Faith Encouraged
The Power of a Firm Foundation in Christ
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Why do you think the way you think? In other words, what forms your opinions, priorities, and actions. Why do you choose what you choose? All of these questions go to the foundation of how you live your life. And if we don’t periodically examine the foundational formation of how we think and live, we will find ourselves being lived by life instead of living life as a free person. For instance,ā¦
The Word of the Day
The Proper Relationship Between Godās Promise and His Law (Wed. Sept. 13)
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The word of the day is āpromise.āĀ Since the Reformation, many think in opposites:Ā Law/Gospel; Faith/Works; grace/merit.Ā In terms of todayās reading of Galatians 3:15-22, they juxtapose theĀ promiseĀ given to Abraham with the directives given to Moses.Ā But the problem is that then these believers pit one category against the other as if each canceled out the other. But when Paul argues that righteousness is by faith, he states, āIs the law then against theĀ promises of God? Certainly not!ā (vs. 21). Ā The Almighty is One with one will and purpose. Ā And He did not establish one order of salvation only to contradict Himself with another.Ā Today we learn that we need to put the categories that describe Godās work of salvationā¦
Glory to God for All Things
Mary as the "Secret Joy" of the Church
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Fr. Alexander Schmemann wrote: …When investigating the history of Mariological piety, one discovers that it is rooted not in any special revelation but, primarily, in the experience of liturgical worship. In other terms, it is not a theological reflection on Mary that gave birth to her veneration: it is the liturgy as the experience of “heaven on earth,” as communion with and the knowledge of heavenly realities, as an act of loveā¦
Faith Encouraged
"One Man Should Die for the People"
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Have you ever heard of the story of the donkey who saved a prophetās life by talking to him? And you thought your dreams were strange! Seriously, this powerful story in the First Testament is worth your time! Read the whole story in Numbers 22. To make a long story short, Balaam is something of a prophet and some enemies of the Jews in the area want to hire him to curseā¦
The Word of the Day
The Gift of the Holy Spirit: An Outward Sign of Saving Faith (Tues. Sept. 12)
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The word of the day if faithĀ In our reading of Galatians 2:21-3:7 St. Paul asks an urgent Ā question:Ā āDid you receive the Holy Spirit by works of the Las or by the hearing of faith. (OSB vs. 2:2). He is so adamant that he asks the same question again (OSB vs. 2:5). Salvation is a Process That powerful question seems a bit off track. Why didnāt Paul say, āWere you saved by faith?ā The answer is that āsalvationā is a process. The Greek Archdiocesan Website states, āThe reception of the gift of salvation is not a one-time event, but a lifetime process. St. Paul employs the verb āto saveā (sozesthai) in the past tense (āwe have been saved,ā) [Romā¦
No Other Foundation
Speaking out against Anti-Semitism
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Authentic Orthodox Christianity is opposed to anti-Semitism.Ā That said, the Orthodox Church throughout the world is a far-flung family, not a centrally-controlled cult, so that it cannot police or control every utterance made by its members. Ā That being so, it must be admitted, with much sadness and regret, that anti-Semitic comments and behaviour have in our history characterized some Orthodox Christians, and continues in some parts of the Orthodox Church. This isā¦
Faith Encouraged
Cure for the Troubled Soul
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In our nihilistic age, with all the turmoil of our society from pandemics to politics to violence in the streets, we moderns seem to be having a crisis of purpose, a crisis of meaning! I was having a conversation the other day with a dear, educated man, who also happens to be an ordained clergyman in one of the many Protestant denominations in our fair city. The conversation turned, as it oftenā¦
The Word of the Day
Sacramentally Dead to the Law and Alive to God (Mon. Sept. 11)
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The word of the day is ālaw.āĀ We take it for granted that the MosaicĀ LawĀ and its regulations and restrictions do not apply to us. But today, we reflect on why it no longer holds us captive. We learn that freedom from theĀ lawĀ is not a generality. In Holy Baptism, each one is personally released from the bondage to theĀ lawĀ and its judgement and given the grace of the Holy Spirit. Today, we learn to think sacramentally about our salvation. We realize that the water and oil of the Holy Mystery of Baptism and Chrismation are agents of grace by which we die to sin and rise to the freedom of the New Life of Christ in the Spirit. In todayās reading ofā¦
The Word of the Day
The Holy Spirit: Godās Warranty (Sun. Sept. 10)
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The word of the day is āguarantee.āĀ In todayās reading of 2 Corinthians 1:21-2:4, Paul has just said that āall the promises of God in Him [Christ] are āYes.ā Ā Now he adds that God has made both the Corinthians and him secure and firm in these promises of God (StrongāsĀ #950,53). Ā Today we learn how we can put our complete confidence in these pledges. Anointed as Kings: Sealed as Godās Own How can we be so sure of Godās Word of promise? Ā We find the answer in the following verse: Ā God is the one āwho also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as aĀ guaranteeā (vs. 22). Ā We know for certain that God will fulfill His promisesā¦
The Word of the Day
On Not Judging Others Before the Time When God Will Judge (Sat. Sept. 9)
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The word of the day is ājudge.ā Ā Who are we toĀ judgeĀ others?Ā There is oneĀ JudgeĀ and one final time of Judgment.Ā When we condemn others, even if we think they deserve it, we act as if the āEnd Timeā had already come and we are sitting on the throne of Christ.Ā Thus, we forget our own sinfulness by our concentration on the faults of others. Today, in our reading of 1 Cor. 4:1-5, Paul answers those who are judging him. Ā They are impugning his motives (9:1-14) and comparing him to their standards of wisdom in teaching and eloquence in preaching (1:17, 2:1). Judging Others Puts Them on Trial The Greek word for ājudgeā calls to mind the setting of a courtroom.Ā Theā¦
Faith Encouraged
Thinking Like Jesus Thinks - Happy Marymas!
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How do you think? Or, a better question is, What has formed the way you think? SDcientists call this question “epistemology” from the Greek word “episteme.” How you think flows from what has shaped how you think. So, what do you allow to shape your thinking? Because how you think, and what you think shapes your choices, attitudes, and decisions. It’s the reason why the Church’s wisdom on repentance is so foundationalā¦
No Other Foundation
Whatās Wrong with Suicide?
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Eventually every pastor will be faced with the question of what to do about the theological issue of suicide, either because he will be asked to preside at the funeral of someone who has taken his or her own life, or because he will be asked to offer prayers for their repose.Ā What is the proper response, both theologically and pastorally?Ā May one legitimately preside at the funeral of a suicide orā¦
A Lamp for Today
Light from the Psalter 5: Crying Out of the Depths
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Psalm 129LXX/130 MTĀ and 116/117; Deuteronomy 30:11-14; Romans 10:6-8, Luke 23:34-46, Mark 14:37, 15:34 In the darkness of Vespers, and from the depths of our hearts, we cry out to God, knowing that the Lordās Day will follow the night. The third and fourth of the lamplighting Psalms (Psalm 129/130 and Psalm 116/117) are chanted one after the other.Ā We sing them in short bits, and in response with verses that recallā¦
Faith Encouraged
Knowing Your Freedom in Christ
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There was a day when I relished a good theological argument. Jousting with this or that āopponentā over this or that doctrine was as much fun as it was challenging. My favorite fights were over questions about the Trinity or predestination or even the very question about what was salvation anyway. Iād pour over scriptures read books about apologetics and hone my āargumentsā until I thought they were ironclad! And then Iādā¦
Growing the Church
Remembering Evils Done to Us
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Another obstacle to spiritual growth is a preoccupation with the past, more specifically actively remembering evils done to us. This is a bit complicated, however, since some of what we experience at the hands of others is indeed wrong, unjust, if not an outright moral outrage. As such, we think that these events demand a specific response or an accounting of some kind. This reaction to the offense seems reasonable not onlyā¦
Praying in the Rain
I Am Adam
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I have a wonderful ten-year-old boy in our church community named Levi, Levi Matthew.Ā Levi was born with terrible birth defects, a conditionāI donāt know the name of itāthat usually limits the life expectancy of children with this condition to six months.Ā Levi broke the record. Ā When I first told my spiritual father about Levi, his only response was to be quiet for a moment, shed a tear and eventually say,ā¦
Faith Encouraged
The Stone Rejected Has Become the Cornerstone - Sunday Homily
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Your life is a gift from the God Who loves you. The Creator has allowed you to be His tenants of His world, and all He asks is that we remember that our life is gift and return gratitude to the Creator, not for His benefit (He needs nothing) but for our benefit. When confronted with the ugly unfaithfulness of ungrateful “tenants” the shortsighted leaders attacking Christ condemn themselves. Learn the powerā¦
Walking an Ancient Path
Remembrance of Death and "Celebrations of Life"
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News flash: Before we get to todayās topic, I want to tell you about a new book that Iām very excited about. Yesterday Ancient Faith Publishing released Behold a Great Light: A Daily Devotional for the Nativity Fast through Theophany. Some of you may not know that Iām an editor at Ancient Faith, and at Christmastime about two years ago I started thinking about how the Orthodox approach to Christmas is soā¦
Faith Encouraged
How Can Suffering Make You Perfect?
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The word āasceticismā is something of a mystery to our modern way of life. We have lived with such plenty and such amazing comfort and ease for so long that now we assume that all of life is meant to be pain (and even effort) free. Just consider our attitudes towards marriage. We assume that marriage is meant to āfulfill usā or ācomplete usā as if the Hollywood version of romantic loveā¦
The Word of the Day
Being in Christ and Living in Christ (Wed. Sept. 6)
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The word of the day is āin.āĀ We often use the expression āinĀ Christā or āinĀ the Name of Christ.āĀ What do we mean?Ā Today in our reading of 2 Corinthians 13:3-14, Paul uses the term āinā in two senses.Ā He writes, āsince you seek a proof of Christ speakingĀ inĀ me, who is not weak toward you, but mighty in youā (OSB vs. 3). Ā He also says, āExamine yourselves as to whether you areĀ inĀ the faith. Ā Test yourselves.Ā Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ isĀ inĀ youā unless indeed you are disqualifiedā (OSB vs. 5)? Ā Today we will analyze todayās passage according to the meaning of these two uses. Ā Our study will help us expand our understanding of our relationship to Christ. Today inā¦
Glory to God for All Things
The Act of Veneration
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No spiritual activity permeates Orthodoxy as much as veneration. For the non-Orthodox, veneration is often mistaken for worship. We kiss icons; sing hymns to saints; cry out āMost Holy Theotokos, save us!ā And all of this scandalizes the non-Orthodox who think we have fallen into some backwater of paganized Christianity. It is not unusual to hear Orthodox who more or less apologize for this activity and seek to minimize it. āWe areā¦
Faith Encouraged
It Isn't Easy, But It Is Good!
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Every parent has heard themselves say this at one time or another: āIf you two donāt stop bickering, Iāll stop this car and punish you both!ā I mean, surely Iām not the only one! Please tell me Iām not the only dad that has threatened this! Seriously, as parents, we really do set expectations of behavior for our children. One of the most fundamental tasks of parenting is to both model andā¦
The Word of the Day
How To Treat Open and Unrepentant Offenders in the Church (Tues. Sept. 5)
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The word of the day is ārepented.āĀ Ā Todayās reading from 2 Corinthians 12:20-13:2 concerns the treatment of open and unrepentant sinners in the Body of Christ.Ā The Lord said, āThere will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance (OSB Luke 15:7).Ā But what about sinners who do not repent and yet remain in the church? On the one hand, the Lord taught, āJudge not, that you be not judgedā (OSB Matthew 7:1).Ā On the other hand, Paul wrote: āBut now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard,ā¦
No Other Foundation
Stand Aright!
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Our society is not accustomed to hear a word from God; we are unfamiliar with oracles.Ā Instead, we are awash with the words of menāusually fairly worthless wordsācoming at us from all sides, like incoming missiles in a war zone:Ā texts on our phones, emails on our computers, blogs, advertisements, political propaganda (i.e. newscasts), junk mail.Ā Such a barrage leaves us stunned and a bit insensitive to the power of the printedā¦
Faith Encouraged
I Don't Seek Yours; I Seek YOU!
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Steve Jobs said ā Be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren’t used to an environment where excellence is expected.ā So true. Most of us are far too comfortable with mediocrity or āthatās good enough.ā Because of this, we get a life that never is pressed to discover its potential, the possibilities. What a waste. This addiction to mediocrity is a symptom of pride! And yet, because we are so comfortable withā¦
Eastern Christian Insights
Good Tenants of the Lord's Vineyard Do Not Hoard the Fruit for Themselves: Homily for the Thirteenth Sunday of Matthew in the Orthodox Church
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Matthew 21:33-42 We sometimes fall prey to the temptation to read Christās criticism of the chief priests and Pharisees in a fashion that does not criticize us at all.Ā We can easily condemn those corrupt religious leaders as bad and praise ourselves as good, for we are presumably the āother tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons.āĀ Ā To do so, however, is to refuse to hear the prophetic messageā¦
Faith Encouraged
A New Year! Let's Be Peaceful
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Today marks the start of a new Church Year on the Orthodox calendar, and, like all New Year’s celebrations, this offers us a moment to reflect and reorient our actions and our attitudes to a more peaceful life. And in the midst of this chaotic age of “us vs. them” and “Red vs. Blue” and “Right vs. Left” and all the other ways we use our fantasy words to belong to tribesā¦
