Morality

St John Climacus on Mad Pride and Vainglory : Ladder of Divine Ascent, Steps 22-23
Ladder of Divine Ascent

St John Climacus on Mad Pride and Vainglory: Ladder of Divine Ascent, Steps 22-23

08/12/2026 Bruce Strom 0

What is the difference between vainglory and pride? Today, vainglory is an archaic word that has not been replaced in common usage, so we usually consider them to be synonymous. Although St John Climacus concedes they are similar, except vainglory progresses to mad pride. He examines vainglory in Step 22, and mad pride in Step 23.
Let us compare the definitions:
Step 22.1. “Some like to distinguish vainglory from pride, and to give it a special place and chapter.” “The only difference between them” is like the difference “between a child and a man, between wheat and bread: for the one is the beginning and the other the end.”
Step 22.2. “With regard to its form, vainglory is a change of nature, a perversion of character, a note of blame. With regard to its quality, it is a dissipation of labors, a waste of sweat, a betrayal of treasure, a child of unbelief, the precursor of pride, shipwreck in harbor, an ant on the threshing floor which, though small, has designs upon all one’s labor and fruit. The ant waits for the gathering of the wheat, and vainglory for the gathering of the riches of virtue: for the one loves to steal and the other to squander.” […]

What Spiritual Advice Can Fathers Suggest at Their Daughter’s Wedding Reception
Marriage and Divorce

What Beneficial Advice Can Fathers Suggest in Their Speech at Their Daughter’s Wedding?

08/07/2026 Bruce Strom 0

For all our close friendships, and our marriages, we need to ask ourselves: Do we bring out the best in each other? Or, do we bring out the worst in each other? Our marriage should be a monastic calling: our marriage should be for our children. The prospective bride should ask herself the key question: Will he be a good father? Will he be good with our children? We cannot love some and hate others, hatred infects all our relationships. […]

FDR’s Inaugural Address and St John Climacus, Ladder of Divine Ascent, on Fear & Cowardice, Step 21
Ladder of Divine Ascent

FDR’s First Inaugural Address and St John Climacus, Ladder of Divine Ascent, on Fear & Cowardice, Step 21

08/06/2026 Bruce Strom 0

The chapter on fear is both one of the shortest and one of the most puzzling chapters of St John Climacus’ Ladder of Divine Ascent. In part, that is because there are many flavors of fears that spring from our most basal fears: the fear of the dark, the distressing, the dangerous.
More common are those fears that cause us to hesitate. Perhaps we fear what others think of us when we champion the good others do not see. Perhaps we fear rejection and failure. Perhaps we fear that past failures will rob us of future success. Perhaps we fear to do good when we are not encouraged. […]

Pope Francis on the Healthy Fear of God
Morality

Pope Francis on the Healthy Fear of God

08/04/2026 Bruce Strom 1

Referring to the fear of the Lord as an “alarm” that awakens us “to the presence of sin in our lives” and reminds us that one day we will “be held accountable to the just Judge,” the pontiff stated that when we start to sin, this spiritual gift can help direct the faithful back on the right path.” “When a person is not on the right path, he settles himself in evil.” “When he distances himself from God, when he takes advantage of everyone, when he lives attached to money, to vanity, to power or pride, then the holy fear of God draws his attention: You will not be happy like this, this way you will end badly.” […]

St John Climacus on Insensibility, Sleep, Prayer, and Vigil: Ladder of Divine Ascent, Steps 18-20
Ladder of Divine Ascent

St John Climacus on Insensibility, Sleep, Prayer, and Vigil: Ladder of Divine Ascent, Steps 18-20

07/10/2026 Bruce Strom 1

Father John Mack teaches us: “The labor of prayer is a labor with the thoughts. Our minds are far too lazy and undisciplined. Instead of directing our thoughts and controlling them, we allow them to run free, here and there, wherever they wish to go. So, during prayer, we find ourselves thinking about all kinds of other things.”
We are called to prayer during Divine Liturgy. Do we complain that the service is over an hour? Do we watch our watch rather than our soul? Are we attentive in prayer, are we attentive during Divine Liturgy, paying attention to our prayers, not letting our mind wander, trying not to let our mind wander? We are bidden by Jesus in his Agony of the Garden of Gethsemane to stay awake and pray. […]

History of Hymn: Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty
Hymns and Their Inspirations

History of Hymn: Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty

06/23/2026 Bruce Strom 0

This hymn was written by the Anglican Bishop Reginald Heber. This is one of the most beloved of the roughly hundred hymns that he penned in the early 1800s, when the Anglican authorities frowned on singing hymns in church, except for the metrical chanting of Psalms. By closely reflecting the biblical verses, he sought to avoid the excessive emotionalism that Anglican authorities hoped to discourage. The Brightest and Best is another of his acclaimed hymns.
Heber pursued his literary interests, including composing hymns, while serving as a parish priest for many years. Later in life, he was appointed as bishop of Calcutta, India, seeking to improve the spiritual life and living conditions of his flock. He traveled the countryside, but due to his workload, the hostile climate, and his poor health, he passed away three years after his appointment in India. […]

Why are we starting an advocacy group for the mentally ill, elderly, and community associations?
and Community Associations

Why Are We Starting Advocates For Mental Health, Elderly, and Community Associations?

06/20/2026 Bruce Strom 0

The overall theme of our Advocacy Group is: How To Love Your Neighbor, and the corollary: How To Love Your Neighbor, even when they suffer from dementia, autism, or mental illness. SUMMARY of purpose:
Conduct educational and lobbying efforts under 501c6. Also, conduct programs and activities; raise funds to reimburse advocacy efforts; and raise funds separately for 501c3 charities and political action committees.
[…]

Pope Leo XIV Encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, on Artificial Intelligence and Social Justice
Morality

Pope Leo XIV Encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, on Artificial Intelligence and Social Justice

06/16/2026 Bruce Strom 0

Artificial intelligence both causes and enables varying types of theft. Surprisingly, when you do a word search on the encyclical, the words PLAGIARISM and THEFT are not found at all, while the word STEAL is used once. In a few sections, there are some euphemistic phrases that hint at theft, but it does not explicitly name the sin.
Winding through the courts are many lawsuits alleging plagiarism filed against the companies who created the various chatbots. Should these companies copy text into their databases without permission, and without paying royalties? Why can’t these companies always list their sources, with the option to show the original content? […]

St Moses the Black, Desert Church Father, Former Ancient Gang Leader
Early Church Writing

St Moses the Black, Desert Church Father, Former Ancient Gang Leader

05/31/2026 Bruce Strom 0

The old man said: ‘If we are on the watch to see our own faults, we shall not see those of our neighbor. It is folly for a man who has a dead person in his house to leave him there and go to weep over his neighbor’s dead. To die to one’s neighbor is this: To bear you won faults and not to pay attention to anyone else wondering whether they are good or bad.
Do no harm to anyone, do not think anything bad in your heart to anyone, do not scorn the man who does evil, do not put confidence in him who does wrong to his neighbor, do not rejoice with him who injures his neighbor.” […]

The Hymn Inspired by John I AM the Bread of Life
Hymns and Their Inspirations

The Hymn inspired by John, I Am the Bread of Life, with Commentary by Church Fathers and Reformed Preachers

05/27/2026 Bruce Strom 0

John Chrysostom teaches us: “Jesus calls this the true bread, not because the miracle of the manna was false, but because it was a type and not the very truth itself.” “After Jesus says, ‘Moses did not give,’ he does not say, ‘I give,’ but says that the Father, and not Moses, gives.”
“When they heard this, the people replied: ‘Give us this bread to eat.’ They still thought it was something material, and they yet expected to satisfy their appetites, and so they quickly ran to him. What does Christ do? Leading them on little by little, he says, ‘The bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.’” […]