Author: Fr. Barnabas Powell

Today we are Confronted with Comparison. The Rich Man and Lazarus confront us with a reality we ignore at our own peril. Are you ready to have your mind renewed by the wisdom of Jesus Christ?

This Saturday we hear from Fr. Alex Trader. "A growling dog will inevitably make another dog growl in turn or cower in fear. A hissing cat will inevitably make another cat hiss in response or fly up a tree. But people do have a choice when others curse them and swear at them. Yes, they can swear back, which according to biologists, is the human analogue to a dog’s growl and a cat’s hiss. But they can also inhibit that animal instinct as the situation requires, which according to neuroscientists takes place through the regulatory function of the prefrontal cortex, that cerebral place where morals and a sense of right and wrong can be found. And yet beyond just inhibiting a growl or merely suppressing a hiss, we can act in wonderfully surprising and sublimely counterintuitive ways that reveal the divine magnitude of human freedom. Through love for Christ and with the grace of Christ, we can even “bless them that curse us.” Go here to read the rest - http://ancientchristianwisdom.com/2014/10/25/bless-them-that-curse-you/

Life is simple. 

It never ceases to amaze me when I succumb to fears that flow from a forgetful faith. It seems a week doesn't pass (or sometimes even a day) when I am either mindlessly faithless or I have reduced my faith to mere "decoration."

One of the greatest revelations I had in my journey to Orthodox Christianity was the powerful theological truth preserved in the timeless Christian tradition of calling our clergy "father." You may object by telling me that Jesus commanded "Call no man 'father'" in Matthew 23:9. And on the surface that might seem to be the end of the discussion but you may want to sit down here!

You've met those folks, they just "go along to get along" as my mawmaw would say. They take on the opinions of those around them and whatever the crowd does, they do. I guess that's fine if you're in a good crowd, but if not, well...

I'm not quite sure what to make of all this talk about "privilege" nowadays. If they mean that some folks were born with advantages, well it seems that's always been the case. If they mean that those born with advantages are responsible for realizing that truth, then that's OK too. What concerns me most is the easy way all this jargon always descends into excuses not to think.

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Fr. Lawrence Farley joins Fr. Barnabas as special guest on this Sunday’s Faith Encoraged LIVE program on AncientFaith.com. We will be discussing demons, spiritual warfare, and Halloween. Listen and call in with your questions as we deal with the unseen world from an Orthodox perspective. That’s this Sunday night at 8 PM Eastern on Faith Encouraged LIVE! Pass this on to your friends!