Posts Tagged ‘Church’
Belief is not Enough
We all know that being a Christian isn’t easy. There are teachings to memorize and rules to follow. For Orthodox Christians there are Sacred Traditions to keep and spiritual disciplines to practice. Is all this necessary? Why can’t we ‘just believe’ in God? Consider today’s lesson from Saint Paul. There were many who knew God,…
Read MoreTruth is not Subjective
Music can be defined as a series and combination of sounds pleasing to the ear. Music is subjective. What is a masterpiece to one, is garbage music to another. Nonetheless, music brings joy to every human being. The same can be said about God, but for a different reason. Some love God while others think…
Read MoreTake No Offense
We’ve all said it. We’ve all had that moment when we needed to tell someone the truth, but we knew it would hurt to hear the truth. So, we soften it with a simple warning. “No offense, but…” Let’s face it, with the wrong heart, hearing these words are always an offense. We take offense…
Read MoreEpisode 479 – Knowing God in Communion
When Christ was about to be crucified, He prayed for the Church. He prayed that we might know Him. He prayed that we would have life in Him. He prayed that knowing Him as Father, Son and Holy Spirit would mean eternal life. The Church has protected that truth ever since. Transcript: My brothers and…
Read MoreA New Month Means a New Challenge
Today is a good day to be reminded by the Church about the source of life. We may think life comes from the earth but that is only the tip of the iceberg. We only get our flesh and blood from the earth. That flesh and blood remain dead without God. The Lord said to…
Read MorePower Before Our Eyes
For many years I used to wonder why so many people do not believe in Jesus Christ as God. He has presented Himself to the entire world through direct personal interaction, and through the Gospel and the Church. Still, so many choose not to believe. This is what comes to my mind when I read…
Read MoreDo What He Tells You
Every Orthodox Christian is taught that obedience is a blessing. We are taught to be obedient first to God, then to the Church through our spiritual father. There are many stories of blessings that come from obedience, not the last of which is eternal life. In today’s readings I was reminded of obedience. Take a…
Read More2026 Daily Lenten Journey Day 19 – Calling All People to God
I’m blessed to live in a place where the Church is made visible to the entire city. Our host parish of Saint Nicholas Cathedral offers Church services daily during Great Lent (almost daily year-round) and the sound of Church bells calls all people to God, daily. This image of calling all people to God is…
Read More2026 Daily Lenten Journey Day 18 – Always a Way Back
Our Daily Lenten Journey this year has been about changing our hearts and returning to God. It has been about remembering that God is still trying to save us. Today I just want to remind you, no matter how lost you may feel, there is always a way back to God. After the Flood Noah…
Read More2026 Daily Lenten Journey Day 15 – A Tent of Protection
When I was a much younger man I used to enjoy the outdoors. I grew up participating in the Boy Scout program and eventually as an adult leader supervised many camping trips. One thing that was always comforting to have was a good tent. When I read today’s readings I was reminded of my youth,…
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