Kindness softens and opens up the heart As we examine how we live our lives as Christians, we look to those who leave an impression of goodness, kindness, and humility, as examples of the person we would like to become. That saintly person, by their every example, exudes the humbleness
Category: The Morning Offering
Man’s ultimate sickness is unbelief Man’s ultimate sickness is that of unbelief. This life is for us as a great journey, one where we are preparing for the Kingdom that is to come. In this journey we are given the opportunity of finding the medicine for the cure of our
The Church’s Witness to the Problem of Poverty In many parts of the American countryside one can find the remnants of poorhouses (sometimes called workhouses), institutions run by local county or state governments as a means of dealing with the issue of the unemployed poor and homeless. These poorhouses were
How do we discover God in an unbelieving world? God is a merciful God, quick to forgive, quick to show mercy, quick to embrace us when we turn to Him. In all of eternity our God chose to create humankind in His image and likeness, offering His creatures the opportunity
True freedom brings about peace and harmony According to Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnica, “Our starting point is always wrong. Instead of beginning with ourselves, we always want to change others first and ourselves last. If everyone were to begin first with themselves, then there would be peace all around!” When
Lest our virtue be as of nothing Since everyone, including non-Christians, is burdened with external crosses, it is imperative that Christians also endure those internal crosses that fall upon us, recognizing that there is no burden we can withstand, without the help of Christ, who is our Co-Suffering Saviour. It
Whom do we see when we look into the face of another? Our world is polarized in ways not seen in many generations. This polarization is bought closer to home because we now live in a nation that is far more cosmopolitan than in the past. Even small towns across our
And the corporate nature of salvation There is a certain emptiness in trying to live the Christian life outside the life of the Church. This is because it is impossible to truly live as a Christian without the Church. The reading of the scriptures, and our commitment to prayer, are
The Feast of the Dormition of the Mother of God According to the teachings of the Orthodox Church, Mary, having spent her life after Pentecost supporting and serving the nascent Church, was living in the house of the Apostle John, in Jerusalem, when the Archangel Gabriel revealed to her that
Sharing our Orthodox faith with a joyful heart We who are of the older generations must witness to the wealth of truth that is in the ancient knowledge and wisdom of the Church by demonstrating it’s worth in how we live. If young people do not see a genuine living