Author Archives: edithmhumphrey

Readings: Philippians 2:5-11; Luke 10:38-42; Luke 11:27-28; Genesis 5:22-24; 2 Kings (4 Kingdoms) 2:1-12. As a response to my last “bonus” blog on the Transfiguration of our Lord, one of my writers asked me if I might consider writing on the Old Testament background not only to the readings for Sunday’s Divine Liturgy (which IContinue reading “The Dormition and Translation of the Holy Theotokos”

The Transfiguration, found in Mark 9:1-13, Matthew 17:1-13 and Luke 9:28-36, is both a key moment in Jesus’ own ministry, and in the apprenticeship of his disciples. Meditation upon this scene, both in word and through icon, has been a powerful source of spiritual growth for Christians throughout the ages. The following is an excerptContinue reading “The Transfiguration: Transforming Light”

1 Corinthians 3:9-17; Matthew 14:22-34 Isaiah 8:13-18; Psalm 107:23-31 Our Scripture passages for this Sunday’s Divine Liturgy are well known. The epistle reading speaks of our identity together as the Temple of the Holy Spirit. The gospel reading narrates that marvelous story of Jesus encouraging the apostle Peter to walk upon the water. At firstContinue reading “God’s Signs: Building on the Foundation, Walking the Sea”

Readings for Great Vespers and Divine Liturgy: Genesis 14:14-20; Deut. 1:8-11, 15-17; Deut. 10:14-21; Matt. 5:14-19; Titus 3:8-15. I write this blog for the Sunday of the Holy Fathers of the Fourth Ecumenical Council as I am flying to Fort Worth, Texas, to speak at an event for Catholic Anglicans, concerning the importance of conciliarity.Continue reading “Sunday of the Holy Fathers of the Fourth Ecumenical Council: the Apostolic, Conciliar and Concrete Church”

Readings: Romans 10:1-10; Deuteronomy 30:8-15. One of the things about the gift of a lectionary is that we faithful eventually end up reading uncomfortable passages. Our epistle reading, Romans 10:1-10, is part of Paul’s three chapter passage (Romans 9-11) concerning the place of Israel, the Torah, and Jesus in God’s plan of salvation for theContinue reading “Fifth Sunday after Pentecost: “Beloved For the Sake of Their Forefathers””

Romans 5:1-10; Matthew 6:22-33; Psalm 127:1-2; Baruch 3:12-20 I continue to be amazed at the bracing realism of the word of God: at times we are brought face to face with sin and death; almost in the same breath, the word speaks of “the hope of the glory of God.” After all, that is whatContinue reading “Third Sunday after Pentecost and of Matthew; Light, Peace and Wrath: One of these Things is Not Like the Others?”

Readings: Matthew 10:32-33, 37-38; 19:27-30; Heb 11:33-12:2; Gen 12:1-10; Sirach 44:1-15 Memory eternal! I remember the first time that I heard this expression, as someone coming to know Orthodoxy. Its prominence in the Orthodox community when speaking of the faithful departed puzzled me, because I supposed that we ought to speak more of the certaintyContinue reading “The Sunday of All Saints: Memory Eternal!”

Readings: Luke 24:46-52; Acts 1:1-12; Isaiah 2:2-3; Isaiah 62:10-63:9; Zechariah 14:1-11. The Ascension is, among those who call themselves Christians, a relatively neglected Feast, except among who those hold to the ancient liturgies. No doubt the event itself is problematic for the contemporary imagination, as C. S. Lewis pointed out half a century ago—skeptics scoffContinue reading “The Ascension: Christ’s Victory, Our Hope!”

Readings: John 4:5-42 and MANY OT Texts! It is common to hear scholars speak of Christians in one breath with Jews and Christians as “people of the Book.” And, indeed, we honor the Scriptures (including the Old Testament) deeply, as did Jesus, who, along with the religious leaders of his day, began with the presuppositionContinue reading “The Sunday of the Samaritan Woman: Living Water, The Gift WHO IS God”

Readings: Mark 15:43-16:18, Acts 6:1-7; Psalm 44 (MT 45); Exodus 40:1-15 My heart overflows with a goodly theme; I address my verses to the king; my tongue is like the pen of a ready scribe. You are more beautiful than the sons of men; grace has been poured upon your lips; therefore God has blessedContinue reading “Sunday of the Myrrh-Bearing Women: Anointing and Faith”