Lifting each other up, we share our faith in Christ, Who came to make all things new In this age where secularism is on the rise, and materialism has become a major distraction from spiritual pursuits, Christian friendship has never been more important. The pursuit of personal fulfillment, entertainment, worldly
Honesty Before God Begins With Transparency Transparency of the heart must rule, if we are to have an honest relationship with God. Nothing can be hidden from the Lord, yet we often live as though we can hide that which we know is not pleasing to God. Putting on face
Suffering Is Meant To Be Salvific The Lord does not allow anything beyond our power of endurance to afflict us. Whenever difficulties come our way, we only sin if we are unwilling to endure. Suffering is meant to be salvific, for the Holy Apostle Paul tells us, “God is faithful
I’m Honored To Have Service As Our Island’s Police and Fire Chaplain Thirty-four years ago we arrived as missionary monks on Vashon Island. Our move to this island necessitated our reaching out to fellow islanders, most of whom had little knowledge of Orthodoxy, and even less knowledge of monasticism. Making
Ownership of Our Hearts Should be Reserved for God Alone The lifeless things of this world offer no spiritual satisfaction, yet we often sell ourselves off to things or people by giving them power over our hearts. It is easy to feel abandoned or hurt by those to whom we’ve
Ancestral Sin Versus Original Sin 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, that we inherit
Spiritual Maturation Is Aided by the Use of the Church Calendar One of the most spiritually profitable discoveries for me, personally, was when I started, as a new Orthodox Christian, the observance of the liturgical calendar. Each day of the year I was carried along with the cycle of commemorations
His Resurrection Becomes Our Resurrection I received an email from a man from India, questioning why there is evil in the world, and wondering how he could come to know the true God, overcome sin, and live a life in transformation. This is my response to him: We live in
There is no Salvation Outside the Body of Christ Orthodoxy is all about community. The fierce individualism found in much of what claims to be Christianity is in opposition to the Orthodox understanding of faith. The Church as the Body of Christ is where we are united in Christ, becoming