A joyful sorrow in expectation of the resurrection The main reason Christianity spread so rapidly following the Resurrection of Christ, was the power behind the resurrection. The truth of Christ’s resurrection empowered believers to joyfully embrace martyrdom, knowing that they would be joined in eternal bliss with their resurrected Saviour.
A milestone in the life of this monastery All-Merciful Saviour Monastery was founded thirty years ago, and I was ordained a priest by Archbishop Kyrill of San Francisco and Western America, of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, twenty years ago this coming April 9th. With all this said,
Christians are not bound by fate The cultural and spiritual warfare that is taking place between the “Christian” West, and the Islamic Middle East, together with the extreme climate changes taking place around the world, have become a source of concern for many. Coupled with the polarization of the populous
Putting on Christ The Lord Jesus Christ desires that each of us be joined together in unity within the confines of His Church. This union of all who confess Christ as true God and true man, and who are united as one body in Him, have as their goal the
And our capacity to reject the will of God According to Saint Gregory Palamas, God has given us lordship over all the earth because of our capacity for sovereignty. With this sovereignty comes the responsibility to be good stewards of that which God has given us. Saint Gregory wrote, “There
Young priest dies in car accident Father Matthew Baker, a priest of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese, died suddenly following the Sunday of Orthodoxy Vespers. He lost control of his car driving on snowy roads while traveling with his 6 children. While the children were miraculously unharmed, Father Matthew was thrown
The saints are alive in Christ Jesus Vigil lights are placed before the icons of the saints, according to Saint Symeon the New Theologian, as a way of showing that without the Light, Who is Christ, the saints are nothing. It is only as the light of Christ shines on
Becoming one flesh The institution of marriage, for the Orthodox Christian, is to have Jesus Christ as the foundation, with a commitment to live in full communion with the Church. When a couple are joined together in this mystical (sacramental) union, they become one flesh, and begin their relationship as
Blessed is the kingdom of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit The Divine Liturgy begins with the words, “Blessed is the kingdom of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and to the ages of ages”. This kingdom is our true home
Isolation and the Christian Life In an age when families no longer eat dinner together, children watch TV, play computer games, and text message their friends from their bedrooms. When adults can be seen walking in our cities talking on cell phones. At a time in our history when people