PARISH VOICES

I have been thinking a lot about communication, so this Nativity season, I've been considering how God changed His communication with us through Christmas. In the Old Testament, God revealed Himself to individuals, and He primarily communicated to His people through the prophets. The first great prophet was Moses, and way back in Exodus 33, Moses meets with God on Mt. Sinai. Moses asks to see God's glory, and God says that He will reveal His goodness and His name to Moses.

We are blessed to live in a Christian church that is so full and rich with tradition. Christ initiated and taught us how to live, walk, pray, and worship Him through His words which are visible in the written word of the Bible and His directives to His close followers. The Apostles continued Christ's teachings through speaking and writing to those in their travels. The teachings grew from the original followers to other people around the world throughout the centuries.

I am humbled that our Holy Orthodox Church clearly proclaims that God's great gift was not a philosophy, a code of ethics, or a new age way to look at life, but His gift was God Himself, Jesus Christ! One of the pearls in the book Daily Meditations and Prayers for the Christmas Advent Fast and Epiphany by Harakas and Coniaris is the following: Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea. But where is Bethlehem? Did the Son of God come to be born in a tiny hamlet in far-away Palesti

On the Sunday before the Nativity of Christ, we read the Gospel of St. Matthew 1:1-25, which traces the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. It's always a powerful thing when our Church reminds us that we come from a lineage that goes all the way back to Adam and Eve. As we celebrate Christmas, we need to be reminded where our roots are, where we're from, and who we are. The world is telling you so many things about who you need to be. We hear, "j

Every person wants to be loved and feel special, and many of the ways people try to be special are so that they can be loved. Just look at what is popular around us. If someone is seen as special because they are a singer or movie star, they are more lovable. Maybe someone is special and loved because they are an athlete. People try to be special through their job or hobbies. Sometimes, the love of family and friends can feel conditional, so people feel like they must be sp

This time of the year is blessed with music of the season. My favorites are the hymns of Christmas that refer to Christ. (And, Mele Kalikimaka, I love Hawai’i! During this commercialized season of Christmas — when we in the Church remember the birth of Jesus and the salvation He brings — I’ve been impressed for many years how the holiday selections include so many songs, or hymns, where Jesus is the focus! It feels sometimes as if we live in a world that doesn’t remember God.

A View from the Moon I remember reading about the space shuttle Columbia where astronaut James Irwin walked on the moon in 1971. He said, "I can't describe the thrill of looking out into space and seeing it as only a handful of men have ever seen it. The stars and sun offered the most breathtaking colors humankind has ever witnessed…I could hardly contain myself. "I came to a stop. Moon dust settled down on my boots and chills ran up and down my spine. I thought, WOW!! This i

If you open your Bible to the Christmas story, you’ll find an interesting pattern. The angel Gabriel appears to Zacharias and says, “Do not be afraid” (Luke 1:13). Gabriel also visits Mary and says, “Do not be afraid” (Luke 1:30). An angel appears to Joseph in a dream and says, “Do not be afraid” (Matthew 1:20). A host of angels appears to the shepherds in the field, and the shepherds hear, “Do not be afraid” (Luke 2:10). Of course, the angels said much more than this o

We are about a quarter of the way into the Nativity Fast leading up to the celebration of Christ’s birth. We have this time of year to prepare for and reflect upon the good news of Christmas. We hear the word ‘Gospel,’ or ‘Good News’ in English, so often that it might lose its meaning, so for today, let’s look at how the good news of Christmas means that light, life, and love are coming. ​ Light is Coming Due to a recent weather event, many of us lost power to our homes.