Posts Tagged ‘Church’
Easter is Over…What now?
On Bright Saturday, also called Renewal Saturday, we glance back at last week and Pascha seems so long ago. It was just last week we were preparing our lamb and leaving for Church to light our candles and celebrate the Resurrection. Now what do we do? We don’t deny that Holy Week and Pascha is…
Read MoreAre We Listening to God?
It happens to all of us. When it comes to our relationship with God, we all like to make things harder than they ‘need’ to be. We put obstacles in front of ourselves and others that God never put Himself. God already told us what we needed to do, but are we listening? At that…
Read MoreGreat Compline Prayer One
The final service our Daily Lenten Journey will review is unique to Great Lent. Although the Small Compline is ‘part’ of our regular evening prayers as individuals, the Great Compline is ONLY offered during Great Lent, and it is offered normally in the Church. The term ‘compline’ is a translation of the Greek word meaning…
Read MoreVespers Entrance Prayer
Vespers is the “Twelfth Hour” and therefore the service that straddles the gap between day and night. Behind us are the hours of the day. Ahead are the watches of the night. Today’s Daily Lenten Journey will feature the prayer during which we ‘enter’ into the night. In the evening, at dawn, and at midday,…
Read MoreOrthros Prayer Twelve
We have been reviewing the silent Orthros prayers. Some prayers ‘just say it all’ when it comes to our faith in God. Other prayers are more direct and specific. Today’s prayer is an all-encompassing prayer that finalizes the twelve prayers offered during the Six Psalms of Orthros. We praise You, we sing to You, we…
Read MorePrayer of the Third Hour
As Christians we hope to walk in the Light of Christ every day. At least that is the prayer of the First Hour which we discussed yesterday. If we walk in the Light of Christ that also means that we walk in the His shadow, living like He lived. That brings us to the Third…
Read MoreNobody is Safe from Temptation
As Christians we are told that God will protect us from evil. We grow up knowing that God is watching over us. So then, why do so many leave the Church and walk in sin? Temptation is the great equalizer. The stronger our faith, the stronger the temptation. The Lord said to his disciples, “When…
Read MoreIt is up to you
One of the difficulties of leadership is when people point fingers. They should do it. They should hear this. They should offer more. Leaders rarely hear people offering themselves. In the Church it sounds like, “I hope they heard your sermon today, Father.” It’s not about them. BRETHREN, when Christ appeared as a high priest…
Read MoreFaithful to the End
Being faithful today is synonymous with being loyal. We are loyal to friends. We are loyal to family. We are loyal to our employers. If any of these groups betray us, our loyalty fades or even disappears. As Christians our loyalty is to Christ, who never betrays us. In those days, Peter said to the…
Read MoreSelective 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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