The first man Adam, like all men, was created in the image and likeness of God.  He was called to live as a priest in Paradise.  All of creation was given to him as a free gift.  In return Adam was to offer creation back to God in thanksgiving and love.  Unfortunately Adam chose to eat the forbidden fruit and at that very moment he abandoned his priestly vocation, and distorted his image and likeness towards God.  Adam, through his God gifted self-determination chose to be the first consumer and take God’s creation and use it for his own selfish gratification.

Our Holy Week doesn’t lack for bad guys: fickle crowds and Pharisees, centurions and Sadducees, Judas Iscariot and Pontius Pilate.  What’s the point in picking on Thomas at the end of it all?

Today, our Orthodox Church begins the Fast of the Nativity.  This 40 day period, is a season for increased prayer and fasting as we prepare for the Birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  In an attempt to help our faithful of the Metropolis, prepare for this sacred event, in the midst of the holiday frenzy that besieges us, at this time of the year, the clergy of the Metropolis of Detroit, with the Blessings of His Eminence Metropolitan Nicholas, will offer “Daily Christmas Reflections” in preparation for the Incarnation of Jesus Christ.  It is our prayer that these thoughts may help us all to grow closer to our Lord during this holy season.

With the celebration of the Holy Pentecost, we face what may be the most important question of the Christian life: How can I make the Pentecost of the Apostles my own experience? This of course is not a question only for this season but for every day. The acquisition of the Holy Spirit is our lifelong goal.

Did you ever catch that odd detail in the icon of the Myrrhbearing Women?  We read about it in the Gospel of Matthew (28:2): “ … for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat upon it.” 

Fasting, or abstaining from food, was a discipline practiced by our Lord himself. It was after forty days of prayer and fasting in the wilderness, that Jesus victoriously faced the temptations of the devil (Matthew 4:1-11). He asked his disciples to use fasting, coupled with prayer, as a means to achieve spiritual victories (Matthew 17:21; Mark 9:29; Luke 2:37), and the example of the Lord was followed by the disciples in their apostolic ministry and instruction to the early Christians (Acts 14:23; 27:9; 1 Corinthians 7:5; 2 Corinthians 6:5, 11:27).

Christmas is the day when Jesus was born in the Flesh to the ever-virgin Mary.  He was born to her in the town of Bethlehem, Judea.  The facts of His Birth are explained beautifully from the writings found in the Bible.  Together, let us listen eagerly and learn from these words as proclaimed by the Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Holy Trinity.

​Your Excellency, my Beloved Brother in ministry, and my friend, Archbishop Allen Vigneron; Christ-loving Clergy who serve the flock of the Great Shepherd; Brothers and Sisters dedicated to perpetual prayer and acts of Christian charity; And above all, you, the faithful of the Church, who fill God’s house at this hour and every hour, sending up to Him praise, worship, and thanksgiving.

The old saying goes, "The devil is in the details." But is this true?  Certainly not when it comes to the Gospel.  For a close look at Holy Scripture always reveals something very much other than the devil.  This is because God speaks to us in the small print as well as the "big picture."  He wants us to probe His Word.  He wants us to be sensitive to what is written in both large and small letters.