2023 Daily Lenten Journey – Day 38

A golden abstract artwork of the Jesus

I hear it all the time. “I can’t come to Church. My family is visiting.” “I can’t…..because my family….” On the surface this appears to be a sound excuse to miss Church or another Christian obligation. Yet, I always wonder when I hear this excuse. Should the family love this person enough to come to…

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2023 Daily Lenten Journey – Day 37

A golden abstract artwork of the Jesus

During this year’s Daily Lenten Journey, we’ve been focusing on returning to the beginning. We return not just to study the past, but to restart and refocus our attention on the importance of our salvation. Our return to the beginning has allowed us to remember the promise that God made. He will save us. In…

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2023 Daily Lenten Journey – Day 36

A golden abstract artwork of the Jesus

We have arrived at the final week of Great Lent. Although Pascha is still two weeks away, this final week of Great Lent is setting up the final preparations for Holy Week and then Pascha. We are finished hearing the promises from God. From here on we will see how our human ancestors responded to…

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2023 Daily Lenten Journey – Day 33

A golden abstract artwork of the Jesus

Even the most experienced Orthodox eventually get tired of fasting during Great Lent. As we get closer to Holy Week, something is obvious. I am tired of fasting. It doesn’t mean I’m going to stop. It just means I’m honest. It also means that sometimes we question even the most beneficial spiritual challenges. Have you…

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2023 Daily Lenten Journey – Day 32

A golden abstract artwork of the Jesus

During Great Lent we get so focused on our fasting and extra prayers that we can forget we are not alone. We are on a group journey as a Church, but not only as a Church. As human beings, we share the journey of salvation with every human being. Today is a good reminder of…

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2023 Daily Lenten Journey – Day 31

A golden abstract artwork of the Jesus

If you are keeping up with the readings of the day, you have probably noticed that the Church skipped some verses recently. It isn’t that these verses aren’t important. What is important to keep have in mind is that the readings during Great Lent are reminding us of the beginning and setting us up for…

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2023 Daily Lenten Journey – Day 30

A golden abstract artwork of the Jesus

We live in a harsh world filled with crime, war, and poverty. Violence rips through our neighborhoods sparing not even little children attending school. It can be difficult to remain faithful that God will ‘make everything ok’ in the end. He has a plan for our salvation, but between now that then, things can get…

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2023 Daily Lenten Journey – Day 29

A golden abstract artwork of the Jesus

We begin the fifth week of Great Lent with a reminder of the sinfulness of humanity and the promise of God for salvation. By the time the week is over we will witness another cycle of sin, destruction, promise, and salvation. For today, God has promised to Abram all the land he could see. He…

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2023 Daily Lenten Journey – Day 26

A golden abstract artwork of the Jesus

This week finishes with another ‘fast forward’ of the ancestry of Noah through Shem. Allow me to recap for a moment. Adam and Eve had Cain and Abel. After Cain killed Abel, they had Seth. From Seth we learned the descendants through Noah, and then on to Shem’s descendants. Today we land on the doorstep…

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2023 Daily Lenten Journey – Day 25

A golden abstract artwork of the Jesus

There is an old joke among parents. If your children are quiet, they’re up to something. All parents know this to be true. Children who are getting in trouble avoid detection at all costs. As parents we laugh, but as a Church we weep. If left alone, we all eventually get in trouble. These are…

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