Lamplighting Prayer Three

Memory is a powerful thing. Just about anything in our environment can trigger a memory, good or bad. Even bad memories make us feel alive among the struggles of life. On the other hand, forgetting our memories can make us feel lost and empty. So, let’s talk about memory. O Lord our God, remember us…

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The Last Prayer of the Day

To wrap up our series on personal prayer in the evening, we turn our attention to the ritual of bedtime. We wash our bodies and set out our clothes for tomorrow. You might want to just ‘jump in bed’ but you would miss out on the joy of giving yourself to God. Under the protection…

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Prayer of the Ninth Hour

We are making our way through the day focusing on the Hours of Prayer. If you have been engaging in the prayers, then you are ready for the Prayer of the Ninth Hour, the time when Christ died on the Cross. Our Lord and Savior hung on the Cross for three hours before lifting up…

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Is there a limit to God’s Power?

The power of prayer. The power of faith. As Christians we are always talking about and invoke the power the God. Still, bad things happen. Still, sick people die. Still, evil seems to be spreading. You might begin to wonder if there is a limit to God’s power. Well, yes and no. About that time,…

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Proper Grief

We all experience grief. It may be a loved one’s death. We may grieve the loss of a job. Grief occurs when we lose something or someone dear to us. When we face the prospect of losing ourselves, our grief can be overwhelming. Brethren, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit,…

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Why Pray for the Dead?

The other day I was asked (it wasn’t the first time) why we offer memorials for the dead if they have ‘finished’ and reached the objective? I get a variety of questions about praying for the dead, so today’s reading from Saint Paul is a good opportunity to take another look. Brethren, what do people…

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Get Your House in Order

We understand the need when we grow old to put our things in order. Who will get our possessions? Who will take care of our requests. The older we get, the more we think of death and having our life in order. Now is the time to get our house in order. “Therefore thus says…

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Incorruption in a Corrupt World

We hear about death and destruction every day. Wars rage around the globe. People are sleeping and starving on the streets of America. Drug and alcohol abuse ran rampant through every demographic of society. Air and water pollution make it more and more difficult for people to thrive. Everywhere you look, there is evidence that…

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Cheating Death

With the war in Israel on everyone’s minds these past few days, many are wondering why God allows such violence. If God is all powerful, He could (and should) stop such horrific events from taking place. Since God doesn’t stop all violence, then we must accept there is a different perspective through which we should…

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Orthodox Bucket List

Whats On Your Bucket list Written On Front OF A Notebook

Christ is Risen! The other day I saw a meme about aging. It said something to the effect of, “With age every day becomes more urgent to get right with God.” I laughed, because today we normally associate fewer days ‘left’ in life as fewer days to have fun. We are encouraged to have bucket…

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