Well, we’ve gone and done it again—finished one year and started another. I always have the impression when I give a homily on New Year’s Day that I’m not going to make it to the next one, yet somehow I always do, though I’m quite certain that one of these years my impression will actually [...]
The Sunday after Christmas is kind of a family feast in the Byzantine tradition. We’re still in the post-festive time of Christmas and so there’s a kind of representative selection of Jesus’ relatives here. We already celebrated his Mother on the day after Christmas, so today we celebrate first of all someone who is not [...]
We gather together on the day after Christmas to celebrate the “synaxis” of the Mother of God. This is appropriate, since synaxis means “gathering” or, more literally, a bringing or leading together. The root of the word is the same as that for “synagogue,” which is the place where the gathering happens. In the context [...]
As our celebration of the mystery of Emmanuel, God-with-us, progresses, we find more to reflect upon as we contemplate the Child-who-is-God in Bethlehem. In yesterday’s Christmas Vigil we heard the Gospel of angels and shepherds, and I preached on wisdom and wonder, but for this Gospel account (Mt. 2:1-12), I would like to reflect [...]
During this past Advent, God spoke to us in many and various ways through the prophets, who announced the coming of the Messiah. But at last, as we are now on the threshold of the celebration of the Nativity of Christ, God speaks to us through his Son (Heb.1:1-3). In the beginning was the Word, [...]
What are you expecting for Christmas this year? When we were children we had our lists of things that we hoped to receive. Having outgrown the mentality of associating Christmas only with receiving all kinds of presents, must we also lose our sense of expectation? On the contrary, it should be increased, yet transformed. But [...]
You are surely aware by now of the Pope’s latest encyclical, “Saved by Hope.” I won’t offer a detailed commentary here, or even a general overview; I’d just like to look at a point or two that I found helpful, though of course the whole thing is well worth reading and reflecting upon. One of [...]
You would think that Christmas would be a rather quiet and contemplative affair at a monastery, and in some ways it is, but not in too many. It certainly is quiet during our silent Advent retreat (something I’m sure some of you would like to have), but it seems that a certain amount of pre-Christmas [...]
During our retreats I try to “hear what the Lord God is saying”, though it is not always exactly a “voice that speaks of peace” (Ps 84/85), from my limited perspective, anyway. Last week during our Advent retreat there was a recurring word, one that is probably meant for me, but which may be meant [...]
Christmas is just a little over a week away. Many people are already busy preparing for a big celebration. God is preparing a celebration, too, and I wonder if the celebrations of God and man are really honoring the same thing. The Church may be wondering about that too, since she offers us a Gospel [...]
