What A Moment To Be Painting Icons

 What a moment in history to be painting icons.    

The purportedly Orthodox Christian autocrat in Russia is threatening nuclear war against the (mostly) Orthodox Christian Ukrainians in the name of defending traditional Christian values against the satanic Americans and Europeans conspiring to impose uni-sex bathrooms on an unsuspecting Eurasia.  The Patriarch of Moscow has defended the invasion since day one and is currently assuring the poor wretches conscripted into the Russian army that all their sins will be forgiven if they die in battle.  

The Ukrainians, victims of an unprovoked, unjust and immoral invasion, understandably want their country back, and appear to be undaunted by the fire raining down on them daily (and the threats of nuclear attack to come).  

So this terrible fratricidal war grinds on with no end in sight.

Against this dark background I've completed another icon, of Jesus and Saint Joseph, Joseph the Patriarch and Saint John the Theologian(Evangelist). 

Through the intercession of Joseph the Provider, may all threatened by famine and hunger because of this war, especially in Africa, receive their daily bread.

Through the intercession of Saint Joseph, may all those, who like the Holy Family, have fled violence and persecution, find safety and one day return to their homes and communities.

Through the intercession of Saint John the Evangelist, may we come to believe that God is love and learn to love one another.

Grant this through Christ Emmanuel, the Prince of Peace. Amen.

St.Nicholas, Pray for Us!

 

Today is the feast of St.Nicholas the Wonderworker.  Many places, people and professions have taken him as their patron.  He is the patron saint of my own state of Alaska and of Russia; of fishermen and women and of children. It is the feast day St.Nicholas Orthodox Church, our neighbors in downtown Juneau.  May you have the joy of the feast!

On his feast day in many countries, parents give gifts to their children on his feast day in remembrance of how he saved the three daughters of a poor man from being sold into slavery to pay off his debts by giving them each a bag of gold.  

I think of St. Nicholas as the patron of modern day slaves, those who are trafficked around the world.  Many of them, like the girls saved by St. Nicholas are trafficked because of poverty and indebtedness.  Catholic Relief Services has made working to end trafficking, as well as climate change and the Syrian refugee crisis, one of the three top priorities of its program work in 2016/2017.  To learn more about trafficking and efforts to end it, go to www.crs.org.