faith: Everyone Knows Today is Martin Luther King Day --- BUT DID YOU KNOW IT IS ALSO... - 01/19/09 08:01 AM
THEOPHANY?
At least for Old Calender Orthodox Christians, such as myself.  Old Calendar Christians use the Julian Calendar
while Western Christians (and most of the rest of the world) use the Gregorian Calendar.  For Western Christians Theophany was January 6th.
For those of you who don't know what Theophany is -- it is the day that Christians celebrate the Baptism of Christ.
If you have read this far then I ask that you allow me to give a very brief overview of the significance of Theophany to Orthodox Christians.
In the Old Testament God revealed himself to his people by various … (2 comments)

faith: Today is Theophany for old calendar Orthodox Christians - 01/19/08 02:42 PM
One of the basic tenants of Orthodox Christian faith comes from the Psalms:
"God is the Lord and has revealed himself to us"
Theophany - refers to the revelation or "shining forth" of God on earth.  When Jesus Christ was baptized the Spirit of God descended up him in the form of a dove and Father spoke from heaven saying "This is my beloved son..." 
It was at his baptism that Jesus Christ was revealed to the world as the Son of God.
During Theophany we have a blessing of the water and the blessed water is taken home and used later when the … (3 comments)

faith: IT'S SUNDAY and I want to share a SECRET... - 10/14/07 12:37 PM
First, I will  tell you something that is NOT a secret, but you wouldnt know about me unless I told you.  I am tonsured reader in the Orthodox Church. If you were to see me at church on a Sunday, its likely I would be wearing a cassock, looking more like a cleric than a cowboy.
Today when i was served communion and the Deacon addressed me as "the Reader of God, Lazarus..." I was reminded what a great honor it is to have even the lowest order of ordination.
SO WHAT IS THE SECRET?
It's the beauty of my Orthodox Christian faith which so few western Christians seem to know about.  … (0 comments)