"I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there...
What if every time you turn around, no matter what happens, it ends up helping you? It seemed like it was one of those days. All the traffic lights were green. Even the cars in front of me were moving along at a good speed. My favorite song came...
There is a common temptation to reduce all religion to merely behavioral modification systems. In other words, too many people think Faith is about making you a "good" person. For some religious systems, this may be true. But it is decidedly NOT the normal Orthodox Christian mindset. Orthodox Christianity isn't...
Listen to Elder Joseph the Heychest: "Therefore, don’t despair when you fall, but get up eagerly and do a metanoia saying, “Forgive me, my dear Christ. I am human and weak.” The Lord has not abandoned you. But since you still have a great deal of worldly pride, a...
We learn how to make all of life sacred by making one moment of our life sacred. While that may really sound paradoxical, it makes perfect sense when you consider that it's only by a focused effort I can wake up to a wider truth. If I try to take...
I know, I know, it doesn't make sense right off the bat. But it really is true; God wants to GIVE you everything He has! AND, you're going to have to WORK for it! I really do get why this paradox is so confusing and, frankly, off putting. How can...
What a provocative Gospel Lesson today! This is the passage that recalls our Lord's 40 day sojourn in the wilderness after His Baptism. You know the story well. The Lord is led by the Spirit into the wilderness to pray and prepare for His public ministry that will eventually...
Recently a famous Evangelical pastor came out and stated that he is discovering that the history of the Church was plain that the Eucharist was the center of the Church's life and not merely a sermon. I remember when I learned that the sermon wasn't the normal center of...
I never will forget the thrill of anticipation as we waited outside for the doors to open. It was my very first concert, and I was wide eyed at the spectacle of the crowd, the chance to see a favorite band, and to hear the music that rocked my...
There's just no substitute for contemplation. But it seems our modern world is moving at such a break neck speed that contemplation is impossible! That's why authentic faith is the "last, true, rebellion" and the hardest and most rewarding path to being truly human! Listen to what Abba Evagrius says...
