There is a very revered ancient group of saints known as the Desert fathers and mothers. They were hermits, ascetics, and monks from the third and fourth centuries who lived, worshipped and served God in the wilderness of the Egyptian desert. St. Mary of Egypt is perhaps a saint that we don’t know much about. […]

It is always interesting to watch and observe my children’s response and reaction when they learn that their dentist or doctor sent a reminder about an annual check-up. They appear curious but also cautious, excited but also anxious. They ask questions and try to find out as much as possible, but at the end, they […]

The December 29, 1913 issue of a local London newspaper had the following advertisement for a work: “Men wanted for a hazardous journey, small wages, bitter cold, long months of complete darkness, constant danger, safe return doubtful. Honor and recognition in case of success.” One would assume that nobody would be interested in such work. […]

Last Sunday, we talked about the spiritual perspective of disappointment. We recognized that disappointment was something that even our Lord experienced in his life, ministry and relationships with his beloved disciples. We used an illustration from Vincent van Gogh’s life to highlight the importance of fighting back, not giving up and grabbing on life, love […]

Inspired by the success and popularity of Spotify’s ‘This Year in Music’ roundup, the Getty Museum decided to launch their own end-of-the-year list of popular artists and arts. Vincent van Gogh was on the very top of their list. The Los Angeles Museum of Art compiled their own list of top artists and artwork. And […]

King Richard I was the King of England from 1189-1199. He spent a significant part of his years on the throne abroad, fighting alongside the Crusaders to liberate the Holy Land. Though he prevailed on the battlefield, he was captured and imprisoned when returning home after the war. While the brave king was in prison, […]

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe is one of the most influential figures in European cultural heritage. Many consider Goethe’s Faust to be the greatest work of German literature. Faust is a successful man. It appears he has everything to be happy. Yet, Faust is deeply dissatisfied and depressed. He is not in peace and he can’t […]

We all are familiar with the evil queen’s character from the Snow White fairytale. Every day, the queen stood before her magic mirror and asked it, “Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who is the fairest of them all?” She expected the mirror to complement and validate that it is indeed her the fairest of them […]

Today’s Lectionary reading from the Gospel of St. Luke is a reminder about the importance of humility. Humility is not just another nice and desirable behavioral quality for a Christian. It has been deemed so crucial to the Christian life that the Church classified it among the seven core virtues. There is nothing optional about […]