I am crucified with Christ In our life, every undertaking, every action, every thought, must be a reflect Christ in our life. The Lord will grant us the strength and ability to accomplish good works, and attain holiness, if we cooperate with His grace. Prayer alone is not enough, if
click on photos to enlarge Starting out your day with God Each and every day should begin with our thoughts turned towards God. At the very moment we open our eyes, we should be thanking the Lord for having slept through the night, safely, and give thanks for a new
Acknowledging Warts and Wrinkles If we do not live in repentance and humility, we clergy betray Christ, Whom we claim to serve. We must be willing to put aside all intellectual and romanticized notions of the Church, acknowledge the many warts and wrinkles and institutional flaws that have accumulated over
Clearing trails and fallen trees I Postpone the Day of My Own Repentance Every aspect of my life should be a reflection of my faith in Christ, yet I utterly fall short in living this out as a reality. I find it difficult to look closely at myself, and at
Students from Trinity Lutheran College in Everett, WA. The monastic community welcomed students, along with their campus chaplain, Rev. Erik Samuelson, to the monastery on Friday. They traveled from Trinity Lutheran College, in Everett, WA. to perform a community service project for the monastic brotherhood. After helping the monks clear
A cargo ship sails north of Vashon Island The Danger of Prideful Self-assurance There is a minefield many do not notice, one that masquerades as the spiritual life. Academic theology, although it can be used in service to the Church, has also been the spiritual destruction of many. True theology
Archbishop Kyrill’s archpastoral visitation Humility Requires Struggle Only through struggle can we acquire humility. Our natural inclination is to flee struggle, and cling to our comfortable pride. When difficulties and humiliations come our way, we must embrace them, as from God. For the Lord knows what we need, and if
A Vashon Island dwelling Remembrance of God leads to Conversion of Heart The importance of having a regular confessor can not underestimated. Most of us find it uncomfortable to think upon our faults, failures, and sins, because we like to “feel good” about ourselves. We puff up our image around
The Devil can not Violate our FreedomThe devil does not have power over us, unless we give it to him. His power to tempt us, or to fight against us, is never beyond our ability to resist, for his power can never violate our freedom. The devil’s power is not
Brother Theofil bringing the bells Turning the Commute into a Monastic CellOver the past thirty years, I have lost count at the number of lay people who have voiced interest in monasticism. Many have told me, had they’d become Orthodox at a younger age, they might have forgone marriage, for