Let us use this pandemic as the time to rediscover the beauty of our faith This Covid-19 pandemic has afforded me the time to sit in silence, enjoying the beauty of the surrounding forest, like nothing I’ve experienced in years. The forest is so quiet, now that I don’t hear
Category: The Morning Offering
None can be saved without compassion for others We must not be so self-consumed as to have no compassion for others. Saint Basil the Great tells us that a man who has two coats or two pairs of shoes, when his neighbor has none, is a thief. In the Holy
Planting Orthodoxy into the hearts of our children If we expect our children and grandchildren to grow into adulthood as practicing Orthodox Christians, we must give daily witness to the importance of our faith. If we are lax in our fasting, church attendance, and piety, our children will see by
The importance of keeping an outreach list It has grieved me to read about the countless individuals who have passed away alone, their families prevented from being at their bedside for those final moments of life. Not being able to hold the hand of a beloved parent or relative, during
Our quest for humility begins with the disposing of our pride Struggling with our pride, we must focus on bringing our will into conformity with the will of God. Recognizing that false humility is almost wholly the product of self-righteous hypocrisy, we must dedicate ourselves to a truth which is
Like the Mother of God, we must give birth to God within ourselves As we continue our Lenten journey, this is a time when the Church puts much emphasis on the role of repentance. We strive to go to confession more frequently during Great Lent, just as we’ve increased our
Collectively ascending Golgotha together The difficult time all of humanity is experiencing, is painful. However, it is perhaps all the more painful for we Orthodox Christians, because we are being deprived of the Eucharist. Most of the pious believers of the Orthodox world can not participate in the Divine Liturgy,
The role of suffering in the salvation of humankind Elder Ambrose of Optina Monastery said, “We should not forget that in our age of ‘sophistication’ even little children are spiritually harmed by what they see and hear. As a result, purification is required….You must understand that Paradisal bliss is granted
Let us make this Covid-19 pandemic the basis of a renewed foundation in our spiritual life For all of us, this pandemic can serve as a good jumpstart for our faith. Since most of us can not attend services in our parishes, this is the perfect time to build up
How do we find healing when we think the hospital of the soul is closed? Orthodoxy offers a very precise way in which to enter into communion with God. It is a way that must be learned, for simply “becoming Orthodox” will not lead the seeker into an inner life