Recognizing our weakness we can move towards spiritual wholeness As we move into the Lenten journey, we discover this to be a time when the Church puts much emphasis on the role of repentance. We strive to go to confession more frequently during Great Lent, just as we’ve increased our
Once again I wish to share these suggestions concerning the Great and Holy Fast FAST from self-concern and FEAST on compassion for others. FAST from discouragement and FEAST on hope. FAST from lethargy and FEAST on enthusiasm. FAST from suspicion and FEAST on truth. FAST from thoughts that weaken and
Modern science sees the value of the Church’s tradition of fasting From Old Testament times, the people of God prepared for holy occasions with fasting and prayer, and the New Testament continued with this holy tradition. The Lord Himself fasted for forty days before beginning His earthly ministry, demonstrating the
From dust to receivers of Divine Breath We are but humble clay, created by God from earth. But because He created us out of His Divine Love, we are also divine breath! In the end, we will be back to dust, like the clay from which we sprang, ‘For dust
The Inheritance of death rather than the firstborn’s sin That the Orthodox Church does not accept the doctrine of original sin as espoused in the West, in no way suggests we do not need to be born anew. Orthodoxy continues the teaching of the Early Church that we inherit only
The grass is not greener on the other side An Elder said: “Just as a tree cannot bear fruit if it is often transplanted, so neither can a monk bear fruit if he frequently changes his abode.” In an age when people change addresses as often as those in past
Putting off the old man as we put on Christ At the moment we’ve committed ourselves to a life in Christ, change takes place. We begin walking the path of repentance, putting off the ‘old man’ and putting on Christ. The waters of baptism began this change, and the life
Centers for spiritual healing and intercessory prayer Monastics are an integral part of the Church and should not be seen as independent of the Church Universal. Monks are bound by the same Gospel as other Christians and need to avail themselves to the missionary and pastoral needs of the Church,
Returning to the place where it all began During a trip to Northern Idaho to spent time with my brother a number of years ago, we both decided to visit a remote portion of Priest Lake, where our grandfather had built a lake cabin. It was the first time I’d been
The Eucharist transmits to us divine life Food had always sustained the earthly existence of everyone, but in the Eucharist the Lord gave us a distinctively unique human food – bread and wine – that by the power of the Holy Spirit, has become our gift of life. Consecrated and