http://www.stbishoy.org.au/modules/wordpress This is where Fr Antonios writes his contemplations Mon, 18 Aug 2008 09:03:59 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Continuing on from the last blog, I will ponder some more of the possible objections to our Church having a band that plays contemporary Christian music. B. “This is not our tradition.” It is true that we are blessed with a long and rich tradition of worship in the Coptic Church. Not ... http://www.stbishoy.org.au/modules/wordpress/2008/08/18/musical-mayhem-part-2/ Our Church has a new band. The musical variety, I mean. Complete with guitars (acoustic and electrical), drums, keyboard and a group of vocalists with angelic voices. All made up from our youth. I got to hear them play (or ‘jam’, as they preferred to call it) last Sunday, and I was ... http://www.stbishoy.org.au/modules/wordpress/2008/08/11/musical-mayhem/ “All you need is love.” Thus sang the Beatles in one of their chart toppers (that incidentally also brought in a whole lot of money that they didn’t really need). “Love, love, love.” A beautiful sentiment; fill the world with love. But which love? What were they really after? Did they ... http://www.stbishoy.org.au/modules/wordpress/2008/07/21/love-love-love/ “Love God, and do whatever you will” - St Augustine This brief quote from one of the most eloquent Christians in history is a profound description of the liberty of the spirit that has truly known God. Our Lord Jesus Himself described this person’s freedom of spirit poetically when He said: ... http://www.stbishoy.org.au/modules/wordpress/2008/07/07/love-liberty-and-lies/ I’ve just finished reading the latest book by British philosopher, Antony Flew. He is now in his eighties, and has come to a conclusion that has startled the world. The title of the book sums up his conclusion quite nicely: “There is A God” The subtitle explains the amazement of the ... http://www.stbishoy.org.au/modules/wordpress/2008/06/28/one-flew-out-of-the-atheist-nest/ Walking along one day, I began to feel the raindrops on my face. This worried me a little, as the clouds above were pretty heavy and grey, and I was still some distance from my destination (a hospital). But it was the afternoon, and despite the heavy grey canopy directly ... http://www.stbishoy.org.au/modules/wordpress/2008/06/23/two-sides-of-the-rainbow/ Ah, the Pain, the Pain!- Dr Zachary Smith in Lost in Space Why did God create us to be able to feel pain? Pain is one of the most unpleasant experiences a person can go through. We do everything we can to avoid pain. Just think of your fear of the ... http://www.stbishoy.org.au/modules/wordpress/2008/06/17/a-painful-subject/ The Prayer of the Veil There is a little prayer prayed silently by the priest each liturgy that goes all but unnoticed by the congregation. It is indeed a very personal and intimate prayer, but it is one that the congregation can share, at least in spirit. It is called the ... http://www.stbishoy.org.au/modules/wordpress/2008/06/14/gems-in-the-liturgy/ The recent episode in a Sydney Art Gallery opened up a lot of wounds. Talented photographer Bill Henson had half his exhibit confiscated by police and found himself arrested and charged with producing child pornography. The offending material was a series of semi-nude photographs of a young girl, just on ... http://www.stbishoy.org.au/modules/wordpress/2008/06/11/sexploitation/ “God is able to make children of Abraham out of these stones”Matthew 3:9 Like a master stonemason, God carves saints out of many different kinds of stone. Just as the beautiful pearly lustre of white marble differs fromt he sullen, brooding roughness of a dark granite, the Master Craftsman uses the ... http://www.stbishoy.org.au/modules/wordpress/2008/06/07/the-sculptor-of-stone/