When we put aside ourselves and put on Christ, we become God’s messenger Walking through life with a smile on our face and a song in our heart is the best way to keep our mind and heart in a good place. Life has many turns and many trials, but
We will be consumed by the Divine Flame The very first moment we decide to turn to God, our heart begins to be warmed by the action of the Holy Spirit. Our heart is kindled with the Divine Flame that will transform us. This flame will consume us completely, and
Creating an Orthodox Christian environment in the home Creating an Orthodox Christian home begins with the icon corner. The “bright corner” becomes the center for every domestic church, where the family devotions take place. Each member of the family should have their own patron saint’s icon, and a wonderful practice
Impoverished institutional Christianity and the rise of Islam in the West The cure for the societal, political and demographic decline in Nordic and European countries is not to be found in nationalistic racism, nor in war against foreigners. The cure for all that ails the western world is a return
Icons are therefore necessary and essential Unlike angels, who are entirely spiritual beings, God has made each of us as creatures dwelling in a material world. To be whole, we must worship God both in body and soul. This teaching is central to our Christian faith and is an affirmation
Prayer is not about asking for things, but about our relationship with God Over the years, as strange as it may seem, we’ve had a number of people ask us if we’d pray they win the lottery, promising that if they did they’d donate a large portion to the brotherhood.
The idolatry of self-esteem Among the contributors to self-worship, is the possibility of falling into a form of idolatry associated with self-esteem. It is easy to fall into this form of idolatry, since our society has placed a great deal of emphasis on the need for self-esteem. The modern religion
Why only baptized Orthodox Christians may commune When a stranger approaches the Holy Gifts during the celebration of the Divine Liturgy it is the norm in the Orthodox Church for the priest to ask the person to “kiss the chalice”. Not knowing if the person is Orthodox, or whether they
Wherein the temporal and the eternal are connected We can be rich in liturgical correctness and wealthy in traditions, but if we do not have love and mercy, we are in reality bankrupt. Our Lord Himself made love and mercy the chief criterion whereby we will be judged on the
Letting the Light of Christ overcome my darkness A number of years ago I was asked by Father James Steele, the kind and humble rector of Saint Elias Russian Orthodox Church in Placerville, CA., to speak as part of his parish outreach program. Led by this amazing priest, and some