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The Prosforo – Bread Offering   What does it mean to bring an offering to the church? It means that you prayerfully give of yourself to Christ who is the giver of  'all good things'. (cf. James 1:17) God provides all things, be it the wheat or grapes, and transforms it through the Holy Spirit, giving it back as His precious Body for Holy Communion. We give ourselves to God and He, in turn, gives Himself to us. This is what we declare in the Divine Liturgy: 'Thine own of Thine own we offer to You in all and for [...]

St Gregory Palamas Homily 37 - the Dormition of the Theotokos Every Saint in the Orthodox Christian Church has a personal relationship with the Theotokos. This is especially the case for St Gregory Palamas, who was also granted to see her in his earthly life. St Gregory always evoked the Theotokos as intercessor in his prayers. He expressed in the opening of his homily that “… there is nothing dearer or more necessary for me to expound with due honour in Church the wonders of the ever-virgin Mother of God”. Thus, St Gregory exclaims,“What words can describe your divinely-radiant beauty, [...]

Ninth Ode Refrain to the Theotokos This well know hymn, composed by St Kosmas the Melodist (8th century A.D) is the refrain for the 9th Biblical Ode, which is dedicated to the Mother of God. The Biblical Odes were passages selected from the Scriptures for use in the worship of the Early Church. The 9th Ode is the only ode that is from the New Testament. It is made up of the exultant words of praise to God the Virgin Mary herself spoke when she visited Elizabeth, the mother of St John the Baptist (Luke 1:46-55). In liturgical use, we [...]

Jacob’s Ladder In the book of Genesis, Jacob dreams of a ladder set up on the earth with its top reaching the heavens. Upon this ladder, the angels of God ascended and descended, whilst at the very top the Lord stood proclaiming: "I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac... and in you and your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed" (Gen 28:13-14). On waking up, Jacob erected a pillar and called the name of that place Bethel, meaning the house of God and the gateway of heaven (Gen 28:17). This [...]

“My soul clings closely behind You, Your right hand has upheld me” (Psalm 63:8 LXX) «ἐκολλήθη ἡ ψυχή μου ὀπίσω σου, ἐμοῦ δὲ ἀντελάβετο ἡ δεξιά σου» King David in this verse describes the natural longing within the human soul to know, follow and be in communion with God. St Augustine at the beginning of his ‘Confessions’ writes: You move us to delight in praising You, for you have formed us for Yourself, and our hearts are restless until they find rest in You…For those who seek the Lord will find Him, and those who find Him shall praise Him. [...]