The place where heaven and earth are united As a priest, I bear the awesome burden of offering the Holy Oblation before the Throne of God, on behalf of all the people who’s names are submitted to the monastery, and who are Orthodox. I offer for my spiritual children, and
Embracing Orthodoxy: The Mind and Heart of the Ancient Universal Church In an age when many people think truth is relative, the knowledge that there is such a thing as absolute truth, is comforting. The freedom that comes with the knowledge that we are able to embrace teachings that are
When we experience the “dark side” of the Church For those who have experienced what has been called the “dark side” of the Church, the struggle to remain faithful to the Orthodox Faith can seem daunting. The dark side is the result of the sinful, fallen nature of all of
The role of suffering in the life of a believer We Christians often ask ourselves why God would allow us to suffer. We are prone to do whatever we can to flee from any kind of humiliation or suffering that might come our way, pleading God to spare us from
How can we bring our friends and relatives into Holy Orthodoxy? Many visitors to the monastery share their joy at having discovered the True Faith, but wonder how they might draw family members and friends into Orthodoxy. They often assume that means debating the truth of Orthodoxy’s claim to being
Our morning and evening prayerful offerings to God When we awake from sleep, it is important to thank God for the sleep and rest we’ve had, and ask that He grant us strength for the coming day. It is also important to know that this is the time when we
In confession we humble ourselves before another person It is only out of delusion we believe we do not need others to see, understand, and treat our spiritual sickness. Anyone who believes that he alone can cure his spiritual diseases has isolated himself from a Mystery of the Church and
And the nightmare of an all-consuming death This earthly life that we have been given has no meaning unless we see it as a workshop for the future life. We must not neglect that which is of an eternal nature, for the Creator has bestowed this life upon us as
Keeping our youth in church is all important for the preservation of Orthodoxy When parishes are forced to close, it is not just because the children have moved away, and the old folks have died off. The problem is much greater than this. With increased numbers of immigrants joining parishes,
Building our endurance and confidence “Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise (Hebrews 10:35-36)” When we find ourselves caught up in what we want, or