then nothing changes. That which troubles us will remain and become calcified, harder to heal and more resistant to light and grace. It’s not the discussion, the prayers, the confession, the communication, the give and take that will kill us but the silence, the pretending, the hope that we don’t have to look into the darkness within and without.

Silence is the hope that the storms passes somewhere far away. Silence is the desire to avoid the sin without for the sake of the revealing of the sin within. Silence covers the wound before it can heal. Silence shuts the door on forgiveness, change, and redemption. Silence is darkness and death.

Who wishes to be exposed? Who desires to face their sins? Who craves the light that shines in dark corners? No one but the person who finally has nothing left to lose but their soul. Until then, within and without, silence is the enemy of grace, the poison of mortality willingly consumed.

It’s possible to not love where the Church is at any given moment and still love her for where she has been and where she will eventually be. This is, in part, how she and those who love her have endured.

and I believe we will make it through. Because our confidence is not in men but in God. Those who must speak will. Those who must pray will. Those who wait in silence for the storms to blow over will do this as well. Each has the cause of their heart and each will receive their reward.

Our Lord has promised that the Church will withstand the gates of hell but at any place and any time the battle will be more or less. The end, however, is sure. Even if we fail. Even if I fail. Our Lord will not. I must do what I can but my trust, our trust, is higher.

And now on to the day…

to consider if you are Antiochian Orthodox.

but these little links are important, especially for the Antiochian Orthodox who may wander on to this small spot on the www.

We are ancient Christians in an internet age and the resources we have, and their potential pitfalls, are simply amazing. Very little can be done or said, even on the other side of the globe, without near instant access and things that would long ago take weeks of months to disseminate now takes seconds.

There are discussions in and among us about the status of Bishops, financial accountability, and a host of issues and the temptation is to see these as esoteric stuff, things far removed from our experience. They are not. Who the Bishop is and how their role has been defined has a direct bearing on the Priests and Deacons they call to serve you. The money you work hard for and then most generously give to the Church is important and so is how its handled. All of us who consider ourselves Orthodox within the Antiochian Archdiocese are stakeholders, whether we’ve been told we are or not, and our being aware and conscious of what is happening is part of our responsibility to the Church and to each other and by it we are, in fact, our brother’s keeper.

The process of coming to conclusions on issues in the Church is often very messy. Because these things are important there are emotions involved and thoughts and ideas fly about. This is not a sign that we are abandoned by God but rather that we are finite humans coming to terms with the stewardship of things eternal. As distasteful as this process might seem it is still incumbent on us not to abandon it in the hope of easy answers or push it away from ourselves in the hope that ignorance is bliss.

While there is a unique teaching and administering role for the Bishops of our Church there is no magisterium. All the faithful of the Orthodox Church are called to be involved, aware, and to, when necessary, defend the Faith once given.  Thus the links are presented in the hope that you will read, pray, and do what you believe you can for the better state of the Church. Knowledge is power and touched by the grace of God it becomes wisdom. And if anything else this time in the life of our Archdiocese cries out for people of wisdom.

on the status of Anglican / Orthodox relations. Hat tip to Ad Orientem.

on the recent meeting of the Holy Synod of Antioch concerning the status of Bishops in North America. Worth the read.