Abuse of Power
On the Sunday after the feast of Ascension, we celebrate the Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council. Normally, priests speak about the theological implications of this council: the Fathers had...
View ArticleDo We Live In Between?
The time between the Ascension of Christ and the Day of Pentecost marked something of an “in-between” period for Christ’s disciples. They had been instructed at the time of the Ascension to remain in...
View ArticleIf We Want to See God, Where Do We Begin?
Archimandrite Aimilianos in a lecture entitled “On The State That Jesus Confers” says that the basic human problem is that we do not see God. In fact, most people cannot see God, but can only seek...
View ArticleWork and Spiritual Growth
Recently I’ve run across a pretty surprising opinion. A man I respected claimed that his job impeded his spiritual growth. I mean, writing endless reports, getting never-ending papers approved, and...
View ArticleShaming Silence
The phrase has been quoted frequently: “silence is violence.” It is the demand that some form of political speech or action, expression of opinion, meme-sharing, and the like, is required of every...
View ArticleFasting Abundantly
The idea that any Westerner has about fasting is strongly linked with renunciation‚ with giving-up‚ with sacrificing something for God. In the Eastern Orthodox Church however‚ fasting achieves a much...
View ArticleFollowing Life’s “Hall of Famers” over the Hurdles of Life
The Church, through her Saints, has trained us how to overcome every hurdle! There is no obstacle in life that is new or unique to our own place and time. The Saints, through the work of the Holy...
View ArticleA Catch That Doesn’t Spoil
Every Christian is chosen—chosen to be with the Lord, through unceasing remembrance of Him and awareness of His omnipresence, through the preaching and fulfillment of His commandments, and through a...
View ArticleThe Question of Human Happiness
When I was a newly ordained priest, my bishop told me that the secret of happiness is to have a clean conscience with God. If God is happy with you, then you will be happy and be at peace with...
View ArticleLooking Toward Heaven
What Christians are in this World True Christians live in this world as travelers, pilgrims, and sojourners, and they look ever toward their heavenly homeland with faith and with the eyes of the soul,...
View ArticleThe Violence of Modernity
The calm voice at the helm says, “Make it so…” and with it, the mantra of modernity is invoked. The philosophy that governs our culture is rooted in violence, the ability to make things happen and to...
View ArticleSinful Condition: What Can We Do with It?
I used to think that the Cross of Christ was just something upon which we hung our sins so that we wouldn’t have to suffer for them later. In point of fact, it also defines much of our suffering now....
View ArticleOur Laxity towards Sin
As we all know, people were made ‘in the image and likeness’ of God. Of course, the ‘likeness’ was besmirched after the expulsion of our first ancestors from Paradise and their defection to sin. But...
View ArticleScattered Thoughts and the One God
“My thoughts are scattered…” It’s an observation I make frequently to myself, and one that I hear constantly from others. It is not that we think about many things (though we do), but we think many...
View ArticleAllowing God to Heal Us Here and Now
I’ve never been much of a one for religion. I know that may sound crazy because it’s obvious from my byline that I am a priest of the Orthodox Church and therefore I am deeply involved in what we...
View ArticleSigns of Moving Forward in Our Spiritual Life
In homily 67, St. Isaac gives some signs or markers to help the monk discern whether or not he or she is actually progressing in their spiritual life. It seems to me that these markers apply as well...
View ArticleHow to Conquer Fear?
Vladimir Basenkov replies. The post How to Conquer Fear? appeared first on A Russian Orthodox Church Website.
View ArticleCulture Wars: Can Christianity Change the World?
Today we face much cultural turmoil and seemingly unreconcilable differences. Our discourse often becomes harsh and even hate filled. It seems we have lost a Christ centeredness in our lives. We seem...
View ArticleFather Thomas Hopko and his Fifty Five Maxims of Christian Living
Someone said “Everybody listens to advice. Nobody ever takes it”. But, oh, I hope you take this advice from the Protopresbyter Thomas Hopko. So my advice is: Put his Maxims in an icon on your computer...
View ArticleLove is Mightier than the Sword
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God” (Matthew 5:9). We can say without any hesitation that this verse from the Sermon on the Mount constitutes the essence of Jesus...
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