Christianity is a religion of asceticism Christianity is a religion of asceticism, instructing us to store up our treasures in heaven, where the benefits have eternal value. Throughout the New Testament we read of the importance of struggle, where focus on the acquisition of a humble and contrite heart is
Category: The Morning Offering
Called to serve as fathers and servants to the faithful The Sovereign Lord of the Universe came down to earth as a humble servant. He Who sits upon the seraphim, was born to us in a stable. The King of kings came as the Good Shepherd Who laid down His
When we are the occasion for another person’s disdain Because we are all brothers and sisters, we are responsible for the way we impact others. Often we are entirely innocent, yet by our very existence we become a source of great irritation and anxiety for other people. The only way
Creating harmony out of chaos The inevitability of death is particularly difficult to face for most Americans, as we’ve become a people that eschew traditional funerals, preferring to “celebrate the life of our loved one, while disposing of the body, and banning any sign of death from the memorial service
The priesthood should be like a funnel If a priest is truly to be an agent for grace, he must become like a funnel through which the Lord’s mercy can flow. That a priest has received the grace of ordination, if he does not attempt to live a life of
The struggle for repentance In our struggle on the path to God, repentance must be the central theme. Only in repentance will we find the true meaning of life, for only in repentance can one enter into communion with God. This life has been given to us for one purpose,
Short prayers used in personal devotion Many Church Fathers taught the use of the “arrow prayer”, deliberately short prayers for personal devotion that were easily remembered, and could communicate one’s love for God, while seeking His help. They were like arrows being shot into the air, wholeheartedly demonstrating our sincerity
We must go downwards to be united with Christ The Blessed Sophrony of Essex, in his book on Saint Silouan the Athonite, suggests the “inverted pyramid,” is an image of Christian living we should all strive to imitate. The world would suggest that the natural pyramid, such as we see
Also known as the Feast of Lights The Feast of the Holy Theophany of our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ is celebrated each year on January 6 (19 New Style). The Feast commemorates the Baptism of Christ and the divine revelation of the Holy Trinity. At the Baptism of
The needs of our soul While observing our chickens and ducks laying eggs for the monastery’s table, it crossed my mind that a chick, while approaching life in the world, must first peck at the inside of the egg, break it open, and thus enter into the sunlight. If we,