Last Sunday's Gospel reading in the Orthodox Church presented some serious conundrums - serious at least to me, but perhaps not to anyone else. Here is the Gospel passage as it was read at Liturgy: The Lord said this parable: "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with …
The Mystery of the Unrecognised Christ
Everything begins with forgiveness. Authentic life begins the minute we are able to forgive and receive forgiveness. Until then, all is theory and talk. The key moment on the Cross was when Jesus looked out at the soldiers and crowd and spoke the words, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they are …
Perfected in forgiveness
As I think upon the Cross of Jesus Christ today, I remember the first words that Jesus spoke on the Cross: “Father, forgive them for they know not what they are doing.” Forgiveness, the hardest thing for human beings to do. Yet, the thing most characteristic of the one who was God and Man! …
Before Lent, a Party!
My hometown Patra is famous for two reasons, maybe three. It’s where the Greek Revolution officially began on 25 March 1821. But today it is most famous for its annual Carnival, Καρναβάλι, the best in Greece and one of the best in the world. It is almost as old as the Greek Revolution and …
Healing needs Forgiveness
Compassion is at the heart of Jesus’ life and teaching because hurt is to be taken seriously. Jesus experienced everything that human hurt is. Not only did he experience hurt, he became hurt! That’s how seriously he took it. Hence his angry reaction to scribes, Pharisees and other religious types who put religion and beliefs about …
Lessons for Lent
In an interview several years ago, the famous German conductor Herbert von Karajan (1908-89), was talking about his early years as a musician. He made this remarkable statement: "Then came the decisive day when I discovered that my two hands weren’t enough to express what I wanted to express.” His two hands were not enough to …
Ancient Answers 