Daily Meditations Archives - Page 194 of 333

Friday of the 5th Week of Pascha. Grace and Truth Supersede the Law

05/19/2017

For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. John 1:17 (From the Gospel at the Divine Liturgy on Pascha) Christ is Risen! I remember from my college days that I was a really good test-taker. I had this system that I called “read, retain, regurgitate, release.” I would read the information, retain it in my brain, regurgitate it for the exam, and then it was released from my brain

Thursday of the 5th Week of Pascha. Grace Molds Us Gradually and Continually

05/18/2017

(John bore witness to Him, and cried, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, far He was before me.”‘) And from His fullness have we all received, grace upon grace. John 1:15-16 (From the Gospel at the Divine Liturgy on Pascha) Christ is Risen! Back in the reflection on Holy Tuesday, I wrote about a cup, rocks and water and used these to illustrate the concepts of

Wednesday of the 5ch Week of Pascha. Show Me Your Glory!

05/17/2017

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father. John 1:14 (From the Gospel at the Divine Liturgy on Pascha) Christ is Risen! How often do you think of the word “glory”, specifically, God’s glory? Have you ever wondered what “the glory of the Lord” might look like? Most of us probably don’t think about this

Tuesday of the 5th Week of Pascha. The Story of the Nativity in Nine Words

05/16/2017

And the word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth. John 1:14 (From the Gospel at the Divine Liturgy on Pascha) Christ is Risen! We’ve all seen displays of the Nativity in our homes and churches during the Christmas season. Christmas plays and pageants highlight the story of the shepherds and angels, told in the Gospel of Luke, and the Magi, as told in the Gospel of Matthew. In some sense,

Monday of the 5th Week of Pascha. There Is Power in Being a Child of God

05/15/2017

He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, yet the world knew Him not. He came to His own home, and His own people received Him not. But to all who received Him, who believed in His name, He gave power to become children of God; who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. John 1:10-13 (From

Friday of the 4th Week of Pascha. Darkness Can Never Defeat the Light

05/12/2017

In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:4-5 (From the Gospel at the Divine Liturgy on Pascha) Christ is Risen! Allow me to share with you a view from the priest’s perspective for a moment. Just before midnight on Pascha, all of the lights in the Orthodox churches are extinguished, save for one light that remains

Thursday of the 4th Week of Pascha. Let’s Go Back to the Beginning

05/11/2017

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God; all things were made through Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made. John 1:1-3 (From the Gospel at the Divine Liturgy of Pascha) Christ is Risen! At the Resurrection service, we read two Gospel passages. The first commemorates the Resurrection of Christ, taken from Mark 16:1-8. This

Wednesday of the 4th Week of Pascha-Feast of Mid-Pentecost. Let God Arise, and the Story of a Dear Friend Named Eva

05/10/2017

Let God arise, let His enemies be scattered; let those who hate Him flee before Him! As smoke is driven away, so drive them away; as wax melts before fire, let the wicked perish before God! But let the righteous be joyful! Psalm 68: 1-3 This is the day which the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24 (Verses sung with the Paschal Hymn “Christ is Risen” during Bright

Tuesday of the 4th Week of Pascha. Don’t Worry About the Other Guy!

05/09/2017

Peter turned and saw following them the disciple whom Jesus loved, who had lain close to His breast at the supper and had said, ”Lord, who is it that is going to betray You?” When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, ”Lord, what about this man?” Jesus said to him, “If it is My will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? Follow me!” The saying spread abroad among the

Monday of the 4th Week of Pascha. Peter Really Got It Right When It Counted

05/08/2017

Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you girded yourself and walked where you would; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish to go.” (This He said to show by what death He was to glorify God.) And after this He said to him, “Follow me.” John 21:18-19 (From the Eleventh Eothinon Gospel of Sunday