Barnabas Powell's Blog, page 20
February 10, 2023
Compete According to the Rules
I love a line from the Paraklesis to our parish saints, Sts. Raphael, Nicholas, and Irene: “We entreat you, O Martyr of Christ, who with Nicholas and Irene for His sake competed according to the rules: Save us from injuries by our unruly opponent, through your earnest prayers to our tender-loving Lord.” The good Monk Gerasimos Mikragiannanites wrote this Paraklesis to our patron saints and I love how he contrasts the saints,…
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February 9, 2023
Admit it; You’re Not OK!
I’m my own worst enemy. The reason for this is that my ability to either delude myself or to overreact is so “normal” to me that it is really hard to be objective about my struggles by myself. I’m either too hard on myself or too easy on myself! Learning this opened my eyes to the wisdom of the Timeless Faith in encouraging me to have a regular confessor and to see…
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February 8, 2023
The Immesurable Riches of His Grace
“All is gift.” This phrase captures both the simple and profound message that embodies the mystery of living a Eucharistic life. You may ask “What does that mean?” And I understand. We moderns are far removed from a world where mystery and wonder and story dominated our human society. And we are impoverished by this reduction of true mystery in our lives. Although, I will say that our modern world is slowly…
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February 7, 2023
The Wisdom of Humility; The Foolishness of Pride
On this Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee, we are once again invited to prepare our lives for the Arena of the Virtues called Great Lent. The whole point of this spiritual spring cleaning season is the tried and true wisdom of learning the power of humility to create virtues and the damnable disease of pride that always destroys. Even a sinner who embraces honesty is justified just as apparent pious…
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They Despise Authority
“Oh Lord, it’s hard to be humble, when you’re perfect in every way! I can’t wait to look in the mirror, ’cause I get better lookin’ each day.” Hilarious, right? But what makes it funny is that we know people who actually feel that way about themselves. They are always saying things like “Listen, it’s going to be huge. I’m going to make everything right again!” OK, careful there padre! (hee hee)…
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February 6, 2023
St. Photios The Great
Today’s devotional is a bit different. I wanted to write about a part of my story of becoming Orthodox, which can’t be told without talking about my best friend, Rod Loudermilk. So, indulge me a bit and I pray this is an encouragement to you. Rod and I met many years ago when his family moved from West Virginia where he was a Pentecostal pastor, to my hometown of Marietta, GA. Rod…
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February 3, 2023
According To Your Word
One of the most meaningful Pro-Life demonstrations I ever saw was a graduating High School class deciding to put out the number of empty seats with them in the graduates’ area of all the children who would have been graduating High School with them had they not been aborted. It was a powerful, silent, but effective witness of what had been sacrificed by the rampant abortions in this society. We truly are…
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February 2, 2023
My Eyes Have Seen Your Salvation
Today is the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord in the Temple. It recalls the Baby Jesus being brought to the Temple by His mother and foster father to present an offering to God on behalf of the firstborn son. You see, in the Mosaic Law, the firstborn son is “holy” unto the Lord. In Exodus 13:2 God commands the people to consecrate the firstborn male to Him. By the way,…
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February 1, 2023
This Is A Test – Sunday Homily
The spiritual disciplines of the Faith many times lead us to moments in our lives where we are really tested so that we will know reality both internally and externally. These tests in our lives are “good” but rarely pleasant. As we approach Great Lent, let’s do what we need to do to pass the Test! This Sunday our diaconate student Sy Nease gives us a great homily.
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You Are Never Rejected!
She was always cheery. It seemed no matter what, she had a smile on her face. I could count on some inspirational quote or some uplifting phrase every morning as we worked together. And then, the bottom fell out of her life. I watched as her smile began to fade and her words of encouragement became fewer and fewer. You see, her life and disposition had never been tested like this before…
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