Chaplains are the ones who are the presence of God in the midst of tragedy I am grateful to God for all the friendships I’ve formed with other chaplains during these past fourteen years of service as a police and fire chaplain, and am privileged to count among my friends
Category: The Morning Offering
We must not become detached from our original goal If we are radically obedient to the Gospel, we can face anything, even extreme fear, and stay connected to the heart. If we are to avoid becoming hardhearted, we must keep ourselves focused on the goal of union with God, for
For the Christian, ownership must not become possessiveness If we view everything, be it a house, a car, a good income, a wonderful friendship, or a good education, as ours, we give in to the sin of possessiveness. If we are blessed with the joy and happiness that comes
The link between repentance and humility In an age when “self-focus” is the rule of the day, and where the ego seems to reign, it is hard for people to see the value of humility. Many people, from politicians to rock stars, seem to climb the ladder of success by
The incubator for a life of righteousness Prior to electricity and central heating, most families gathered in parlors, spending evenings with reading, sewing, and family conversations. The notion that everyone would retreat to bedrooms, kitchens, or dens, separating themselves from other family members, was unthinkable. The communal nature of the
How do we keep our youth in the Church? We are living in an age that has witnessed changes on a massive scale as never before. The way we communicate has changed with the coming of the internet, with information available that would have required a library and advanced degrees
Living behind the mask of our own invention We are all surrounded by fictional characters, persons who are the invention of filmmakers, promoters, and even self-inventors. The original meaning of the word “hypocrite” was “actor”, and it is ignorance of our true nature as children of God that keeps us
We are called to be priests over creation Sustainability is the current ‘buzzword’ regarding the need for protecting our environment, and is the word being used by environmentalists, governments, businesses, and many average people, as we all face the challenge of saving our world from climate changes, due to the
Changing the world one person at a time The Elder Sophroni of Essex said he believed in changing the world, one person at a time. These words are in agreement with those of Saint Seraphim of Sarov, who said acquiring inner peace causes a thousand around us to be saved.
Christ’s Holy Resurrection paves the way for us The fact that we Orthodox do not accept the doctrine of original sin as espoused in the West, does in no way suggest that we do not need to be born again (born anew). We believe, as did the Early Church Fathers,