September is National Preparedness Month

You are your family’s first responder, and in many ways you are your neighbor’s first responder. All of us as participants in our communities and members of our families need to take concrete steps to proactively prepare for emergencies and disasters. Local, state, and national authorities are going to help, but they may not be able to get to you right away.

Passover to Pascha

by William J. Tighe On the Origins of the Primary Feast of the Christian Church, from the man who brought us the stellar article, Calculating Christmas. For all Christians today who observe a “liturgical year,” the high point of that year is the annual commemoration of Christ’s passion, death, and resurrection at the end of Holy Week. Good Friday recalls to the faithful the Lord’s suffering and death, and in most Christian traditions is a day of ascetical practices, particularly fasting. Holy Saturday  [Read more...]

Holy Week Arrives

With the arrival of Lazarus Saturday and Palm Sunday, we now enter into Christ’s Holy Passion – Holy Week. Holy Week and Pascha are the most liturgically intense seasons of the Orthodox year. During this time, involvement in liturgical services is both more expectant and participatory. This is Holy Week. It is not for sissies. It is an intense journey through of the Passion, Suffering, Death and Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Come expecting to give, not take. Come expecting to serve,  [Read more...]