Focus on the task at hand How often we allow our minds to search in all directions, wondering what we should be doing or where we should be going. It is better to focus in all humility on the task at hand and trust the Lord to bless our efforts.
Staying Orthodox in an anti-Christian environment As the summer months have come to a close many young people are heading off to college, some for the very first time. A scripture passage comes to my mind as I think of these wonderful young people preparing to leave home: “I am
Being good stewards of the environment As Orthodox monks we hold to the importance of respecting the environment, which requires us to be good stewards of what God has given us. An important part of that stewardship is working towards sustainability, based on a simple principle that everything we need
The Church’s authority is grounded in love and mercy If she be true to herself, the Church acts with an authority that is grounded in love. She holds within her realm the authority to make her people the children of God. She has the authority to forgive, and the capacity
The humility of the Lord must become our personal standard As we examine how we live our lives as Christians, we look to those who leave an impression of goodness, kindness, and humility, as examples of the person we would like to become. That saintly person, by their every example,
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
When the gift of sexuality becomes an occasion for sin Sins of a sexual nature are common among many people today. Much of the struggle is directly related to the fact that people do not take advantage of having a spiritual father. If you are your own guide the struggles
The eschatological character of the Eucharist Some would say that our Orthodox churches, and the vestments worn by our priests, are too extravagant, and that we should simplify the expression of our religious faith. But when we contemplate the eschatological character of the Eucharist, we realize we move within the
The Church is a rescue ship “And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered by the waves. But He was asleep. The his disciples came to Him and awake Him saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing.” (Matthew 8:24, 25) The ship is
Centers for worship, contemplative prayer, and spiritual healing 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