Living According to the Will of God How do we know we are living according to the will of God? We make sure we live a life that is focused on Christ and not let that which is transitory rule, for a life centered in Christ brings about true peace,
North End Ferry from Vashon Island 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
A Western Tanager visits our fountain Humility Comes from Humus We all struggle with our passions, and like Saint Paul we can say that we do that which we do not want to do and do not do what we want to do. The passions hold us down to the
The monastery’s cutting garden for the temple’s flowers We Must be Quick to be Merciful Some people abandon themselves to sin in order to cover up their lack of self esteem. In their need for intimacy and acceptance, they seek out worldly pleasures, thinking these will fill the void that
When you Pray, Pray for Repentance When you pray, make the central theme of your prayer a request that God bring you to true repentance. Repentance must be the goal of your prayer life, for only in repentance can you gain humility. God’s grace will sustain you through any trial
The Priest and the American Tourist A protestant woman from Tacoma, WA. was on vacation with her husband in the Greek city of Athens. Each day she walked to a small sidewalk cafe near the hotel for her coffee and watched the locals pass by. One of these locals was
The Common Men Called by the Lord As we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, it is good to remember that the Lord did not call academics, religious leaders, or important members of the King’s Court, as His Apostles, but rather He called what were essentially
The Spiritually Rich Man Needs Nothing More The spiritually rich man is someone who is happy with what he has and doesn’t need anything more. The spiritually poor man is one who has everything but it is never happy. The spiritually rich man is one who is always satisfied with
Spiritual Pain Control or Spiritual Healing? Since the Church is a hospital for the soul wherein we come for healing, it is important that we take full advantage of all the resources the Church offers us for such healing. Frequent confession, where we bare our sins before God with the
Counteracting the Dark Side of the Internet I often google topics that interest me, finding information that would have required hours in the library in the past. I’ve visited Russian monasteries, watched videos of chanters in Greek monasteries, viewed Orthodox patriarchs serving the Divine Liturgy, all on the Internet. I’ve