a post (an article of some length, really) "against a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus" which speaks of "The anglo-American Evangelical ritualization, psychologicalization, and socio-religious construct known as a 'personal relationship with the Lord Jesus'" as "a mechanism designed to convince persons of divine affirmation of their own

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-8599568802592658162010-05-19T02:08:00.004-04:002010-05-19T02:19:37.870-04:00

I am grateful to God to be able to say that at noon today I finished my first year of seminary. I don't have too many wounds to speak of from it; just a sliced thumb while cooking supper (which required a trip to the emergency room and--not stitches, but superglue!--to seal the wound shut, which is already healing nicely, thank God. My RN, Joe, who gave me my tetanus shot (since I could not

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-42955292328787393432010-05-19T01:19:00.001-04:002010-05-19T02:59:00.466-04:00

The following is my paper for Patristics 102 which I took this past semester under the tutelage of Fr. John Behr. I post it because of several extended conversations between Perry Robinson of Energetic Procession and Rhology, my good friend of many years who comments frequently on theological posts on this blog. A recent post of Rhology's from last month deals with nature and person, as talk of

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-46308321932057394382010-05-12T22:12:00.003-04:002010-05-12T22:19:07.879-04:00

The Ascension of Christ(What is the Ascension and What is Heaven?)+ Protopresbyter Alexander Schmemann“The feast of the Ascension is the celebration of heaven now opened to human beings, heaven as the new and eternal home, heaven as our true homeland. Sin severed earth from heaven and made us earthly and coarse, it fixed our gaze solidly on the ground and made our life exclusively earthbound.

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-29807070819776988112010-05-07T00:42:00.006-04:002010-05-07T14:32:42.345-04:00

The following is a paper I wrote for Church History; appropriate for the saint commemorated today. Also an insight (though this is not the topic of the paper) that the "Low Slavic" nature of the OCA (as opposed to the "Higher Russian" flavor in the ROCOR can be attributed in large part to the heavy Carpatho-Russian origins of much of the OCA, origins which were immediately accesible to today's

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-61199064678578521632010-05-05T00:42:00.001-04:002010-05-07T15:35:30.735-04:00

Last week was the Midfeast of Pentecost (half-way between Pascha and Pentecost), and was also the first time for me to serve as an altar server in a Divine Liturgy. I've served a couple of Presanctified Liturgies during Lent in years past, and this year in seminary has me pretty comfortable with the basic movements of an altar server in most OCA parishes. It's rather (in?)famously known that

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-22724125538560304392010-04-23T00:04:00.007-04:002010-04-23T00:51:39.988-04:00

A blessed feast of St. George to all. As a needed side note, we are celebrating as of yesterday the birth of little Jonathan to our good friends (and Hope's godparents) the Wingerds, who lost their baby boy Jamie in a tragic accident last year. Mother and son are well, thank God. Many years, and may the little saint pray for his new little brother, his mother, and all of us, especially during

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-89597383814965278872010-04-22T22:29:00.001-04:002010-04-23T00:33:39.548-04:00

Earth Day can have its "green." I miss my blue.(This is currently the wallpaper on my desktop. It relaxes me just to look at it.)

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-73075928463586599622010-04-07T23:51:00.002-04:002010-04-08T00:53:10.249-04:00

Classes at SVS are cancelled during this festal week, so Audra, the girls and I have been enjoying the time off. We went to Wave Hill yesterday--a public garden and cultural center--following a Paschal Divine Liturgy, and got to run around on the lawns playing tag and hide-and-go-seek. The girls loved walking around, and what flowers were in bloom at the time made for great conversation.We had

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-59115262835669692792010-04-07T23:43:00.003-04:002010-04-07T23:50:23.334-04:00

Former comments here have led to my long response. Rather than break it up in a combox, I brought it back here.Christ is risen!Re: 1 Jn 5.13: I quoted, somewhere in previous comments, St. Paul's psg of not having attained it, but pressing on towards it, its being sthg that Christ has already apprehended (our salvation) and which we might eventually thus co-apprehend (though it's already

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-46856870321560946442010-04-04T09:30:00.001-04:002010-04-04T09:33:18.548-04:00

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-5153863949234415702010-04-01T22:43:00.003-04:002010-04-01T22:57:29.617-04:00

We have read the Passion narratives from all four gospels. Christ, the eternal, immutable Word, eternally begotten of the Beginningless Father, has ascended of His own will onto the wood of the Cross and, in His humanity, that immutable Word has suffered. The word, in its patristic sense, is much deeper, as it does not refer simply to physical pain. Rather, this word refers to any change that

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-86134592266312050972010-03-30T01:09:00.001-04:002010-03-30T01:09:48.802-04:00

David W at Pious Fabrications brought this priest to my attention; Fr. Nathan and his parishioners are the process of being received into the Antiochian Western Rite Vicariate from Old Catholicism. He is very active in helping the poor and needy around him; as this is (Lord willing) the type of life my family and I will be engaged in, I think any help we could send his way would be beneficial (I

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-22252886426018376602010-03-29T22:16:00.000-04:002010-03-30T01:07:53.593-04:00

Tonight, Hope attended her first Bridegroom Matins. She fell asleep for about the last quarter of it, poor thing.She is getting to the age where she questions why we go to church. Why we go to Church a lot. Why we go to church...and other family members don't. Or why they go to different kinds of churches.And she's a typical kid. Church is long. Church is boring (except when, like last

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-1907856641121089862010-03-28T13:32:00.003-04:002010-03-28T13:35:08.803-04:00

I received the following in an email from Fr. John Mikita, the rector of St. John of Damascus Orthodox Church, directly before Clean Week. With our entry into Holy Week, it seems this is appropriate reading yet again.*******************************Two beloved disciples asked the Lord for thrones of glory, and He gave them His Cup (Matt. 20:23).The Cup of Christ is suffering. But for those who

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-89025843851277294302010-03-27T02:29:00.000-04:002010-03-27T02:31:39.902-04:00

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-29762679247369321982010-03-25T00:20:00.002-04:002010-03-25T00:41:41.866-04:00

Troparion - Tone 4 Today is the beginning of our salvation,The revelation of the eternal mystery!The Son of God becomes the Son of the VirginAs Gabriel announces the coming of Grace.Together with him let us cry to the Theotokos:Rejoice, O Full of Grace, The Lord is with You!Kontakion - Tone 8 O Victorious Leader of Triumphant Hosts!We, your servants, delivered from evil, sing our grateful thanks

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-8279141555602948432010-03-24T23:42:00.003-04:002010-03-25T01:19:58.590-04:00

Long-time friend and commenter Rhology has asked me if my brief line concerning sola fide is actually representative of my thoughts concerning it. True, it was a throw-away line, and yes, it needs to be unpacked.I get it that, properly engaged, sola fide means to lead the believer to a life of holiness. That it means that "true faith" will "flip a switch" whereby the true believer will become

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-88008124867767259992010-03-19T16:09:00.003-04:002010-03-19T16:45:14.773-04:00

Fr. Stephen Freeman and John of the Commonplace Book have commented on Peter Hitchen's road to faith, and our friendly neighborhood Ochlophobist has commented on the fear of hell which Hitchen seemed to perceive through a particular image of Rogier van der Weyden.I never bought the idea that, because of sola fide, my works had no effect on my life, nor my eternal life. I can relate to much of

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-47679450965276149952010-03-01T01:06:00.009-05:002010-03-01T02:19:56.392-05:00

I am up later than I probably should be, but am taking the time now after having cranked out the entirety of one paper (due Wednesday) and the majority of another, longer one (due Thursday, but will consult with prof on Wednesday regarding content, interpretation, etc). The latter paper is for a class in iconology with Richard Schneider, a class which I am enjoying immensely, for more than one

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-63883611791688369212010-02-13T23:08:00.001-05:002010-02-14T15:21:48.289-05:00

(Please also click on the icon to the right for a pastoral message from Metropolitan JONAH for the start of Great Lent. Blessed Fast to all. Forgive me if I have offended you.)**********************************Forgiveness Sunday+ Metropolitan Anthony BloomOn February 14 this year we commemorate Forgiveness Sunday, the last day prior to Great Lent, and the last of five Pre-Lenten Sundays.

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-60408107183575151062010-02-08T01:57:00.001-05:002010-02-08T02:01:30.793-05:00

In keeping with tradition, my elder daughter Hope is still singing like she has done before (See HERE for her latest hit).

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-60615637018325664032010-02-04T22:18:00.000-05:002010-02-04T22:19:39.676-05:00

October 19th, Lord willing. Glory to God.

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-14787204471426666722010-01-20T23:55:00.004-05:002010-01-21T01:09:32.638-05:00

Thanks be to God, we arrived back in NY safely on the 18th. The typical whirlwind ensued as we unpacked and attempted to organize as quickly as possible for the upcoming semester, now in full swing. Very much enjoyed the time back home; while I cannot say it was restful (we did lots of driving in my uncle's car, which he graciously loaned us during our stay), it was wonderful to see family

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-88627248958958972612010-01-05T19:09:00.001-05:002010-01-05T19:11:45.704-05:00

So...SO...glad to be back for (almost) two whole weeks. God bless Texas!

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-3050178428245929362010-01-03T21:47:00.004-05:002010-01-03T21:58:51.629-05:00

Resa Ellison, the daughter of Fr. James Ellison from Urbana, IL, a recent alumna of SVS and the choir director at St. Mary's Cathedral in Minneapolis, MN fell asleep in the Lord today after having been in a medical coma for a couple of months due to complications from H1N1. The Ellison family has experienced much tragic loss over the past few months; Resa's death is not the only one they've had

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-24962471976409475692009-12-28T13:55:00.002-05:002009-12-28T14:00:43.923-05:00

"If a passionate man* tries to correct an egoist, steel hits flint and fires are ignited! If he tries to correct a sensitive person, he hurts him greatly. It would be like a wild man taking a thick wire brush to clean out a little mucus from a baby's eye.""The goal of reading is the application, in our lives, of what we read. Not to learn it by heart, but to take it to heart. Not to practice

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-21357904072736877872009-12-27T12:53:00.010-05:002009-12-28T15:13:15.802-05:00

A few days late, but nonetheless: Christ is Born! Glorify Him! Christos razhdaetsya! Slavite! Christos gennatai! Doxasate!Life at SVS has been blissfully relaxed in the sense of being able to do some increased devotional exercises and leisure reading, but one should hardly think that life here is free from activities during the break. Services, of course, leading up to the blessed feast of

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-69217887807911835102009-12-18T19:56:00.003-05:002009-12-18T19:58:40.231-05:00

Thank you for standing up for your flock in times of need.Thank you for living as an example of a true shepherd.Thank for calling us to honesty and integrity as Christians.Lord, grant rest to your servant, Job, and may his soul dwell with the blessed.

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-63280486160977310352009-12-13T20:44:00.004-05:002009-12-13T22:38:59.018-05:00

Send a "Many Years" to my beloved wife, Audra, who celebrates her birthday tomorrow. She can be reached at her blog, Just the Right Words (also in the sidebar).May God also grant all us NYC Wootens many years on this, one of the two commemorations of our family patron, St. Herman of Alaska, shown to the right. His was a witness of forsaking material goods for love of the Word of God by which we

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-16196285844999277372009-12-10T22:05:00.004-05:002009-12-13T20:57:02.734-05:00

My first semester's classes officially ended today. Papers turned in; here in a bit I'll start the reading for final exams next week (Prayers are coveted for this last hurdle), but since time to breathe can now be appreciated for the luxury it is--at least for an evening--I thought I'd attend the little compline service SVS has during weeknights of fasting seasons (Compline, by the way, is

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-69793392287120997172009-12-04T15:30:00.006-05:002009-12-04T19:02:54.468-05:00

In response to Rho's question in the comments in the post below, when he asked, "Where's the talk of a just God who is concerned that all sin be punished with justice, b/c sin is actually evil?"...One of the main differences between Orthodox and Reformed soteriology is a different idea of punishment. It would seem as though both Orthodox and Reformed churches suffer from unintended consequences "

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-48211352275231015672009-12-03T06:56:00.000-05:002009-12-03T06:56:00.667-05:00

I posted this as a comment at my friend Rho's blog (his post w/comments is HERE) and thought it worth posting here.I used to overreact to the wrath talk of Calvinism by going to the opposite extreme of "God doesn't have wrath; it's just love experienced negatively" (River of Fire and all that mess). Unfortunately, I think that particular line has become something of an oversimplified approach to

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-11591048644626964562009-12-01T22:22:00.003-05:002009-12-01T22:37:34.244-05:00

There are many things that happen within communities that, unless one operates in certain circles or is within a certain subset of said community, one remains unaware of regarding specifics, though one may be quite aware of tension moving below the surface. My friend, Fr. Basil Biberdorf, an OCA priest who, after a recent transfer from Texas to Pennsylvania, has launched a website called The

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-10537047436520090112009-11-29T21:49:00.000-05:002009-11-29T21:49:19.417-05:00

A few days ago, I celebrated the tenth anniversary of the first divine liturgy I ever attended. The Feast of the Entry of the Theotokos into the Temple happened to be on a Sunday in 1999, so this Baptist boy was "baptized by fire" with what is possibly one of the most hard-to-swallow Marian feasts of the Church year. The Mother of God, however, in the totality of her life and her role in our

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-58730993051280930482009-11-23T21:05:00.003-05:002009-11-23T21:15:22.834-05:00

Troparion - Tone 4 By your virtues as by rays of the sun you enlightened the unbelieving philosophers,and like the most bright moon you drove away the darkness of disbelief from those walking in the night;you convinced the queen, and also chastised the tyrant,God-summoned bride, blessed Catherine.You hastened with desire to the heavenly bridal chamber of the fairest fairest Bride-groom

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-64331329186950022722009-11-20T21:56:00.003-05:002009-11-20T21:58:09.499-05:00

From the NY Times:November 20, 2009 Russian Priest Killed in Church By SOPHIA KISHKOVSKY MOSCOW — The Rev. Daniil Sysoyev, a priest in the Russian Orthodox Church who was known for promoting missionary work among Muslims, was shot and killed in his parish church late Thursday night, the RIA Novosti news agency reported. Father Sysoyev, 35, died at a Moscow hospital of gunshot

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-25039318475749281682009-11-19T01:45:00.007-05:002009-11-19T02:27:45.016-05:00

Please forgive the long absence of a blog update. An email to a dear friend made me realize how long it'd been since I'd updated. It's good to know we're being remembered. Seminary is definitely tough; had this new template a timestamp, one would see that I'm up rather late. That's pretty standard these days.The girls are doing well. Still lots of smiles and laughter. They are in church a

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-80480766340179637892009-10-30T00:32:00.002-04:002009-10-30T00:36:23.443-04:00

"If anything, I think that both among Catholics and Orthodox Christians (at least in the US) our liturgical life suffers[...]because we have neglected the whole rest of our Christian lives. First and foremost this neglect[...]flows not from a lack of commitment to our respective theological or liturgical traditions but a general lack of repentance. But running a close second are those in both

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-54613629829065688502009-10-27T10:16:00.003-04:002009-10-27T10:17:43.249-04:00

Last night, the SVS Men's Chorale sang at the United Nations Prayer Service, a Vespers service presided over by His All Holiness, BARTHOLOMEW, Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople. Very thankful for the opportunity.

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-53092786642989234942009-10-18T23:59:00.000-04:002009-10-19T01:06:29.754-04:00

Tomorrow I'll take one of two mid-terms (the other classes don't have them; papers will substitute for these tests). Old Testament is tomorrow, and Church History 101 will follow on Wednesday. Your prayers are always coveted.Holy Prophet Joel, pray for us as we prepare and as we work. Lord, have mercy.

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-27606176890388834192009-10-09T15:43:00.002-04:002009-10-09T15:59:09.558-04:00

To the right you can find today's festal hymns and the life of this great saint and martyr of the Church.Following today's festal liturgy, I've been thinking about the saintly bishop's sacrifice; we need his prayers very much. He toiled to bring the gospel to a relative few in this land, serving both Russian and Syrian faithful, as well as establishing a monastery and pushing for English in the

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-41219602599874546012009-10-04T23:06:00.005-04:002009-10-05T07:44:15.569-04:00

Life here has been a challenge over the past month or so, to be sure. Audra's work situation and my study time have had to dance repeatedly as we struggle to find something resembling a balance for life as a family in this first semester. In spite of all of that, the willingness of those in the community has repeatedly impressed us; indeed, we're very thankful for it.Also, we are thankful to

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-16067517985588118042009-09-27T13:06:00.004-04:002009-09-27T14:20:56.896-04:00

From lips tainted and defiled,From a heart unclean and loathsome,From a tongue befouled and filthy,From a soul bestained and soiled,O my Christ, receive my pleadingYea, disdain me not, nor shun me,Nor my words, nor yet my manner,Nor my shamelessness and boldness.But with freedom let me tell Thee,O my Christ, what I desire;Rather, do Thou now instruct meWhat I need to do and utter.I have sinned

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-15504471550640915542009-09-20T13:18:00.010-04:002009-09-20T15:57:44.278-04:00

"Thou hast smitten me with yearning, O Christ, and by Thy divine love hast Thou changed me. But with Thine immaterial fire, consume my sins and count me worthy to be filled with delight in Thee, that leaping for joy, O Good One, I may magnify Thy two comings."(A hymn before communion)Doors open for us today. Through those doors come cups, vessels which give contour to the Blood of God, which

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-73933986193121046572009-09-13T13:54:00.005-04:002009-09-13T23:00:20.721-04:00

The past few weeks have been momentous, to be sure; we've sold a house, driven cross-country, and begun life as a seminarian family, all in less than a month. During that time, however, I have been thinking intermittently about a post on biblical innerancy which generated quite a bit of (sometimes snarky) commentary, as well as a spinoff of sorts between two of the commentators in the form of a

Dn. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.com0