Fr. Barnabas Powell
Growing up as a young man in the 1970s meant I heard some of the best music in the world! One song I remember that got the whole car singing along was the anthem “United we Stand” by the Brotherhood of Man. The chorus was “For united we stand, divided we fall. And if our…
An old American comic strip called Pogo made famous an old saying from the War of 1812: "We have met the Enemy and he is us!" We seem to thrive on keeping track of enemies, real and imagined. And by doing so, we think we are staying "safe."
I always find it a bit ironic when…
It's been a mantra of those who speak out in societies facing the consequences of oppressed people. It first appeared in the pamphlet "Speak Truth to Power: A Quaker Search for an Alternative to Violence" in 1955. But it's actually an ancient Greek concept known as "παρρησια" which literally means "to speak freely." And the…
I read this quote from St. Paisios and my heart both lept for joy and sank into despair: "Completely have trust in God, leave everything in His hands, and believe that His love will act for your own benefit."
What joy and what an awesome invitation.
But I can't accept this invitation to trust God if I…
Why all the drama? OK, I have to confess, I am no fan of drama for drama's sake, and I'm in the house with two daughters who excel in drama! "She touched me" "She's looking at me" WHAT? She's "looking at you? Really? I guess I didn't get the "drama" gene, because nothing sets me…
I remember reading Aesop's Fables and Mother Goose stories to my kids when they are little and actually would sit still while I read to them! These stories contained cultural lessons that have been passed down for generations. Humpty Dumpty, Old Mother Hubbard, The Hare and the Tortoise, The Boy Who Cried Wolf, and so…
C.S. Lewis, in The Weight of Glory, writes: It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest most uninteresting person you talk to may one day be a creature which, if you say it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship, or else…
It is said that a captured Islamic terrorist once told his interrogator during his questioning that, though he has been captured and will probably never be free again, he was convinced that his Islamic army will eventually win the war. His questioner asked why he thought that, and the terrorist replied: "You will lose to…
American fantasy author Jeaniene Frost said, "Some things are worth the cost of their consequences."
And looking back in history and even in my own life, I can attest to the truthfulness of this statement. The challenge is knowing when to pay the price for what you value. All of our lives are filled with trading…