The Scriptural Deacon

  We often do not realize the value or importance of a relationship or a person in our lives until that person is gone.  Early on Sunday morning, August 9, I received the sad and heartbreaking news that Fr. Mark Shuey had entered eternal life. This was certainly not the way I expected to begin my Sunday morning. As the full weight of the news began to sink in, I thought about the many monumental events in my life that Fr. Mark had been a part of. He married Joanne and me in 2008. From there, he inspired and shepherded my vocation toward the diaconate. He baptized all nine of our children. He was present at my ordination, just as I had been present at and served at both of his ordinations, first as a deacon and later as a priest. Then the full weight of the value and worth of his relationship with me and my family became evident in my heart. With tears and pain, I began to reflect on the immense loss that I would now have to bear, but also on the true joy and blessing it was to...

One of the best things about living in Eastern North Carolina is the drive through the countryside. I drive a lot for work and have come to love the rural roads that wind through our part of the state. These drives are especially enjoyable in the early spring. You can roll the windows down and let the cool breeze fill the truck. You catch the rich smell of freshly plowed fields as farmers prepare for another planting season. Then, as you pass through a stand of trees, you might notice the faint fragrance of honeysuckle climbing the vines. It is a beautiful reminder of God's creation. Jesus often used these kinds of images in His preaching. Why? Because they were familiar. They weren't abstract theological ideas; they were scenes people encountered every day. A farmer sowing seed, a vineyard, a shepherd with his sheep, a mustard seed—these were things His listeners could see with their own eyes and understand from their own experience. The Parable of the Sower is no different. F...

One of the most challenging statements Jesus ever made is found in the Gospel of Matthew: "Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me... Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it."  (Matthew 10:37-39) At first glance, these words can sound almost shocking. Is Jesus telling us to love our families less? Certainly not. Throughout Scripture we are commanded to honor our father and mother, to love our spouse, and to care for our children. What Christ is teaching is something much deeper:  God must always come first. When we love God above everything else, every other relationship finds its proper place. But when anything—even something good—takes the place that belongs to God alone, our lives begin to lose their proper order. This has been humanity's struggle from the very beginning. In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve enjoyed perfect communi...

2026 Sunday of the Prodigal Son   As the Great Fast, or Lent, approaches, the Church guides us in preparing for our encounter with the Living God at Pascha (Easter). Through the Scriptures and her Liturgy, the Church reveals what genuine desire, sincere repentance, and merciful love look like when put into practice. On this Sunday in the Eastern Church, we hear the well-known Gospel passage of the Prodigal Son—a story unique to the Gospel of Luke and carefully included in his “orderly account” (Luke 1:3) of the Good News of Jesus Christ.   In this parable, the boundless compassion and love of a father for his repentant son are made clear. The narrative reminds us that no matter how far we may stray from God, He is always ready to welcome us back with open arms and great rejoicing.   As we reflect on the Parable of the Prodigal Son, it becomes clear that Jesus is presenting a rich, five-act drama. This narrative is filled with compelling characters and significant events, ...

As I reflected upon this Sunday’s readings for the Divine Liturgy (Ephesians 5:9-19; Luke 12:13-21), Oscar Wilde’s great novel “The Picture of Dorian Gray” kept coming into my mind. There are many parallels that come through when we look at the two stories side by side. This morning I would like to pull out a few points for us to think about and pray through in the week ahead. In the novel, an artist name Basil paints this beautiful picture of a young, handsome, man named Dorian Gray. About the time that he finishes the painting a friend of the artist, Lord Henry, shows up and is intrigued not only by the painting but the beauty of Dorian himself. Lord Henry tells him that he needs to get everything out of life that he can get. Yes Dorian, Lord Henry says “Live life to its fullest, all for the self and nothing else.” He basically corrupts Dorian’s mind by convincing him that life is about his good looks and being completely self-indulgent at all times. Very simi...

Here is a summary of my homily for this Sunday. The readings are from the Eastern Church Lectionary.  In today’s Gospel (Luke 10:25-37) we walk into the middle of a fascinating and earth-shattering conversation between Jesus and a Jewish lawyer. He is one of the experts of the Law and one who would interpret the Law and teach the people how to live properly according to this interpretation. Let us watch and listen to what happens and think about how these words of our Lord himself challenge us as his disciples and the world as a whole. This lawyer comes up to Jesus and asks him an important question, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” Now keep in mind what this question means. He is not simply asking Jesus, as some quickly conclude, “how do I get to heaven when I die.” No, he is asking him, “how do I have life in God’s new age.” This is hard for us to grasp at first, but this man wants to know, when God acts in creation and rescues his world...