Be All That You Can Be…Not Just What You ARE

We have all heard that God loves us no matter what we do or say or believe. He loves us no matter what mistakes we have made in this life. He loves us even if we don’t love Him in return. It comes as no surprise then that whenever the question of Christian lifestyle comes up in a conversation, I often hear, “God loves me just the way I am.” This is all true, but it is not the end of the story.

Jesus Christ says, “But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil.” (Luke 6.35) The way in which our Lord teaches us here seems to say that we should love because God first loved us. Our Lord says, “But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those love them.” (Luke 6.32)

God is calling us to a higher standard as Christians. While it is true that God loves us no matter how we believe or act, it is quite clear that He wants us to return this love by loving others. “Just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them.” (Luke 6.31) If we have been loved with no strings attached by God, then according to the Golden Rule, we should love others with the same expectation. It is not enough to simply be what we are, we must become all that God WANTS us to be, sons of the Most High.

“Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.” (Luke 6.36)

Desire Is What Drives Us….But Where?

Our Lord says, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” (Mark 8.34) This simple statement requires us to consider two questions. Where is Christ going that He wants us to follow Him and do we in fact desire to follow Him there? We cannot answer the second without understanding the first. Some may think Christ is speaking literally since He was known to travel from city to city and spend time in villages and on the seashore teaching. Yet if we dig a bit deeper into the Gospel we discover the answer: “Assuredly, I say to you, that there are some standing here who will not taste death till they see the kingdom of God present with power.” (Mark 9.1)
If we understand that Christ is on His way to be with His Father then the question is: Do we want to follow Him there? God has blessed humanity with freedom: the freedom to follow Him or to deny Him. He doesn’t force us into submission but calls us lovingly like a father calls his children. “Please, come and be blessed,” and as any parent knows, if a child doesn’t want to follow there’s no forcing him. God gives each of us the same choice today.

If we desire to follow Christ to Heaven then we will willingly give up our loyalty to earthly passions in exchange for heavenly. This will not be an easy task since the devil will never stop trying to convince us that following God is for “those religious types who don’t know any better.” We will suffer for Christ, maybe not physically, but sometimes being humiliated by our neighbors can be more painful than being cut by a knife. Saint Paul says is best: “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” (Romans 8.18)

Come on! Let’s go follow Christ to heaven together, as a Church and see the Power of God.

If God Said It, It Must Be True – Let the Healing Begin

Throughout history God has revealed to the world that He means what He says and that just because He says something will happen, it will. There are three very similar examples of where God’s logic conflicts with our worldly logic. Abraham, Joachim and Zacharias were each old men when God declared to them that their wives would have children. In each case so long as the men believed in God’s promise a child was born. We know these three children to be Isaac, the Theotokos, and John the Baptist. In each case God proclaimed a truth and it came to be and life came into the world.

There is another famous instance when God declared sometime to be true that required faith. In the Old Testament we read in Numbers 21.4-9 about the Jews and their struggle in the desert. Because of their unbelief, “so the Lord sent venomous serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and many of the people died…Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Make a serpent for yourself and put in on a signal pole, and it shall be, if a serpent should bite someone, when the one bitten looks at it, he shall live.’” Its difficult to imagine that merely looking at a copper serpent on a stick would cure the poison of a snake, but “it happened, when a serpent bit anyone, and he looked at the copper snake, he lived.” (Numbers 21.9)

This testimony of faith should be an inspiration to us. God has declared that if we believe Jesus Christ and “confess with your [our] mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your [our] heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you [we] will be saved.” (Romans 10.9) It’s just like the Jews in the desert. It might sound impossible, but God said it, so it will come true. All we need to do is believe it…and then ACT ON IT!

We have all been bitten by the serpent, the devil, and we are all in need of some healing – whatever healing that may be. If believe God will heal us, He will. Why not put our faith in Him and let the healing begin?

Three Little Words, One Big Blessing

It Never Fails. I’m always receiving a blessing when I’m the one “doing the blessing”. Of course we all know that it is God that does the blessing when faithful Christians seek His blessing, whether clergy or non-clergy, but this evening I can honestly say I was the one blessed and inspired by someone’s deep faith. I was invited to bless the home of someone this evening that had just moved into their new home. Their home is new because their old home was destroyed in a fire in 2009. While getting to know the couple the wife shared with me the terror and anxiety of the night the fire took place. What inspired me this evening was the faith the wife had in Christ in the midst of such tragedy. As she shared with me, she was on the front lawn watching her home burn to the ground and began to panic about lost pictures and valuables. Realizing that such panic would only make things worse, she told herself, “Its only stuff.” With these three words, she was comforted that God would take care of her family and that “stuff” can always be replaced. Inspiring enough? NO! She then informed me that all the things she had begun to panic about losing were some of the few and only things salvaged in the fire. Many of the things that were saved were in the attic, which was nearly destroyed, in a plastic bin. Days later when she was allowed back into the home to assess the reality of the disaster, the bin was found in the attic charred but intact; her family photos and other precious memories were saved.


I firmly believe that God was present with this family in their tragedy, as He is with everyone during hard and good times, but His gift to this woman was to protect her “stuff” just as she was willing to not be bound to it and allow Him the help her. Maybe it was His way of saying, “Ok, now that you have given your heart to Me, I want to let you know you’re not alone.”

We can all be inspired by stories such as this and I pray that my sharing it here this evening will bring joy and peace to someone who is reading this but not quite sure that God is near to help. He is. He’s just waiting for you to let Him take over.

Glory to God for all things!

It’s Time for a Change of Perspective

Sometimes in life we have to change the way we look at things. This is true not only in the arrangement of furniture in the Den, but our spiritual lives and September is an excellent opportunity to do this. When we look differently at our furniture sometimes we see things we never noticed before; and sometimes this can be a scratch in the sofa or a stain in the carpet. Whenever we take the chance to look at things from a different angle we are able to improve and sometimes repair that which is damaged.


Since September is the beginning of the New Ecclesiastical Year, I encourage each of you this week to change your perspective, not of your furniture, but of your life in Christ. Look at your spiritual life from a different angle…look at it from Christ’s point of view.



Would our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ be pleased with the way you treat others at work, in the store, on the street, in our Church? Would He be pleased with your level of commitment to Him or would He want more from you? Have you prayed as much as Christ would like? Have you fasted? Have you been charitable to others and His Church? Have you taken the time for your spiritual growth by spending a few moments each day away from the hustle and bustle of daily life?



God wants our hearts but He knows that sometimes our hearts are torn. He knows that sometimes we spend more time away from Him than with Him. He knows that sometimes we forget to pray and serve others. He knows we’re not perfect. All He wants is for us to try harder and He has given us Holy Confession for us to repent (change our behavior) to get closer to Him. Consider making an appointment for Holy Confession and change your point of view to God’s Point of View.

From God’s Perspective, Everything Looks Different

As a boy I spent many Saturday mornings in front of the TV watching cartoons. Among my favorites was The Road Runner! I still chuckle when I think of that poor coyote especially when the Road Runner finds himself in mid-air hovering over a deep cliff holding the sign, “I know I’m defying the law of gravity, but I never studied law!” The scene is always followed by that poor coyote falling hundreds of feet to the canyon floor. As kids we always knew we couldn’t defy the law of gravity because we were real and the Road Runner was just a cartoon character. Here on Earth, the law of gravity is the law of gravity and there is no lawyer that can talk his way out of that law! Did you ever wonder why the Road Runner could do it and not Wile E. Coyote, Super-Genius? You’ll have to ask Warner Bros. since they wrote it.



In this morning’s Gospel, our Lord asks the Pharisees a seemingly simple question. “What do you think about the Christ? Whose Son is He?” (Matthew 22.42) He asks this question as a follow-up to their inquiry just moments before: “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” (Matthew 22.36) Unlike my favorite childhood cartoons, the Pharisees did know the Law very well and were known for always following it to the very letter! It makes me wonder why they even bothered to ask the question.



Fortunately for us, St. Matthew tells us up front the reason for the lawyer’s question. The Gospel says, “But when the Pharisees heard that He [Jesus] had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him.” (Matthew 22.34-35) The lawyer had no desire to actually hear what our Lord had to say but wanted instead to trap Him into some nuance in the Law. What they didn’t expect was that they were asking the author of the Law about the Law.



God is the Author of the Law and there isn’t anyone who would dare challenge the author of a law as to its meaning so why challenge God? I believe the answer is in the lawyer’s inability to recognize Jesus Christ as God. The Pharisees and Sadducees were so wrapped up in being superior to commoners, such as carpenters (such as Jesus was) they were blinded to the truth. And the truth is, God’s Law rules above all other laws, but just as its strange to see the Road Runner standing in mid-air, it is strange seeing God’s wisdom and Law from our perspective. From our perspective as fallen human beings in need of healing, God’s Law just doesn’t make sense.



“Jesus asked them saying, ‘What do you think about the Christ? Whose Son is He? They said to Him, ‘The Son of David.’ He said to them, ‘How then does David in the Spirit call Him ‘Lord,’ saying, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool’’?” (Matthew 22.42-44) Of course Jesus, being God, knows exactly how this can be, but because He wants to lead the Pharisees and Sadducees into the Truth, He invites them to take notice of the (what I would call) lack of common sense revealed in David’s Son being His Lord. But they couldn’t see the Truth because they wouldn’t let go of their earthly logic and laws of nature. In their pride, they refused to see how someone’s son could also be their lord.



In their pride they were unable to go to the only logical conclusion: “With man this in impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19.26) Saint John Chrysostom says, “For those men gained nothing, taken captive by vainglory and having fallen upon this terrible passion.” (Homily LXXII on Matthew)



Now back to the Law. “Jesus said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments, hang all the Law and Prophets.’” (Matthew 22.37-40) Immediately we begin to understand just why the Pharisees and Sadducees may have been confused. They asked which law, which single law, was the great one; and Jesus answered with two laws and then says the Law rests one of the Laws. How could the entire Law rest on itself? There has to be some greater authority than the Law itself. It’s kind of like asking why the Road Runner could float in mid-air and not the coyote. The statement, from their perspective, just made no sense.



The Bible is full of statements that, from our fallen human perspective, just don’t make sense. “Whoever shall lose His life shall gain it.” (Matthew 16.25) “He who desires to be the greatest shall be the servant of all.” (Mark 9.35) “Ask for a drink you and shall never thirst again?” (John 4.14) And don’t forget, “He who comes after me was before me.” (John 1.30) From our perspective none of these statements make sense; so when Jesus tells us to love our neighbor as ourselves, we just add that to list.



But God’s Law DOES make sense. We just have to change our perspective. We have to begin looking at life from God’s point of view. We must stop placing our trust in what the world and “worldly logic” tells us makes sense and beginning to trust in God’s Word and see things from His point of view. And what is God’s point of view? The Lord says…

"For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.' But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, 'Raca!' shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, 'You fool!' shall be in danger of hell fire. Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny. You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not commit adultery.' But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. Furthermore it has been said, 'Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.' But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery. Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.' But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God's throne; nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. But let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No.' For whatever is more than these is from the evil one. You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away. You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect. (Matthew 5.20-48)

 

You see my brothers and sisters in Christ, from God’s perspective He WANTS us to be perfect. He doesn’t want us to settle for what makes sense from our worldly perspective. It is worldly perspective that gave the world hundreds of wars and the Holocaust of World War II. It is worldly logic that has created the worst economy since the Great Depression. And it will be worldly logic that keeps us away from God when He calls us into His Kingdom just as it was worldly logic that kept the Pharisees and Sadducees from recognizing Jesus Christ as God – the Author of the Law!



It’s time for us to change our perspective. It’s time to start looking at life the way God looks at it. It’s time to give up our pride and vainglory and actually hear the Word of God. “Wisdom arise! Let us HEAR the Holy Gospel.” (from the Divine Liturgy) My brothers and sisters, God doesn’t want us to just listen, He wants us to HEAR it with our hearts.

Beware the Price of Pride

Today we are honoring the gruesome martyrdom of “the greatest man ever born of a woman,” (Matthew 11.11) as a warning against pride and greed. John the Baptist stood as a bold and public defender of truth and morality when he reminded Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife." (Mark 6.18) Later as Herodias’ daughter danced for Herod, he was so taken by her beauty that he swore to give her anything she wanted. Since it was Herodias that Herod desired, and whom John the Baptist reminded that he could not have, Herodias convinced her daughter to ask for the head of John the Baptist on a platter. As if this was not enough, scripture says, “And the king was exceedingly sorry; yet, because of the oaths and because of those who sat with him, he did not want to refuse her.” (Mark 6.26) Herod allowed his lust, pride, and ego to dictate his actions. According to the Scriptures Herod did not want to kill John the Baptist, “knowing that he was a just and holy man.” (Mark 6.20)



How many times do we allow our pride and ego to dictate our actions? Too many times! What is the worst thing that would have happened if Herod had refused Herodias’ daughter and saved John’s life? He wouldn’t have been able to have an affair with her for one thing, but Herod’s lust could not allow that to happen.



We must watch carefully because our passions lurk around every corner to urge us to some immoral act, but we must deny the passions and remain faithful to God and His commandments. We must control our passions rather than allowing our passions to control us. This is why we must fast! Today the Church calls for a strict fast day in honor of the martyrdom of John the Baptist and also as an opportunity for us to take control of our passions. Is it too much to fast today, or is eating meat more important than controlling our passions? We know the result of Herod’s passions…what will be the result of our passions?

Are We Lucky or What? We Have Inherited God’s Kingdom!

Just the other day, like happens so often, I was asked who I was. This time the conversation went something like this:

Young Man: “Are you a preacher?”

Me: “Yes, I’m the Priest from the Greek Orthodox Church on Cashua.”

Young Man: “Where?”

Me: “You know….the Church across from CreekRats.” His friend new exactly where that was…

Young Man: “I don’t know where that is.”

Me: “Where do you go to Church on Sundays?”

Young Man: “###Church.”

Me: “Where is that?”

Young Man: “I don’t know. On Palmetto I think.”

Me: “But you go right? So do you know where it is?”

Young Man: “I don’t know where it is. I don’t drive.”

Me: “Oh, as long as you go.”

A few minutes later the young man approaches me again…

Young Man: “So what is the Greek Orthodox Church?”

Me: “The original Church. You know…before Baptists and Protestants. The first Church that the Apostles started.”

Young Man: “What’s the difference.” This is a question I always get more often than who am I.

Me: “Well, in a nutshell….” And I spent about two minutes explaining that all the other Churches are in some way changes to the original but that the Greek Orthodox Church hadn’t changed ever.

Young Man: “I’ll have to stop by some time.”

Me: “Please do. You are welcome to come anytime.” And we parted ways but not before saying a polite goodbye.

I have conversations like this almost every day but what made this one stick out was that I was working on today’s sermon. That’s when it occurred to me that this morning’s Gospel is actually the answer I should have given the young man.

Our Lord begins, “There was a certain landowner who planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a winepress in it and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country.” (Matthew 21.33) This in essence is the answer to this young man’s question. The Orthodox Church is the vineyard planted by God and we have been given the Church, as a gift, until He returns.

This gift we call the Church has a very long and grand history. The Church was established by God in the Garden of Eden when He created humanity. When He originally created humanity, it was His desire for us to live in total communion with Him but we fell short. Almost immediately, humanity fell to temptation in the Garden and the rest of history is the story of God’s rescue mission to restore us to our original glory: to live in communion with God.

And I bet you thought the Church was started only 2000 years ago by the Apostles. I even used those same words with the young man I was speaking with the other day. But in fact, the Church was started by God in the Garden long before Peter and Andrew the rest of the Apostles met Jesus Christ. That’s what makes this morning’s Gospel so amazing. Just listen to this…

“Now when vintage-time drew near, he sent his servants to the vinedressers, that they might receive its fruit. And the vinedressers took his servants, beat one, killed another, and stoned another. Again he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did likewise to them.” (Matthew 21.34-36) These servants were the Holy Prophets and Righteous of the Old Testament. Despite every effort they were unable to rescue the fruit from the vineyard. The fruit is us, humanity – men and women, which God has been trying to save ever since the devil tricked us in the Garden of Eden.

The Lord continues with the parable: “Then last of all he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.” (Matthew 21.37) And we all know what they did to His Son! And STILL God didn’t give up trying to save us. “He will destroy those wicked men miserably, and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will render to him the fruits in their season.” (Matthew 21.41)

That’s where we come in! Ever since God started the Church as His mission to save humanity from death, He has never given up nor forgotten us. Even after they killed His Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, God never stopped trying to save us from death. We, Orthodox Christians, have been given the vineyard to care for until His returns. What an awesome gift! We have inherited something priceless from the Jews, the Kingdom of God.

The Kingdom of God has been described in many ways by Christ: A field of seeds; a mustard seed; leaven; hidden treasure, a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, a fishing net, a king who wants to settle accounts, a landowner who went to hire laborers for his field, a king who arranged for the marriage of his son, a man traveling in a far country. (Matthew 13.24-52, 18.23, 20.1, 22.2, 25.14) Do you see what a great inheritance we have? The Church is the Kingdom of God in all these ways and we have been given the gift of taking care of it until He returns and finally we are saved from death.

If the Church is the vineyard, then WE are the fruit and just like any other vine we have to be watered and nurtured so we can produce good sweet fruit. Jesus says to the Jews, “Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruit of it.” (Matthew 21.43) Just think of what this gift really means.

Throughout human history, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3.23) And still God never stopped, He never gave up, He never let our sins get the best of us. He continued, and still continues to today and will continue until He returns, with His mission to rescue us from death. Saint Paul really set the record straight when he said, “God has passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.” (Romans 3.25-26)

Faith is the only thing God asks from us. Not “do-nothing” faith but active faith. All the images Jesus gives for the Kingdom of God are active images: a working king, fishing net, a traveling man. None of these images suggests that our faith is lazy. We are a vineyard and if we are going to bear fruit for God we have to work! But at what?

We must cultivate our fruit – the Fruit of the Holy Spirit. “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” (Galatians 5.22) If we are going to bear fruit for God we must cultivate these traits in our lives and we only have until God returns to produce fruit!

Don’t be afraid my dear brothers and sisters. We human beings have been making mistakes for thousands of years and we will continue to make mistakes. I know I have made more than my share of mistakes. But God is good and He will never give up on us.

So the next time someone asks you what the Orthodox Church is remember…we are God’s vineyard – the Kingdom of God, and we have been given this great inheritance…are we lucky or what?

Are We Too Busy to Choose Christ?

The following story is fiction. Any similarity between the characters of this story and real people is purely coincidental. In other words, if you think this is about you, it’s just your guilt speaking to you.


A mother woke upon one Sunday morning exhausted from a week of taxi service for her three children. As her eyes adjusted to the sunlight peaking through the blinds, she glanced at her icons across the room. There was no way she was going to make it to Church this morning she thought, “It’s been a long week and God will understand if I stay home and sleep-in this week. I am a good mother after all and this is the only morning I have to rest from all the activities my children participate in.” She rolled over and fell back asleep. Moments later her three children stormed into her room. “Mom, we’re going to be late for Church! Did you forget that it’s your turn to sponsor coffee hour?” She dragged herself from bed, got her three children ready for Church and pulled into the parking lot just as the other children were leaving the Church for Sunday School. “See, you’re not late!” she said to her children as she began to unload the supplies for coffee hour. “11:30, right on time!” She was just finishing making the coffee as the rest of the congregation arrived for coffee hour. Later that afternoon, still exhausted, she thought, “I will never sponsor coffee hour again….someone else needs to do their share of work around that Church!”



This poor mother never made it into Church that Sunday morning and I know many parents feel this way on a Sunday morning. Many others feel it too because whether we are busy parents playing taxi for our children or working six days a week at our own businesses, it’s really easy to see Sunday as a ‘day of rest’. I can’t tell you how many times I wish I could eliminate that phrase from our book of sayings.



In the Gospel we hear of a similar situation: A woman so preoccupied with busy work that when it comes to Jesus Christ, she’s too busy to sit down for a while and listen to His word. Jesus had come to the home of His friends Martha and Mary for dinner. “But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, ‘Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone?’” (Luke 10.40) We know she loved the Lord. This is the same Martha that runs to Jesus Christ after her brother Lazarus’ death, (John 11) but she was too preoccupied with being busy serving.



My brothers and sisters life in 2010 is busy, very busy. School starts this week (next week for some) and right about now every parent is wondering how we’re going to find the time to get everything done. Our children are involved in so many activities we struggle every day to teach them the proper choices and priorities. But we must admit that just because our life is so busy that doesn’t make it any more valuable. In fact when our busy schedule keeps us, like Martha away from spending time with Christ, simply put, we are too busy.



Life may be busy but we cannot sugarcoat the message Christ gives us in the Gospel. “And Jesus answered and said to her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.’” (Luke 10.41-42) There is time for serving and there is time for sitting and spending time with God. And when the time comes for spending time with God, then all other things must stop.



Life may be busy but as Christians it is never easy. Either we are working, as Christians, to care for our families and friends and God’s children, or we are spending time with God in worship. This is the message of Gospel. Jesus doesn’t chastise Martha because she was serving but that she was allowing her serving to distract her from Him and spending time with Him. Mary understood the difference and made the right choice.



We always have a choice in life and our choices are not always easy. Either we choose to spend time with God or we don’t. God calls us to a life of difficult choices. When we wake up each Sunday morning exhausted from a long week, we get to make a choice whether or not to come to Church. In our parish, for example, as parents we have a choice to either bring our children for Sunday School on Wednesday nights or not. There is always a choice, but God’s desire for us is clear: “One thing is needed.”



One thing is needed my brothers and sisters and while I don’t begrudge the activities we or our children are involved in, I do get concerned when people think that Sunday is the only day we can spend with God. Monday through Friday is for work and school. Saturday is for having fun or doing yard work. That leaves Sunday for God….but only if we got everything else done we wanted to accomplish during the week.



Being Orthodox Christians means that God is at the very center of our lives, not just someone we allow to see us on Sunday morning. The very first Christians found time to spend with God every day. “So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people.” (Acts 2.46-47) The least we could do is come to Church on Sunday morning and during the week either for Sunday School or Bible Study or Saturday Great Vespers.



I’m not going to sugarcoat the choice….it’s a difficult choice to follow Jesus Christ as Lord but God will bless us when we do choose to follow Him. The mother in my story never made it to Church that Sunday morning even though she made it to coffee. She made the wrong choice that much is clear. Our choice is no easier than her choice but we have another mother to follow. Today we celebrate the Feast of the greatest women ever to walk the Earth. A little girl at the young age of fifteen made the difficult choice to put God at the center of her life.



The Virgin Mary made that difficult choice to allow God to be born of her and God blessed her. She risked humiliation and divorce to allow Jesus Christ to be born of her for our salvation. She wasn’t humiliated and Joseph never left her; rather she has been exalted for over two thousand years as the greatest Saint of the Church. What choice will we make to place God at the center of our lives? Will we limit God to whatever time is left over and spend the entire week being distracted by our busy schedule or will we choose to spend time with God in His Church on Sunday and bring our children to Sunday School each Wednesday? I know the choice isn’t easy but our Christian choices never are just like the Virgin Mary.



Will we choose the one thing needed? The good portion will not be taken away from us. God will bless us every time we place Him at the center of our lives. Sometimes that means eliminating other activities from our busy schedule so we have time for God. Sometimes it just means waking up early on Sunday morning to be in Church before 10:00am. God will bless us for this as He said, “Blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!” (Luke 11.28)

Are You Martha or Mary?

When faced with the anxiety of serving dinner to Jesus and His disciples, Martha became frustrated with her sister for not ‘doing her fair share’ of the serving. She said, “’Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.’ And Jesus answered and said to her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part.’” (Luke 10.40-42)


When faced with the daily struggles of life our temptation just like Martha many times is to ‘bunker down’ and ‘put our nose to the grind stone’ and ‘dig in our heels’ until ‘the job gets done,’ and then to complain about everyone else who is not doing their fair share of the work. This can be very common during Greek Festival season or when the hall needs to be cleaned after a Sunday School luncheon. But today our Lord gives us a chance to make a better choice.



There are times in our lives where simply digging in our heels isn’t enough and we are just too blind to see a better option. Like Martha, we are blinded by our own pride. We ask ourselves, “Why isn’t anyone else doing their fair share?” when what we should be asking is, “Am I really doing what I should be doing?” Mary knew the difference when Jesus was in her home and she “sat at Jesus feet and heard His word.” (Luke 10.39) Martha should have been next to her at the feet of Jesus.



As Christians in 2010 we cannot allow the busyness of the world to distract us from what is really important. “Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10.42) Which part will you choose? I leave you with words from the Divine Liturgy, “Let us lay aside all the cares of life that we may receive the King of All invisibly escorted by angelic hosts.” (Cherubic Hymn)

There is no Need to Panic; Just Keep Focused on God

In the Gospel we read of doubt and fear in the Apostles of Jesus Christ. In a raging storm at sea in the middle of the night, Jesus approached their small boat. The Apostles were so consumed by fear during the storm they believed they were going to die so when they saw Jesus walking on water toward them they thought He was a ghost. “And they cried out for fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.’” (Matthew 14.26-27)

Peter responded with a hint of doubt, “’Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.’ So He said, ‘Come.’ And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus.” (Matthew 14.28-29) Peter’s willingness to have faith, even in the midst of doubt and fear, was blessed by God and Peter was able to walk on water so long as he kept his focus upon God. “But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, ‘Lord, save me!’” (Matthew 14.30)

Fear and doubt have a way of consuming our lives especially in difficult economic times. With the worst economy since the Great Depression and the constant threat of job loss and unemployment, it is easy to be overwhelmed by fear and panic. We begin to sink into debt hoping that our situation will turn around but the waves of life keep crashing against us and we begin to lose hope. Like Peter we try to remain focused on God but the storm keeps distracting us until we feel like there is nothing left…

Just then we remember…Jesus is there for us. We only need to see Him and ask for help. “And immediately Jesus will stretch out His hand and catch us.” (Matthew 14.31) Don’t panic, just keep focused on God.

Learn the Language of God or Risk Being a Foreigner in Heaven

Thursday of the Ninth Week after Pentecost

6 But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you unless I speak to you either by revelation, by knowledge, by prophesying, or by teaching? 7 Even things without life, whether flute or harp, when they make a sound, unless they make a distinction in the sounds, how will it be known what is piped or played? 8 For if the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, who will prepare himself for battle? 9 So likewise you, unless you utter by the tongue words easy to understand, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air. 10 There are, it may be, so many kinds of languages in the world, and none of them is without significance. 11 Therefore, if I do not know the meaning of the language, I shall be a foreigner to him who speaks, and he who speaks will be a foreigner to me. 12 Even so you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel. 13 Therefore let him who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret. 14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. 15 What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding. 16 Otherwise, if you bless with the spirit, how will he who occupies the place of the uninformed say "Amen" at your giving of thanks, since he does not understand what you say? 17 For you indeed give thanks well, but the other is not edified. 18 I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all; 19 yet in the church I would rather speak five words with my understanding, that I may teach others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue. (1 Corinthians 14.6-19)

We often read this passage from Saint Paul and think of “the language issue” in the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America or the tradition of speaking “in tongues” in Pentecostalism. But have you ever considered this from the perspective of the “language of God?” God doesn’t speak in languages of the world, despite what ethnic loyalists believe or those who subscribe the “Three Holy Languages” of Greek, Hebrew and Latin, unless of course you’re Russian and you believe in “Four Holy Languages.” etc etc etc.

The Language of God is LOVE and if we cannot learn and speak the language of LOVE we, “will be speaking into the air and we shall be foreigners to God who speaks and He will be a foreigner to us.” (cit 1 Corinthians 14.9,11) We need only to remember Saint Paul’s famous passage in 1 Corinthians 13, “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become a sounding brass or a clanging cymbal….” Saint John the Theologian and Evangelist said, “If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?” (1 John 4.20)

When we finish our journey on Earth and are face to face with God and He is speaking to us, will we understand Him or will we be foreigners in Heaven? The choice is ours to make.

Embrace Christ and Be Transfigured! Live a new life in Christ.

The Danger of Pride and “Going It Alone”

Tuesday of the Ninth Week after Pentecost (1 Corinthians 12.12-26)

12 For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body -- whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free -- and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. 14 For in fact the body is not one member but many. 15 If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body," is it therefore not of the body? 16 And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body," is it therefore not of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? 18 But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. 19 And if they were all one member, where would the body be? 20 But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. 21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you"; nor again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you." 22 No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. 23 And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, 24 but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, 25 that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. 26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.

These words of Saint Paul cause me to dwell upon those who decide they have no need for the Church, or as many say it, “I believe in God but not organized religion!” For many who profess this belief the root cause rests in some disagreement over theology of moral behavior or theological teaching that the Church “holds over its membership” or at least that is how it is often characterized. But I wonder what Saint Paul, arguably one of, if not the, greatest missionaries of Christian history, would have said as a response to this claim.


In my personal ministry experience, I often encounter this mentality when people differ over biblical interpretation with the Orthodox Church on many of the ancient Holy Traditions of the Church such as anointing with Holy Oil called the Mystery (Sacrament) of Holy Unction. The practice of Holy Unction has its roots in the ancient Church, specifically mentioned in James 5.13-15, “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the Church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.” The reference to elders is in reference to Presbyters, or Priests, and is a clear liturgical reference from Saint James and not a suggestion to call simply upon the “old people” of the community. Living in the “Bible Belt” I often hear comments such as laying on of hands by elders and other believers, also based upon this citation in Saint James, but to claim this as the ancient practice is just not being honest with Church history.


But I’m not debating the accuracy of anointing today. Maybe that will be for another day. I’m thinking of the logic behind the mentality that if I disagree with what the Church teaches then I have the right to maintain my own teaching with as much validity as the Church’s teaching. And this clearly isn’t in keeping with Saint Paul.

14 For in fact the body is not one member but many. 15 If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body," is it therefore not of the body? 16 And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body," is it therefore not of the body? 1 Corinthians 12.14-16

We only have to consider the actions of Saint Paul directly to understand how he would view this mentality. When Saint Paul was at odds with the teachings of the Church he and those with him were sent to Jerusalem to plead their case to the Apostles and Elders (Presbyters/Priests) there. Acts 15 describes this historical gathering of the early Church, which has served and continues to serve as the model of Church Councils to this very day. Saint Paul was bound by the decision of the Church and from then on taught accordingly. If he, Paul the great missionary, had to abide by the teachings of the Church why wouldn’t we have to do the same in 2010?

So when we find ourselves at odds with the teachings and Holy Traditions of the Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church – The Orthodox Christian Church – we can either follow the model of the ancient Church and Saint Paul or we can “go it alone”…. It’s clear what Saint Paul would have done.

The Reason for Living

“For of what use is existence to the creature if it cannot know its Maker? How could men be reasonable beings if they had no knowledge of the Word and Reason of the Father, through Whom they had received their being? They would be no better than the beasts, had they no knowledge save of earthly things; and why should God have made them at all, if He had not intended them to know Him?” Saint Athanasios the Great

"No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man." 1 Corinthians 10.13

Reading for Wednesday of the Eighth Week after Pentecost
1 Corinthians 10.12-22

12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. 13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. 14 Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. 15 I speak as to wise men; judge for yourselves what I say. 16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? 17 For we, though many, are one bread and one body; for we all partake of that one bread. 18 Observe Israel after the flesh: Are not those who eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar? 19 What am I saying then? That an idol is anything, or what is offered to idols is anything? 20 Rather, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to demons and not to God, and I do not want you to have fellowship with demons. 21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the Lord's table and of the table of demons. 22 Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than He?

What great inspiration and hope from St Paul! Every day we are tempted and so often we not only forget that God is watching out for us, we try to tackle the temptation on our own. This is impossible! Our ability is only manifested in our communion with God, a reality brought vividly by St. Paul in his reference to the Eucharist in verse 16. God has to power to hold us up and bring us to glory no matter what our temptation and struggle is BUT we must unite with Him in the Eucharist. Otherwise we are just simple men trying to get along. “With men this is impossible but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19.26)


Embrace Jesus Christ and begin a new life today!

"Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall" 1 Corinthians 10.12

1 Corinthians 10.5-12 (reading for today, Tuesday of the Eighth Week after Pentecost)

5 But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. 6 Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. 7 And do not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, "The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play." 8 Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell; 9 nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents; 10 nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer. 11 Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. 12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.

Here Saint Paul is speaking to us about the past behavior of Israel as a teaching and warning to us in the Church. As we read this in 2010 we can further read it as confirmation that not all who profess Christ live a Christian life which was of utmost importance for Saint Paul and the ancient Church. We make choices every day whether or not to heed the warnings in Scripture, but it is never too late to begin anew…



Embrace Christ in your life and find an Orthodox Christian Church in which to pray and be united to Christ. Find a local Orthodox Christian Church in which you can begin a new life dedicated to Jesus Christ and communion with Him. If you haven’t been to church in “a while” make the effort to attend the next available service. It may be a morning Orthros or Matins (morning service) or Sunday Divine Liturgy. The longer you wait the longer it will take to begin to heal from the pain and suffering that the worldly life, such as sexual immorality etc, inflicts upon each of us.



Life in Christ is freedom from death and sin.



For an Orthodox Christian Church near you click on the link to the right…

Stages in the Development of Passions

I don’t normally do this, but this chapter was so good I wanted to share it in its entirety….




Stages in the Development of Passions

Letter 57 in The Spiritual Life and How to be Attuned to It, by Saint Theophan the Recluse



That the passionate shows itself within us in not an inescapable misfortune. It signifies that we are impure, but it does not make us guilty. Our guilt begins from the point when we favorably incline ourselves toward a passion that has been observed; that is, we do not rush to acknowledge the enemy and do not arm ourselves against it with anger. On the contrary, we accept it and begin liking it, delighting in the impulse in which it appeared. This already shows that we have no objection to being familiar with the passionate, and, subsequently, enemies of God. “Because the carnal mind – [the passionate] – is enmity against God.” (Romans 8.7)



Where assent begins, there also begins guilt, which increases by measure of its involvement in the passionate. I will describe for you how all of this happens. Our usual state is this: The thoughts wander about every which way; the emotions and desires, although they go back and forth, are without definite direction. This is how it is most of the time. Sometimes entire days pass like this. These thoughts are for the most part vain, being attached to routine everyday affairs and tasks at hand. Among these empty thoughts or daydreams about nothing often erupt. Both empty and vain thoughts throng, for the most part, on the surface of the soul. You have been told more than once how to subdue and regulate this disarray of thoughts that impeded remembrance of God and Godly things.



But look here, some object with a certain peculiar form has come among the others and demands attention. Note this point specifically: It has come and demands attention. Never let it pass without attention. Conduct an interrogation at once: Who is this, where is it from and what does it want? You yourself will find the answers to these immediately, after a mere glance at this object that has presented itself. Let us suppose that it is a person who has offended you at some time. It is obvious that by engaging your attention with this person and the association you have with him, someone desires to create within you indignation, anger and even the desire for revenge. This is what will happen if you do not adopt the necessary measures. What measures should you adopt so as to drive away this idea? It wants to bring you to a bad state. Consequently, it is your enemy. You will treat it, then, in a hostile manner, that is, not with respect, but in the way which we spoke about last time, namely, with scornful rejection.



If you do this, you will completely thwart the enemy’s ruse or trap. If, however, you focus your attention on the person who has come to your imagination, then this idea, though ordinary and isolated at first, will become surrounded by a number of other thoughts and images that will paint a very vivid picture in your imagination as to how that person offended you, with all the details of the incident. Along with this, the previous feeling of offense, indignation and anger will arise in the heart. The passionate object or thought about it engendered the passionate feeling. The passionate became more entrenched. If you come to your senses and acknowledge that it is bad to allow yourself to be roused by passion, then, of course, you will see the enemy in this and treat it with hostility, after having expelled the wicked feeling from your heart and driven the very object that engendered it from your thoughts. The confusion will pass and peace of mind will be restored.



If you do not do this, however, then other passionate feelings will gather around the one that has already arisen and exacerbate it. These feelings will begin rationalizing to you, “How dare he do that? Who does he think he is, someone important? I am no worse than he is. It is impossible to ignore this. I do not know how I let it slip by me. If I were to allow everyone to treat me like that, I could not live. I will certainly have to prove to him that he cannot act like that and get away with it.” Your desire for revenge, whether that vengeance is great or small, it is all the same, is at the ready. The passionate become even more deeply entrenched within. This is already the third stage. If you come to senses at this point, you can drive off the desire. For the desire does not yet signify resolution. It arrived one moment, and it can leave the next. If you take proper action, it will be for the better; if you do not, then your torment will continue further.



Observe how the thought engendered the feeling, and the thought with the feeling engendered the desire. The mind is filled with passion. All this, however, is still mental impurity and sinfulness. It is still a long way to the act. Between the desire and the act there is always the resolution to act, and premeditation as to how to carry it out. How the resolution takes shape is not always apparent. It is already within the desire in a weak form; it then grows along with premeditation of the act, that is, with the selection of the means and establishment of methods and circumstances. When everything has been premeditated, the resolution is complete. Then the act has already been accomplished within. The sin has already been committed in front of God and the conscience; the commandments have been disregarded, the conscience violated. Sometimes a lot of time passes between the desire and the resolution with the premeditation of the act. The fear of God takes hold, the commandments are remembered and the conscience is not silent. But all of their saving suggestions are rebuffed by disregard. That is why there is already transgression and sin in the resolution. The thought, feeling and desire, although they have already occupied the entire soul, seemingly take place on the surface of the soul. There is still no strong inclination toward sin, only an urge. Strong inclination begins from the point when the soul begins deliberating whether it should satisfy the passion and how it do so. Here the soul has already set out on the path of sin.



While the resolution is forming, freedom is checked, the soul feels as if it were absolutely obligated to do what it intended. But there is no such obligation. It is a sort of inner self-delusion that is taking place. What has been decided may remain unfulfilled because of some obstacle that is suddenly encountered. Perhaps it is abandoned because the person himself has second thoughts about carrying it out, because of some consideration or because of the conscience and fear of God, if they should happen to rise up in full force.



At last, everything has been arranged and the deed done. You got your revenge as planned. The passion has been satisfied, the sin finally committed. What more could be added to the resolution that developed at first? Seemingly nothing, for here the premeditated plan has only been carried out. That is how it seems; but, in the essence of the act, the wrongdoing increases up to the last step. First. Up to this point, the fear of God and the conscience were merely dismissed and disregarded, now they are violated. Up to now, the situation has been like a mother who is trying to persuade her son not to do something wrong, and he brushes her aside or runs away from her. Now the son answers his mother’s pleas by hitting her or slapping her in the face. Second. Now inner activity has been introduced into the course of outward events and is bound to be accompanied by the consequences, which are also outward and worldly. You will not cross it out of the circle of events by a stroke of the pen or verbal denial. It will remain there forever and will always be attached to the person who did it, forcing him to taste its fruits. Third. The Divine grace deserts him, and the person leaves the realm of God and enters the realm of the enemy of God. He drops down, is burdened and feels himself crushed under a kind of weight. The parable about the unclean spirit returning with seven more is fulfilled in him. [Matthew 12.43-45] Gloom, uneasiness, burden – this is the reward of any satisfied passion. Amazing! Until the passion is satisfied by the act, the person expects Paradise from its satisfaction: For you shall be God. [Genesis 3.5] As soon as the passion is satisfied, however, the delusion falls from his eyes, the phantom dissipates, and there is left only emptiness, anguish, upset and burden; the person sees that he is impertinent. He took revenge on his enemy; he expected to be rejoicing, but things have turned out quite differently.



You see what the path is of tormenting yourself with some passion and falling into sin on account of it. Now we shall turn to you. What is possible in you from all that has been said? If your resolution to work for the Lord is sincere; if, having made this decision, you follow the advice given to remember God at all times with fear and reverence; if you watch after yourself strictly; then any inclination within you toward the satisfaction of passionate desire, and all that follows it, will be impossible. However, thoughts, feelings and desires are possible. These are objects of your inner struggle.



Passionate thought, feeling and desire sometimes pass through the soul in a single instant before we know what has happened. In this case they do not make us guilty, if as soon as we recover our senses at the appearance of what is by now desire, we banish them through hostile anger toward them. Our guilt in the intention, feeling and desire is dependent on our procrastination; that is, after observing them we have failed to drive them away, and we dwell on them instead. Drive away the thought, and there will be no feeling or sympathy. Drive away the feeling and with intention, and there will be no desire. Drive away the desire, and there will be no danger or inclination toward the passionate. If, after observing a passionate intention, you dwell on it with attention voluntarily, you are guilty. Why did you occupy yourself with something that you know is God’s enemy and yours? If, however, your attention is involuntarily attracted to the intention, you are not guilty, as long as you immediately turn your attention away from it and drive it out. If, as a result of your willful attention toward a passionate intention, a passionate feeling is engendered, then your guilt is increased a little. But if after detecting the birth of a passionate feeling, you continue to be occupied with the passionate intention, and, consequently, voluntarily provoke the feeling, then your guilt increase to twice what it was previously. If, after detecting a passionate feeling, you rouse yourself and drive it out along with the intention, then you would be guilty only in the fact that you voluntarily occupied yourself with a passionate thought; you are not guilty of the feeling, because such feelings are created through the action of the thoughts. If through the actions of the passionate thought and feeling that have been voluntarily allowed, there is born within you the desire for a passionate action (for example, revenge), then your guilt is increased a little, because desire is created involuntarily from thought and feeling. Your previous guilt remains; why were you occupied with the passionate object, and when a passionate feeling was born from this, why did you allow the feeling to persist and the thought that gave rise to it? Therefore, your guilt is twofold. But if after detecting the passionate desire, you allow it to linger inside you, and do not immediately arm yourself against it, then your guilt increases by one more step; it will be threefold.



I will not go further, because I suppose this is sufficient to warn you.



You see for yourself that if you immediately drive away the passionate thought, then you put and end to the entire struggle. There will be neither feeling, and even more, there will be no desire. Make the decision to act in this way. Why would you draw on yourself the unnecessary labor of struggle, and sometimes even danger, when you have already decided not to allow the passionate being ungodly? If the feeling begins to stir involuntarily along with the thought, immediately chase out the feeling with the thought. If desire involuntarily clings to them, immediately chase out the desire along with them. The moment you discover a passionate impulse within yourself, chase it out. Make this your rule: Do not voluntarily praise either passionate thought, feeling or desire, and immediately chase them away with complete hatred as soon as you detect them. You will always be innocent before God and before your own conscience. There will be within you the impurity of the passions, but also innocence. You will carry out the act of purification (cleansing), laboring diligently at the purifying of your soul.



May the Lord bless you!



The preceding was taken in its entirety from “The Spiritual Life and How to be Attuned to It” by Saint Theophan the Recule, as translated by Alexandra Dockham. St. Herman of Alaska Press. 1995.

"For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them." Matthew 18:20

Truly the Lord has been with the Greek Orthodox Church these past few days as the Holy Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America has been gathered for the 40th Biennial Clergy-Laity Congress and Philoptochos (Friends of the Poor) Conference. We have concluded this great event with a fantastic banquet with not only delicious food but God-inspired presentations throughout the week on the life of the Church and the mission to carry the Gospel of Our Lord to all nations.



The theme for this year’s Congress was, “Gather My people to My home, Come and See” based upon John 1.46 and numerous presentations and seminars were offered to inspire our faithful to spread the Good News of Christ’s saving mission to humanity.



It has been a truly inspiring four days gathered as the Body of Christ for worship, fellowship, education and inspiration as our Church looks to the future of our Church. For those who are regular visitors to this blog you know how strongly I feel about sharing Orthodox Christianity as the ancient Christian Faith with everyone but not just for the sake of knowledge. As the Lord says, "If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin.” (John 15:22) It would truly be a sin to hear the Good News of Christ and not respond.



“Come and see” my dear brothers and sisters. Come and see that the Lord is Good. Come and visit an Orthodox Christian Church near you! Follow the link to the right and search for an Orthodox Church near you and GO AND SEE for yourself!



God bless you!

“It has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven” Matthew 13.11

Jesus was known for telling parables during His earthly ministry. It was He preferred method many believe because we understand truths given as stories much better than as a list of facts. We grow up attending school reading and solving “word problems” for this same reason. Jesus said to His Disciples, and therefore to us, “Blessed are your eyes for they see and your ears for they hear.” (Matthew 13.16)


We have been blessed to receive the truth of God from His own lips in the person of Jesus. This truth has been maintained and protected by the Church since the days of the Apostles as they were commanded by Jesus after His resurrection. “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28.18-20)



This Great Commission, as it is called, commands the Church not only to make disciples of Jesus Christ but gives the Church the responsibility to protect the truth and hand it down to succeeding generations within the Church. We believe this process is being protected by the Holy Spirit as Christ said, “When He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth.” (John 16.13)

Who’s Got Your Back? Jesus, That’s Who!

CSI, NCIS, Law and Order…the list goes on. Wherever you turn there is a “cops and robbers” TV show playing. In fact, ½ of the current favorite television programs are based upon this concept and each week partners struggle to fight crime or solve murders. What makes the shows so successful is the partner interaction from show to show and crime to crime where partners “go all out” to watch their partner’s back.


Did you ever wonder, “Who’s got my back?” In the Gospel we hear, “There met Him two demon-possessed men, coming out of the tombs, exceedingly fierce, so that no one could pass that way.” (Matthew 8.28) These two men were overcome by such wild demons that they lived among the graves in the wilderness. Even their families could not protect them. I bet they ask themselves, “Who’s got our backs?” every day!



The answer is simple. God does! The demons said to God, “If You cast us out, permit us to go away into the herd of swine.” (Matthew 8.31) God gave them permission and the two men were healed from their struggle and worshiped God. Even though their families were unable to protect these men, God was always watching out for them and never let the demons hurt them beyond their ability. We know this because the men had enough self-control to approach Jesus in the first place.



Just when we think life is out of our control or we have been abandoned, let’s think of this story in the Gospel and remember, “God has our back” and that’s all that really matters.