Mind Your Business

We all like to think we are successful Christians. We all like to think we ‘know what we’re doing’ when it comes to how to live our Orthodox Christian Faith. If that weren’t bad enough, we all also like to think we ‘know better’ than other people how to be ‘good’ Orthodox Christians. The sad…

Read More

Hidden Blessing

We live in a society based heavily on rewards. When we excel at work, we get a raise or promotion. When we excel in sports, a trophy adorns our house. When we excel in the spiritual life, things are different. God knows our achievement but rewards us secretly. Brethren, “What no eye has seen, nor…

Read More

Passion Bearers

Two signboards of different colors

Throughout the world Christians are caught ‘in the crossfire’ of war. These Christian find themselves ‘on the wrong side’ of very powerful nations and movements. In many cases these same Christians are killed ‘just because’ they are Christians. They are called Passion Bearers. Today is the commemoration of Saints Boris and Gleb the Passion Bearers.…

Read More

Being Christ Centered

In a society that encourages education beyond the basics, it can be difficult to see past learning for the sake of our soul. We walk around with ‘a bunch of letters after our name’ to show just how brilliant we were in school. All the while, we forget that life isn’t about us. It is…

Read More

Time to Come Back

There is a concept in American Christianity referred to as ‘Christian Nomadism’. A nomad is one who moves from place to place, never ‘putting down roots’ for long. For Christians, this takes the form of ‘church hopping’ never being satisfied with one particular church. It’s time for a change. Brethren, I am speaking to you…

Read More

Patience Saves

Our world moves quickly. Deals are made in ‘fast time’ using communication technology ‘at the speed of light’ without consideration of consequences. Our fast-paced life might work in the secular business world, but fast-paced spirituality can lead to shipwreck. IN THOSE DAYS, when it was decided that we should sail for Italy, they delivered Paul…

Read More

Unity in Love

Different people making a heart figure

Since before Christ’s Holy Passion, He has been urging us to unity in love. In the twenty centuries since, the Church has been fighting to maintain unity. We have not always been successful, so we have also been fighting to restore unity where it has been lost. The Lord said to his disciples, “The words…

Read More

Naming Rights

Drive through any town and you wonder who ‘all those people’ were. Every street has a name. Every town building has a name. Parks have names. Airports and even schools have names. Lately our society has argued intensely about these names, even removing some. What is it about a name? In those days, Peter opened…

Read More

Converting Our Will

At the beginning of His public ministry Jesus challenged us to deny our will to follow Him The entire Christian journey rests in giving our will over to God’s will. We simply cannot follow Christ into heaven so long as we focus on our will over His. Being obedient to God saves us. Being obedient…

Read More