It seems surreal for me to write my last newsletter article for St. John the Baptist after nearly twenty years. I have almost always written theological articles to help us grow in our faith, but I think this last article should be different. I thought it might be meaningful to take everyone on a stroll down memory lane, from my perspective. Twenty years ago, I remember sitting at a C.O.M.E. meeting, where we were discussing the need for a new parish in either Seattle or Portland. I was ... [Read more]
About Fr. Theodore Dorrance
Get Ready! Lent Is Almost Here!
As I sit down to write this article, it’s hard to believe that Great Lent is just around the corner. It seems like only yesterday, we were in the midst of the Forty Liturgies of the Nativity Fast. Despite this feeling, when we hear certain Gospel readings in church on Sunday, we know that Lent is drawing near. This is because our Church does not let great feasts or important seasons sneak up on us. I thank God for the Sunday readings that come just before the beginning of the Triodion, such as ... [Read more]
Remembrance
An essential spiritual discipline we must cultivate in our lives is the remembrance of God and our relationship to Him. According to St. John of Damascus, the most serious passions are forgetfulness, laziness and ignorance. These three passions darken the nous, the spiritual control center of the human person. The soul then becomes more easily dominated by all the other passions. Because forgetfulness has such a negative effect on our soul, remembrance becomes the chief weapon against sin and ... [Read more]
Thoughts
One of the main maladies we suffer in our day is anxiety. Anxiety can literally kill us. It can also slowly suck the life out of us as it makes it difficult to sleep, to concentrate, and be present. Anxiety fills our bodies and our souls with tension and apprehension. One of the reasons for this rise in anxiety in our day is our dependence upon and even addiction to all the various forms of media and entertainment at our disposal. Just think about what has happened since the invention of the ... [Read more]
One Thing Needful! And Five Ways to Help
“Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things; one thing is needful. Mary has chosen the good portion, which shall not be taken away from her.” (Lk.10:41-42) The one thing that is most needful in our lives is Jesus Christ. We need Him more than any other thing or person in the universe. When Jesus is at the center of our lives and first among our priorities, then we have everything! This is why Jesus taught that we could gain the whole world—all its riches, pleasures and ... [Read more]
Pascha: A Present Reality Throughout the Year
The Season of Great Lent, Holy Week and the day of Pascha are over; however, our celebration of our Lord’s resurrection never ends. For us, as Orthodox Christians, Pascha is a present reality throughout the year. Christ’s Resurrection is the canopy, under which we work out our salvation as a part of our families and communities. Every celebration of the Divine Liturgy, because of the Eucharist, is a celebration of our Lord’s resurrection from the dead. By partaking in the Eucharist, we are ... [Read more]
Great Lent: An Opportunity to Recommit to Our Prayer Rules
Great Lent is a wonderful opportunity to deepen our spiritual lives. In the spiritual classic, Unseen Warfare, by Saints Nicodemus the Athonite and Theophan the Recluse, it is written: “The greatest and most perfect thing a man may desire to attain is to come near to God and dwell in union with Him.” This goal is not simply a short term seasonal goal that we strive for once a year during the forty days preceding Pascha, but it is a goal we must strive to experience every day of the year. A ... [Read more]
Personhood In Christ Is A Call to Excellence
At a conference addressing the rise of secularism in America, Archbishop Demetrios of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America recently said that secularism seeks to annihilate individuality. He continued to explain that for us Orthodox Christians this means our society is increasingly seeking to ignore, if not destroy, the personhood of individual people. This is a disturbing development, for we know that to seek to devalue the personhood of individuals necessarily also means to annihilate the ... [Read more]
Worshiping as a Family
Recently, a concern was voiced by some parents of young children regarding the difficulty of having their youngsters sit through our “long worship services.” Having been a parent of young children for many years with a wife who basically functioned as a single parent every Sunday and feast day, I am aware of how difficult it is to a young Orthodox Christian family. I realize that each Divine Liturgy is a struggle, trying to keep our children attentive and involved, wondering whether they and we ... [Read more]
Gardens: A Reflection of Paradise To Come
Living in the glorious Northwest, we all know how beautiful are the summers. The days are long, and the sunny sky is a most pure shade of blue. With all the moisture we get during the fall, winter and spring, the humidity goes away and all things green and flowery grow with gusto. Portland and the whole Willamette Valley become one large garden. I would like to dedicate this Newsletter to talking about our relationship with God’s creation. Since summertime is a time for gardening and outdoor ... [Read more]
