Love is Interactive

Different people making a heart figure

Human beings are created in the image of God, a community of love. That means, in order to be truly human, we must be a community of love. Love cannot exist in isolation. We need someone to love, and someone needs to love us. Love requires a reciprocal relationship. When love is turned within toward…

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Choosing Comfort over God

Two signboards of different colors

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…

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What Does it Mean to Bear One Another’s Burdens?

I remember one time at a parenting workshop, we learned to suffer with our children. This meant that rather than solve every struggle our children experience, we need to co-suffer with them. Help them understand that sometimes things are difficult. Sometimes the best we can do as parents is experience the suffering with our children.…

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Beware of False Prophets

Living in a society in which truth has become relative has surely made life difficult. It seems we can no longer dare to assert any truth as universal without universal endorsement. Expressions like ‘your truth is your truth’ are only exasperated by sayings like, ‘we’ll just agree to disagree’. If we buy into the notion…

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Some Just Aren’t Happy

A beautiful view of the mountains

I have been in professional Church ministry for twenty-nine years. In that time, I have found a common character trait in those who fight against the Church. It doesn’t matter whether things go their way or not, they still fight. That’s because it really isn’t about their way. It is about their heart. Brethren, if…

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Estranged Siblings

A group of priests and fathers at a church

In the past week I have been blessed to participate in two events which were historic. They were historic locally and personally. Mind you, this was not the first time such events have taken place, but it was a first for me and for the Tampa Bay Area. Orthodox Christianity has been in the Tampa…

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A Lost Opportunity

The Bible with praying beads on a table

Today is known in the Church as “Wednesday of the First Week of Luke” as it pertains to the liturgical cycle. In practical terms that means this week we begin reading from the Gospel According to Saint Luke. Each year on the Monday following the Feast of Holy Cross we begin a new season by…

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Rules are Tools

The other day I was at a party and was asked, “Can you eat this today?” It was Friday and the person asking knew I would be fasting on Friday. I replied, “I CAN eat anything I want. I choose not to eat certain things.” That is the essence of fasting. If you think we…

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