Daily Meditations Archives

July Fourth Meditations from Washington, Adams and Jefferson, the First Three Presidents of the United States of America

07/04/2025

George Washington 1st U.S. President “While we are zealously performing the duties of good citizens and soldiers, we certainly ought not to be inattentive to the higher duties of religion. To the distinguished character of Patriot, it should be our highest glory to add the more distinguished character of Christian.” —The Writings of Washington, pp. 342-343. John Adams 2nd U.S. President and Signer of the Declaration of Independence “Suppose a nation in some distant Region

Politics and the Princes of This World

07/03/2025

~By Stephen Freeman, July 9, 2018 The tenth chapter of Daniel records the prophet’s final vision, one that contains a very interesting tale: Now on the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was by the side of the great river, that is, the Tigris, I lifted my eyes and looked, and behold, a certain man clothed in linen, whose waist was girded with gold of Uphaz! His body was like beryl, his face

The God That Hovers

07/02/2025

Sermon preached by Fr. Antony Hughes on Sunday, January 23, 2022 I love the image we see of God at the beginning of the Genesis story of the creation. Let’s read Genesis 1:2. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. (Genesis 1:2) An interesting point that demonstrates the metaphorical nature of the story is that God is said

Holy Wonderworking Unmercenary Physicians Cosmas and Damian at Rome

07/01/2025

The Holy Martyrs, Wonderworkers and Unmercenary Physicians Cosmas and Damian were born at Rome, brothers by birth, and physicians by profession. They suffered at Rome in the reign of the emperor Carinus (283-284). Brought up by their parents in the rules of piety, they led strict and chaste lives, and they were granted by God the gift of healing the sick. By their generosity and exceptional kindness to all, the brothers converted many to Christ.

Synaxis of the Holy, Glorious and All-Praised Twelve Apostles

06/30/2025

The Synaxis of the Glorious and All-Praiseworthy Twelve Apostles of Christ appears to be an ancient Feast. The Church honors each of the Twelve Apostles on separate dates during the year, and has established a general commemoration for all of them on the day after the commemoration of the Glorious and First-Ranked among the Apostles Peter and Paul. The holy God-crowned Emperor Constantine the Great (May 21) built a church in Constantinople in honor of

Feast of the Apostles Peter & Paul

06/29/2025

THE SYNAXARION On June 29 in the Holy Orthodox Church, we commemorate the holy, glorious, all-laudable and foremost of the Apostles, Peter and Paul. Together, they are the patrons and protectors of the Patriarchate of Antioch. Peter was the son of Jonah and the brother of Andrew, the First-called. He was of the Tribe of Simeon from the town of Bethsaida. He was a fisherman and, at first, was called Simon but the Lord was

The Kingdom of God – One-Storey in Time

06/27/2025

~By Father Stephen Freeman, May 13, 2022 Among the stranger phrases found in St. John Chrysostom’s Liturgy is this: It was You Who brought us from non-existence into being, and when we had fallen away [past tense], You raised us up again [past tense], and did not cease to do all things until You had brought us up to heaven [past tense], and had endowed us [past tense] with Your kingdom which is to come

Love is the Criterion of Faith and Works

06/26/2025

Georgios Patronos, Emeritus Professor of Theology, University of Athens The Gospel reading for 2nd Luke comes from the Lord’s Sermon on the Mount. In Saint Matthew’s Gospel, in which almost all Jesus’ teaching during his public ministry is gathered together, emphasis is placed on the overall context of the Christian life. Here, in the Gospel according to Saint Luke, in which events are set out in their historical time-line, that is in the order in

Hidden Wounds

06/25/2025

Sermon preached by Fr. Antony Hughes on Sunday, November 6, 2022 The woman with the issue of blood suffered with her ailment for 12 years. Jairus’ daughter died at the age of 12. That’s an interesting detail. Was it a deliberate move by the author or authors? Or a coincidence? Who knows? Whether one or the other the number twelve appears often in Holy Scripture signifying wholeness and the power and authority of God. Jesus,

Nativity of the Holy Glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist, John

06/24/2025

The Nativity of the Holy Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord, John: The Gospel (Luke. 1: 5) relates that the righteous parents of Saint John the Baptist, the Priest Zachariah and Elizabeth (September 5), lived in the ancient city of Hebron. They reached old age without having children, since Elizabeth was barren. Once, Saint Zachariah was serving in the Temple at Jerusalem and saw the Archangel Gabriel, standing on the right side of the altar