Wealth and Giving

Today’s Epistle Reading: St. Paul's First Letter to Timothy 6:17-21 - TIMOTHY, my son, charge the rich in this world not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on uncertain riches but on God who richly furnishes us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good deeds, liberal and generous, thus laying up for themselves a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of the life which is life indeed. O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you. Avoid the godless chatter and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge, for by professing it some have missed the mark as regards the faith. Grace be with you. Amen.

My goal recently has been to blog daily as I have other years during the Nativity Fast. It helps to remain focused on spiritual matters rather than the mundane politics of the day. It hasn’t always been easy since part of my ministry includes spending some time every day on the internet during which time it has become increasingly difficult to avoid politics. Nonetheless, I will attempt to offer a few words every day for the glory of God.

In today’s Epistle reading we hear another commandment for the Church to urge wealthy individuals to higher spiritual standards. Yesterday, I spoke negatively about the new “Giving Tuesday” movement because I truly believe it takes advantage of peoples good intentions to be generous, so that wealth can increase. There are many reports of CEOs of various national charities with unreasonably high salaries. It is clear to me that many people have become quite rich claiming to serve the poor.

Talking about wealth can be a daunting task. Everyone who is wealthy wants to remain wealthy, and so many who are not wealthy desire to become wealthy. Some even suggest they desire wealth “just” so they can help others. How many times have you heard, “If I could just win the lottery, I would be able to help....” but the money never seems to flow to the various charities as promised. There always seem to be other desires that get in the way. Advance promises give way to current excuses. Wealth can be so tempting.

It doesn’t require wealth to love others. It doesn’t require wealth to have compassion for others. It doesn’t require wealth even to feed the hungry. It requires a heart that desires God above all else, because once wealth finds its way into our bank account, it isn’t a difficult journey into our hearts. Once we “get the taste of wealth” we crave an ever more growing supply. And then we make excuses that our donations, though they are but a small fraction of our wealth, are “more than others need.” I was once told, “Father, if just the men around this table tithed, the entire Church budget would already be funded,” as if that were a bad thing.

And so it continues. The wealthy use their wealth to influence society, sometimes even claiming it is for the good of society, without ever really giving to society themselves. It isn’t uncommon for a wealthy person to say, “I know how to make money. If you listen to me, the Church will have plenty of money,” but then never actually giving any of their own wealth to the Church. Many times, it would have been much easier, and more effective in the long run, if instead of teaching others how to earn money for their Church, the wealthy taught others how to give by actually giving.

I invite you this Nativity Fast to learn how to give rather than how to get the best deal. I invite you to reconsider how to go about your Christmas shopping. Rather than attempting to “get as much as you can for as little as you can,” spend the Nativity Fast giving what you already have. In other words, your love, your time, your compassion, your peace....and then you may just find that shopping mall a less stressful experience. This isn’t a fasting period for nothing.

Giving Tuesday

I learned something yesterday. The Tuesday after Thanksgiving has become known (or is in the process of becoming known) as “Giving Tuesday” during which we are encouraged to give to charity. Charities asking for donations during the holiday season isn’t a new thing. In fact, I was just working on our Church “Christmas Appeal” yesterday coincidentally of course. So why I am blogging about “Giving Tuesday” today?

Today’s Epistle Reading: St. Paul's First Letter to Timothy 5:22-25; 6:1-11 - TIMOTHY, my son, do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, nor participate in another man's sins; keep yourself pure. No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments. The sins of some men are conspicuous, pointing to judgment, but the sins of others appear later. So also good deeds are conspicuous; and even when they are not, they cannot remain hidden. Let all who are under the yoke of slavery regard their masters as worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and the teaching may not be defamed. Those who have believing masters must not be disrespectful on the ground that they are brethren; rather they must serve all the better since those who benefit by their service are believers and beloved. Teach and urge these duties. If any one teaches otherwise and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching which accords with godliness, he is puffed up with conceit, he knows nothing; he has a morbid craving for controversy and for disputes about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, base suspicions, and wrangling among men who are depraved in mind and bereft of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain. There is great gain in godliness with contentment; for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world; but if we have food and clothing, with these we shall be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and hurtful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all evils; it is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced their hearts with many pangs. But as for you, man of God, shun all this.

The human struggle between greed and generosity is an old struggle, and many have “wandered away” from the true teaching of the Church in hopes to become wealthy. Still something bothered me yesterday about “Giving Tuesday” that I wanted to share. WHY do we even NEED a day to encourage people to give to charities? Is it to soothe our guilty consciences? Do we somehow know that our shopping sprees and wealth building is leading our soul away from God? Or have professional fundraisers perfected the “art of the ask” when it comes to charitable giving?

I watched an interview yesterday with a representative from the organization spearheading “Giving Tuesday” and what struck me was the lack of purpose behind the giving. According to the organizers website, ">GivingTuesday connects diverse groups of individuals, communities and organizations around the world for one common purpose: to celebrate and encourage giving.” And then it occurred to me.... “Giving Tuesday” is a MOVEMENT, and I am always skeptical of movements. Movements are mean to “move people” from one place to another, so my question is, “To where does the “Giving Tuesday Movement” desire to move the world if not toward the Church? There is NO mention of God or religion among the information for volunteers and organizations. The only reference to God/Church/Religion was a list of religious organizations that profited from the movement. What I DID find was a bunch of gimmicks used to increase fundraising dollars. Even the list of religious organizations was more of a “you can get some too” presentation without praise for the actual Christian work being done. The implication was “Just list your cause and you too can be rich.”

As Christians our giving is not a movement, nor is it a gimmick; and it is most certainly NOT a tool to unite the globe. It is an expression of OUR LOVE FOR JESUS CHRIST. If all “Giving Tuesday” is going to accomplish to increase the donations collected for charitable organizations rather than bring Jesus Christ into the hearts of the people, isn’t Giving Tuesday just another “love of money” exercise under the disguise of giving?

And then there was another post I came across yesterday from Pflag urging people to stop donating to the Salvation Army because the Salvation Army opposes gay marriage despite the hundreds of thousands each year who benefit from the outreach and assistance which they otherwise would not receive if not for the Salvation Army. I found the post painfully ironic since we are often told to ignore a minor detail like abortion in favor of the great work of Planned Parenthood as reasons why we should fund that organization.

Ultimately I’m quite sure many good and holy organizations received benefit from “Giving Tuesday” yesterday, and for that I am thankful. But when our Christian life is limited to “doing good things” than we no longer need Christ. We become a “Dogooder” rather than a Christian.

It’s Not You, It’s Me

Any fan of the TV show Seinfeld knows what this phrase means. It is a polite way of “getting out telling the truth” when breaking off a relationship. The truth of this phrase, when used in common practice, really says, “I can’t stand you. You stifle me. You keep me in a box. You don’t respect me. You don’t allow me to be who I really am. I’m leaving you!” You get the point.

But today, I want to imagine the phrase as genuine. When someone departs from the normal path of the Church, we often hear excuses similar to the above statements from broken relationships. I RARELY hear, in fact I can’t recall ever hearing it at all, “The, ‘It’s not you, it’s me, routine,’” to borrow a phrase from Seinfeld.

What if we lived in a world in which people were honest with the reason they leave the Church?

“It’s not the Church’s fault; I just don’t like being told that I have to deny my own desires in exchange for the desires God has for me in my life.”
“It’s not the Church’s fault; I just don’t have the intention of going to Church every Sunday.”
“It’s not the Church’s fault; I just don’t have the desire to dedicate my life to Christ.”
“It’s not the Church’s fault; I just don’t have the desire to limit my lifestyle.”
“It’s not the Church’s fault; I just don’t want to be told what the Bible means.”

Instead we normally hear...

“Doesn’t the Church know I have too many things to do on Sundays?”
“I’m not a Saint. I don’t need a Church that tries to change who I really am inside.”
“God doesn’t make mistakes, and He made me. He loves me just the way I am.”
“The Bible was written a long time ago, and times have changed.”

While I will be the first to admit that not every Priest or Parish is the perfect place to encounter God; let’s face it, there is NO perfect Priest of Parish. That doesn’t mean that the life the Church has outlined, guided by the Holy Spirit, doesn’t have something to offer our journey toward oneness with God. I suppose I just want people to be honest, and admit they have no desire to live the life of the Church, rather than blaming the Church for being too preachy or too demanding.

When Jesus said, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow Me,” I’m pretty sure He wasn’t using the “It’s not you, it’s Me,” routine. Just a thought.

Baptism is just the beginning

Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "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; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen. (Matthew 28.16-20)

The Gospel of Matthew ends with the words invoked at every Orthodox Christian Baptism. With these words, the Church BEGAN the work of making disciples of all nations, and each Baptism BEGINS a NEW life in Christ. Saint Paul teaches:

Brethren, do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him so that the sinful body might be destroyed, and we might no longer be enslaved to sin. For he who has died is freed from sin. But if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him. For we know that Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. The death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. (Romans 6.3-11)

It is a privilege and great blessing to be allowed by the grace of God and the authority of His Church, to baptize infants and adults into Christ. But the baptism is only the beginning. As with any life, without growth and nourishment life ends in death, spiritual as well as physical. And how do we grow and nourish our NEW LIFE IN CHRIST?

The life of the Church, with her prayers, fasting, almsgiving, sacramental life, house blessings, Holy Scripture readings, Matins, Vespers, Supplications, Anointings, Holy Water blessings, feeding programs, clothing drives, visitations....get the picture? The Orthodox Christian Way of Life IS the nourishment and growth of the soul if we fully embrace the life in Christ that was given to us at our Baptism. Otherwise, baptism is just another “thing” we Orthodox do, rather than the beginning of a “life” we live.

Live as Children of Light

Look around at any family gathering and you will no doubt
see children acting like their parents. Parents often look at their children
with pride as they “see themselves” in their children because children often reflect
their parents. In fact each of us reflects what is most important in our
hearts. Like the rich man in the Gospel (Luke 18.18-27) our heart can also be
cold and greedy and turned away from the love of God. A quick look at news
coverage during the Thanksgiving Holiday, and we can see the priorities of many
in our society. Shopping malls are filled with angry and sometimes violent
shoppers grabbing for that discounted product, while their brothers and sisters
are living in the streets with nothing to eat. The world can be a dark and
lonely place, and for those lost in the darkness, just a glimpse of light can
bring hope for a better tomorrow. As Saint Paul said, “For you were once
darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.”
(Ephesians 5.8) As Orthodox Christians we have an opportunity to reflect the
Light of Christ for those lost in the darkness, and bring hope that there is
Way out of the darkness. We have an opportunity to reflect the Light of Christ
so others will see the Light and follow the Light to the Church. If we indeed
are children of light, then we should reflect our Father’s Light.

If it hurts it might be your pride

Today’s Gospel Reading: Luke 10:19-21 - The Lord said to his disciples, "Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing shall hurt you. Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you; but rejoice that your names are written in heaven." In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, "I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to babes; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will."

Jesus promised the disciples that nothing would hurt them, but as we know only one of the original twelve died of “natural” causes. The rest were martyrs. We became His disciples and people hurt every day, physically and emotionally. What did Jesus mean when He promised that nothing would hurt us?

I received a note from someone recently asking advice on how to respond to a situation when they were hurt. The person asked, “In orthodoxy we are taught to turn the other cheek when someone strikes us.  I have followed this throughout my young life however now I wonder if there was something more to that?” YES, there’s always more to the story. The idea of turning the other cheek is more about US than the person who hurt us. Let me explain.

We pray in the 50^th Psalm, “Against You only have I sinned.” If our sin is only against God, then the sins of others are also only against God, even though we may feel the action. The call to turn the other cheek is to guide us into NOT taking personally the sinful actions of others. In fact, it is our sinful pride that we think that any sin could be against us, because in our mind it is ALWAYS about us. We must remember the context of the “turn the other cheek” command of God. (see Matthew 5.39) Jesus is helping us to resist evil. Among the turn the other cheek commands are the following commands:

" 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 5.38-48)

So what is it that hurts when someone sins? Our pride is hurt, and that then becomes our sin. What about the physical pain we feel from others? Jesus said, “Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Matthew 10.28) The only damage done when someone hurts us physically, if we hold off our pride, is a simple flesh wound. Flesh wounds might hurt for the moment, but they heal. We often think the WORST possible thing someone can do to us, from our earthly vantage point, is to kill us. That ultimately is what Jesus wants us to understand from today’s reading. EVEN if they kill us, that doesn’t hurt us because Jesus has conquered death. We will live forever with Him. What will hurt much more ‘later’ is the hell we created by pride and our own sinful passions. 

Back to fasting

With yesterday’s 24 hour respite from fasting (in America) for the only day nationally set aside to thank God for our blessings in the rear view mirror, we return today to the Christmas Fast. The Christmas Fast, meant to prepare our soul to encounter Christ at His Nativity in a few short weeks, is rarely practiced in America, at least from so-called cradle Orthodox. With “the holidays” and “holiday parties” at every corner, it has become increasingly difficult to fast for the forty days before Christmas.

From my perspective the difficulty is what brings the benefit. Fasting in and of itself doesn’t bring much blessing. It in fact is the very willingness to depart for the secular trends that nourishes our soul. Think about it this way; if every time we were faced with the choice between the Church and ‘society,’ we chose society, our soul would sink deeper and deeper into the pit. On the other hand, when we are willing to at least attempt to choose the Church’s way of life over the society, we have already won the first battle, if not the entire war.

When I teach fasting to teenagers I often say, “If you can’t say ‘no’ to a hamburger, what makes you think you can say ‘no’ to sex on a Friday night?” Likewise, if we can’t for a few short weeks care more about our soul and fast in preparation for Christmas rather than attending every holiday party we can fit into our schedule, what makes us think we will be able to choose other holy options in our path? Once we have accepted that society is the way we choose, what chances do we have to be generous rather than greedy, sharing rather than selfish, honest in business rather than shrewd, content rather than contemptuous?

These are the real battles of a Christian in society, and fasting trains our body and soul to choose the holy life of the Church, which has been guided by the Holy Spirit, rather than the secular life of the world, which is guided by sin and evil. So today, the day after Thanksgiving, having given thanks to God, we return to fasting....for the good of our soul.

Have a blessed remainder of the Christmas Fast.

Give thanks to the Lord for He is good! for His mercy endures forever!

Psalm 135 (136)

1. Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.
2. Oh, give thanks to the God of gods! For His mercy endures forever.
3. Oh, give thanks to the Lord of lords! For His mercy endures forever:
4. To Him who alone does great wonders, For His mercy endures forever;
5. To Him who by wisdom made the heavens, For His mercy endures forever;
6. To Him who laid out the earth above the waters, For His mercy endures forever;
7. To Him who made great lights, For His mercy endures forever --
8. The sun to rule by day, For His mercy endures forever;
9. The moon and stars to rule by night, For His mercy endures forever.
10. To Him who struck Egypt in their firstborn, For His mercy endures forever;
11. And brought out Israel from among them, For His mercy endures forever;
12. With a strong hand, and with an outstretched arm, For His mercy endures forever;
13. To Him who divided the Red Sea in two, For His mercy endures forever;
14. And made Israel pass through the midst of it, For His mercy endures forever;
15. But overthrew Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea, For His mercy endures forever;
16. To Him who led His people through the wilderness, For His mercy endures forever;
17. To Him who struck down great kings, For His mercy endures forever;
18. And slew famous kings, For His mercy endures forever --
19. Sihon king of the Amorites, For His mercy endures forever;
20. And Og king of Bashan, For His mercy endures forever --
21. And gave their land as a heritage, For His mercy endures forever;
22. A heritage to Israel His servant, For His mercy endures forever.
23. Who remembered us in our lowly state, For His mercy endures forever;
24. And rescued us from our enemies, For His mercy endures forever;
25. Who gives food to all flesh, For His mercy endures forever.
26. Oh, give thanks to the God of heaven! For His mercy endures forever.

Since today is the ONLY day in our Nation’s public life that has been set aside to give thanks to God for our blessings, seen and unseen, I offer this prayer from Be Transfigured Ministries. Have a blessed Thanksgiving.

Don’t Ruin Christmas!

A month ago, in a mall in Charlotte, NC., shoppers were taken by surprise to discover a “Glacier Experience” had replaced the traditional Christmas Tree to feature Santa Clause for their annual holiday pictures. Almost immediately shoppers led protests and social media online went viral with outraged parents bewailing their children’s ruined Christmas. Boycotts ensued....and eventually Simon Malls replaced the glaciers with Christmas Trees. Just weeks after the glacier fiasco, Starbucks made news with a plain red “holiday” coffee cup. Again shoppers went viral online with their anger and accusations that the company was being politically correct and some even suggested persecuting Christians. Starbucks, unlike Simon Malls, has not changed their decision, but it should be noted the Starbucks annual “holiday” cup has never said Merry Christmas, but rather included snowflakes and candy canes designs.

It seems a shame to me that Christians have turned Christmas into such a secular and commercialized holiday, even to suggest somehow shopping mall decorations and coffee cups could ruin Christmas. And let’s not forget the Santa Clause image we see in stores IS and HAS BEEN a commercial endeavor for many decades. The world has long since forgotten the story SAINT Nicholas, the ORTHODOX Christian Bishop of Myra. If anything has ruined Christmas, it has been using Christmas to sell toys and gadgets simply to increase profit margins for large corporations. Twinkly lights and snowflakes hanging from a fur tree don’t “make” Christmas anymore than Santa and his elves make Christmas.

Christmas is the queen of Feasts as Saint John Chrysostom says. Without Christmas, there would be no Pascha, and without Pascha, our life would be in vain. To prepare to celebrate the coming of the Creator of the Universe into creation requires more than lists of good little boys and girls, or waiting in line to sit on the Santa’s lap. It requires prayer, fasting, reading the Scriptures, Holy Confession, remembering and helping the poor, attending Divine Liturgy often, and being prepared to receive Holy Communion – the Body of Blood of Christ – at EVERY Divine Liturgy. If anything can ruin Christmas, it would be forgetting to prepare our soul to receive God.

Fortunately for us, we have another chance this year to “get it right” and worry more about our souls than our Christmas stockings.

• Serve the Poor
• Read and Study the Scriptures
• Fast.
• Schedule Holy Confession
• Attend Divine Liturgy OFTEN

Don't waste another moment

Today’s Gospel Reading: Luke 17:26-37; 18:8 - The Lord said, "As it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the days of the Son of man. They ate, they drank, they married, they were given in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. Likewise as it was in the days of Lot -- they ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built, but on the day when Lot went out from Sodom fire and sulfur rained from heaven and destroyed them all -- so will it be on the day when the Son of man is revealed. On that day, let him who is on the housetop, with his goods in the house, not come down to take them away; and likewise let him who is in the field not turn back. Remember Lot's wife. Whoever seeks to gain his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will preserve it. I tell you, in that night there will be two in one bed; one will be taken and the other left. There will be two women grinding together; one will be taken and the other left." And they said to him, "Where, Lord?" He said to them, "Where the body is, there the eagles will be gathered together. Nevertheless, when the Son of man comes, will he find faith on earth?"

Many Christians bewail the fact that morals continue to erode in our society. Consumerism is at an all-time high. The sexual revolution and abortion rights advocates have turned God’s gift of sexual intimacy into nothing more than a one-night stand with the same privileges as selling goods in the marketplace. Obscene wealth builders look with disdain at those around the world struggling for a slice of bread. The world truly has returned the days of Lot and Noah. “Nevertheless, when the Son of man comes, will he find faith on earth?” There is still hope! So long as we awake with the ability to breath and repent, there is hope. But time is short as Saint reminded us.

Now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts. Romans 13.11-14

During these weeks of the Christmas Fast, TAKE the time (you won’t find it easily) to rededicate your life to growing closer to God. Rather than extra shopping trips during your lunch break, stop by the Church and light a candle, venerate the Holy Icons, and pray. Make an appointment with your priest for Holy Confession. Don’t waste another moment.

The Kingdom of God is in our midst

Today’s Gospel Reading: Luke 17:20-25 - At that time, when Jesus was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God was coming, he answered them, "The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed; nor will they say, 'Lo, here it is!' or 'There!' for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you." And he said to the disciples, "The days are coming when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and you will not see it. And they will say to you, 'Lo, there!' or 'Lo, here!' Do not go, do not follow them. For as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of man be in his day. But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation."

When Jesus spoke of the Kingdom of Heaven, He spoke of the future and, as in today’s Gospel lesson, in the present. His desire to live within our hearts is nowhere more obvious than His reminder, “The Kingdom of God is in the midst of you,” He was speaking of Himself being in their immediate presence, but we cannot forget that in the Church, through the Holy Eucharist, He is STILL present among us. Every time we are in Church we are in His presence and therefore in Heaven. Something to think about next time we are tempted to look only to the future. 

Appearing to Care

Today’s Gospel Reading: Luke 16:15-18; 17:1-4 - The Lord said to the Jews who came to him, "You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts; for what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God. The law and the prophets were until John; since then the good news of the kingdom of God is preached, and every one enters it violently. But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away, than for one dot of the law to become void. Every one who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery, and he who marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery."  And he said to his disciples, "Temptations to sin are sure to come; but woe to him by whom they come! It would be better for him if a millstone were hung round his neck and he were cast into the sea, than that he should cause one of these little ones to sin. Take heed to yourselves; if your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him; and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, and says, 'I repent,' you must forgive him."

It struck me this morning when I read the Gospel for today. Especially since the terrorist attack in Paris, it occurs to me so many desire to be SEEN as being compassionate that they will go to extreme ends to display their solidarity through Facebook and other forms of social media. I’ve grown tired of the various meme’s pulling at my Christian heart strings with pictures that show Joseph and Mary being “locked out of America” as refugees; as if CLEARLY one must be the chief hypocrite for even wanting to discuss the question of the recent refugee crisis. We are so preoccupied with APPEARING to care, I wonder how many of us really care in the first place. If we did.....the world would already be different.

So I will remain silent for now on the refugee crisis, not because I don’t have an opinion, but because I’m not sure the current conversation is even a conversation. If you have been a fan of my blog for any time, you know my thoughts about politics and faith, and you know my thoughts about wearing our faith merely as dressing rather than converting our hearts.

I received a text message yesterday from someone who wanted my advice on “how” she should be thinking about the refugee crisis. My response was that it is too deep for a text message. She shared with me that she was conflicted. I said, “You should be.” The problems of our world are real and the only way we will ever truly be able to address them is when we stop worrying about being justified by men, and start worrying about being justified by God.....but let me warn you.....that will mean MUCH more discomfort than merely posting a meme showing Native Americans rejecting the pilgrims because they no longer accept refugees. It will require genuine repentance in your heart and mercy from God.

I Choose God

The Orthodox Church Lectionary is a tool through which each devout Christian reads the Holy Scriptures daily. In the wisdom of the Church, guided by the Holy Spirit, Orthodox Christians read the entire New Testament, with the exception of Revelation, each year “piece by piece” each day. The readings for today are as follows:

2 Thessalonians 2.13-3.5 - But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth, to which He called you by our gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle. Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace, comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work. Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified, just as it is with you, and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men; for not all have faith. But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one. And we have confidence in the Lord concerning you, both that you do and will do the things we command you. Now may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience of Christ.

Luke 16.1-9 -  He also said to His disciples: "There was a certain rich man who had a steward, and an accusation was brought to him that this man was wasting his goods. "So he called him and said to him, 'What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward.' "Then the steward said within himself, 'What shall I do? For my master is taking the stewardship away from me. I cannot dig; I am ashamed to beg. 'I have resolved what to do, that when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.' "So he called every one of his master's debtors to him, and said to the first, 'How much do you owe my master?' "And he said, 'A hundred measures of oil.' So he said to him, 'Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.' "Then he said to another, 'And how much do you owe?' So he said, 'A hundred measures of wheat.' And he said to him, 'Take your bill, and write eighty.' "So the master commended the unjust steward because he had dealt shrewdly. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light. "And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home.

In the Gospel lesson for today, if we take at face value JUST the verses written, we might think that Jesus was praising shrewdness and dishonesty. But this parable does not elevate shrewdness. Instead it suggests that eventually the shrewd and dishonest steward will eventually fail, and THEN his only hope will be those FOR whom He was dishonest. Notice it isn’t the master who will be his friend in the end, but those who profited by his dishonesty. (see Luke 16.9)

But in the next verses, though they are not read today) we find a deeper understanding...

Luke 16.10-13 - "He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much. "Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? "And if you have not been faithful in what is another man's, who will give you what is your own? "No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon."

If we read these verses we understand meaning Christ wants to understand. He MUST choose our friends. Are we going to choose those who will only support us when we are shrewd and dishonest? Or will we choose God who will stand by us in our struggle and pain? I don’t know about you, but I choose God as my friend, and if that means I lose some friends in this life who would only support me when I am shrewd, then sobeit.

Have people forgotten?

"Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents." (Luke 15.10)

With all the ranting about terrorism and bombing them back to oblivion, I can't help but wonder if people have forgotten this truth from God. 

What is the cost of following Christ?

Gospel Reading: Luke 14:25-35 - At that time, great multitudes accompanied Jesus; and he turned and said to them, "If any one comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me, cannot be my disciple. For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, 'This man began to build, and was not able to finish.' Or what king, going to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and take counsel whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends an embassy and asks terms of peace. So therefore, whoever of you does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple. Salt is good; but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is fit neither for the land nor for the dunghill; men throw it away. He who has ears to hear, let him hear."

As we continue on our “Advent” journey to Christmas to welcome the King of Kings into our hearts, we can’t forget to calculate the cost first. Are we willing to leave everything behind to follow Him in to Heaven? In the coming weeks the Church will ask us to spend more time in prayer, reading the scriptures, fasting, going for Holy Confession, serving the poor, and learning to place Him first in our lives. Being and Orthodox Christian in today’s America, especially during the so-called Holiday Season, offers an excellent opportunity to place God first.

Our society celebrates the “Holiday Season” for many weeks of shopping, parties, parades, banquets, and more shopping for gift exchanges. HOWEVER.....the Church asks us to spend the same weeks preparing for Christmas. We will celebrate AFTER Divine Liturgy on Christmas. It won’t be easy politely rejecting invitations to Christmas parties so we can attend Great Vespers on Saturday evenings. It won’t be easy fasting in an office filled with holiday desserts. It won’t be easy, but it will be worthwhile. It is the cost of being Orthodox Christian in America. Now you know the cost....are you willing to join the journey?

A New Start

Each year, the Church invites us to embark upon a journey toward the Nativity many call “Advent”. The very next day, [that’s today] the Church commemorates the Feast of Saint Matthew with the Gospel message, “For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” (Matthew 9.13) Repentance is the start of every new journey, and we are blessed to take advantage of the opportunity for a fresh start each year during “Advent” as a preparation for Christmas. Frankly that is just one of the blessings of the Church Calendar as the cycle repeats itself each year. Each year is a chance for a new start.

Yesterday I preached about being addicted to sin. You may watch the sermon here.  I spoke about the truth that every addict awakes in the morning wanting to kick the addiction. This morning it occurred to me that “Advent” is another “morning” when we can get a new start. It gives us another chance to rededicate our life to Christ and welcome the Nativity (in just 39 days) with a new outlook, no longer a slave to the sin that captures our hearts daily.

Have a blessed fast.

Addiction

The Church is filled with them; people who live sinful lives
and then arrive Sunday morning acting like angels. It turns many people off
from “religion” and even more from attending Church on Sunday mornings. It is
common to hear the excuse, “I have no intention of changing my behavior, so
instead of being a hypocrite I just stay home.” What if everyone in Church
wasn’t a hypocrite but an addict? What if instead of enjoying their sinful
lives, people in Church on Sunday morning awoke every day committing to the
Lord they would change, but by NOON had already fallen into their old habits?
What if everyone were addicted to sin? And then.....what if YOU understood YOU
weren’t better than anyone else, and 
addicted to sin just like everyone else. You could finally be a love
your neighbor as yourself.

And who is my Neighbor?

The Gospel tells of a certain lawyer who “stood up and tested” Jesus trying to trick Him. He asked a question many of us ask either directly or in the secret of our prayers, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” (Luke 10.25) Our contemporary society seems to be preoccupied with this question. In hospital waiting rooms every day, family members of terminally ill patients are asking doctors, “What can we do to save his life?” Hundreds of millions of dollars are spent each year, mostly during the last few months of life trying to achieve eternal life, or at least prolong death indefinitely.

The answer Jesus offers to us is not at all what we might expect. Following a dialogue with the lawyer and offering the Parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus says, “Go and do likewise.” (Luke 10.37) What exactly are we supposed to do? The Good Samaritan was the only one who actually went TO the dying man and co-suffered with Him, while all the others kept their distance. It was the Good Samaritan whom Jesus defined as our “neighbor” – turning upside down the hypocrisy of the lawyer. In order for us to have eternal life, we must go up close to those who are suffering and bear their suffering along with them.

The Samaritan “went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care o him.” (Luke 10.34) This was not at all what the lawyer had in mind when he proudly asked, “And who is my neighbor?” (Luke 10.29) presuming he had no equals, and that he was above the others. Eternal life was not something he would do for himself, but what he would do for others. So the next time you find yourself asking what can be done so you can live longer, consider the answer....and then go out and co-suffer with someone in need.

We can Live Through the Pain

Many ask, “If God doesn’t give us more than we can handle,
the why do people starve to death?” This very popular question is based upon a
misunderstanding about God’s love. God doesn’t give us struggle. He allows
things to run their natural course. God does promise, and the Gospel bears
witness, that when we remain united to God in faith and humility, we will
always be able to endure the pain and suffering. We will be able to handle
anything even death itself if we remain united to God in prayer, faith,
humility and peace.

Humility is the Center of Salvation

An important Jewish leader had begged Jesus Christ to come to his home because his twelve year old daughter was very sick. Jesus agreed and, surrounded by a huge crowd of followers, was on His way to the house when He was interrupted by devout and humble woman. This woman, sick for twelve years, believed with all her heart, that if she just was able to reach out and touch Jesus, she would be healed. Unlike Jairus the Jewish leader, she didn’t beg Jesus. She didn’t even want anyone to know she was there to be healed. In fact you could say she was sneaking up to Him to be healed, and would have just walked away after she was healed if she could.

This is exactly what she tried to do when Jesus cried out, “Who touched Me?” (Luke 8.45) Still trying to remain unknown, even though she had been miraculously healed, she kept herself hidden until Jesus insisted, "Somebody touched Me, for I perceived power going out from Me." (Luke 8:46) Meanwhile, Jairus twelve year old daughter died from her illness and his servants had come to tell him, "Your daughter is dead. Do not trouble the Teacher." (Luke 8.49) Jairus was content to step away and return home when Jesus stopped him, "Do not be afraid; only believe, and she will be made well." (Luke 8:50)

The humility of both Jairus the Jewish leader and the unnamed woman are at the center of the Gospel story. Jesus healed many thousands of men and women during His earthly ministry. Why would the Gospel take the time to tell us of these two particular women? There must be something more that Saint Luke wanted us to learn than just that Jesus has the power to heal. The story is about the humility of two faithful followers of Jesus Christ. In both cases, it wasn’t about the power of God, but their humble faith. “Be of good cheer.....do not be afraid....” (Luke 8.48, 50) were the words of God for these humble servants. When we are humble, there is no need for sorrow and fear.

Using the Government to feed and cloth the poor doesn't make you a better Christian

I have a question for those who want free college education.....are you willing to teach for free? For those who want free health care...are you willing to cure for free? For those who want free public transportation....are you willing to drive for free? For those who want a free school lunch program....are you willing to grow, harvest, clean, cook, serve and clean afterward for free? There are many examples throughout Church history, such as the Unmercenaries Cosmas and Damian who the Church honored this past Sunday, who DID cure for free. Many HAVE taught for free in the name of Christ. Using the government to educate, cure, feed and house people doesn't make you a better Christian. Loving people outside your door enough to do it yourself makes you a better Christian.

We Must Love Others First Before We Can Learn to Love Ourselves

You’ve heard it said that you must learn to love yourself
before you can love others. I disagree. Loving yourself in only self-love, and rarely
leads to loving others. In the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazaros, we hear of
a man who loved himself so much, he never recognized that the poor man outside
his door needed compassion. Even in death the rich man couldn’t pass beyond his
love for himself as he called, “Father Abraham have mercy on me and send Lazaros
that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue.” (Luke
16.24) It is only when we love others that we can finally learn to love
ourselves as God desires.

Your Salvation is Outside Your Door

In the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazaros (Luke 16.19-31), Jesus tells of an opportunity for salvation that goes unnoticed by the rich man. Day after day he stepped out his door passing over his salvation, an unnamed and unknown poor man “desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.” (Luke 16.21) Day by day the rich man was sealing his fate for an eternity of torment and grief, while the fate of the poor man rested firmly in the bosom of Abraham. Both men died, and both men met their fate.

Just outside your door, if you are choose to notice, is your salvation waiting for you. Every time you step out your front door is an opportunity to meet your salvation face to face. The rich man in the parable was so focused on his own comfort that he didn’t even know the name of the man lying across his front steps. When you step out your door you leave behind the comfort of home, but you also leave behind the chains of torment and grief. Every person you meet, rich or poor, is your opportunity for salvation.

Your salvation isn’t about rich or poor. It isn’t about names. It is about bread crumbs and dogs. It is about being able to see the person just outside your door, not as a burden or inconvenience but with compassion and love. Salvation is about love.

Don’t Pick the Pigs over the People

When Jesus healed the man with legion demons, He used a
heard of pigs from the nearby town for the demons to enter. We all remember the
story; the pigs went running off the cliff and died. The town folk, not wanting
to lose the investment of the pigs, could not bear to see their resources taken
away from them, just for some poor demoniac. They were so greedy; they chased
Jesus away from their town. Many times, we find ourselves chasing Jesus away by
refusing to allow Him to use OUR resources for the ministry of His Church. We
would rather see the Church limp along; barely able to keep the doors open than
to go without cable television. This story isn’t just about healing a demoniac;
it is about stewardship, and whether we pick the pigs over the people.

Don’t Allow your Greed to Send Christ Away

After Jesus cast out legion demons from someone, the demons entered a heard of swine. As a reaction to having the demons enter, the entire heard ran off a cliff and drown. The demons were so violent and oppressive, the swine just couldn’t handle the presence of so many demons. Demons have a nasty effect on people, but there is always a limit to their abilities.

During the exorcism prayers of every baptism, the Church recalls this Gospel story, as the demons are cast out of the new infant or adult who is seeking to join themselves to Christ. The demons are obligated to obey the Church and depart, just as they were obligated to depart from the young man in Gospel. So if demons have been cast out of our lives at our baptism, why does the Church offer this Gospel story? In the story, the man from whom the demons were cast out glorified God, but the same cannot be said for the owners of the swine, and the town folk.

“Then the whole multitude of the surrounding region of the Gadarenes asked Him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear. And He got into the boat and returned.” (Luke 8.37) For the town folk, it was easier for them to witness the young man completely tormented by demons, than to lose the money they had invested in the swine. They had grown comfortable with their fellow citizen being tormented, but could not tolerate losing their investments. They had become so greedy; the presence of God was more of a torment for them than the torment of demons on their fellow human being. 

Put Your Trust in the Church

In a world with more than 43,000 denominations of
Christianity, it is ever more crucial that we learn to discern the truth among
the many partial truths spoken in the name of Jesus Christ. The Orthodox
Christian Church, loyal to the truth as taught by the Holy Apostles, has been
the caretaker of the wholeness of the truth for more than 2,000 years. Jesus
Christ said, “He who hears you hears Me.” When we hear the voice of the Church,
we hear Jesus Christ. If you truly desire to live united to God, then put your
trust in the Church.

He Who Hears the Church, Hears God

Words are nothing if they are not spoken with authority, and authority is given, not taken. In the Gospel of Luke we hear Christ give authority to the Church to speak and preach on His behalf. Jesus said, “He who hears you hears Me, he who rejects you rejects Me, and he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me.” (Luke 10.16) Then the seventy apostles whom Jesus had sent out to preach the Kingdom in advance of His Passion, returned saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.” (Luke 10.17) The mission of the Seventy was to prepare others to encounter God. They healed the sick, they cast out demons, they spoke on behalf of God. Despite all these blessings the Seventy experienced, Jesus said, “Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.” (Luke 10.19-20)

The mission of the Church has not changed in two thousand years. Jesus Christ has given the Church authority over the power of the enemy. He who hears the Church, hears God, and He who rejects the Church, rejects God. He has given the Church authority, not so people could rejoice in earthly blessings, but that their names (OUR NAMES) might be written in Heaven. This responsibility is taken very seriously by the Church, which is why our teachings MUST BE loyal and consistent with the teachings and way of life of the Holy Apostles, to whom Jesus first gave the authority. This is what we mean when we say, “One Holy Catholic and APOSTOLIC Church” in the Creed. The way of life and teachings of the Church are the same as the Apostles.

The words spoken by the Church are for our benefit, not for earthly blessings, but that our names are written in heaven, and they are words spoken with authority given directly from God. It was Jesus Christ who said, “He who rejects you rejects Me, and he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me.” Do you want to hear God, listen to the Church!

Pluck Out the Thorns from Your Heart

Using the Parable of the Sower (Luke 8.5-15), Jesus taught
that there are four conditions of the heart. Either the heart is hardened and
the Word of God cannot penetrate, or the heart is shallow and the roots cannot
grow deep, or the heart is filled with thorns which chock the heart, or the
heart is rich fertile soil which produces fruit a hundred fold. Most of us
spend most of our time surrounded by thorns, so God has given us His Church to
assist with plucking the thorns from our heart. Without proper care, our heart
will never grow deep roots and produce the fruit of faith, but by using the
life of the Church you can pluck out the thorns from your heart and produce
fruit a hundred fold for the glory of God. 

True Diversity Requires True Tolerance

I was recently appointed to serve for one year on a "Faith and Values Advisory Board" for our local newspaper. We meet once each month to discuss life in the community and how people of faith might be "view the issues" facing our community. This month was my first column, and I thought I would share it with my fans here as well.... I pray my words are a source of comfort and hope to anyone in our city who might read them....and you never know......by God's grace maybe someone will be inspired to Live A New Life In Christ by the column.

For the past four years I have been blessed with the opportunity to participate on a diversity panel along with several religious leaders from the Pee Dee area. The panel is part of the Building Bridges program sponsored each spring by the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce. Each of the four years, I was asked to speak about what was needed to build bridges of diversity for the greater community, and each of the four years, I have responded with the same answer. “We need to be OK with allowing each other to be who we genuinely are.” The reality of being genuine requires something that, quite frankly, goes against our immediate impulse.

(continue reading...)

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Are the flood waters of life beating you down?

As I celebrated our weekly Wednesday Orthros/Matins this morning, I was especially thankful to God for keeping our community families safe during the recent flooding. The Gospel for this morning was especially appropriate to the past week...

Luke 6:46-49, 7:1 "The Lord said, "Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do what I tell you? Every one who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep, and laid the foundation upon rock; and when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house, and could not shake it, because it had been well built. But he who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation; against which the stream broke, and immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great." After he had ended all his sayings in the hearing of the people he entered Capernaum."

We are thankful that our homes are safe, and the storm is behind us. Many noticed possible weaknesses in their properties, and will make improvements to ensure flooding is less damaging during the next storm.......but what improvements are we making to protect our soul for the DAILY storms that face our soul?

If you are interested making improvements to your soul for the storm, find your local Orthodox Christian Church and begin attending services, Bible Studies, and community gatherings as soon as you can.

Simply Because We Want to Love

Jesus said, “Just as you want men to do to you, you also do
to them likewise.” (Luke 6.31) Jesus also said, “But if you love those who love
you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.”
(Luke 6.32) God doesn’t want us to love simply because He said so; He wants us
to WANT to love. When we are forced into love, it isn’t love at all, but an
obligation. Sinners love those who love them because they want something in
return, but we are called to be better than sinners. We are called to love
simply because we want to love. It’s better that way.

Why is Love Such a Challenge?

When Jesus gave us the Golden Rule, He gave us something much more than a commandment. He gave us a challenge. It seems Christ knew that we enjoy a challenge. He said, “And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise. But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.” (Luke 6.31-32) With these words Jesus challenged us to look at others as if we are looking in a mirror, and that is a great challenge.

Because of our fallen nature, we tend to look at others with a sense of comparison. “At least I don’t look like that.” “At least I don’t behave like that.” “At least I’m smarter and richer than that.” When was the last time we looked at someone else, as if we were looking at ourselves and said, “I know they are struggling with something nobody else knows.” “I know they feel like they can’t seem to catch a break.” “I know they just want us to trust them.” The point is, we all struggle with living our Christianity according to God’s commands. The only true comparison is “which” sin we have committed that someone else has not. We all sin, so why place our right to be loved ahead of anyone else?

Christianity was not the first to understand the concept of treating others the way we want to be treated, but that is the easy part. The challenge – what makes the rule ‘golden’ – is to place ourselves in someone else’s situation and love them. The challenge – what Christians are uniquely called to live – is to love even whom we think we know to be the most sinful. Sin is sin, and nobody is without sin – except God – so why not love. Are you up for the challenge?

A New Season

The Church calendar includes different seasons during which
we read different Gospel lessons each day. On the second Sunday after the Feast
of the Holy Cross, known as the First Sunday of Luke, we witness the calling of
the first disciples by Christ. Jesus Christ calls a few humble but faithful
fishermen to trust Him enough to leave everything aside and follow Him. This
new season of the Church, allows for us to reconsider our role within the
ministry of the Church, and whether we desire to leave aside the secular
temptations of the world to be part of the team we call, The Church. Jesus
Christ didn’t accomplish His ministry in isolation; He involved the Disciples to
help Him. Adam couldn’t exist in isolation; God created Eve to assist him. The
Church also doesn’t work in isolation; we are called to assist the Church – and
therefore Christ – to cast our nets out into the deep and bring in as many as
God has determined should join the Church. But all this takes requires a fresh
perspective. It requires a fresh vantage point. It requires a new season in our
lives. And in this new season, when God is with, nothing is against us.

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Do You Have a Bucket List?

We’ve all heard of them, and some of us actually create one. I never have, so I thought I would. NO....I’m not talking about jumping out of airplanes or climbing Mt Everest. I’m talking about an Orthodox Christian Bucket List. I think the common bucket list is a waste of time, which may be why I never wrote one. I have been mountain climbing, but who really cares about Mt Everest. I’ve been in lots of airplanes, and trust me when I say, I’m quite comfortable staying INSIDE the airplane. Those types of bucket lists seem to me to focus on thrill seeking rather than what really matters. Preparing our soul is what really matters. So today, I thought I would create an Orthodox Christian Bucket List....

(In no specific order, but the order they came to me while blogging this morning)

1. Go to confession four times this year
2. Pray my morning Prayer Rule every day this month
3. Pray my evening Prayer Rule every day this month
4. Ask my spiritual father for a prayer rule
5. Attend Divine Liturgy every Sunday this month
6. Visit every Canonical Orthodox Christian Monastery in America (33 male monasteries, 38 female monasteries)
7. Attend Divine Liturgy in every Canonical Orthodox Christian Church within a two hour drive of my home
8. Read the entire Bible (Orthodox Christian edition)
9. Attend every Holy Week Service (in the same year) at least once
10. Visit Jerusalem and the Holy Lands
11. Visit with my Bishop in his office
12. Visit the Cathedral of my Bishop
13. Visit the Cathedral of my Archbishop or Metropolitan
14. Visit the Cathedral of my Patriarch
15. Witness the ordination of a Deacon
16. Witness the ordination of a Priest
17. Witness the ordination of a Bishop
18. Witness the Consecration of a Church
19. At least once attend every Divine Liturgy for the 12 Great Feasts of the Church in one year
20. Go on a short-term mission trip (less than 3 months in length)
21. Visit an Orthodox Christian Orphanage
22. Visit every Orthodox Christian Seminary in America
23. Establish a home Altar
24. Have my home blessed by the Priest this year
25. Spend an extended-stay spiritual retreat at an Orthodox Christian Monastery
26. Venerate the Relics of my Patron Saint (if they are known to exist)
27. Venerate a miracle Icon (weeping, crying, myrrh-flowing etc) of the Theotokos
28. Serve a meal at a soup kitchen
29. Distribute food at a food bank
30. Distribute clothing at a clothing bank
31. Visit a stranger in a hospital
32. Visit a stranger in prison
33. Visit a stranger in a nursing/assisted living home
34. Read “On the Incarnation” by Saint Athanasios the Great
35. Read “On the Holy Spirit” by Saint Basil the Great
36. Read a complete commentary on a Book of Scripture by an ancient Orthodox Christian Church Father
37. Read a book on Orthodox Christian spirituality this year
38. Read Eusebius’ book on Christian History
39. Keep a strict fast for the Great Fast at least once
40. Keep a strict fast for the entire Apostles Fast at least once
41. Keep a strict fast for the Dormition Fast at least once
42. Keep a strict fast for the Christmas Fast at least once
43. Keep the Wednesday/Friday Fast this month
44. Keep a strict fast for the Feast of Holy Cross this year
45. Keep a strict fast for the Feast of the Beheading of John the Baptist this year
46. Keep a strict fast for the Forefeast of Theophany this year (January 5)
47. Attend Divine Liturgy for the Feast of my Patron Saint this year
48. Attend Divine Liturgy for the Feast of my Parish this year
49. Attend Great Vespers at least once this month
50. Attend Matins at least once this month
51. Attend a Paraklesis Service at least once this month
52. Attend every Paraklesis Service during the Dormition Fast at least once (in one year)
53. Invite a friend to attend Divine Liturgy with me this year
54. Establish a personal prayer list for family and friends
55. Pray my personal prayer list every day this month
56. Submit my personal prayer list to my Parish Priest and ask him to include it his prayer this month
57. Submit my personal prayer list to a Canonical Orthodox Christian Monastery with a donation
58. Make a donation to International Orthodox Christian Charities this year
59. Make a donation to the Orthodox Christian Mission Center this year
60. Make a donation to the Orthodox Christian Network this year
61. Make a donation to the Orthodox Christian Prison Ministry this year
62. Make a donation to an Orthodox Church building fund this year
63. Make a donation to a National Orthodox Christian Charity this year
64. Make a donation to a regional Orthodox Christian Charity this year
65. Make a donation to my Bishop’s ministry this year
66. Make a donation to my Archbishop/Metropolitan’s ministry this year
67. Make a donation to my Patriarch’s ministry this year
68. Tithe to my Parish this year
69. Volunteer for a ministry at my Parish NOT INCLUDING the Festival or major fundraiser this year
70. Volunteer for my Parish festival or other major fundraiser this year
71. Volunteer to serve as a greeter for my Parish at least once this year

I’m not sure how long bucket lists are supposed to be, but I thought this was a good starting point. I hope you enjoy my list, and I invite you to create your own. Feel free to use mine as a starting point. I tried to include as many aspects of an Orthodox Christian life as I could. I may have missed a few, and I probably will remember (and then add) a few later, but I really believe that if we each had this sort of bucket list, our souls would be much better prepared than worrying about jumping out an airplane.

Oh....I just remembered another one....Make a donation to Be Transfigured! 

You Just Can’t ‘Go It Alone’

Moments before calling His first disciples, Jesus invited a group of fishermen to cast out their nets in a place where they had fished the night before with absolutely no success. When they did as He commanded, “they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them.” (Luke 5.6-7) It was only together that they were able to haul in the greatest catch they would ever see. It was at this moment; they dropped their nets and followed Christ.

There are many times in our lives that we are tempted to ‘go it alone’ rather than depend upon the helping hand of others. We are often too proud to look to the experience and knowledge of others to help us get to where we are going. And it is too often that we find ourselves lost and unable to accomplish our goal simply because we refuse to call out and signal to our partners that we need their help. So why do still insist on trying to go it alone?

You could call it our fallen human condition. Ever since Adam and Eve, we have been trying to live independently from God, even though we, like the fishermen, keep coming up short. As human beings, we were created to live in communion with God and each other, not as isolated individuals. In fact it is only when we accept the invitation of God to join Him, that we can finally accomplish our true purpose. And what is our true purpose? Entering into heaven and living eternally with God, and we can’t do THAT alone......that’s for sure.

The Illness

Since Adam and Eve, all human beings have suffered from the
illness I call “ego.” We tend to see every option in our path using the
pronoun, “I.” Whether it is when to attend Church, how to spend our money, what
to eat, even how to interpret the Holy Scriptures, we invoke our God-given
freedom to swear off any influence from anyone over our decisions. So when
Jesus invites us to follow Him with the challenge, “Deny himself, take up his
cross, and follow Me,” it should make us think twice about the illness we call “ego.”
The Church’s way of life of reading and interpreting the Holy Scriptures,
prayer, fasting, attending Church services, house blessings, caring for the
poor, and Confession, are meant to cure the illness of the “ego” so that we can
follow Jesus into heaven.

The Cure

When we are sick, we follow the advice of our doctor if we
desire to be healed from whatever sickness or disease we have. We do this,
because we believe the doctor knows the best cure. We trust him to have our
best interest at hand. We put our belief in his abilities into action, and
follow his instructions to the letter of the law written on the prescription. But
when our soul is in need of healing most of us, most of the time, ignore the
advice of the Church. The Physician of our Souls, Jesus Christ Himself, has
provided a cure for our spiritual sickness, and we ignore it. He has given us a
way of life we call the Church, and though we claim to believe in the cure, we
refuse to follow the instructions necessary to experience a full recovery. We
refuse, all the while rationalizing away our poor choices in the name of
comfort and wanting to avoid suffering, the very cure that has been tried and
tested for two thousand years. Sometimes the cure is painful, and causes nausea,
but healing comes through the struggle of the cure. If we avoid the struggle,
we avoid the cure. The time has come for us to embrace the life of the Church,
struggle and all, and allow Christ to heal us through His Church.

Our Ministry Continues to Expand

Our LIVE STREAM Bible Study ministry continues to grow, and for this I am extremely thankful to God. Through the cooperation of many individuals, many of them fan of this blog, we have succeeded in expanding our internet presence for the glory of God. I just wanted to outline a few new elements of our Bible Study ministry. Of course, I invite EVERYONE to join us "in person" but I also know many people live in an area without an Orthodox Christian Church, or their particular schedule makes it difficult for them to attend a Bible study in their local city. Thankfully we are blessed to be able to share our ministry with others.

The Orthodox Christian Network has been a strong supporter of our ministry in the past seven years. You may remember hearing a few of our sermons on the OCN Podcast "Theologically Thinking" over the years. Last year, the OCN expanded their support of our ministry by sharing our video sermons and LIVE STREAM Bible studies on their website. Immediately, support of our ministry began to expand, and this year the OCN has again expanded its support of our ministry by creating a dedicated area within their website where fans can download study guides and watch LIVE STREAM Bible studies and register to receive reminders and links each week.

In addition to the expanded presence on the OCN, the audio version of our weekly Bible study airs three times each day on The Anchor, an online radio ministry of the OCN. Now, even if you miss the LIVE STREAM or just want to listen "in the background" at work, you can tune in to The Anchor. Our Bible study follows the very popular "Come Receive the Light" radio program daily at 9am, NOON and 6pm.

IF THAT weren't enough.....we have also been working with Orthodox Circle (sort of like a facebook for Orthodox) to offer a LIVE CHAT ROOM where fans could chat about the Bible Study during the LIVE STREAM. I had noticed that many wanted to chat, but with certain YouTube limitations, people could not engage in the discussion. I am currently working to establish a group of approved moderators who will be willing to "bump up" certain questions from the Orthodox Circle chat room to YouTube (since I can only see the YouTube feed during LIVE sessions) so I can include additional questions in the live stream. The Orthodox Circle requires a special membership, but doesn't require members to be Orthodox. I invite ALL my fans to join Orthodox Circle AND join the dedicated "circle" for the Bible study.

So now there are many opportunities for you to connect with our ministry, and for that I am thankful to God. May He continue to bless our ministry to inspire YOU to Live A New Life in Christ.

A Not-so-New Temptation

Many American Christians can be heard waxing and waning over the persecution of the Church in America. Arguments around the water cooler about gay marriage and religious freedom are but the most recent example of how politics becomes spiritual in our nation. But I want to talk about a different type of persecution, what I see as a not-so-new temptation of secular praise.

Many Christians in America expend a great deal of thought and effort into their decision process, especially when it comes to their children. What preschool will best put them on the right path to success? What school will give them the best education? What education will best prepare them for college? What college will be prepared them for a stellar career? What career will earn them the greatest income? What image will the family have in the world in which their children are raised? Will their children be considered prudish or small minded? Will their children have out-dated ideals about family and the social welfare? And these are just the obvious questions. Then there are agonizing questions about the “extra-curriculars” that are presumed a requirement to earn prestige and the all-coveted scholarship to college. All this in the name of, “I want my children to be well-rounded.”

When was the last time you heard a parent include their child’s spiritual health in their life-plan? Why don’t we ask questions about faith? How will this particular extra-curricular prepare my son for heaven? Will that school encourage my daughter to turn against her Church? Will this Sunday soccer league teach my son that it is ok to be absent from Divine Liturgy for three months? Will attending boy scouts or girl scouts, two organizations which promote moral choices against the teachings of the Church, create too much temptation for my children? Will my children grow up thinking their Church is out of touch with the modern world? Have I taught my children that attending Divine Liturgy is more important than sleeping in on the “only day” available?

I could go on and on about the questions we SHOULD be asking, but I think you get the idea. Christians of the 21^st century are faced with a choice that is neither new nor is it unique to any time of Christian history. Parents (and just parents) are faced with preparing for the world or preparing for heaven. WE CANNOT prepare for both as Jesus said, “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” (Matthew 6.24) When the first followers of Jesus were faced with this same reality, many refused to confess their belief in Him, “For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.” (John 12.43)

Extra-curricular activities are not necessarily sinful or dangerous in themselves. What IS dangerous is the reason we insist upon placing them above the life of the Church, “so that our children are well-rounded.” EVERY time our children are faced with a moral choice that conflicts with the Church, they are tempted to choose against the Church. It is high time that we begin to live the words of the Lord’s Prayer, “Led us not into temptation, but deliver us from Evil.”

v  BEGIN with faith by asking questions about faith rather than the world, and commit to always placing the life of the Church “first on the list” of importance ahead of “being well-rounded” according to worldly standards.

v  CONTINUE with avoiding temptation at every step.

v  FINISH by making a choice that being prepared for heaven is infinitely more important that any college scholarship.

Belief Takes Some Effort

Jesus said, “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3.14-16) When most Christians hear this promise of our Lord, we are comforted that “all we need to do is believe” and we will be saved. But what does it mean to believe?

Belief requires some sort of action if it is going to have any meaning in our life. We believe penicillin will cure certain ailments, but if we refuse the treatment, that simple belief is no good to us. If the Jews “believed” that the serpent of Moses would be strong enough for them not to die, but they did not keep their eyes on the serpent, they would have died. Mere belief is never enough. It takes effort.

What are we doing with our belief in Jesus? He said our belief would keep us from dying, but unless we put that belief into action, we will die. When the doctor gives us a prescription for penicillin, it comes with instructions, and if we want to be healed, we follow the instructions. Jesus gave us a prescription He called the Church, and it also comes with instructions. The time has come for us to follow the instructions that came with the cure, so that we can truly live in Christ, and never die. What are the instructions? The God-inspired life of the Orthodox Christian Church IS the instruction manual that comes with the cure, and IF we believe in Christ, we will follow His instructions. After all....belief takes some effort. 

The REAL Power of Prayer

I often hear, it seems like multiple times each day, about the power of prayer. I have to admit, I tend to stay away from such discussion, not because I do not believe in the power of prayer, but because I do not believe that prayer is designed for us to exert our will upon the world. The REAL power of prayer is in its ability to change our hearts, not our surroundings. If we are willing to be honest about what WE mean by the power of prayer, would we not be forced to admit that EVERY time we talk about answered prayer, or the power of prayer, is when we (or someone else) receives EXACTLY what they were praying for? It is as if we believe (and many actually do) that just because we pray more, pray harder, and that many others pray more and harder with us, that God will eventually do exactly as we wish.

Now consider what Jesus said, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him DENY HIMSELF, take up his cross, and follow Me.” Where is the “deny himself” in the way we consider the power of prayer? Even when we are not praying directly for our particular blessing, are we not still praying for our will rather than God’s will, when our prayer should ALWAYS be for the will of God. Sometimes He will say “yes” and sometimes He will say “No”, but the real power of prayer is when OUR hearts are changed rather than someone’s sickness, financial standing, marital status, or other personal suffering ends.

It isn’t that I believe we should want our friends or family to suffer, but when we focus so much energy on making any and every struggle of life disappear, we lose focus on what we should really desire for our friends and family. Maybe a ‘better’ prayer would be that they (and we) have time to repent of our sins before it is too late. Maybe a ‘better’ prayer would be that they (and we) accept that our time on Earth is about preparing for eternal life with God and in God, so that our suffering, no matter how horrific, is but a glimpse of the eternal life that awaits us. If we spent more time preparing our souls for eternity with God, then even the suffering on Earth would be seen for what it is.....an opportunity to trust in the Lord with all our heart.

The REAL Power of Prayer is in repentance, not physical blessings.

Willing AND Prepared to Enter Heaven

When Jesus describes heaven, He uses parables so we can
better understand. In the parable of the marriage feast found in Matthew
22.2-14, we find several profound truths in the layers of the story, which
teach us not only that we have been invited to enter heaven, but that, how we
respond to the Church will absolutely have an impact on whether or not we will
find ourselves in, or out, of heaven. If we make excuses, mock and disregard
the Church, and reject the invitation of the Church, we will find ourselves not
worthy to enter heaven. But even if we accept the invitation, but we attempt to
enter heaven without listening to the Church’s teachings and by preparing
ourselves, we will also find ourselves on the outside. The Church, as he
servants of God, is the key to the gates, and we must be willing AND prepared
to enter heaven.

Don’t Worry; God Won’t Force Us into Heaven

In the Gospel of Matthew, we hear Jesus describe a wedding banquet in which those who were invited had no desire to attend. When the master sent His servants to call those who had been invited, those who had been invited “Made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business. And the rest seized his servants, treated them spitefully, and killed them.” (Matthew 22.5-6) They thought of an empty wedding banquet was not acceptable, and the master sent His servants out again, this time telling the servants, “Go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.” (Matthew 22.9) They filled the wedding banquet with all sorts of people, EXCEPT those who had been originally invited. According to the master, they were no longer worthy.

The wedding banquet is heaven, and we have been invited by God to attend. The Church, just like the servants, has reminded us that the banquet is ready. All that remains is for us to accept His invitation and enter into heaven, but He will not force us to enter if we do not wish. If we, like those in the Gospel, make like of God’s invitation, then He will move on to those who desire heaven. He will respect our choice to remain outside the doors of the banquet.

You may not think you are rejecting God’s invitation to enter heaven, but any time we choose to ignore the Church, we ignore His servants. It isn’t a matter of coming to the banquet later, but trusting the Church to call us when the time has come. The Church IS calling. Will we trust the Church and enter the banquet, or ask them to find someone else. God will respect our choice, but it would be better for us to accept the invitation and follow the Church into heaven. Not everyone will be allowed into the banquet because, “Many are called, but few are chosen.” (Matthew 22.14)