Musings from the High Desert
Contemplations on Orthodox Christianity from Las Cruces, New Mexico
Fr. Gabriel Rochelle has served in ministry in a variety of settings for four-plus decades. He has served in college chaplaincy, seminary teaching, university teaching, interfaith relations, and parish ministry. He continues to explore and deepen his understanding of the Christian faith in relation to other faith traditions and cultural issues. His interest in the languages of faith, especially Hebrew and Greek, remains undiminished after long years in ministry, and he continues to derive new insight from their study. In this series, he will share from his wide range of insights, imaginings, and interests.
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Wednesday, February 12, 2020
Pharisee and Tax Collector Go Away Justified
Forget humility! Forget pride! Forget, for sure, comparing yourself to anyone else on the spiritual journey. In an alternative reading of the Greek at this point in Luke, we hear that the pharisee and the tax collector go away together justified. What's that all about? We shift the focus this week from the characters in the parable to the God who stands in and behind Christ the parable teller.
Wednesday, February 12, 2020
First Timothy
Fr. Gabriel Rochelle surveys the whole message of the First Letter of Timothy, focusing on the concept of godliness, a word that doesn't occur until later in the New Testament witness. What does this word mean and how does it apply to both Timothy as minister of the gospel and us as faithful Christians?
Wednesday, February 5, 2020
Prayer of St. Simeon
Fr. Gabriel Rochelle focuses on the hymn of Simeon, "Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace" and shows its origin in his life and its meaning for our lives today.
Thursday, January 30, 2020
The Rich Young Man
The Rich Young man who comes to Jesus is a model of those who cannot part with their material possessions. He hopes to take it with him! Jesus drives us all deeply into our understanding of life in order to make us confront the lust and even anger that fuels our desires. For those who live like this, salvation is impossible. The rich man cannot be saved in and with his richness. But with God, all things are possible.
Friday, January 17, 2020
Saint Nicholas
Fr. Gabriel Rochelle addresses the cultural concept of "Santa Claus" in comparison to what we know about the real St. Nicholas of Myra, commemorated each time we serve the liturgy of preparation at the proskomedia table.
Fr. Gabriel Rochelle