All Are Not Prophets

“Do you hear God?”

That’s what I asked an old professor at the seminary. Some days, he acted in a way I had imagined a Fool for Christ would act, loud and offensive at the worst times.  Whenever he walked into a room, you knew things just got more interesting.  Yet, this Old Testament professor had a depth of knowledge reserved for genius and a heart of gold.

He didn’t hear me, so I said it again.  “Do you hear God?”

“What?! Hear God?!  If we could hear God, we wouldn’t need the prophets!”

I remember this when I come across people asking why God allows things to happen to people…or worse yet, when I hear people explain why God allows things to take place.  This has happened several times since a dear friend of mine found cancer in her body.  It showed up like a weed.  Like a blade of grass that grows in a crack of a driveway, it forged its way into her body.

Cancer.  There, I wrote it again.

It’s so hard to say. I can’t even imagine what it’s like for her, but she says it all the time, like she is trying to convince herself that it’s there.  I hear people making excuses for it, desperately searching for a silver lining.  Maybe it’s because of this…  Maybe it’s a result of that…  Maybe it’s so that God could… (Full Article: http://myocn.net/do-you-hear-god/ )

 

Blessing of the Loaves, a Prayer of Thanksgiving

Are you familiar with the prayer for the blessing of the five loaves, or artoclasia in Greek? You would have seen the service done at the end of Vespers on a major feast day or a parish name day. As a sign of thanksgiving, the five loaves of sweet bread are brought to the church with a small bottle of wine and olive oil. It is usually brought by a family celebrating the feast day or name day, or when a prayer has been answered.

http://myocn.net/blessing-of-five-loaves-artoclasia/

When My Baba Died- Book Review

Need help explaining what happens during a funeral to a child? When My Baba Died, by Marjorie Kunch, is the book you will want to read! The author does a wonderful job in offering kind and comforting words for inquisitive children, ages 4-8. I must admit, at first I was a bit put-off by the 51 page, softcover book. I assumed it was going to be overwhelming. Instead, I was thankfully surprised to see that it is a quick read. The length of the book is due to the large and colorful photos softened to look like watercolor paintings. Be prepared to see pictures of a funeral, but not to worry; everything is staged and the casket is empty. For the full review, go to: http://myocn.net/when-my-baba-died/,

My Favorite Resource for Children’s Books Is Potamitis Publishing

The daily lives of the saints are an important aspect of our faith.  They are an often untapped resource of support and inspiration.   Through their teaching, witness and devoted love to Christ and His Church, they have preserved the faith.  We owe it to them to teach our children their stories.  Then our children can establish authentic relationships with the saints, not just memorize their biographies.

My favorite resource for Children’s Books comes from Potamitis Publishing, a family-run publishing house in Greece.  Potamitis is devoted to the ministry of hagiography; the biography of a saint. ... for more: http://myocn.net/a-treasure-to-hold/