Baptism is only the beginning of a life in Christ We must not allow ourselves to view our ethnic links as assurances that our children will remain Orthodox Christians into adulthood. It is fine to be proud of one’s ethnic heritage, and want to preserve one’s ethnic language and ethnic
Preparing for the Divine Liturgy That the Church requires us to prepare to receive the Holy Mysteries of the Body and Blood of Christ, prior to the celebration of the Divine Liturgy, by saying the Pre-Communion Prayers, is a given. The Church also requires us to fast from midnight on,
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
The capacity to forgive requires our cooperation The ability to forgive others requires work on our part, for we must cooperate with the grace that comes as a gift of the Holy Spirit. Since we have been forgiven much, we, in turn, must forgive much. The Lord Himself told us
A monastic brotherhood must be grounded in a love that is centered in the Saviour A monastic calling is a special vocation involving a brotherhood of men centered in the love of Christ, and binding men together in a common ministry of intercessory prayer for the Body of Christ, and
Although this is not Christmas for those of us on the Old Calendar (we must wait until the 7th of January for our celebration of the Feast of the Nativity), I wish to share the following excerpt from the incredible book, “Tortured for Christ”, by Richard Wurmbrand, a Lutheran pastor
The Orthodox Christian response to the poor As many conservative members of Congress continue to press for cutbacks in programs such as food stamps, medical coverage for all, and housing subsidies for the poor and the elderly, all of which have been a lifeline for countless poor families, it would
Giving thanks to God for everything Whatever the circumstances in which we find ourselves, God is giving us an opportunity to gain the freedom that comes from acquiring humility. Whatever our job, whichever task we are asked to perform, whatever life places before us, all is an opportunity to give
Draw nigh to God and He will draw nigh to you Since we were created in the image of God, true happiness will come only through the fulfillment of our destiny, which is to communion with our Creator. One of my favorite passages in Scripture is James 4:8, “Draw nigh
Where communion with God is restored At the Mystical Supper in the Upper Room Jesus gave a dramatically new meaning to the food and drink of the sacred meal. He identified Himself with the bread and wine: “Take, eat; this is my Body. Drink of it all of you; for