Posts Tagged ‘charity’
Now Serving
Continuing where we left off yesterday with accusations against the Church about ritual, today I want to discuss what I sense is a growing conflict between being in Church for Divine Liturgy and being outside the Church service others. There appears even among leaders of the Church that serving others is more important than attending…
Read MoreHow are you Using Your Gifts?
We hear about Stewardship all the time. The problem is, we only ever hear about money. What is worse, we only hear about how much money the Church needs. We might hear a token mention of time and talents in the annual stewardship pitch. We hardly ever hear about stewardship outside of the Church’s needs.…
Read MoreStanding Up as Christians
The idea of ‘standing up’ for what we believe has become synonymous with the idea of protest. If we don’t like what someone is saying or doing, we protest. As Americans we have been protesting since the first days of our nation. In that, nothing has changed. What has changed is what we are willing…
Read MoreEpisode 399 – Living as Saints
When we accept the invitation to become saints, we must also accept the challenge of a life willing to give it all up for God. We must live the life of the Church which has been guided by the Holy Spirit since Pentecost. A life of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving is meant to help us…
Read MoreNothing Worth Anything is Easy
Whether it is going to the fitness center for a good workout, or studying for the bar exam, we can all agree that hard work is part of success. We often don’t value what is easy. There is no sense of accomplishment when something comes too easy for us. So, why do we think our…
Read MoreEpisode 388 – Forgiveness, Fasting, and Giving; The Triad of Great Lent
As we prepare for Great Lent, it is crucial we forgive others. No matter what, if we do not forgive others, God will not forgive us. When we fast, without putting on a show, we learn to live as God wants us to live. When we give to others, we learn to put our treasure…
Read MoreChoosing Comfort over God
We live in the most advanced, wealthiest, and most would say the most comfortable nation in the world. It is often said the poorest of the poor in America and better off than in most other countries. Our nation has been blessed, there is no doubt. Living in such a comfortable society has its advantages…
Read MoreFeeding those in Need
The Christmas season is a time our hearts are ‘tuning in’ to God. We see those in need and have compassion, or at least that’s what we hope happens. Sometimes we see beggars on the street and our hearts turn cold, thinking the beggars don’t deserve our compassion. Thankfully there are extra opportunities to help…
Read MoreEpisode 381 – Generosity
With Thanksgiving just a few days away, our minds are on the idea of giving. We will feast and have plenty of leftovers. We may even give others our leftovers so they also can eat. We fool ourselves if we think that giving after we have had everything we need is generous. Giving from our…
Read MoreThe Cure for Greed
In the parable of the Rich Fool, Jesus teaches us the deadly result of a greedy heart. Faced with full barns and a banner crop, the Rich Fool panics because he has no place to store his growing wealth. “I will do this,” he says, “I will pull down my barns and build greater, and…
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