When the Homily is about Immunology

Back from the world where there is not internet...

...and yet live to tell about it. I've been camping at the mouth of the Columbia River with a host of others and I believe it was a good time had by all - despite the blatant lack of fishing. And continuing the new found tradition of running into other Orthodox folks while camping, I ran into a Fr. Nicholas of (if memory serves) Holy Apostles OCA mission in Portland Oregon. How unusual it seemed to see the white bearded cassock wearing man strolling down the sidewalk from the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center. World's collide...I suppose it ought not to seem wierd, but then again we aren't exactly in Serbia and you don't see Orthdoox priests around every corner.

Anyway, time is short today, so let me share a little something from my camping reading selection of St. John Chrysostom ("On wealth and poverty" - centered upon his sermon in regards to Luke 15) which I found to be somewhat encouraging. Here he is lauding his audience for so attentively listening to his scalding sermon the previous sunday (I assume), and for the fact that they "approved the patience of the poor man and abhorred the cruelty and inhumanity of the rich man." St. John then goes on to say:

These are no small indications of a virtuous disposition. For even if we do not seek virtue, but at least praise it, we shall perhaps be able to attain it; and even if we do not avoid evil, but at least censure it, we shall perhaps be able to escape it.

Encouraging words...and yet challenging words, for I've no wish to spend the rest of my life having them be so utterly and blatanly applicable to me.