The Prince of Peace is the victorious conqueror Revolutions, wars of conquest, and battles between nations, are all the sad consequences of our fallen world. Death and destruction are the results of our having fallen from grace, and giving in to personal pride and arrogance, all in the face of
Being Christ to those around us People around us are often listening to what we are saying, and when you wear a cassock and cross, and have a long beard, people in this secular society notice, and are more likely to be listening. What we clergy say or do DOES
Prayer, Fasting, and Almsgiving Jesus Christ called for a thorough conversion of our heart and mind, and a complete turning away from the old man (our fallen nature). The main act that begins this conversion is metanoia, which means thorough change of mind. This happens when we become aware that
Holiness comes only to those who keep vigil 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. In the Gospel of Matthew (5:8), we
Holy Tradition: The Memory of the Church The fact that protestants, by and large, have traveled far from the faith and traditions of the Apostolic Church, is testament to what happens when one departs from the “memory” of the Church. This “memory” is kept alive through Holy Tradition, from which
The Western World is in need of Christ The western world has entered a period of decadence and decline, departing far from her Christian roots. With the European Union denying the historical and cultural Christian heritage of her member states, a secular based world view reigns dominant. This, together with
The true self is composed of both body and soul Unlike angels, who are entirely spiritual beings, God has made each of us as spiritual creatures dwelling in a material world. Thus, because we are both physical and spiritual, we must commune with our Creator God in both body and
Personal effort and God’s grace Without our personal effort, God’s grace can not be activated in our lives, for we have been created with free will, and God never forces a relationship upon us. Without God’s grace, we can have no salvation, for we can not activate salvation of our
What about non-Orthodox Christians? Saint Silouan the Athonite was once traveling by train with an archimandrite who was a zealot quick to correct others about the True Faith. Coming upon a group of traveling Roman Catholics, Saint Silouan’s traveling companion proceeded to tell them that they must become Orthodox because
There is no salvation outside authentic community Orthodoxy is all about community. The fierce individualism found in much of what claims to be Christianity is in opposition to the Orthodox understanding of faith. The Church as the Body of Christ is where we are united in Christ, becoming part of