The Fatherhood Chronicles CXVII

Domestic Dad
We had a good weekend, the girls and I. Lots of cuddling, playing, praying. New routines, old routines.
As we’ve done every two weeks (on payday weekends) since the first of May, the girls and I headed to our nearest Trader Joe’s to buy groceries for the fortnight. The girls thoroughly enjoy [...]

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Fr Patrick Reardon’s Pastoral Pondering: The Eucharist and the Holy Spirit

[With permission]
Speaking of the Holy Eucharist, the Fathers and early liturgical texts of the Church have recourse to the metaphor of the flaming coal (anthrax, pruna) in reference to the Lord’s body. For instance, with Isaiah 6:7 obviously in mind, The Liturgy of St. James refers to “receiving the fiery coal” (labein to pyrinon anthrax) [...]

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This Too Shall Pass

In the middle of the turbulence surrounding you
These trying times that are so hard to endure
In the middle of what seems to be your darkest hour
Hold fast your heart and be assured
[CHORUS:]
This too shall pass
Like every night that’s come before it
He’ll never give you more than you can bear
This too shall [...]

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Sofie Is Wiser Than She Knows and Than I At First Recognized

Hmmm. Maybe it really is the case that while Daddy has Jesus in his heart, Sofie and Delaina have Baby Jesus in their hearts:
For He came to save all through means of Himself—all, I say, who through Him are born again to God—infants, and children, and boys, and youths, and old men. He therefore [...]

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More on God’s Goodness and Faith’s Struggle

As I’ve said before in my wrestling on this: The struggle of faith in the midst of pain and suffering is not, I do not think, a question of God’s existence (though it may come to that), as it is a question of God’s goodness. It is not a question, it does not seem to [...]

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Exhortation to Endurance

Be not utterly crushed in soul by grief, whether disease lies heavily upon you, or any other hardship befalls, but nobly confront toils with your understanding, even in the midst of your struggles rendering thanks to God; since His thoughts are wiser than men’s, and such as it is not easy nor possible for men [...]

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The Goodness of God and the Struggle of Faith

While some may think that theodicy is a particularly modern problem, I am inclined to disagree. While such a problem might be uniquely ubiquitous in modern consciousness as compared to earlier historical places and periods, it does not seem to be a uniquely modern problem so much as a uniquely human one. That [...]

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Patristic Audio Files for Your iPod or mp3 Player

The following patristic works are available for both streaming and download at the links below:
St. Bede the Venerable, “Sermon on All Saints’ Day”
“The Martyrdom of St. Ignatius of Antioch”
St. John Chrysostom, Homily 5 on Matthew
St. John of Damascus, On Holy Images
St. John of Damascus, Sermon I On the Dormition
St. Polycarp’s Letter to the Philippians
The Martyrdom [...]

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The Sunday of All Saints

 
Troparion of All Saints Tone 4
Adorned in the blood of Thy Martyrs throughout all the world as in purple and fine linen, Thy Church, through them, doth cry unto Thee, O Christ God: Send down thy compassions upon Thy people; grant peace to thy habitation, and great mercy to our souls.
 
Kontakion of All Saints Tone [...]

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Our Father Among the Saints, Alban, Protomartyr of Britain

Troparion of St Alban Tone 4
Thy holy martyr Alban in his struggle/ has gained the crown of life, O Christ our God;/ for strengthened by Thee and with a pure heart/ he spoke boldly before wordly judges,/ giving up his sacred head to Thee, the Judge of all.
From Bede: Ecclesiastical History of England:
THE PASSION OF [...]

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