Posts Tagged ‘Sacraments’
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 MoreChrist is Always Risen
Today is the Leave-taking of Pascha. It is the last day of Pascha for this year. It is the last day on which we greet each other with Christ is Risen. That does not mean Christ is not risen. He is always risen, but today we move on to the next feast of the Church.…
Read MoreGod’s Timing
When we pray to God we normally include requests for our needs. We need peace. We need health. We need many things that God can grant to us. We also have many wants. We want a better job. We want better relationships, and we want everyone now, but God may not agree. It isn’t easy…
Read MoreEpisode 450 – The Church is Our Mother
On Mothers’ Day we turn to the Church as our mother. Like our earthly mothers, the Church knows what is good for us when we are sick. We may not like cure, but just like our mothers’ cure-all, the Church offers us the sacraments and the life of the Church to heal us. We should…
Read MoreOrthros Prayer Twelve
We have been reviewing the silent Orthros prayers. Some prayers ‘just say it all’ when it comes to our faith in God. Other prayers are more direct and specific. Today’s prayer is an all-encompassing prayer that finalizes the twelve prayers offered during the Six Psalms of Orthros. We praise You, we sing to You, we…
Read MoreNobody is Safe from Temptation
As Christians we are told that God will protect us from evil. We grow up knowing that God is watching over us. So then, why do so many leave the Church and walk in sin? Temptation is the great equalizer. The stronger our faith, the stronger the temptation. The Lord said to his disciples, “When…
Read MoreKnow Your Place
There is a place for everyone in the Church. That place is not just in the pews, but in the ministry of the Church. Nobody can do everything, but everybody must do something. If the ministry of Christ depended upon only the clergy, the Gospel would never spread. BRETHREN, grace was given to each of…
Read MoreTemptations Never End
We wake every day to the same reality. The sun shines. The winds blow. Temptation attacks. Like a natural force of weather, temptation blows, and we get ‘pushed around’ like branches in a tree. The key isn’t to avoid the wind, but to prepare the branches. In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee…
Read MoreThe Importance of BEING Orthodox
Whether you agree with recent statistics or not, you cannot deny the plentitude of groups calling themselves Christians. One recent statistic counts Christian denominations at more than 43,000 separate governing bodies of ‘churches’, all claiming to the be the ‘true’ Church of Christ. Brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our assembling…
Read MoreThe Yoke of Christ
We all know how difficult it can be to follow Christ. Throughout Christian history many have tried and failed, only to return to their sinful past. Many more have succeeded despite the struggle of choosing Christ over the worldly agenda. How can Christ even claim His ‘yoke’ is easy? The Lord said to his disciples,…
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