Archive for March 2021
Let’s Go Public!
Though not as common in the modern Church, especially here in America, throughout history, public displays of the Orthodox Faith were a vital part of both evangelism and apologetics. Processions such as the Sunday of Orthodoxy which took place yesterday in every Orthodox Church throughout the world, used to be very public events. You wouldn’t…
Read MoreEpisode 332 – Come and See the Truth about God
On the first Sunday of Great Lent the Church celebrates what is known as the Sunday of Orthodoxy. It is a day to celebrate the restoration of Holy Icons since 787AD. For us as Orthodox, this celebration is not just about allowing icons in the Church, but a confirmation the truth that God took on…
Read MoreIt is about Truth
Ever since the creation of humanity, we have been at war with the devil. Since the first conversation with Eve, the devil has been trying to turn our attention away from God. Unfortunately, the devil has had many successes throughout the millennia, beginning with Adam and Eve up to this very day. One of the…
Read MoreDon’t Be a Pharisee
A year ago, churches were closed to the public with only a few people inside celebrating the special services for Great Lent ‘on behalf’ of the people. Then we were in the middle of Great Lent. Today we find ourselves still in the early days of the Fast, and churches are open at least in…
Read MoreWhat do you expect from God?
Today we come to end of our first week of Great Lent, keeping in mind as I said yesterday, the weekdays are different from the weekends. By the time you attend Church services tonight, the color will change back to bright, and lights will be on again. So, what have we learned so far this week?…
Read MoreLook Around
Each year during the first week of Great Lent, I like to remind people to take a moment during Church and look around. If you are attending Church more than just on Sundays, you will notice a few things you may not have noticed before. The colors are different. The lighting is different. Even the…
Read MoreThe Oasis
Trying to live according to the teachings and traditions of the Church, can seem like we are traveling through the desert. The world, void of true love and compassion, can leave us feeling parched as Christians. We thirst for human compassion, and especially during the pandemic, we crave for human interaction. Lockdowns have left us…
Read MoreTime for Repentance
During the first week of Great Lent, it is customary to sing the Canon of Saint Andrew of Crete, a profound poem of repentance. St Andrew wrote this poem in the Seventh Century, as a dialogue between himself and his soul. As we enter the Great Fast this week, the Church invites us to do…
Read MoreHere we go again
As we begin our 2021 Great Lenten Journey today with Clean Monday, I am always reminded (and refreshed) by the repetitive nature of the Church calendar. We are not the same people we were last year, especially considering the global pandemic, so this year our Daily Lenten Journey will focus on how we have grown,…
Read MoreEpisode 331 – Wanting to be with God in Heaven
On Judgment Sunday, the third Sunday of the Triodion, the Church reminds us how God will judge us in the end. As described in Matthew 25.31-46, the judgement will focus on how we view others. Do we look at others the way God wants us to look at others, or do we look at others…
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