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Scripture and the Church
Read more: Scripture and the ChurchI recently encountered a use of Scripture in a web posting that was alarming to a degree. The writer (who was not apparently a believer) sought to use Scripture to prove that God was a murderer and that the Bible was an immoral book. It gave me an opportunity to reflect on why certain approaches […]
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We Should Not Be Distracted By Anything
Read more: We Should Not Be Distracted By AnythingReading the Philokalia is, at best, a daunting task. Where to begin? The following is a very useful section, drawn from the writings of St. Peter of Damascus in the Philokalia. It has been edited by Fr. Thomas Hopko. I am indebted to one of his many spiritual children for this copy. We should not be […]
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In the Father’s House
Read more: In the Father’s HouseThere is a tremendous kindness in the parable of Prodigal Son. There are many ways to speak of reconciliation with God, or of the forgiveness of our sins. In the parable of the Prodigal Son, however, we find perhaps the most gentle of all images. The son who asks for his inheritance in a greedy […]
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Giving Thanks Beyond Measure
Read more: Giving Thanks Beyond MeasureI have frequently had reason to ask: who’s keeping whom? When I was received into the Orthodox faith, I and the rest of my family, stood one by one before the Gospel and a hand-cross to make a solemn promise: This true faith of the Orthodox Church, which I now voluntarily confess and truly hold, […]
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The Mystery of Salvation
Read more: The Mystery of SalvationSalvation is truly the great mystery of human life. Essentially we are saying that the path from where we are now, in our sins, to where we shall be, conformed to the image of Christ, is as unknown to us as possible. We know the commandments of Christ, and our weakness both in keeping those […]
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Love Is Before All Things
Read more: Love Is Before All ThingsSpiritual struggle is frequently counter-intuitive – and is almost always learned from those who have walked its paths successfully before us. The following is a small passage from the teachings of the Elder Porphyrios. Its wisdom speaks for itself. If you would gain the victory in spiritual struggle, then above all things, seek to love. […]
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Father Sophrony’s Prayer
Read more: Father Sophrony’s PrayerA dear friend shared this with me: Fr Sophrony’s Prayer O Eternal Lord and Creator of all things, in your inscrutable goodness you have called me into this life and have given me the grace of baptism and the seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit. You have instilled in me the desire to […]
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How Can We Give Thanks?
Read more: How Can We Give Thanks?Everyone capable of thanksgiving is capable of salvation. Fr. Alexander Schmemann I do not believe it is possible to exhaust this topic and that there are many things worth saying in a second article. Most specifically I want to write on what seem to me necessary elements in giving thanks to God. If giving thanks […]
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Saved with Thanksgiving
Read more: Saved with ThanksgivingEveryone capable of giving thanks is capable of salvation. Fr. Alexander Schmemann Nothing is more essential to human living than the giving of thanks. According to the Apostle Paul, it is one of the very purposes for which we were created (Romans 1:21 St. Paul here upbraids us for our failure to give thanks). Much […]
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And Thus the Heart
Read more: And Thus the HeartAll of these things of late: waiting, patience, the presence of God, our personhood, the Church and the Cross, all come back to the human heart. It is the place of all things of our existence. It is as St. Macarius said: The heart itself is but a small vessel, yet dragons are there, and […]
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Michael, Of course. I’m describing a collective effect rather than an individual effect. Collectively, the decline of religion in affluent…
Father, at my parish we have quite a few wealthy folk who have jobs that are often secular in nature…
Michael, Kevin, Abortion is a good example of the law of unintended consequences. For years, conservative voters championed pro-life candidates,…
Kevin, about 16 years ago politics hit home one Sunday in the Lutheran Church right across the street from my…
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Michael: Thanks for the recommendation. I’ll take a look.