Fearless Thomas

Poor Saint Thomas. The Apostle Thomas is called “The Twin” in Scripture, but has another nickname. Many call him ‘Doubting Thomas’ because he doubted the truth of Christ’s resurrection unless he could see proof for himself. There’s a part of the story missing. On the evening of that day, the first day of the week,…

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Do You Love God?

Hands reaching towards a glowing cross.

Whenever a Christian is asked if he loves God, the answer is always yes. “Yes Lord, you know that I love you,” were the words of Saint Peter just days after he denied even knowing Christ. Christ’s response, “Feed my lambs,” is more than just an answer. It is a challenge. At that time, Jesus…

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Ancestors in the Faith

Family tree chart with labeled sections.

We know our parents and grandparents. If we’re lucky, we may even know, at least by name, our great-grandparents. Occasionally, someone researches their family tree and traces their ancestors back several generations. But can you trace your ancestors back to God? At that time, Jesus, when he began his ministry, was about thirty years of…

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Afraid of the Light

Sunlight streaming through clouds in golden rays.

Most Christians live in fear of God. We are afraid He will judge us. We are afraid He won’t love us. We are afraid that our sins will become known if we are ‘too open’ with God and each other. We forget that God already knows everything about us. He already knows we are afraid.…

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Not for Me but for Thee

Man relaxing under a leafy tree outdoors.

In the heat of summer here in America and the only thing we can think about is how to cool off. We search for a bit of shade when parking our car. We sprint to get that last chair under the shade of the tree to relax. We are obsessed with our comfort in the…

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Avoid Divisions in the Church

"Directional signs illustrating unity and division."

It seems to be ancient practice. Find a unified group of people and try to divide them. Kingdoms have risen and fallen again through ‘divide and conquer’ philosophies. It all started in The Garden. It all started with the ‘divider’ Satan. Saint Paul knew this. Before becoming Christian, and the greatest evangelist in Church history,…

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When Light Shines

Sunlight streaming through clouds in golden rays.

Since we were children, we have understood the power of light to reveal the truth. A glimmer of light was enough to send monsters into hiding, and a mere night light was sufficient to keep them away. There is nothing hidden when the light shines. Today the Church commemorates the appearance of the Cross as…

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A New Month Means a New Challenge

People gathered in ornate church interior.

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…

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Power Before Our Eyes

Icon of Christ surrounded by heavenly figures.

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…

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Do What He Tells You

Hand placing wooden blocks spelling "OBEY."

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…

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