Monday, December 29, 2008

Fellowship of Light

How to join the Fellowship of Light:
"...and in Him is no darkness."

Reviewing the secular year that is passing and integrating experiences can be helpful in spiritual development.

This homiletic sermon is another lesson in Orthodox Christian Spirituality using the first chapter of St John's Epistle as appointed by the Malankara - Syrian Orthodox readings.

This sermon lesson in Orthodox Christian Spirituality given on Sunday December 28, 2008 by Fr John Brian Paprock at Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Mission Chapel, Madison, Wisconsin.

PODCAST OR DOWNLOAD: http://feeds.feedburner.com/frjohnbrian or
http://frjohnbrian.hipcast.com/rss/spiritual_reflections_or_fr_john_brian.xml
LISTEN ONLINE HERE:

(photo above by JBP 2008)

Friday, December 26, 2008

Who will stop you from getting to heaven?

I had a dream where all that is good in heaven was available to me, but my enemies (real and imagined) were blocking my access. I was both afraid and revulsed and could not even approach. My heart's desire was to be with God and be with Him in heaven. So, I moved closer to them with revulsion, enmity and fear mounting. I noticed they were smiling and offering hugs. What a cruel joke! I thought. This is no dream, it is a nightmare! I turned away in disgust, heaving with difficult breaths due to fear-stoked adrenaline. I prayed "God, is there no way to get to you except through them?"

"This is the way," He spoke quietly in my heart, "and you are so close. Why would you let them stop you from heaven?"

"What do I do?"

"Love them."

So, I turned and ran at them with my arms open wide. I closed my eyes in terror for what might happen. Tears streaming down my face. I was met with a warm embrace. Instead of my enemies, it was the Lord Himself. He held me as I sobbed uncontrollably, saying, "I didn't know. I didn't know."

Pray for me

Fr John Brian

Monday, December 22, 2008

Incorporating Incarnation

Lessons in Orthodox Christian Spirituality
"incorporating incarnation" ~ Sixth of six pre-Nativity lesson sermons

This homiletic sermon uses scriptures appointed by the Malankara/Syrian readings for the preparation for Holy Nativity. Father John focuses on spirituality in religion and how looking at
these Gospel stories with symbols, metaphors, etc. can help us in our personal spiritual development.

Includes the end of the third chapter of the Gospel of Luke and the beginning of Isaiah chapter 11 as well as Romans chapter 4.

This sermon lesson in Orthodox Christian Spirituality given on Sunday December 21, 2008 by Fr John Brian Paprock at Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Mission Chapel, Madison, Wisconsin.

PODCAST OR DOWNLOAD: http://feeds.feedburner.com/frjohnbrian or
http://frjohnbrian.hipcast.com/rss/spiritual_reflections_or_fr_john_brian.xml
LISTEN ONLINE HERE:

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

already with us - Orthodox Spirituality 5

Lessons in Orthodox Christian Spirituality
"already with us"
Fifth of six pre-Nativity lesson sermons

This homiletic sermon uses scriptures appointed by the Malankara/Syrian readings for the preparation for Holy Nativity. Father John focuses on spirituality in religion and how looking at these Gospel stories with symbols, metaphors, etc. can help us in our personal spiritual development.

Includes the end of the first chapter of the Gospel of Matthew and the end of the first chapter of Paul's Epistle to the Galations.

This sermon lesson in Orthodox Christian Spirituality given on Sunday December 14, 2008 by Fr John Brian Paprock at Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Mission Chapel, Madison, Wisconsin.

PODCAST OR DOWNLOAD: http://feeds.feedburner.com/frjohnbrian or
http://frjohnbrian.hipcast.com/rss/spiritual_reflections_or_fr_john_brian.xml
LISTEN ONLINE HERE:

Thursday, December 11, 2008

HUMAN RIGHTS AND SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT

Key Note Address on the occasion of the 60th Anniversary of UN Declaration of Human Rights ~ 10th Anniversary of Interfaith Awareness Week in Wisconsin ~ 7th Annual Interfaith Celebration at the Capitol
December 10, 2008 ~ Wisconsin Capitol, Madison, Wisconsin
HUMAN RIGHTS AND SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT
by Rev Fr John Brian Paprock

Peace be with you all.

Praise be to the mercy and love of God that has allowed us to gather at this time and in this place. Amen.

The idea of fundamental human rights is not 60 years old. However, we acknowledge and celebrate the 60th anniversary of a universal declaration of human rights that was attested and affirmed by the fledgling United Nations in 1948.

The idea of basic human rights is as old as humanity, from the time of a shared common existence in this world with its equal opportunity problems.

Somewhere in our collective past, something changed. In Genesis, the first book of the Bible, Chapter 11, there is the story of Babel, when all humanity spoke the same language.

Consider this a moment - everyone being able to understand everyone. No debates about the meanings of words with roots in different languages. Imagine being able to speak with anyone anywhere in the world without translation software.

The story of Babel starts with a gathering on the great plain of Shinar. They - those humans of one language - began to cooperatively build a city and a tower. The scripture says, “A tower whose top may reach to heaven.”

Anyone whose has worked on committees, boards or “work-groups” may be appropriately envious of such a time when a universal language naturally dissolved differences and allowed ease of cooperative action. As Genesis says “They have reasoned to do this thing, and now nothing will prevent them from doing that which they have imagined to do.”

For some reason, not explained in the text, God divided their “tongues,” which is an older way of saying God gave different languages. Then, the people were scattered “across the face of the earth” and could not finish the communal project.

“Therefore they called the name of it Babel.” The name can be literally translated from the Hebrew: God confusion (“Bab” = confusion; El=God). This “God confusion” lingers to this day. We still struggle to understand each other, especially in relation to divinity.

Despite the “God confusion” that has been with humanity for so long, 60 years ago, a declaration of common human rights was affirmed by people from all over the face of the earth; by people speaking different languages, having different cultural and religious traditions. If Babel was a wounding of humanity by breaking up a unified people, perhaps, this declaration is a healing ointment.

After 60 years of such a global declaration; after 10 years of such an awareness week, we still have a long way to go.

Here we are in the present, gathered from all over the world, in a secular common building, still struggling to understand one another. Our focus has shifted. We are not so much interested in building a tower to heaven, but rather in building bridges. Bridges built upon universal human rights connect scattered peoples across chasms of diversity.

I believe every bridge that we build makes a better world for all of us. Maybe we have needed to be separated by languages and cultures and distances, in order to spiritually develop into the divinity for which we have been created. For in the struggles to understand, we learn empathy. In the difficulties to tolerate differences, we learn mercy. In the extra-ordinary encounter with those that are different than ourselves, we encounter a transcendent divinity that is greater than us all.

This isn’t as mystical as it sounds. This is a completely natural process of human experience. In 1892, Dr. J Milton Johnston wrote a comprehensive analytical and medical book about the human eye. In the preface, he wrote about sight and seeing: “When the mind moves logically, it takes in a subject in all its relations; there is a natural unfolding of the theme, a progress of thought and breadth of view combining unity and comprehensiveness. There is the absence of one-sidedness.” [Eye studies: a series of lessons on vision and visual tests - 1892]

So, we all see everything in context, together, all at once – with all the component parts. Look around, take a moment and notice everything. We are surrounded by diversity. Even with all the things, stuff and people we can separate by identification, we notice the continuity, the “absence of one-sidedness.” By the way, did you notice how we separate, distinguish, acknowledge and affirm by identifying, using names and terms in our own language, in our own lingo?

So often, we are led by a “God confusion” and everything is fragmented, identifiable only in its separate pieces. Indeed, our capacity to concentrate and focus on a single element is well documented and very useful. In this way, we are able to ignore telephone poles and power lines when looking at a beautiful sunset – only to wonder if Photoshop can remove the telephone poles and power lines later. Nevertheless, we enjoyed the beauty of the sunset, despite intrusive elements.

This reminds me of the story of a Native American elder who goes to New York City to visit his grandson and, as he is walking around, he stops at one of the large potted trees along 6th Avenue. When his grandson asks why he stopped, he says that he is listening to the cricket. Grandson, being city folk, is quite surprised and says, “You expect me to believe that you heard a cricket with all the traffic and city noises going on around us.”

The elder reaches into the pot and shows the cricket to his grandson. As he is putting it back, his grandson asks, “this is some super-human ability of tribal elders that you can teach me, right?”

“Not at all,” says the elder and reaches into his pocket, pulls out some change and drops it on the ground. Immediately, all the people walking nearby turn around, some even watch the coins roll to their resting next top the elders shoes. “Everyone hears that which is important to them.”

It would be fair to ask, “If we don’t hear the same things, see the same things, how can there be peace? Can there ever be a true understanding of anything as long as we can separate them and us? Can we ever be restored to a whole people?”

Orthodox Christian writer Peter C. Bouteneff wrote about an old seminary professor Serge Verhovskoy who would repeatedly tell his students, "Orthodoxy is the absence of one-sidedness." Obviously, he read Dr. Johnston’s work.

Bouteneff explains “The "gestalt" of Orthodoxy, which is simultaneously relativism and sectarian one-sidedness, is not easy to apprehend. We must spend our lives in it in order to find our way… [the absence of one-sidedness] steers a course between fundamentalism and relativism. Its way is one of freedom and optimism.” [Sweeter Than Honey: Orthodox Thinking on Dogma and Truth by Peter C. Bouteneff - 2006]

“We must spend our lives in it;” in this path between fundamentalism and relativism, but this is the way of freedom and hope.

Let me put this in another context. It is not that everyone else MUST accept me. No, it is I that must accept them. This attitude frees me waiting for everyone else to do something and it empowers me to do something. It is not us verses them, it is our fragment, our piece of the puzzle, separated from all the other fragments. That is, most of THEM are already in the world I am in – duh! At once, I am struck by the absence of one-sidedness. If I am able to allow the transcendent qualities of encounter pierce through my biases and prejudices, I can almost hear that original language spoken in the plain of Shinar coming from the hearts of people everywhere.

How one goes about doing dealing with the connectedness, and listening to the heart, is the work of religious ritual and spiritual development. It takes time to progress spiritually, but I do not despair. I have encouraged those I have counseled and guided in their spiritual development to accept a simple definition of spiritual progress: “any movement in the right direction.” Miles (Kilometers) in the wrong direction is not progress, but even a millimeter (or fraction of an inch) in the right direction is progress.

Despite horrible stories of religious and ethnic suppression, oppression and genocide (some still being perpetrated as we are gathered here), I can see we are facing the right direction. Once facing the right direction, all we need to do is take the next step in front of us. As small as some of the steps we take seem, as tired and cynical as I get sometimes, I know that we are headed in the right direction – and so I see that we are making progress.

As an example of facing the right direction, I want to quote an American humanist and humorist, who was a self-proclaimed atheist. It might seem strange that an Orthodox Christian priest might quote such a person at such an event as this, but such is the scope of my hope.

Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. died in April of 2007. He wrote a speech in the month before his death, which was delivered posthumously by his son and then published this year. In this speech, so typical of his writing, there is humor and seriousness. Toward the end of his insightful and sometimes cynical reflections, he wrote: “...how should we behave during this Apocalypse? We should be unusually kind to one another, certainly. But we should also stop being so serious. Jokes help a lot.” [Armageddon in Retrospect, G. P. Putnam's Sons, NY, 2008]

Here we are, a diverse people, gathered to celebrate and affirm Human Rights, especially the right to believe and have faith; to worship and have religion; to evolve in our understanding and grow in our spirituality.

So, facing the right direction, listening to that common language that is older than all cultures, seeing the absence of one-sidedness, we step forward being unusually kind to one another.

Taking such a step reminds me of a story I heard a while ago:
A priest, an imam and a rabbi walk into a bar. The bartender said, “Is this a joke?”
[smile]

May the peace, light and love of God of fill our minds and hearts from this time and forever.

Sunday, December 07, 2008

Orthodox Spirituality 4 - preparing the way

Lessons in Orthodox Christian Spirituality
"preparing the way"
Fourth of six pre-Nativity lesson sermons

This homiletic sermon uses scriptures appointed by the Malankara/Syrian readings for the beginning of preparation for Holy Nativity - the Birth of St John the Baptist. Father John focuses on spirituality in religion and how looking at these Gospel stories with symbols, metaphors, etc. can help us in our personal spiritual development.

Includes the end of the first chapter of the Gospel of Luke, with a few references to the book of Genesis.

This sermon lesson in Orthodox Christian Spirituality given on Sunday December 7, 2008 by Fr John Brian Paprock at Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Mission Chapel, Madison, Wisconsin.

PODCAST OR DOWNLOAD: http://feeds.feedburner.com/frjohnbrian or
http://frjohnbrian.hipcast.com/rss/spiritual_reflections_or_fr_john_brian.xml
LISTEN ONLINE HERE:

Sunday, November 30, 2008

Orthodox Spirituality 3 - mother and child within

Lessons in Orthodox Christian Spirituality
"mother and child within"
Third of six pre-Nativity lesson sermons

This homiletic sermon uses scriptures appointed by the Malankara/Syrian readings for the beginning of preparation for Holy Nativity - the Meeting of Mary and Elizabeth. Father John focuses on spirituality in religion and how looking at these Gospel stories with symbols, metaphors, etc. can help us in our personal spiritual development.

Includes The beginning of the Gospel of Luke, with a few other verse from Peter and 1 Timothy.

This sermon lesson in Orthodox Christian Spirituality given on Sunday November 30, 2008 by Fr John Brian Paprock at Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Mission Chapel, Madison, Wisconsin.

PODCAST OR DOWNLOAD: http://feeds.feedburner.com/frjohnbrian or
http://frjohnbrian.hipcast.com/rss/spiritual_reflections_or_fr_john_brian.xml
LISTEN ONLINE HERE:

Thursday, November 27, 2008

Thanksgiving and Psalm 118

"The Lord is gracious and His mercy endureth forever."
Psalm 118 is apointed to be read at the Orthodox Thanksgiving service. Father gave a short sermon on its relevance in the spiritual journey in the modern world.

This sermon on Orthodox Christian gratitude given on Wednesday evening, at a prayer service of thanksgiving in honor of the secular day of Thanksgiving holiday,
November 26, 2008 by Fr John Brian Paprock at Holy Transfiguration
Orthodox Mission Chapel, Madison, Wisconsin.

PODCAST OR DOWNLOAD: http://feeds.feedburner.com/frjohnbrian or
http://frjohnbrian.hipcast.com/rss/spiritual_reflections_or_fr_john_brian.xml
LISTEN ONLINE HERE:

Monday, November 24, 2008

Orthodox Spirituality 2 - God with us

Lessons in Orthodox Christian Spirituality
"God with us" - the second of six pre-Nativity lesson sermons

This homiletic sermon uses scriptures appointed by the Malankara/Syrian readings for the beginning of preparation for Holy Nativity - the Annunciation of Mary and the Conception of Jesus. Father John focuses on spirituality in religion and how looking at these Gospel stories with symbols, metaphors,etc. can help us in our personal spiritual development.
Includes The beginning of the Gospel of Luke, few prophecies, and the Epistle of John, chapter 3.
This sermon lesson in Orthodox Christian Spirituality given on Sunday November 23, 2008 by Fr John Brian Paprock at Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Mission Chapel, Madison, Wisconsin.

PODCAST OR DOWNLOAD: http://feeds.feedburner.com/frjohnbrian or
http://frjohnbrian.hipcast.com/rss/spiritual_reflections_or_fr_john_brian.xml
LISTEN ONLINE HERE:

Saturday, November 22, 2008

Reflection on More Than 50 Million Victims

~ + ~
In 2005, the 90th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide was remembered in Armenian Churches throughout the world. We attended one of our sister churches in Kenosha, Wisconsin (which is closer to Chicago than Madison).

There is no Armenian church in Madison. I was the only non-Armenian clergy at that service. Since then, Wisconsin became one of the states to recognize the genocide and most of our congressional representatives are on the record in recognition of the genocide.

This past month, we had the opportunity to meet with the director of a documentary about the genocide on the UW-Madison campus. It was sponsored by the Armenian Student Organization. More recently a 1999 article came to my attention, which brought the genocide into historic and religious context.

This article, or rather compilations of articles, prompted this reflection: "In Memory Of The 50 Million Victims Of The Orthodox Christian Holocaust" http://fr-d-serfes.org/orthodox/memoryof.htm.
Compiled in 1999 by Rev. Archimandrite Nektarios Serfes, it was written by Rev. Father Raphael Moore.

This is a well-written accounting (although undercounting, probably) of the 20th century toll on Orthodox Christians in Central Asia, Asia Minor and Eastern Europe. USSR and Ottoman Turks account for the bulk of destruction.

After reading the compilation, I was teary-eyed. I remembered becoming upset at history lessons in public schools glorifying the crusades - when the crusaders killed Orthodox Christians to "liberate" the treasures of Jerusalem and Constantinople.

But this ... this can only be rivaled by the martyr toll under the savage Roman emperors in the first centuries, especially the Coptic memory of Alexandrian martyrdom, which they honor as the first year of their calendar.

And yet, it's hard to imagine the Turkish exchange students, with whom I have had interfaith dialogue, involved in such a tragedy. I think part of the problem is that THESE individuals would never be involved in such a horrific event, and so they could not imagine any of their ancestors or relatives being involved either.

For those having been born on American soil, or any "free" soil, I can understand the disconnect. Even though I have ancestors (Eastern European and Native American) who suffered persecution, I also have ancestry to the "winners" of the American Revolution. So, America is distant in time and space from the persecution in other countries.

Closer to home, so many Americans grew up believing the only massacres that happened between Natives and Settlers were of white settlers. In fact, in Minnesota there are large monuments to some of these events that publicly document the exact numbers of men, women and children killed by "Indians."

Only in the last few decades has there been any recognition of the impact of genocidal policies that began with "Manifest Destiny" - although similar efforts can be seen by early European settlers in the 16th and 17th centuries.

There is a conscious effort in Minnesota to mark several sites with the Native accounts as well. Although from New England and Canada, I have ancestry on both sides and, in the 1990s, I needed to find inner reconciliation, crying for both sides. During that time, I put myself in situations where I could hear the vitriol of anti-white, anti-Christian Native Americans honestly spoken while being embraced and included as a brother, despite my blonde hair and blue eyes.

The compilation mentions the Greek remembrance of September 9, 1922 (destruction of Smyrna) as well as the April 24, 1915 (beginning of the systematic Armenian horror). Are there exchange memorial services? Do Armenians go to the Greek church and cry with them? Do the Greeks come to the Armenian church and cry with them? Do Orthodox of every ethnicity gather in memory of this torture and wounding to the body of Holy Church? I have seen some shared memorials, but nothing regular enough to show solidarity, honor. Are we so wrapped up in our own bereavement? Is it an ethnic culture only that should grieve and memorialize?

There is a spiritual wound to Holy Church that all Orthodox Christians can feel and grieve. Could this be a woundedness that permeates Orthodox churches in America and other Diaspora lands? Is this what holds Orthodox Christians apart – different moments of historic despair? Holding tight to the remnants of those left behind?

Perhaps, Orthodox Christians need a concerted effort to gather twice a year at each other's churches to cry and pray, to remember and heal. Maybe, out of our weakness we can be made strong.

I asked an old Russian monk about the KGB. He replied, "Even when they came to church, they were after information on who was there, not salvation of souls."

When I asked what he would do if a KGB agent repented, "I would hug and kiss him."

May the prayers of the martyrs give us strength, hope and peace.

Fr. John Brian

Sunday, November 16, 2008

Orthodox Spirituality 1

Lessons in Orthodox Christian Spirituality ~ First of six pre-Nativity lesson sermons

This homiletic sermon uses scriptures appointed by the Malankara/Syrian readings for the beginning of preparation for Holy Nativity - the Annunciation of Zachariah and the Conception of John the Baptist. Father focuses on spirituality in religion and how looking at these Gospel stories with symbols, metaphors,etc. can help us in our personal spiritual development. Includes The beginning of the Gospel of Luke, Isaiah chapter 41, and the beginning of Peter's 2nd Epistle.

This sermon lesson in Orthodox Christian Spirituality given on Sunday November 16, 2008 by Fr John Brian Paprock at Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Mission Chapel, Madison, Wisconsin.

PODCAST OR DOWNLOAD: http://feeds.feedburner.com/frjohnbrian or
http://frjohnbrian.hipcast.com/rss/spiritual_reflections_or_fr_john_brian.xml

LISTEN ONLINE HERE:

Saturday, November 15, 2008

Begin Christian Spirituality

Begin Christian Spirituality

On this Dedication Sunday, this homiletic sermon uses scriptures appointed by the Malankara/Syrian readings for this beginning of the lectionary year. Father focuses on the how we are separated from God in Genesis and how God has brought restoration to us by including examination of Isaiah chapter 55 and John 10:22-38.

This sermon lesson in Orthodox Christian Spirituality given on Sunday November 9, 2008 by Fr John Brian Paprock at Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Mission Chapel, Madison, Wisconsin.

PODCAST OR DOWNLOAD: http://feeds.feedburner.com/frjohnbrian or http://frjohnbrian.hipcast.com/rss/spiritual_reflections_or_fr_john_brian.xml

LISTEN ONLINE HERE:

Sunday, November 02, 2008

Spiritual Foundation

Spiritual Foundation

Grounded in both this world and the spiritual world, the power of tabernacle and temple, church and chapel are strong spiritual foundations in this world.

On this Foundation Sunday, this homiletic sermon uses scriptures appointed by the Malankara/Syrian readings for this beginning of the leccionary year. Father focuses on the encounter of God in the temple in the prophecy of Isaiah Chapter 6, the references to the tabernacle in Exodus chapter 33 and chapter 40 as well as the Liturgical Gospel of Matthew (chapter 16).

This sermon given on Sunday November 2, 2008 by Fr John Brian Paprock at Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Mission Chapel, Madison, Wisconsin.

PODCAST OR DOWNLOAD:http://feeds.feedburner.com/frjohnbrian or http://frjohnbrian.hipcast.com/rss/spiritual_reflections_or_fr_john_brian.xml

LISTEN ONLINE HERE:

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

One Week to Go: PRAY. SMILE. VOTE.

PRAY. SMILE. VOTE.
Reflections and Guidance on Voting in America
by Rev. Fr. John-Brian Paprock
October 28, 2008


Taxes. It seems that the people of God have always lived with them. Paying taxes is also participating in the political culture, in society. Maybe it's at the lowest and most passive level, but when you pay taxes, you are participating. A tax is usually compulsory payment to Caesar or government to pay for common interests: security, education, goods, etc. It may be taken without reference to its use or benefit. The penalties for non-payment have always been severe.


So, what is expected of the Children of God? What should Orthodox Christians vote in America?

"Give unto Caesar's that which is Caesar's and unto God that which is God's." Luke 20:25

In the founding of the United States America, a noble experiment was engaged. The American Revolution for independence and self-determination in 1776 was centered on the problem of taxation without representation. Standard policy for a monarchy or dictatorship is to exact compulsory charges or payments from individuals, families, businesses, cities, towns. These charges or payments are taxes. Most early Americans were seeking freedom in religion, lifestyle, commerce. King George of the British Empire of which American colonies were part, was doing what every monarch had done before him. He taxed to the far reaches of his empire. The amount of taxation and the rules of taxation in the Colonies were seen as unfair. But, since the King is sovereign, there was no equivalent representation to bring related concerns to the King. Instead of paying taxes without representational voice in their own governing, incidents of revolution happened. One of the first happened in Boston, where tea - a principle export to England - was dumped into the harbor.


In the grand context of humanity and inalienable rights of individuals, the United States of America is primarily constituted around the principle of democracy that requires representation for all taxation. The US Constitution divides government into parts with checks and balances on each other, so that the ultimate power remained local and representational.


The main instrument of individual participation in America is the local vote, not taxes. The vote of each citizen determines the governments over neighborhoods and the nation as a whole. Taxes are the result of those entrusted with representation who together determine common good within the parameters of a free society - idealized in the Declaration of Independence and the Preamble of the US Constitution.


In the over 200 years of American history, there have been scoundrels and treacherous liars who have betrayed representational trust or constitutional oath, but these eventually were voted out, resigned, or were thrown out. This powerful ability of individual voters to have a voice in government is called "the will of the people." In America, this is different than the will of the wealthy and from the will of a monarch - as any citizen regardless of wealth or status has the same power of individual vote.


This should sound familiar to Orthodox Christians and anyone who reads the New Testament. It sounds a bit like the kingdom of God described there. But there, God is a sovereign who exacts no taxes. Yet in that kingdom there is neither master or slave. Wealth has no bearing. The only treasures there are those created by the good done to fellow human beings in this world, in this society, among these people.


An old Russian monk once said, in his broken English, "God's mercy and grace has given the United States to the world." He said every Christian has a duty to serve the community and culture they are living. "In America, the minimum is voting," he said, even though he could not vote being Russian and hoping for the fall of Soviet oppression. As a side note, he died long before modern voting was possible in Russia - as he prayed that he would some day.


Should priests and bishops be active in politics? When I was a candidate for the priesthood in the 1980s, it was made clear biblically and traditionally, that those in holy orders should not be intentionally involved. I was told not to join a political party nor break the trust of American civility by endorsing one candidate or party over another. This is the wisdom of a church that has suffered in various political climates over the centuries and has been a witness to the consequences of church leaders that sought secular powers to govern. Nevertheless, I am a citizen as well as a priest and I have voted in every major election and ballot in my adult life. I have taken advantage of early voting laws in my state this cycle to cast my ballot already. I can say that I have voted for candidates of both major parties and a few "third" parties over the years. I have never felt less Christian even when I have held my nose to cast a ballot, voting for the lesser of two evils. I have yet to encounter a candidate that fully espouses Orthodox Christian morality or ethics, but some get closer than others.


I also pay taxes.


"I do not mean that you should separate completely from all immoral people of this world...otherwise you would be obliged to leave this world." 1 Corinthians 5:10


Orthodox Christians, no matter how pure, no matter how holy, are among people. The priority of Orthodox Christians should be in participation with God; our progress toward His ideals for individuals and for humanity as a whole. In America, every Orthodox Christian who is a citizen, has the right to vote. The combination of "living in the world but not being of it" and participating in local and national elections are not contrary, but complimentary.


The summation of what Orthodox Christians should do: "Love God with all our mind, heart and soul; and our neighbor as ourselves."

God is first - so PRAY.

Our neighbors are next - so SMILE.

God, neighbors and ourselves together - so VOTE.

PRAY. SMILE. VOTE.

Monday, October 27, 2008

God Does Forever New


God Does Forever New:
A Paradox of Wealth and History

The period between the Festival of the Cross and the prelude to Holy Nativity of Christ - the Incarnation - is a time particularly suited for contemplating the paradoxes of following the Way of Christ.

Homiletic sermon, using the scriptures appointed by the Malankara/Syrian readings for this Sunday after the Festival of the Cross: Luke chapter 18:18-27 and end of 1 Corinthians chapter 5 wit a reference to Isaiah 43.

This sermon given on Sunday October 26, 2008 by Fr John Brian Paprock at Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Mission Chapel, Madison, Wisconsin.

PODCAST OR DOWNLOAD:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/frjohnbrian or
http://frjohnbrian.hipcast.com/rss/spiritual_reflections_or_fr_john_brian.xml

LISTEN ONLINE HERE:

Friday, October 17, 2008

Blessing of Water in the Eastern Christian Tradition

Blessing of Water in the Eastern Christian Tradition


Fr John-Brian Paprock was invited to give a presentation at the "Gathering of Waters" at Edgewood College in Madison, Wisconsin. The "Gathering of Waters" was a prelude event for the World Parliament of Religions sponsored by the Greater Madison Inter-religious Association and other religious and interfaith groups.




This audio lecture was given with a powerpoint presentation by Fr John Brian. (RSS feed, podcast or listen below)




The lecture was followed by a blessing of water by Fr John Brian assisted by Marcus and Mikas Muluken, members of Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Mission in Madison. Photos by Teresa Kochamma Paprock.




POWERPOINT PRESENTATION ONLINE:
http://picasaweb.google.com/frjohnbrian/BlessingOfWaterInTheEasternChristianTradition#slideshow
PODCAST OR DOWNLOAD:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/frjohnbrian or http://frjohnbrian.hipcast.com/rss/spiritual_reflections_or_fr_john_brian.xml
LISTEN ONLINE HERE:

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Reasonable Paradox

Reasonable Paradox

The period between the Festival of the Cross and the prelude to Holy Nativity of Christ - the Incarnation - is a time particularly suited for contemplating the paradoxes of following the Way of Christ.

Homiletic sermon, using the scriptures appointed by the Malankara/Syrian readings for this Sunday after the Festival of the Cross: Luke chapter 16 and 1 Corinthians cahpter 1

This sermon given on Sunday October 12, 2008 by Fr John Brian Paprock at Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Mission Chapel, Madison, Wisconsin.

PODCAST OR DOWNLOAD:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/frjohnbrian or http://frjohnbrian.hipcast.com/rss/spiritual_reflections_or_fr_john_brian.xml

LISTEN ONLINE HERE:

Monday, October 06, 2008

Paradox: From the Cross to Incarnation

Paradox: From the Cross to Incarnation

The period between the Festival of the Cross and the prelude to Holy Nativity of Christ - the Incarnation - is a time particularly suited for contemplating the paradoxes of following the Way of Christ.

Homilectic sermon, using the scriptures appointed by the Malankara/Syrian readings for this Sunday after the Festival of the Cross: Liturgy - Mark 2:23-28; Acts 7:2-5; Romans 8:1-11; Other services - Matthew 5:13-16; Matthew 18:23-25; Isaiah 54:1-8; Genesis 42:18-22

This sermon given on Sunday October 5, 2008 by Fr John Brian Paprock at Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Mission Chapel, Madison, Wisconsin.

PODCAST OR DOWNLOAD:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/frjohnbrian or http://frjohnbrian.hipcast.com/rss/spiritual_reflections_or_fr_john_brian.xml

LISTEN ONLINE HERE:

Monday, September 29, 2008

More Cross Making

More Cross Making
Intersections of the Cross
3rd Sermon on the Cross
Festival of the Cross continues

The Festival of the Cross is also called the Exaltation or Elevation of the Cross. It is an important occasion of Holy Church. This sermons continues a focus on the history and the power of the cross.

This sermon given on Sunday September 28, 2008 by Fr John Brian Paprock at Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Mission Chapel, Madison, Wisconsin.

PODCAST OR DOWNLOAD:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/frjohnbrian or
http://frjohnbrian.hipcast.com/rss/spiritual_reflections_or_fr_john_brian.xml

LISTEN ONLINE HERE:

Monday, September 22, 2008

Making Cross More

Making Cross More
2nd Sermon on the Cross
Festival of the Cross continues

The Festival of the Cross is also called the Exaltation or Elevation of the Cross. It is an important occasion of Holy Church. This sermons continues a focus on the history and the power of the cross.

This sermon given on Sunday September 21, 2008 by Fr John Brian Paprock at Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Mission Chapel, Madison, Wisconsin.

PODCAST OR DOWNLOAD:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/frjohnbrian or
http://frjohnbrian.hipcast.com/rss/spiritual_reflections_or_fr_john_brian.xml

LISTEN ONLINE HERE:

Monday, September 15, 2008

Cross Making More

Cross Making More
Festival of the Cross begins

The Festival of the Cross is also called the Exaltation or Elevation of the Cross. It is another important occasion of Holy Church. The history and the power of the cross is the focus of this sermon - Cross Making More!

This sermon given on Sunday September 14, 2008 by Fr John Brian Paprock at Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Mission Chapel, Madison, Wisconsin.

PODCAST OR DOWNLOAD:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/frjohnbrian or
http://frjohnbrian.hipcast.com/rss/spiritual_reflections_or_fr_john_brian.xml

LISTEN ONLINE HERE:

Monday, September 08, 2008

The More Things Change....

The More Things Change....

...the more we need to be Godly. This homiletic sermon rasies the question: are we ready to deal with the change from the eternal persepctive?

Scriptures:
Matthew - end of Chapter 5 (38-48); 1 Corinthians end of Chapter 3 (26-38) 1 Peter - beginning of Chapter 2 (1-6)

This sermon given on Sunday September 7, 2008 by Fr John Brian at Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Mission Chapel, Madison Wisconsin

PODCAST OR DOWNLOAD:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/frjohnbrian or
http://frjohnbrian.hipcast.com/rss/spiritual_reflections_or_fr_john_brian.xml

LISTEN ONLINE HERE:

Thursday, September 04, 2008

Reflections on Receiving the Good Neighbor Award

Reflections on Receiving the Good Neighbor Award ~ End of August 2008
By Rev Fr. John-Brian Paprock


[Rev. Fr. John-Brian Paprock received the "Middleton Good Neighbor Award" in a ceremony at the Good Neighbor Festival on Sunday, August 24, 2008. GNF Committee President Rich Schmidt said the committee voted "unanimously and without hesitation" to present the award to Fr. Paprock, who was nominated by retired Boy Scout Troop 940 Scoutmaster Ron Berman, with whom he worked for many years. Schmidt said Rev . Paprock "is truly an asset to our community." The GNF Committee gives three Good Neighbor awards each year. More information: http://maruroopa.blogspot.com/2008/09/orthodox-priest-wins-community-award.html ]


One of the families that live in a duplex down the street came up to congratulate me on this award. They had seen the picture in the local paper. I was pleased to see them and was honored that they took the time. I said, trying to be gracious, "Well, being a Good Neighbor requires neighbors and I am blessed you are our neighbors."

When the Good Neighbor Festival president, Rich Schmidt, called me a few weeks earlier, I was a bit surprised. I asked, "Why me?" He said that Middleton has a long tradition of recognizing exemplary voluntary service to the community and that he had several pages of an extensive history of service to the community. I was surprised that he would have such a history. Apparently, my wife had conspired with Ron Berman to make my nomination. I must have hesitated, because he asked if I would accept the award. "If it would help others to serve the community, I am honored," I said. Serving others is one of the oldest and most endearing traditions of Christianity. As Christians, we should not avoid being seen in our service, but we should do it for the glory of God and the welfare of our neighbors, that is "everyone." Service, as I was taught by my spiritual elders, is doing the right thing for the right reason. It should be action taken as an expression of our inner life, our spiritual development, our religious tradition. It should be guided by the Holy Spirit and guarded with prayer. Whom we serve and how we serve will be unique to our gifts and abilities.

Another neighbor, reading through the published list of my volunteer activities, said, "wow, you have done a lot." Only by the mercy and support of God, but also by being willing to serve God and humanity. When I was young, we were poor and often had nothing to put into the basket at church. One time, I cried to the priest and said that if I had anything I would give it. He smiled and said, "There are many ways to give to God and the church. Money is only one." He suggested many simple things that I could do, including serving around the altar. I tried them all. Later, during pastoral studies, the bishop would give me a weekly "podvich" - a spiritual chore, usually simple and humble, like cleaning the floors of the chapel or accompanying someone who needed help getting to services. I was instructed to do these things prayerfully, either singing hymns or repeating a simple prayer or even with spiritual dialogue.

This has been the mode and method of my service since I was a child. Of course, circumstances change and so I have moved from project to project, or rather podvich to podvich. Sometimes, I have asked the Lord why he led me to this or that, but even without clarity I have done the chores - from the simplest physical labor to complex organizational development and event
planning.

There is an aspect of Christian service that makes it quite different that secular or other forms of community work. It is a quality of self-emptying to allow God (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) to be manifest in the midst of our labor. To be assured that whatever good has come of my activities, the credit is due to my Creator who made me, to my Savior who teaches me by His example, to the Holy Spirit who inspires me, gives me insight, courage and strength to serve.

Another aspect of Christian service is in the fundamental understanding that serving others IS serving God. God desires to be in relationship and there is no better way than to be in our neighborhoods, our homes, our cities and towns - to be everywhere we are. One of the reasons for the incarnation of Christ is to establish a living relationship with us in this world. We were
not created separated from God, but have become separated, born into this world. God joined us and walked with us and among us and left us with the commandment of love - to love one another. He challenged His followers to view everyone through His eyes. To engage us in relationship, He said, "What you have done to the least of humanity you have done to me." I have learned, although not always able to practice effectively, that this is only possible if I respond to the needs of humanity with honesty about my limitations and abilities. There is always more to do, righteous causes to join, families in need, etc.

But this is not a challenge only for clergy and monastics, it is a challenge for everyone who claims the benefits of being Christian, a member of the Church. It should be no great effort to serve, for in all our relations, we seek relationship with the divine. By honoring that, we honor God's goodness, mercy and loving-kindness. If we are recognized for doing that, let us be gracious and not hide this light under a bushel. It is all part of God's blessing to all of us - that His love be manifest in the simple things as in the great things. There is no difference between a little
miracle and a big one in Christ. We ought to be as grateful for the small miracles as we are for the big ones for no miracle, regardless of size, is deserved or earned. In serving humanity, we participate in miracles every day.

Under a green and white tent at the outdoor ceremony during Good Neighbor Festival, I bowed my head, shook Rich Schmidt's hand, said "Thank you." Then, I returned to face painting to raise funds for scouting.

Monday, September 01, 2008

Mystery at the Death of St Mary - Part 2

Mystery at the Death of St Mary - Part 2

The death of St Mary, mother of the Lord is also called her the "falling asleep" or dormition. It is also called her assumption.
Using the ancient texts upon which this festival period is based, Fr John Brian will explore the mystery and the power of the reported events surrounding her departure from this world. Much of the power of
Orthodox Christian tradition can be traced to this festive remembrance.

This sermon given on Sunday August 31, 2008 by Fr John Brian Paprock at Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Mission Chapel, Madison, Wisconsin.

PODCAST OR DOWNLOAD:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/frjohnbrian or
http://frjohnbrian.hipcast.com/rss/spiritual_reflections_or_fr_john_brian.xml

LISTEN ONLINE HERE:

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Bishop Makarios Memorial Sculpture and Scholarship at Alma College

At the six month memorial of our bishop, Met. Thomas Mar Makarios, here is an opportunity to contribute to lasting memorials in Michigan.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Alma College Initiatives To Continue Memory of Bishop Makarios
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The memory of Bishop Thomas Mar Makarios will continue at Alma College (Michigan, USA) with two campus initiatives: a memorial scholarship in his name and a campus sculpture depicting the character and values of the former religious studies faculty member.

He began teaching at the college in 1983 where he received an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree in 1990. Bishop Makarios died February 23, 2008 in Newcastle, England. Traditional church services and burial took place in India March 2 and 3. An Alma College memorial service took place April 6.

Individuals who wish to donate to these memorials may contact the Alma College Advancement Office at 1-800-291-1312 (toll free).

Bishop Makarios Memorial Scholarship
Bishop Makarios Sculpture (on Alma College campus)
Alma College
614 W. Superior Street
Alma, Michigan USA 48801-1599
1-800-291-1312 Advancement Office (contact for memorial donations)
1-989-463-7327 Main Office ~ 1-989-463-7102 Fax
Alma College website - http://www.alma.edu/
Complete Press Release from Alma College (July 25, 2008) can be viewed below

Sunday, August 17, 2008

Mystery at the Death of St Mary - Part 1

Mystery at the Death of St Mary - Part 1

The death of St Mary, mother of the Lord is also called her the "falling asleep" or dormition. It is also called her assumption. Using the ancient texts upon which this festival period is based, Fr John Brian will explore the mystery and the power of the reported events surrounding her departure from this world. Much of the power of Orthodox Christian tradition can be traced to this festive remembrance.


This sermon given on Sunday August 17, 2008 by Fr John Brian Paprock
at Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Mission Chapel, Madison, Wisconsin.

PODCAST OR DOWNLOAD:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/frjohnbrian or
http://frjohnbrian.hipcast.com/rss/spiritual_reflections_or_fr_john_brian.xml

LISTEN ONLINE HERE:

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Blessings of Transfiguration


Blessings of Transfiguration

The Transfiguration of Christ on Mount Tabor has many blessings. Using the scriptures appointed for the feast, this sermon expounds upon those blessings and how to access them.

Scriptures:
Luke 9:27-29; Deuteronomy 16:13-17; Psalm 24; Isaiah 61:1-3; Romans 11:25-236 and 1 John 2:23-3:2

This sermon given on Sunday August 10, 2008 by Fr John Brian Paprock at Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Mission Chapel, Madison WI.

PODCAST OR DOWNLOAD:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/frjohnbrian or http://frjohnbrian.hipcast.com/rss/spiritual_reflections_or_fr_john_brian.xml

LISTEN ONLINE HERE:

Monday, July 28, 2008

Acting in Faith?

Acting in Faith?

Is faith more important that works? No, James, in his epistle, speaks to a powerful synergy of faith in action - the working out of salvation in our worldly lives.
Scriptures:
James 2:14-26 ; Leviticus 19:13-18 and a verse from Joshua (23:14), starting with an apostolic reminder from Mark 6:7-13

This sermon given on Sunday July 27, 2008 by Fr John Brian at Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Mission Chapel, Madison WI.

PODCAST OR DOWNLOAD:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/frjohnbrian or
http://frjohnbrian.hipcast.com/rss/spiritual_reflections_or_fr_john_brian.xml

LISTEN ONLINE HERE:

Monday, July 21, 2008

Who Will Stop You

Who Will Stop YOU....

...from getting into the Kingdom of God? How ready are you?

Scriptures:
Matthew 18; end of Acts, Psalm 112 and excursions into Exodus and the end of Job.

This sermon given on Sunday July 20, 2008 by Fr John Brian at Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Mission Chapel, Madison WI.

PODCAST OR DOWNLOAD:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/frjohnbrian or
http://frjohnbrian.hipcast.com/rss/spiritual_reflections_or_fr_john_brian.xml

LISTEN ONLINE HERE:

Monday, July 14, 2008

Being Apostolic

Being Apostolic: 11th Hour Apostles continue

This is the third of three sermons on the Orthodox celebration of the Apostles.

This sermon asserts that we are equally charged in this modern age as the the apostles.

It focuses on the end of the festal gospel reading and the Coptic Epistle reading for the Apostles' feast.

Scriptures:
1. Apostles' gospel: Matthew 9:36-10:16
2. Malankara-Syrian Epistle: 1 Corinthians 12:28-13:10 (first sermon)
3. Armenian Epistle: 1 Thessalonians 2:9-16
(second sermon - unrecorded)
4. Coptic Epistle: Romans 10:4-18 (third sermon - here)

This sermon given on Sunday July 13, 2008 by Fr John Brian at Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Mission Chapel, Madison WI.

PODCAST OR DOWNLOAD:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/frjohnbrian or
http://frjohnbrian.hipcast.com/rss/spiritual_reflections_or_fr_john_brian.xml

LISTEN ONLINE HERE:

Thursday, July 10, 2008

Come join me on Psychology Crossroads...

Psychology Crossroads
A Community for the Integration of Psychology & Christianity
Rev Fr John... 6 friends
Rev Fr John Brian Paprock has invited you to join Psychology Crossroads
Psychology Crossroads is a community for those interested in the integration of Christianity and psychology and related mental health disciplines.
 
 
Come join me on Psychology Crossroads!

Thanks,

- Rev Fr John Brian Paprock

Check out Psychology Crossroads:
http://psychologycrossroads.ning.com/?xgi=8r2PcWQ
 
 
Members already on Psychology Crossroads
Teresa Pene...
Teresa Peneguy Paprock
philip mama...
philip mamalakis
Rev. Fr. St...
Rev. Fr. Stavrophoremo-
nk Symeon...
Elijah Partain
Elijah Partain
Fr Gregory ...
Fr Gregory Jensen
 
 
Psychology Crossroads
About Psychology Crossroads...

Psychology Crossroads is a community for those interested in the integration of Christianity and psychology and related mental health disciplines.

778 members367 photos
240 music tracks7 videos
45 blog posts
 
 
To control which emails you receive on Psychology Crossroads, go to: http://psychologycrossroads.ning.com/profiles/profile/emailSettings

Monday, June 30, 2008

11th Hour Apostles

11th Hour Apostles

This is the first of three sermons on the Orthodox celebration of the Apostles, beginning with the Malankara-Syrian lectionary readings for St Peter and St Paul.

This sermon talks about the apostles and then examines the parable of the vineyard appointed for reading at Divine Liturgy (Qurbana) :
Matthew 20:1-16
Acts 1:12-14
1 corinthians 12:28-13:10

Sermon given on Sunday June 29, 2008 by Fr John Brian at Holy
Transfiguration Orthodox Mission Chapel.

PODCAST OR DOWNLOAD:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/frjohnbrian or
http://frjohnbrian.hipcast.com/rss/spiritual_reflections_or_fr_john_br
ian.xml

LISTEN ONLINE HERE:

Monday, June 23, 2008

Where When How to Be of Christ

Where When How to Be of Christ

How can we tell our position along our spiritual journey? When do we need to demonstrate spiritual gifts? How do we show ourselves to be ambassadors of God's kingdom here? This sermon focuses homiletics on the Second Epistle of Paul to the Corinthian (5:14-6:10) to bring us to a greater realization of our purpose in this life.

Sermon given on Sunday June 22, 2008 by Fr John Brian at Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Mission Chapel.

PODCAST OR DOWNLOAD:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/frjohnbrian or
http://frjohnbrian.hipcast.com/rss/spiritual_reflections_or_fr_john_brian.xml

LISTEN ONLINE HERE:

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Aspiring to Spirit for Inspiration

Aspiring to Spirit for Inspiration

We know God through Spirit and Truth. This sermon includes how the prophecy of Ezekiel 36:25-27 gives us inspiration in our spiritual aspirations

Sermon given on Sunday June 15, 2008 by Fr John Brian at Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Mission Chapel.

PODCAST OR DOWNLOAD:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/frjohnbrian or
http://frjohnbrian.hipcast.com/rss/spiritual_reflections_or_fr_john_brian.xml

LISTEN ONLINE HERE:

Monday, June 09, 2008

With Trinity Help...

With Trinity Help...

The Trinity is revealed in the multiple triples in Ephesians Chapter 4 (1-16) to bring us to our life's purpose.

Sermon given on Sunday June 8, 2008 by Fr John Brian at Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Mission Chapel.

PODCAST OR DOWNLOAD:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/frjohnbrian or
http://frjohnbrian.hipcast.com/rss/spiritual_reflections_or_fr_john_br
ian.xml

LISTEN ONLINE HERE:

Sunday, June 01, 2008

God Made You For This Day

God Made You For This Day

Sermon given on Sunday June 1, 2008 by Fr John Brian at Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Mission Chapel

PODCAST OR DOWNLOAD:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/frjohnbrian or
http://frjohnbrian.hipcast.com/rss/spiritual_reflections_or_fr_john_brian.xml

LISTEN ONLINE HERE:

Saturday, May 31, 2008

Orthodox Christianity: Introduction - Part 1


Orthodox Christianity: Introduction - Part 1 of 2

About a dozen from the youth class of Merrimac United Methodist Church came to Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Mission recently to learn a little of other churches.

Fr John Brian condenses history and theology, doctrine and practice into about 45 minutes (in two parts)

Recorded at Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Mission Chapel, May 28, 2008

PODCAST OR DOWNLOAD:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/frjohnbrian or
http://frjohnbrian.hipcast.com/rss/spiritual_reflections_or_fr_john_brian.xml

LISTEN ONLINE HERE:

Part 2 of 2

http://frjohbrian.blogspot.com/2008/05/orthodox-christianity-introduction-part.html

Orthodox Christianity: Introduction - Part 2



Orthodox Christianity: Introduction - Part 2 of 2

About a dozen from the youth class of Merrimac United Methodist Church came to Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Mission recently to learn a little of other churches.

Fr John Brian condenses history and theology, doctrine and practice into about 45 minutes (in two parts)

Recorded at Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Mission Chapel, May 28, 2008

PODCAST OR DOWNLOAD:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/frjohnbrian or
http://frjohnbrian.hipcast.com/rss/spiritual_reflections_or_fr_john_brian.xml

LISTEN ONLINE HERE:

part 1 of 2

http://frjohbrian.blogspot.com/2008/05/orthodox-christianity-introduction-part_31.html

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

a children's book!

From: Teresa Kochamma

Greetings, friends ... relatives ... church folks ... co-workers...

I'm sending this out to everyone I can think of that has young kids, or
grandkids, or nieces or nephews - well, anyone who enjoys a good story with
a spiritual message.

Fr. John-Brian has just published a children's book, "What the Grub Found
Out." Actually, he wrote and illustrated this book back in 1992. But now
through Lulu Press, he was able to publish it.

"What the Grub Found Out" can be can be purchased as a regular book for
$10.63, or downloaded on to your computer for $2.50. It makes a great gift
for little ones ... hint, hint. ;)

http://stores.lulu.com/transfiguration

Half (50%) of the proceeds from this book (as well as "Living in the Eighth
Day") go to mission efforts.

View or download the latest mission report, Holy Transfiguration Mission
2008, written in the words of members and those who participate and benefit
from the Madison area (Wisconsin) mission -
http://www.angelfire.com/wi/theosis/mission08bklt.pdf (large file ~2M)


Love and Blessings!

Teresa Peneguy Paprock
words&stuff freelancing

Sunday, May 18, 2008

Fulfilling the Gospel as God Made Us

Fulfilling the Gospel as God Made Us

Sermon delivered by Fr John Brian at Holy Transfiguration Mission Chapel in Madison, Wisconsin on Sunday May 18, 2008

PODCAST OR DOWNLOAD:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/frjohnbrian or
http://frjohnbrian.hipcast.com/rss/spiritual_reflections_or_fr_john_brian.xml

LISTEN ONLINE HERE:

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Nueral Buddhists, Atheism and God

May 13, 2008
Op-Ed Columnist NYT
The Neural Buddhists
By DAVID BROOKS


In 1996, Tom Wolfe wrote a brilliant essay called “Sorry, but Your Soul Just Died,” in which he captured the militant materialism of some modern scientists.


To these self-confident researchers, the idea that the spirit might exist apart from the body is just ridiculous. Instead, everything arises from atoms. Genes shape temperament. Brain chemicals shape behavior. Assemblies of neurons create consciousness. Free will is an illusion. Human beings are “hard-wired” to do this or that. Religion is an accident.


In this materialist view, people perceive God’s existence because their brains have evolved to confabulate belief systems. You put a magnetic helmet around their heads and they will begin to think they are having a spiritual epiphany. If they suffer from temporal lobe epilepsy, they will show signs of hyperreligiosity, an overexcitement of the brain tissue that leads sufferers to believe they are conversing with God.

Wolfe understood the central assertion contained in this kind of thinking: Everything is material and “the soul is dead.” He anticipated the way the genetic and neuroscience revolutions would affect public debate. They would kick off another fundamental argument over whether God exists.

Lo and behold, over the past decade, a new group of assertive atheists has done battle with defenders of faith. The two sides have argued about whether it is reasonable to conceive of a soul that survives the death of the body and about whether understanding the brain explains away or merely adds to our appreciation of the entity that created it.

The atheism debate is a textbook example of how a scientific revolution can change public culture. Just as “The Origin of Species” reshaped social thinking, just as Einstein’s theory of relativity affected art, so the revolution in neuroscience is having an effect on how people see the world.

And yet my guess is that the atheism debate is going to be a sideshow. The cognitive revolution is not going to end up undermining faith in God, it’s going end up challenging faith in the Bible.
Over the past several years, the momentum has shifted away from hard-core materialism. The brain seems less like a cold machine. It does not operate like a computer. Instead, meaning, belief and consciousness seem to emerge mysteriously from idiosyncratic networks of neural firings. Those squishy things called emotions play a gigantic role in all forms of thinking. Love is vital to brain development.

Researchers now spend a lot of time trying to understand universal moral intuitions. Genes are not merely selfish, it appears. Instead, people seem to have deep instincts for fairness, empathy and attachment.

Scientists have more respect for elevated spiritual states. Andrew Newberg of the University of Pennsylvania has shown that transcendent experiences can actually be identified and measured in the brain (people experience a decrease in activity in the parietal lobe, which orients us in space). The mind seems to have the ability to transcend itself and merge with a larger presence that feels more real.

This new wave of research will not seep into the public realm in the form of militant atheism. Instead it will lead to what you might call neural Buddhism.

If you survey the literature (and I’d recommend books by Newberg, Daniel J. Siegel, Michael S. Gazzaniga, Jonathan Haidt, Antonio Damasio and Marc D. Hauser if you want to get up to speed), you can see that certain beliefs will spread into the wider discussion.

First, the self is not a fixed entity but a dynamic process of relationships. Second, underneath the patina of different religions, people around the world have common moral intuitions. Third, people are equipped to experience the sacred, to have moments of elevated experience when they transcend boundaries and overflow with love. Fourth, God can best be conceived as the nature one experiences at those moments, the unknowable total of all there is.

In their arguments with Christopher Hitchens and Richard Dawkins, the faithful have been defending the existence of God. That was the easy debate. The real challenge is going to come from people who feel the existence of the sacred, but who think that particular religions are just cultural artifacts built on top of universal human traits. It’s going to come from scientists whose beliefs overlap a bit with Buddhism.

In unexpected ways, science and mysticism are joining hands and reinforcing each other. That’s bound to lead to new movements that emphasize self-transcendence but put little stock in divine law or revelation. Orthodox believers are going to have to defend particular doctrines and particular biblical teachings. They’re going to have to defend the idea of a personal God, and explain why specific theologies are true guides for behavior day to day. I’m not qualified to take sides, believe me. I’m just trying to anticipate which way the debate is headed. We’re in the middle of a scientific revolution. It’s going to have big cultural effects.

Tuesday, May 06, 2008

Rev. Dr. K.M. George - 8th day

The Eighth Day
From “Easter and Ecology” by Rev. Dr. K.M. George

With scientific speculation on time becoming more and more complex in a universe "with no edge of space-time", as Stephen Hawking says in A Brief History of Time, the old image of the cycle re-emerges in the human consciousness in different ways.

Many ancient cultures represented time as turning on itself, as is shown by the cycles of the day, the week and the year.

To the early Christian theologians, the cycles of the week seemed to symbolize the meaninglessness of earthly existence taken into itself. Like the legendary Greek image of the snake swallowing its own tail, the seven day week returns to itself, repeating its cycle.

So the patristic tradition proposed "the eighth day", which broke open the cyclical chain of seven days. The seven day week represented the history of the created world; the eighth day symbolized eternity. Sunday, the day of the resurrection of Christ, was the first and the eighth day at the same time.

Sunday is the day of the sun, the source of life, the first day of the week, and symbolically the first day of creation. It is also the eighth day, the day of the new creation, the day of resurrection, which initiated all creation to eternal life.

The eighth day breaks the monotonous cycle of time and liberates time from bondage to boredom and death. There is no longer evening or morning to mark the bounds of the day, no sun or moon to determine the course of day or night.

The eighth day, outside the weekly cycle, signals the end of the fatalistic resignation to despair built into the ever-repeating cycles of history. It implies rest from the cyclical chain of work.

Industrial civilization has been marked by the assembly line, the infernal cycle of production to which human laborers are chained. The "weekend", which it invented to break the cycle and provide time to rest, is only the beginning of another week's cycle.

The eighth day of resurrection breaks the chain of birth and death. (We may note here the irony that many supermarkets are chain stores - a fitting image of the new slavery which is inescapable in industrialized societies and whose tentacles are spreading quickly to. the rest of the world.)

In the risen Christ, material creation enters the infinity of new life. There is no more recycling or bondage to the laws of time and space. Yet created matter is not annihilated but reconstituted according to a higher law. It is the untold possibilities for our life that are unfolded in this recomposition of matter, as shown by the resurrected Christ.

Matter does not now return to be recycled. It opens itself to the life of God, to the splendor of uncreated light. Time is permeated by Sunday, the day of light, life and joyful rest.

Time, the attribute of the cycle of birth, death and decay, now acquires a new quality and meaning in its open-ended hope in participation in God's own life.

Easter and Ecology
Rev. Dr. K.M. George
Complete article: http://www.goarch.org/en/ourfaith/articles/article8028.asp
Copyright: Printed by Orthdruk Orthodox Printing House, Bialystok, Poland, 1996.
Source: The Orthodoxy and Ecology Resource Book is produced by SYNDESMOS, The World Fellowship of Orthodox Youth.
Editor: Alexander Belopopsky and Dimitri Oikonomou
The author. Rev. Dr K.M. George is a priest and theologian of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church of India, and was a member of staff of the WCC Ecumenical Institute in Bossey, Switzerland.