Living our lives in total commitment Christianity is a religion of asceticism, instructing us to store up our treasures in heaven, where the benefits have eternal value. Throughout the New Testament we read of the importance of struggle, where focus on the acquisition of a humble and contrite heart is
Holiness comes only to those who struggle Not an hour should pass without taking time to examine our heart, for the hour of judgement can come at any time, and we must be ready to give account to God for our life. There is no spiritual improvement if we do
The meaning of salvation in the Ancient Church According to Protopresbyter George Metallinos, Dean of the Athens University School of Theology, “For we Orthodox the unique and absolute goal of life in Christ is theosis, our union with God, so that man – through his participation in God’s uncreated energy
Living the Christian life in peaceful joy It is spiritually fruitless to allow ourselves to be distracted by the delusions created by Satan that draw us away from the awareness of the presence of God. When we allow the thrall of conspiracy theories to fill us with fear, anxiety, mental,
We are our brothers keeper With the fiscal cliff hanging over the nation, countless individuals are facing the very real possibility that their extended unemployment payments may be coming to an end. This means that even more individuals and families will be facing homelessness. Through no fault of their own,
Encountering the holiness and peace of the Ancient Faith The very first time I entered an Orthodox church, I felt drawn to Her. There was a tangible, inner tug, and an overwhelming sense of peace, holiness, and awe, emanating from the very walls of the temple. The serving clergy were
The struggle between two worlds The world is in a new struggle not unlike that which happened during the Soviet Union, and the cold war that was brought on after the fall of the Royal House of Romanov. This was followed by World War II when we saw the struggle
The journey to God begins with the first step The Church has guidelines governing the many periods of fasting for her people. Additionally, she has prescribed the morning and evening prayers as aides in our struggle for holiness, and transformation of life. Keeping a prayer rule and fasting rules, helps
Not about rules and formulas 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
Only heavenly things are of an eternal nature In our fallen nature we naturally seek things that lead to earthly happiness. The Devil leads us in false directions, and allures us through things that are transitory in nature, such as riches, honors, and earthly amusements. Because he is the father