Author Archives: edithmhumphrey

Matthew 8:28-9:1 For twenty-first century Western hearers of the gospels, demons and demoniacs are troublesome. We do not live in a time or a place where this phenomenon is understood, or even frequently experienced. (Though some would say that this is a deficiency in our perception!) Other ages have known about demoniacs, and even missionariesContinue reading “The Pigs and the Perishing: Fifth Sunday after Pentecost and Fifth Sunday of Matthew”

Luke 1: 1-80, 3:16-20, Malachi 4, Romans 13:11-14:4 Jesus began his ministry in full awareness of the dangers of telling the truth, and being the Truth.  As God, He knew the human heart and the depths of evil to which it can sink.  As man, He surely took notice of the sacrificial life of hisContinue reading “Telling the Truth, Then and Now: the Nativity of John the Baptist”

Job; James 5:11; Ezekiel 14:14-20 Tell me, brother, what you are able to endure, And how much of a man you are, I will tell you. Job the righteous rich man and all-glorious By Satan on a dunghill was thrown, And with pus and sores covered, To dogs and to men, a horrifying sight! WhateverContinue reading ““More is Going on than Appears to be Going On”: Lessons from Scripture on the Feast-day of the Righteous Prophet Job”

Revelation 12:9-11, Job 41:1-5, Isaiah 43:9-21, Isaiah 27:1 The stories concerning St. George are both a delight and a complication in the Orthodox tradition. For those of a practical mindset, a story that involves a princess, ravenous dragon and the knight who tames the beast smacks of legend. What is it doing among the moreContinue reading “St. George: Linking Legend with Historical Lessons”

Hebrews 12:28-13:8; John 11:1-45; 2 Maccabees 7; Daniel 12 And would it have been worth it, after all,… Would it have been worthwhile, To have bitten off the matter with a smile, To have squeezed the universe into a ball To roll it toward some overwhelming question, To say, ‘I am Lazarus, come from theContinue reading “Lazarus Saturday: the Overwhelming Question”

(Hebrews 2:11-18; Luke 1:24-38; Judges 6:12-15) Conventional greetings and words of introduction are notoriously slippery things. In the past year, my husband and I have grown very fond of the Scottish band “The Proclaimers,” whom many in America know from their popular song, “I’m gonna be”: You know, “And I would walk 500 miles, andContinue reading “The Annunciation: When Hello is not simply Hello!”

Readings: Isaiah 13:2-13; Genesis 8:4-21; Proverbs 10:31-11:12 St. Patrick, the Bishop of Armagh and Enlightener of Ireland, was born as a slave in Britain—either Scotland or Wales— between 385 and 390, travelled to Ireland in response to the call of God, eventually became bishop of the area of Armagh, in Northern Ireland, and died, havingContinue reading “St. Patrick, Natural Icons and the Sacramental Creation”

Hebrews 11:24-25, 32-40; John 1:43-51, 2 Peter 1. For four weekdays leading up to the Sunday of Orthodoxy, we inhabit, in our prayers together, the canon of St. Andrew of Crete, who in many of his odes takes us to the stories of the Old Testament, as he encourages his soul (and ours!) to repent.Continue reading ““I Have Reminded You, My Soul:” The Canon of St. Andrew of Crete and the Sunday of Orthodoxy”

Readings: Hebrews 13:4 Genesis 1 and 2; Ephesians 5; Tobit (especially 8:4-8) My children’s generation grew up on a classical love-story, tinged with touches of humor: The Princess Bride, more often watched in the film version than read in the book by William Goldman. I remember my middle daughter Alexandra being delighted that the storyContinue reading ““What Have You Got Worth Living For? True Love!”–St. Valentine, Marriage and the Orthodox Faith”

2 Timothy 3:10-15; Luke 18:10-14, 4 Kingdoms 19:9-20; Phil. 2: 5-11. This week, especially on February 2nd, we concentrated upon that poignant story of Jesus’ presentation at the Temple, when he is brought by St. Joseph and his Holy Mother at 40 days after his Nativity to be received by the elder Simeon. Here weContinue reading “Humility that is Heard In Heaven: The Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee”