Fasting Like Yours
"He was doing all the right things for all the wrong reasons." Frankly, when I heard that, I didn't even realize that was even possible. But it is. You really can do all the right things for all the wrong reasons, and then you're amazed when the "right doing"...
Do I Love Him?
Why does a church exist? What is the purpose that drives a church community to continue from generation to generation? What is the motivating force that causes people to adhere and perpetuate this or that ideology, theology, practice, and behavior? And, why does a faith community survive from one...
But He Lied ABout Me!
My mother taught me "Son, always put your best foot forward." She meant for me to always show the best of who I am and what I am to everyone. Good advice, especially on your initial job interview! Modern marketing is based on this foundational idea. We are inundated with...
The Last Sunday of Great Lent
Today is the last Sunday of Great Lent, and the Church calls us to remember St. Mary of Egypt and her lifelong repentance. The wisdom of a life of humble repentance is always the path of perpetration for the joy of Pascha. Next Sunday y is Palm Sunday and the...
I Don’t Understand!
"But I don't understand!" How many times have I said these very words concerning something I was going through in my life? If I had a nickel for every time I said this or heard this, especially from my children, I'd be very wealthy. The truth Is I really don't...
Like God
"OK, so let me get this straight? You just threw yourself in front of the punch and took it for the guy? And loo, the only thing you got out of it was a black eye!" My buddy just didn't understand why a fellow officer would put himself in harms...
Please Pray
Dear Friends, Our devotional will return tomorrow. Until then, please keep the parish I serve in your prayers. We have had a rash of thefts from our property and it has been a bit of a discouragement for my precious parishioners. Your prayers are appreciated. Here's a recent story from our...
Believing IS Doing
There's a prevailing notion that the mere granting of mental assent is believing. But is that really true? Does simply saying you think something is true make it so? I know we live in a society that likes to reduce things to "manageable" things. We want to reduce achievement to...
A Special Place
Here's a brain teaser for you: One special place sets you free to make all places special; but if all places are special without one particular place being special then no place is special! Huh? Sorry this comes on a Monday morning, but it never hurts to get the intellectual...
Marvelous and Wonderful Things
We live in an age where "marvelous" and "wonderful" have been tamed. We hear these words and immediately get excited about the "good" things happening! But this definition that "marvelous" and "wonderful" always mean "pleasant" and "positive" things is a reflection of our own shallow age. Through centuries of human...