Free Republic

With Fear of God and Faith and Love Draw Near By Bishop THOMAS (Joseph), Peter Schweitzer, and Marshall Goodge These are the words proclaimed by the priest as he translates the holy Gifts from the altar table to the faithful. They are instructive for each us, for they both are a command and reveal the disposition with which we commune the holy Gifts. I will address the command first - “Draw Near.” Many holy fathers encourage frequent communion as it is the path to repentance, illumination, and deification par excellence. Saint John Chrysostom writes, I entreat you: a royal table...

Newly Discovered Risk for Jewish Children at Passover: Paraffin Oil Lamps Apr 3, 2004 By Verena Dobnik/ Associated Press Writer/ NEW YORK (AP) - As Jewish families prepare for Passover, their toddlers face a newly discovered danger: poisoning from the lamp oil that lights up their holy days, according to a study released this month. The risk of paraffin oil poisoning among Orthodox children in New York is 370 times higher than in the general population, according to the study, published in this month's issue of the journal Pediatrics. "The lamps have a metal tube that serves as a wick....