“The First Thanksgiving at Plymouth” (1914) By Jennie A. Brownscombe A Day Set Aside to Give Thanks to God Thanksgiving has officially been an annual tradition since 1863, when during the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national day of thanksgiving to be celebrated on Thursday, November 26. The
The Limits of Human Reason and the Knowledge of God There is the seen, and there is the unseen, the material and the immaterial. That which is material can be scientifically examined and experienced, the immaterial can only be seen and experienced spiritually. These are two worlds that are only
Yes, even monasteries can be in debt. After posting my occasional plea for funds I had a number of my readers comment that they were disturbed to hear that we have a mortgage. Many years ago we were forced to go into debt in order to purchase the neighboring eleven
The Church is to be led by servants, not by lords The biblical image of the bishop is that of the good shepherd who is willing to lay down his life for his flock. He is one who serves his priests and his people as a loving father, guiding his
of the Soul Be not Fearful for God is Near Sometimes we enter a dark night of the soul, where God seems distant from us. This is only an illusion, for God is closer to us than our own breath. These times are allowed by God to bring us closer
Abbot Tryphon serving the chapel service at Trinity Lutheran College Spiritual Pain Control or Spiritual Healing? Since the Church is a hospital for the soul wherein we come for healing, it is important that we take full advantage of all the resources the Church offers us for such healing. Frequent
Way of a Pilgrim Bookstore () Taste the Presence of Christ Beside You We all need a good dose of silent prayer each and every day. Finding that perfect place in your home that can become your cave, or prayer closet, will afford you that sacred space wherein you can
The Giving of Ourselves over to Depression There are times when we are tempted by what has been called the Noonday Demon, and give ourselves over to depression. This tendency can often find life in an almost chronic habit of complaining. We complain about our health to the extent that
A cold, sunny day at the monastery The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly There is a lot of good that can be discovered on line. A number of years ago I was charged by my archbishop with the task of addressing our Diocesan Pastoral Conference on the subject of
The Importance of Frequent Communion Eternity is an everlasting banquet (the Divine Liturgy) that takes place in the heavenly realm. Every time we participate in the Divine Liturgy we are transported into a place where there is neither time nor space, and participate in that very banquet. As we receive