most "blue zones," concentrated areas of supercentenarians, can be attributed to pension fraud or bad record-keeping #

look in the direction you want to move, open and close your mouth to go faster #

Papers Please/Obra Dinn creator Lucas Pope dropped a surprise spooky free web game inspired by 1980s LCD handhelds #

Like many Orthodox clergy, I have lost track of the number of times my Protestant brethren have objected to the priestly title (in my case, “Father Lawrence”), citing the Bible which commands that they “call no man ‘Father’”. They are, of course, thinking of our Lord’s words in Matthew 23:9. If I am feeling puckish and mischievous, I sometimes respond with a simple denial, insisting, “No, the Bible doesn’t say that” just to wind them up and make the final riposte more satisfying. It is not particularly sanctified, but it is fun. What is the difference between “call no man ‘father’” and “call no man your father”? The difference is the difference between a title or form of address and a relationship.

Protestant critics of Orthodoxy fault us for many things, but one of the foremost of their objections is our devotion to Mary, the Mother of Jesus. Hostility to Roman Catholicism is built into Protestant DNA, so anything in Orthodoxy that resembles something in Roman Catholicism will be subject to criticism, including such more or less innocuous things like clergy wearing cassocks and calling themselves “Father”. Our Orthodox devotion to Mary (whom we call “the Theotokos”) often heads the list of Protestant objections, since it features so prominently in Roman Catholicism.

All of the words of the Saviour are important, even the words spoken that were strictly rhetorical. One such utterance is found in the story of the sinful woman, told in Luke 7:36f.

In his book Reflections on the Psalms, C. S. Lewis wrote a chapter on praising which began with him saying that “It is possible (and it is to be hoped) that this chapter will be unnecessary for most people”. In the same spirit, I hope that this and subsequent episodes on the topic of predestination will be unnecessary for most people.

Fr. Apostolos speaks about the importance of attending and participating in the divine services. "No matter how many theological books we read or classes we attend, the treasure of Holy Orthodoxy can only be revealed in and through the medium of divine worship."

On the Sunday of Orthodoxy, Fr. Apostolos reminds us that unless we see the face of Christ in everyone we meet, to venerate our icons can be a form of idolatry.

Here is this morning's homily on the risks to ourselves, both personally and collectively, if we choose to remain in the darkness of life outside the Kingdom of God.

Fr. Apostolos Hill gives a brief historical review of the excavation of Golgotha and the history of the Precious Cross of Christ, then an examination of the challenge of understanding the Cross in our own time.

Silicon Valley Sleuth reported this morning how several stories about Google buying Sun suspiciously made it to the front page of Digg.com. These "baseless rumours" were all submitted and promoted by a small group of Digg members that seemed to be working together. I found this story through Digg itself, where it was posted on the front page. It later... (381 words)

Sermon on the Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost

Twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost

Sixth Sunday after Pentecost (Originally given July 27, 2008)

Seventh Sunday after Pentecost

We are partakers of the rich mercies and blessings that God has liberally poured out upon our lives. Fr Tom reminds us that all of our blessings, both spiritual and material, are meant to be freely given to others, just as they have been given to us. (Twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost)

The Scriptures and the Fathers have much to say about the Jewish people, and unfortunately, this view has largely been misrepresented. Fr Tom teaches us that the people of God, Israel, will always be those who love and follow the true God. (Fifth Sunday after Pentecost)

The New Testament epistles as well as the Divine Liturgy constantly encourage us to be of one mind because we are members of the Body of Christ and of one another. Fr Tom used today's epistle reading as an opportunity to encourage his parishioners to develop oneness with each other in order to achieve parish goals. (Seventh Sunday after Pentecost)

With the words, "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem," the Lord Jesus Christ invites all of us to journey with Him to His Passion. Fr Thomas teaches us that the ransom that Christ freely pays on our behalf saves us from sin and death, but also allows us to freely follow Him.

On Christmas Eve, Fr Thomas reminds us that Christ came as a human to restore the image of God in us and show us how to become what we were always meant to be.

How do we love God with all of our heart, with all of our mind, and with all of our soul? Fr. Tom shows us that Cross serves as the paragon example of fulfilling the greatest commandment of our Lord.

Leading into the feast of Theophany, Fr. Tom calls to remembrance the Forerunner and how he points us to repentance in order to see clearly our Savior in the Holy Trinity.

Exhorting us from the Parable of the Talents, Fr. Tom reminds us that - as true members - we must use our gifts to build up the Body of Christ.

Fr. Tom meditates on how encounters with Christ and His miracles - both today and in the Scriptures - elicit opposite responses. We see some who accept them and some who deny them in the most vicious ways. What will your response be?

Tying together the Gospel readings from this week and the week prior, Fr. Tom lays out the reality that the One who prays, the One who walks on water, the One who gives us Himself in the Eucharist is always present . . . especially in our trials.

There is a prevalent view that religion is all about "being a good person" or completing a checklist of commandments. Fr. Tom shows us that the problem isn't the commandments themselves, but rather using them as a means to an end. What we really need is communion - with God and with one another.

Fr. Tom discusses the uncleanliness of humanity, the image God made us in, and maintaining our true selves.

God came to earth to undo the ravages of sin and death. He could only do this by taking upon himself our flesh.

In the Ascension our humanity is taken up in Christ’s to the heavenly places. He came to earth that we might be raised up to heaven

The rich Pharisee in the gospel couldn’t make it. He couldn’t grow up. He couldn’t leave behind the letter of Jewish law to find the spirit of Jewish life. We can grow up. We can move from a focus on the letter of Orthodox law into the reality of living our lives to the full as Orthodox Christians.

Sermon for 3rd February: Afterfeast of the Meeting Sermon by Deacon Emmanuel preached by Fr. Gregory at a Hierarchical Liturgy in the Church of St. Ignatios, Belfast (presiding bishop, His Grace Bishop Hanna (Berlin).

Fr. Christopher looks at three incidents in the life of St. Peter that are instructive for our life of repentance.

Fr. Gregory shares a word from Elder Paisios of the Holy Mountain and his explanation of Matthew 6:22-23.

Who is the Son of Man? Those words, “The Son of Man”, are seldom used today; and to find out their meaning we need to look first at the Old Testament.

St Nicholas stands, by his own example, for a holistic understanding of Christian truth, a truth that saves because it is immersed in and expressed by self-giving love.

Fr. Gregory Hallam says the Feast of the Transfiguration is without doubt a turning point in the gospels.

Fr. Gregory Hallam preaching on the Sunday of the Cross.