Disappointments are meaningless with a gladsome heart We often find ourselves disappointed in life. The job we really wanted is given to another person. An associate at work didn’t invite us to the dinner party, yet invited a coworker and his wife. A person we’d love to have as a friend
Helping our youth embrace 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, often with the expressed desire to preserve their
Our willingness to please God brings on a humble heart 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, which ever task we are asked to perform, whatever life places before us, all
We must know who we really are We are all surrounded by fictional characters, persons who are the invention of filmmakers, promoters, and even self-inventors. The original meaning of the word “hypocrite” was “actor”, and it is ignorance of our true nature as children of God that keeps us living
Where is God when bad things happen? We often wonder why God allows bad things to happen, sometimes even questioning if God cares at all about the evil things that happen to good people. Yet we forget that our God created us in such a way that we can freely
Taste the presence of Christ beside you We all need silent prayer every day, and finding the perfect place in our home that can become our cave, or prayer closet, affords us that sacred space where we can go deep into our heart and connect with God. That place where
There is no force behind God’s invitation One of the primary differences between Islam and Christianity has to do with the basic view of the nature of God. Islam teaches total surrender to a god who demands submission. There is no invitation to enter into a relationship, freely, nor
The struggle against violence must begin with me This young man deeply moved me, for at a very young age he has chosen to live his life as a peace officer. Yet his choice of vocation is one that, in a very important way, is the vocation we all have,
By not reacting we bring about a peaceful heart Each day brings on new challenges regarding the health of our spiritual life. Those moments when a family member or coworker makes a remark that is meant to anger us, are those times we need to guard our heart. When those
The struggle against the passions and our victory in Christ As we struggle with anger, gluttony, with judging others, sexual impurity and a myriad of others passions, it is easy to feel overwhelmed and powerless. We find ourselves feeling defeated and tempted to give up the battle. Sometimes we even