Moving Beyond the Swamp of Despondency Depression is one of the plagues of the modern age, overtaking many with it’s insidious poison, and ravaging many a life. The pain and suffering that comes with deep depression can infect those who surround the sufferer, for the depression of one person can
Category: The Morning Offering
When We Fall We Must Get Up Again It is often the case that we fail to keep God’s commandments and find ourselves despondent, unable to make progress in the battle over our sins. The same sins seem to constantly plague us. Despondency is our enemy, for it is the
The Similarities Between the Trainer and the Spiritual Director Just after my graduation from college I moved to Portland, Oregon, where I worked at various jobs, including waiting tables in an upscale restaurant (to this day, I’m a good tipper), bartender in a small Irish pub (I’m one 62% Scottish,
The Jesus Prayer, and the Acquisition of Inner Peace The Jesus Prayer, also known as the Prayer of the Heart, is the central prayer for monastics. One of the early desert fathers, Saint Macarius the Great, said of the phrase from the Psalms, “The meditation of my heart is in
Our Enemy is not of Flesh and Blood The Church Militant, which is the Church of Christ here on this earth, is in the midst of a battle. Our enemy is not one of flesh and blood, but one of darkness and evil. The survival of humankind is not dependent
An old monk ventures to learn the technology of the young For years it troubled me that most Orthodox Christians knew little about the faith. The theological books available were, in most cases, too lengthy for the average reader. I thus asked God to help me write short and simple
God Feeds Humanity With His Own Being At the Mystical Supper in the Upper Room Jesus gave a dramatically new meaning to the food and drink of the sacred meal. He identified Himself with the bread and wine: “Take, eat; this is my Body. Drink of it all of you;
Eternity Is A Very Long Time God reveals Himself to us if we seek Him out, and only remains invisible to us if we refuse, out of pride and self absorption, to let Him enter our lives. If you desire the knowledge that is yours for the asking, simply make
Inner Peace Comes Only From Divine Goodness Our attitude has an impact that can keep us from growing spiritually. A bad attitude impacts the way we live, and hurts those around us, negatively influencing our family, our friends, and our church community. We must commit ourselves to keeping a positive