Chase Away Sin

Children running in a grassy park area.

Take a moment and look around at the behavior of those around you. Is the behavior worthy of Christ? We are surrounded by people who refuse to honor Christ. Or worse, those who think they are honoring Christ while refusing to ‘give up’ their sin, so we chase them away. This is the most common…

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Whom do you serve?

Service signs pointing in different directions.

In my Homage to Freedom yesterday I wrote about the freedom from sin and temptation. As much as we are thankful for the freedom we celebrated yesterday in the Unites States, we should thank God for the freedom He has granted us, but with freedom comes choices. The greatest choice we make is to join…

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Episode 453 – From Sinner to Saint

People along with the priest worshiping in the church

The Feast of Saints Peter and Paul, the Chief-Apostles, we are reminded there is a place for everyone in the Kingdom of Heaven. Saint Peter denied even knowing Christ, and Saint Paul went around killing Christians. Both were called by God and repented to become great saints of the Church. It won’t matter what we…

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Fear and War

Newspaper headline: "It's War!" on table.

The past few weeks have been anxious times for sure. As war rages in various parts of the earth we wonder if war will affect us, here at home. We are emotionally manipulated by politicians and the media to be in a constant state of fear of war. I am not afraid of war. The…

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It’s Not You; It’s Me

Woman looking upset, man talking behind her.

Made popular by a famous TV character, this saying has deep truth. It isn’t about breaking up or cancelling a date. What makes this saying true is the relationship between me and the Church. We like to blame the Church for being too strict and chasing me away, but that isn’t true. Brethren, I am…

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Sin and Grace

By the Grace of God" sign display.

One thing we can all agree on is that we all sin. Although we don’t like to admit, at least publicly, we all know just how unbearable temptation can be, because we all fall. We all fall every day, and still Jesus forgave us and forgives us. Still, He saves us, despite our sin. Brethren,…

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No Shame in Good News

Man sitting with head in hands.

Shame can be a powerful force. It can be good, and lead to repentance. It can be bad and lead to death. In a society that praises greed, power, self-reliance, and all sorts of immorality, shame can also be used by the devil to keep us away from God. Saint Paul thought otherwise. Paul, a…

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Who is Your King?

Golden crown with red velvet interior.

Proud Americans declare to the world, “We have no king!” The idea of king in America is the idea of oppression and fear, opulent wealth and greed. Throughout history kings were known by their loyalties, not their love. Americans have a king. We just don’t like to admit it. Our king is personal. Our king…

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Great Compline Prayer Two

Silhouette of person kneeling at sunset.

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’…

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Lamplighting Prayer Three

Ornate altar with religious artifacts and candles.

Memory is a powerful thing. Just about anything in our environment can trigger a memory, good or bad. Even bad memories make us feel alive among the struggles of life. On the other hand, forgetting our memories can make us feel lost and empty. So, let’s talk about memory. O Lord our God, remember us…

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