We must be sensitive to other people, regardless of differences We humans are an odd species. We are capable of great sensitivity and compassion, yet can also be capable of much cruelty. The outpouring of aid and support received by Japanese citizens, following the terrible earthquake and tsunami that caused
Category: The Morning Offering
My Conversation with Abbot Tryphon of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (ROCOR)
Let us embrace the Lenten Fast with wholeheartedness “Thy grace has shone forth, Oh Lord, it has shone forth and given light to our souls. Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the season of repentance. Let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the
Forgiveness Sunday YouTube video (click here)
We must put aside all resentment The decision to forgive another person a wrong done to us begins when we decide to let go of resentment and thoughts of revenge. To forgive someone does not mean that we forget what they did to us, for this may be impossible. The
Repentance is the antidote to despondency Despair and despondency must be avoided, for they are used by demons to make us feel hopeless. When we confess our sins, and receive Christ’s absolution through His agent (the priest), we must depart with joy, for our sins have been forgiven. Repentance is
The memory that resides within the Holy Tradition of the Church The fact that protestants, by and large, have traveled far from the faith and traditions of the Apostolic Church, is testament to what happens when one departs from the “memory” of the Church. This “memory” is kept alive through
Prayer is the remedy for depression and despondency Depression and despondency are one of the plagues of the modern age, overtaking many with their 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
The inheritance of death rather than Adam’s sin That the Orthodox Church does not accept the doctrine of original sin as espoused in the West, in no way suggests we do not need to be born anew. Orthodoxy continues the teaching of the Early Church that we inherit only the
A grateful heart is fertile ground When you strive to interact with members of your family, with friends, coworkers, and all others, with respect, humility, and dignity, you lay the groundwork for the abundance of Grace needed to quicken your heart for the things of God. The soil is prepared