Posts Tagged ‘Gospel of Matthew’
Choosing Comfort over God
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…
Read MoreGod Doesn’t Expect More from Us Than from Himself
I hear it all the time, or something like it. “I can’t do that. I’m not perfect like God.” It is so easy to turn our attention away from the life God desires for us. It isn’t that we don’t want to follow God. Our soul is most definitely called by God, and deep down…
Read MoreEpisode 383 – Not Perfect but Committed to God
On the Sunday before Christmas every year the Church hears a long list of names of the generations of Christ. From Abraham until Joseph the Church reminds us of the righteous ancestors of Christ described in the Old Testament. When you combine them with the saints of the New Testament we get a complete picture…
Read MoreKeep Your Head Down
There are days when one wonders if “it” is worth the effort. Around every corner is someone who feels threatened by the success of others. Our peers seem to spend more time competing against us rather than cheering us on to victory. Just when you want to throw in the towel and ‘just keep your…
Read MoreBe Watchful
You never know what tomorrow brings. This was the case played out this past week in our host parish of Tarpon Springs. One day Hurricane Ian was headed straight for us, and the next we were safe while others took cover. Living in Florida I have come to terms with ‘leaving it all behind’ every…
Read MoreFrustrated Enemy
For all the talk about enduring suffering and have the courage to stand up for what we believe, we cannot hide that our enemy never retreats. Our enemy isn’t our neighbor nor our coworker. Our enemy is the devil and he get very frustrated when we stand for the truth. Today the Church commemorates the…
Read MoreDo YOU Want Eternal Life?
When Jesus was asked, “What good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?” He responded by saying, “If you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.” (Matthew 19.16-17) After listing all the commandments the rich man chose to push the issue further by saying, “All these things I have kept from…
Read MoreEpisode 375 – Let Go of the Past
As we learn in the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant (Matthew 18.23-35), God’s first position is to forgive the debt of our sin. We owe Him so much that we could never live long enough to repay Him. He still forgives, but there is a catch. He will only forgive us if we forgive others…
Read MoreLife Isn’t a Game
When we were children we played games like hide-and-seek. The “seeker” would count to ten and call out “ready or not, here I come” and then rush out to find those who were hiding. Once the “seeker” reached “10” there was no chance if we had not found a place to hide. Our best chance…
Read MoreBest Kept Secret
I’ve been hearing this saying my entire life. People have been telling me that the Orthodox Church is the best kept secret in America. I think this is meant to be a compliment. I think we are supposed to be proud that we have something so special, and nobody knows about it. I think we…
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