Cannon Beach, Oregon The Guarding of the Heart Watchfulness has been described by Elder Ephraim of Philotheou as “the axe which shatters the large trees, hitting their roots. When the root is struck, it doesn’t spring up again.” A conscientious attention to our thoughts is an important tactic in spiritual
Chaplaincy: Manifesting God’s Love Following our Nativity Liturgy, I drove to Cannon Beach, Oregon, for the Northwest Regional Seminar of the International Conference of Police Chaplains. I’ve been coming to this conference, held during the second week of January, ever year. I am grateful to God for all the friendships
Glorify Him! “What shall we give you, O Christ? Each of the creatures brings you a gift of gratitude: the angels their song; the heavens a star; the wise men their gifts; the shepherds their admiration; the earth the stable; the desert the manger. We human beings give you a
The Condescension of God and the Deification of Man Those of us who observe the Julian Calendar are now about to complete the Nativity Fast, where we have abstained from meat, eggs, dairy products, anger, envy and other habits, for the sake of promoting the discipline the soul. We are
You Can Better Help Your Priest and Bishop by Understanding this One Thing Parish priests feel pressures that are found in no other profession. The type of man that generally is drawn to the holy priesthood is one who has a heart for serving others. Bishops and priests are often
A Grateful Heart is Fertile Ground When you strive to interact with members of your family, with friends, coworkers, and all others, with respect, humility, and dignity, you lay the groundwork for the abundance of Grace needed to quicken your heart for the things of God. The soil is prepared
As the Living Word, Christ condescended to become one of us, to take on the condition of our flesh in every way, and yet remained sinless. In doing so, he invites us from the darkness of sin which leads to death, to become one with Him which is Life.By accepting
On Being the Body of Christ Every time we gather together in celebration of the Divine Liturgy, we are not only commemorating an event that happened two thousand years ago, nor simply reenacting the Last Supper Christ shared with His disciples. When we come together to celebrate the Eucharist, we
As the secular calendar turns to the year 2014, I would like to greet all of you, my readers, with the words, Happy New Year! May this be a year filled with every blessing, and may peace reign in the hearts of everyone. God bless each and every one of
Can God’s Temple be Duplicated at Home? Over the years I have met people who have chosen not to join a church, choosing, rather, to “worship” at home. Some have convinced themselves church is a waste of time, and feel they can be close to God while staying home on