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Behind the Scenes
Schedule for the 2022 Ancient Faith Women's Retreat
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We’re eagerly looking forward to welcoming our guests to the annual Ancient Faith Women’s Retreat. This year, it will be held in person on November 10-13 at the Antiochian Village Conference and Retreat Center in Bolivar, PA. You can learn more about our speakers and their sessions HERE. Below is the schedule for each day of the retreat. Unless otherwise noted, all sessions and events occur in the Chestnut Auditorium. SCHEDULE Thursday,…
Praying in the Rain
For Beginners Only: Building Our Spiritual House
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Where do we begin in the spiritual life? Is it best to focus on one or a few virtues and spiritual disciplines? Should we start with the Jesus Prayer or with the reading of spiritual classics like the Philakalia? St. John the Dwarf, one of the Egyptian Desert Fathers, compares building the spiritual life with building a house and offers very insightful comments about how this is to be done.  I…
Faith Encouraged
God Comes First!
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There’s something about intimacy that scares us to death AND becomes a central hunger for our lives. We are terrified of loneliness AND intimacy! From sociological studies showing modern society becoming more and more lonely, to small groups of Baby Boomers forming support groups to talk about death and dying, to the perennial stories of men and their lack of close friends; modern humanity is struggling with a dual challenge: A deep-seated…
The Word of the Day
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Love Puts Faith to Work (Mon. Oct. 4) The word of the day is “work.”  A popular slogan is that we are justified “by faith alone.” But this familiar translation of Romans 3:28 adds the word “alone” to the Greek text.  Today in our reading of Galatians 4:28-5:10,  Paul does not isolate faith. But he says, “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love” (Galatians 5:6).  Today we will consider how true faith does not exist by itself, but love makes faith “active,” that is, effective. When we separate faith from everything else, we transform it into belief. It becomes the assent to the truth of something that cannot be proven by empirical…
The Word of the Day
How Our Endurance Makes Grace Spread and Thanksgiving Abound (Sun. Sept. 25)
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The word of the day is “abound.”  Our relationships with others reflect the state of our souls.  If we have peace in our hearts, we will relate to others in peace. But if anger, worry, or confusion churn in our hearts, we will project this turmoil on others. In today’s reading of 2 Corinthians 4:6-15, Paul writes, “For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God” (OSB vs. 15).  Do grace and thanksgiving abound in our hearts?  Today we consider that we might become a haven of abounding grace and thanksgiving for those around us. In this way, they will spread to all those we meet and know. The…
The Word of the Day
Under the Law or In Freedom (Fri. Sept. 23)
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Correction: this is the right passage for Friday, Sept. 23. The word of the day is “under.” At the end of our first reading (Galatians 4:8-21), Paul asks the pivotal question, “Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not hear the law?” (Gal 4:21). Today, we consider Paul’s teaching of what it means  to be under the Law or under freedom. In Paul’s day, the “Judaizers” had insisted that the Gentiles had to be circumcised to become “real” Christians. The great Jewish teacher Gamaliel had trained Paul, and the apostle knew that circumcision was the rite of binding one to the Law of Moses. So if the Gentiles were circumcised, they would be bound to…
Eastern Christian Insights
Fulfilling our Vocations as "Earthen Vessels": Homily for the 15th Sunday After Pentecost, the 1st Sunday of Luke, and Our Righteous Mother Euphrosyne in the Orthodox Church
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2 Corinthians 4:6-15; Luke 5:1-11            I suspect that many of the crises of our society today have at least something to do with people not having a profound sense of purpose for their lives. Those made in God’s image and likeness will not find satisfaction in a life without a substantive goal or purpose. If we are not offering ourselves to Him, we will offer ourselves to whatever false gods distract us…
No Other Foundation
Adoption to Sonship
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In the baptismal prayer in which the priest blesses the baptismal water, there is a line that baptism will bestow upon the candidate the loosing of bonds, the remission of sins, the illumination of the soul and “the gift of adoption to sonship”. The phrase “adoption of sonship” is a reference to the words of St. Paul, who used the word to describe our salvation in Christ in Ephesians 1:5. There he…
Glory to God for All Things
Face to Face
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Nothing about the human body is as intimate as the face. We generally think of other aspects of our bodies when we say “intimate,” but it is our face that reveals the most about us. It is the face we seek to watch in order to see what others are thinking, or even who they are. The importance of the face is emphasized repeatedly in the Scriptures. In the Old Testament, it…
The Word of the Day
The Cross: The Unconquerable Power of the Kingdom (Sat. Sept. 24)
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The word of the day is “cross.” What one thing in this world is the most desirable? The answer must be power, for when one has enough power, one can gain whatever else one desires. But in today’s reading, Paul writes, “For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power” (OSB vs. 20). Today we learn what the power of the kingdom is. In our reading of 1 Corinthians 4:17-5:5, Paul warns his congregation that he intends to visit them to deal with their disobedience. Some are puffed up with pride and seeming to boast that Paul will not come to confront them. But Paul insists that he will come (God willing), and he “will know, not the word of those who are puffed…
Frederica
Prayer to the Saints
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Someone asked me why we Orthodox “pray” to the saints. It’s such a common question, and from a Protestant point of view, a reasonable one. Here’s my reply: I think your hesitation is the single biggest thing that holds Protestants back. It is the biggest objection I hear. So of…
Frederica
When Reality No Longer Gets In
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I ran across something I wrote in an email to a friend years ago, about how we become gradually more self-centered, more blind to the real world (and people) around us, as time goes by: <<I thought of the wife’s line from “The Death of Ivan Ilych” (approximately): “He screamed…
Faith Encouraged
The Cure For That "Barren" Place in Your Life
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Through the centuries, barrenness was always seen as a sign of brokenness. It isn’t a mistake that both the Old Testament and the New Testament have stories of God answering the prayers of women to heal their barrenness. The truth is in much of the world in ancient civilizations barrenness was too often seen as a punishment from God. Of course, that was never the case, but it is interesting that these…
The Word of the Day
Free to Serve One Another in Love (Fri, Sept. 23)
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The word of the day is “freedom.” What do people have in mind when they seek freedom? They seek release from whatever controls or threatens to restrain them. And yet, in the name of freedom, many let themselves be dominated by all sorts of indulgences: the pursuit of fame, wealth, adventure, comfort, lust, and power. In today’s reading of Galatians 5:11-21, Paul writes, “For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another” (OSB vs. 13). Today we will learn what should control us as those who are free in Christ. Imagine that a group of children are in a candy shop. The storekeeper announces that she will be stepping…
Faith Encouraged
The Day
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I remember the preacher looking at his congregation and saying “One day every crooked place is going to be made straight, and every low place is going to be made high, and every high place is going to be made low!” Then he added the kicker: “Ain’t nobody going to escape coming face to face with justice! There’s going to come a reckoning” I confess this made me squirm in my seat.…
The Word of the Day
Faith No Longer Needs the Law as a Schoolmaster (Thurs. Sept. 22)
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The word of the day is “tutor.” When we are new to the faith, we might suppose that we must put ourselves under some strict external disciplines to regulate our life in Christ. For example, Paul’s opponents demanded that the believing Gentiles still keep the constraints of the Law of Moses. But in today’s reading of Galatians 3:23-4:5, the apostle compares the Mosaic law to a “schoolmaster,” “guardian,” or “tutor”[1] who forces an undisciplined child to comply with his directives. The Law as a Tutor The apostle writes, “Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. For you are all sons of…
Glory to God for All Things
Boundaries, Borders, and the True God
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Years ago, as a young seminarian, I wanted to paint icons. I knew nothing about icons, only that I liked them and that they were holy. The vast wealth of books and materials on their meaning and even on the technique of painting them simply did not exist. My knowledge of painting was also non-existent. But rushing in like a fool, I bought materials (none of which were correct) and stretched a…
Walking an Ancient Path
Recurring Miracles (& Hiatus)
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I grew up in a miracle-believing town. Tulsa, Oklahoma, was and still is a center of charismatic Christianity, which Merriam-Webster defines succinctly and accurately as “the religious movement that emphasizes the seeking of direct divine inspiration and extraordinary power (as of healing) given a Christian by the Holy Spirit.” Tulsa is the home of Oral Roberts University, Rhema Bible Institute, and many churches that actually schedule and promote healing services and expect…
Faith Encouraged
Cleaning Up the Mess You Made
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“I am sick of this! I mean it, this is the very last time!” I hear these words in my head and I know they are a lie. I’m having to clean up another mess someone else has made! And I feel the resentment and anger rising in my heart and mind, and starting to feel the intoxicating effects of that anger making me say and think things that are both unhelpful…
Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick
The Present and Future of Orthodox Christian Media
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Faith Encouraged
Be Strong In The Lord!
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I love this Armed Forces Motto: “The more you sweat in training, the less you bleed in battle.” Isn’t that great? In other words, when you put the time into preparing for battle, you are more ready to face the fight. And what is true for physical fighting is also true for the spiritual battle each of us faces every day! What? You didn’t know this was going to be a fight…
Glory to God for All Things
Self-Emptying and Self-Fulfillment
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There are many ways to imagine or describe human existence. Perhaps the darkest of all can be seen in the writings of the English philosopher, Thomas Hobbes. He essentially described human beings as living in a constant state of competition. Our “natural state” is one of self-interest. He famously wrote of the state of nature: In such condition, there is no place for industry; because the fruit thereof is uncertain: and consequently…
Faith Encouraged
Join Us For Bible Study Online
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Faith Encouraged
Meant to Be Visible!
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In his “must read” book “On The Incarnation” St. Athanasius said ““Even on the cross He did not hide Himself from sight; rather, He made all creation witness to the presence of its Maker.” Think of that, The Creator insisted on making visible the Invisible, and to make accessible The Uncreated. But that was God’s intention all along, to make Himself Visible and Accessible to His Creation. He even made His suffering…
Eastern Christian Insights
Taking Up Our Crosses is Always a Free Choice : Homily for the Sunday After the Elevation of the Holy Cross in the Orthodox Church
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Galatians 2:16-20; Mark 8:34-9:1 As we continue to celebrate the Elevation of the Holy Cross, we must remember that taking up our own crosses requires a choice on our part each day of our lives. We certainly cannot control whether we encounter difficulties and challenges, but we always have the choice whether to make them opportunities to deny ourselves and follow our Lord.  Doing so requires us to continue to pursue…
No Other Foundation
Prime Minister Trudeau and Q Spirit
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In about 1968, Prime Minister Trudeau (not our current disaster, a previous one) famously declared that “the government has no business in the bedrooms of the nation”. Even then it was a touch asinine when you really thought about it, for it all depended on precisely what was happening in those bedrooms. The sexual molestation of children, for example, doesn’t happen on the front lawn, but in the bedrooms of the nation,…
The Word of the Day
Word of the Day on Vacation
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