We must know who we really are 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 living
Category: The Morning Offering
Where is God when bad things happen? We often wonder why God allows bad things to happen, sometimes even questioning if God cares at all about the evil things that happen to good people. Yet we forget that our God created us in such a way that we can freely
Taste the presence of Christ beside you We all need silent prayer every day, and finding the perfect place in our home that can become our cave, or prayer closet, affords us that sacred space where we can go deep into our heart and connect with God. That place where
There is no force behind God’s invitation One of the primary differences between Islam and Christianity has to do with the basic view of the nature of God. Islam teaches total surrender to a god who demands submission. There is no invitation to enter into a relationship, freely, nor
The struggle against violence must begin with me This young man deeply moved me, for at a very young age he has chosen to live his life as a peace officer. Yet his choice of vocation is one that, in a very important way, is the vocation we all have,
By not reacting we bring about a peaceful heart Each day brings on new challenges regarding the health of our spiritual life. Those moments when a family member or coworker makes a remark that is meant to anger us, are those times we need to guard our heart. When those
The struggle against the passions and our victory in Christ As we struggle with anger, gluttony, with judging others, sexual impurity and a myriad of others passions, it is easy to feel overwhelmed and powerless. We find ourselves feeling defeated and tempted to give up the battle. Sometimes we even
And the faith of non-Orthodox believers Of all humanity’s faiths we must know that we have perhaps more, but we must never judge those who are not Orthodox. We rejoice in the knowledge they do have, but must not be filled with such pride as to think we have the
The ultimate sickness is that of unbelief Humankind’s ultimate sickness is that of unbelief. This world is the place of preparation for our life in eternity, the place where we are prepared for the Kingdom that is to come. Within this world, Our Lord Jesus Christ established a hospital in
Creating an Orthodox Christian home Creating an Orthodox Christian home begins with the icon corner, also known as “The Bright Corner”. This becomes the center for every domestic church, and is where the family gathers together for their common prayers, bible readings, and devotions. The icon corner also declares to