Joy is the Infallible Sign of God’s Presence Although we have no written evidence that Our Lord Jesus Christ laughed, I am personally convinced that he did. How could He not have shared in our humanity with perfection had he not had a sense of humor, and shared moments of
Righteousness is not a Part Time Job Teachers and parents routinely remind children of the importance of refraining from giving in to peer pressure, knowing that good behavior can often be undermined by the desire to fit in with their friends and school mates. We adults need to remember is
And the Acquisition of Holiness As Christians, we know the struggle against the passions must be a daily battle, if we are to live according to biblical standards. This quest to defeat the passions is impossible without love, for a loveless heart desires nothing beyond supporting its own ego. The
Newly built storage barn Refrain from the Life of the Super Correct Driven by fear, there are people who leave the Church and head into schism. In Greece there are at least eighteen “Old Calendar” Orthodox churches who claim to be THE Church, not recognizing each other as canonical. In
Cremation versus the Orthodox Practice of Burial The first time I ever attended a funeral service where cremation of the body of the deceased had taken place was in Portland, Oregon, many years ago. An Episcopal priest friend had died and had requested his body be cremated. Walking into the
Let My Will be Done on Earth and in Heaven When we closely examine our heart, we must see whether we are filled with a strong sense of self importance, or if we see ourselves as the least of all. If we think highly of ourselves, this sense of personal
The Temptation of Living only for Today The almost universal temptation of our time, is to be living only for the present moment. We want to enjoy ourselves now, relax and be comfortable now, have it all now. Our focus is, consequently, on a tiny slice of eternity. By focusing
My friend, Koshin Cain, Abbot of the Puget Sound Zen Center, joined us for his first Divine Liturgy on the Feast of the Kazan Icon The Link between Repentance and Humility In an age when “self-focus” is the rule of the day, and where the ego seems to reign, it
The Christian Response to Poverty Americans are witnessing the widest gap between the highest and lowest income families since officials began tracking the data a decade ago. As many conservative members of Congress continue to press for cutbacks in programs, such as food stamps, medical coverage, and housings subsidies, all
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