What is Perfection?

Are you a perfectionist? For some people, the idea of making a mistake or falling short of reaching a goal can be crippling. Whether it is at school, work or even at home, being a perfectionist is rarely a trait that inspires others to join us. What about Church? Timothy, my son, the saying is…

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Selective Strictness

It is a known characteristic of Orthodox Christianity that we live with a certain strictness. Our way of life since the first days of the Church has been shaped by faithful leaders guiding faithful followers to a life in communion with Christ. Strictness has always been a part of that life. That sense of strictness…

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Everyone’s Savior

Are you saved? Orthodox Christians have been struggling over this question for years. We struggle not because we fear judgment. We struggle because confuse judgment with salvation. We are all saved and yet we are all judged. Before you get upset that I am teaching ‘universal salvation’ take a moment and read what Saint Paul…

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No Guarantees

Our consumer society has a way of convincing us to purchase products we don’t even desire. Retailers and manufacturers proudly assert a money back guarantee if we are not satisfied. All we need to do is change our mind. Salvation does not come with a money back guarantee. The Lord said, “Not every one who…

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How Dare You Reach Out

There is an expectation of Christians in general, but especially clergy, that we associate only with believers. If we are seen talking, let alone eating, with nonbelievers our faith is called into question. How could we let ourselves be dragged so low, and hang out with ‘those’ people? In those days, while Peter was still…

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Accept Suffering

It goes against our nature, it seems, to accept the reality that we are called to suffer. From an early age we fight against our parents when they use the unwanted ‘no’ in response to our requests. Even as adults we have tantrums when we do not get our way, at work and among our…

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The Best Resolution

A text that says New Years Resolutions on a notebook

Today and tomorrow are traditionally the days during which we make our annual New Year Resolutions. We want to be better than we are, despite how good we may think we are already. This tradition gives us the opportunity to, privately at least, admit that we could, and need to be, better. Timothy, my son,…

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Guard and Protect Your Soul

We spend a great deal of time making sure our investments and financial security are protected. We have locks on our doors and passwords on our devices. We will stop at almost nothing to protect our money. We do the same for our families and friends. It seems the only thing we do not protect…

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Predestination

Candles lighting

What if I were to tell you I believed in predestination? Would you call me a heretic? Would you say I have abandoned the ancient faith? Maybe you would say I finally fell over the sola scriptura cliff. Of course, none of these accusations would be true. The truth would be that we are required…

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Celebrate Properly

The entire Orthodox World (those on the New Calendar) celebrated yesterday. If you went to celebrate the end of the fast, you celebrated the wrong thing. We say we celebrated the Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos, which we did. Today is a fast day since it is Wednesday. If you awoke this morning…

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