Posts Tagged ‘repentance’
The Return Home
Today is the Feast of Ascension, the day on which Jesus Christ returned physically to His Throne in Heaven. It has been forty days since we celebrated His Resurrection but today is no less important than Pascha. Today is the day on which we celebrate our return home to God. As we state in the…
Read MoreDo You Need Signs to Believe?
As Christians we ask God for all sorts of things. We ask Him for health, peace, even a good job when we want a change. Sometimes we are even blessed by Him with greater blessings than what we ask Him. He does everything we need, but we still demand more. At that time, there was…
Read MoreEaster is Over…What now?
On Bright Saturday, also called Renewal Saturday, we glance back at last week and Pascha seems so long ago. It was just last week we were preparing our lamb and leaving for Church to light our candles and celebrate the Resurrection. Now what do we do? We don’t deny that Holy Week and Pascha is…
Read MoreGreat Compline Prayer Two
Many weeks ago, even before we began our Great Lenten Journey, the Church prepared us with the Parable of the Publican and the Pharisee. One saved and another not. One filled with pride and another who could not even lift his eyes to heaven. We return there today. Today’s prayer reads like the ‘extended version’…
Read MoreOrthros Prayer Ten
It is too easy to think all Saints were always saints. Some of the greatest saints were among the ‘worst’ sinners. Today our Daily Lenten Journey will consider how we can pray for repentance and forgiveness of sins. During Great Lent the Church, because she loves us, elevates saints of great repentance. Since before Great…
Read MoreOrthros Prayer Nine
Reading the Holy Scriptures is a part of every Orthodox Christian’s day. Either in the morning or sometime during the day, we are encouraged by the Church daily to read the Bible. Today’s Daily Lenten Journey on Prayer looks at the prayer that reinforces our need for the Bible. Shine within our hearts, O Master…
Read MoreOrthros Prayer Six
No matter what we may think, God is never the source of bad things in our lives. Questions like, “Why is God punishing me?” only reveal our temptation instead of God’s actions. Everything God does for us and to us is for our benefit. If we think otherwise, we need to change our minds. We…
Read MoreMorning Prayers Part Three
When we pray, we often wonder if God is listening to us. I know we wonder, because many confess this to me. It isn’t a sin, but we feel as if we don’t ‘have God’s ear’ when we are praying. Maybe it is because of the way we pray. Maybe it is the words we…
Read MoreMorning Prayers Part Two
Yesterday’s Daily Lenten Journey touched on the traditional morning prayer you find in every Orthodox Christian prayer book. These prayers are the foundation of a solid prayer life, sometimes called a prayer rule. Today, we will discuss an ‘extension’ to these prayers. Rising from sleep, I thank You, Holy Trinity, for in the multitude of…
Read MoreOnly God is Perfect
The Church takes another glimpse toward Great Lent today. We are just reaching the end of the first week of fasting (from meat only) and I pray you are getting excited about the Great Fast that begins on Monday. But before we get there, I have one more warning. Only God is perfect. Before I…
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