Seeing All As Gift
The preacher was telling the story of the plight of those in biblical times who suffered from leprosy. They were social outcasts and had to live in leper colonies and if they ventured out, they had to call before them to warn all around the “Unclean! Unclean!” You see...
Just Flirting With God
“There’s no time like the present.” This and many other “time” quotes really get to a pearl of central wisdom we humans have learned: Timing is everything. I have a dear couple who are dating. And, on top of that, they are exploring becoming Orthodox. Talk about a double whammy!...
The Deposit of Faith – What Does It Mean to Be a Disciple?
https://www.orthodoxservantleaders.com/doulos-podcast/deposit-of-faith What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus Christ? When the Lord ascended into heaven, He told His Church to "make disciples" and not just converts! But what does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus? Here's an interview I just did with Hollie Benton on...
Be An Example To Believers
I never will forget what a wise, old pastor once told me about being a leader in a church: "Son" he said, "You can say anything you need to to a group of people who know you love them." Wow, how I've learned the truth of this over the...
Temporary VS. Timeless
Have you ever thought about all those people Jesus healed during His ministry here on earth? They were so happy, grateful, and changed. In some cases (the illness of leprosy) they were now free to rejoin society, be reunited with their families, and finally, get their life back. They...
The Elect Obtained It!
"Don't watch them make the sausage!" Good advice if you have a bit of a squeezy stomach. Having been exposed to farm life as a boy, I can tell you what my grandmother said about raising pigs: "Honey when it comes to pigs; we use everything from the rooter...
Against Such There Is No Law
There ought to be a law! Isn't it fascinating that the first thing most people think about when there is some conflict or some disagreement or some unwanted actions in our society is that there should be some governmental control issued to make people "behave" the way they "should?"...
Let (TRUE) Freedom Ring (For Everyone!)
"Freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose." That's what Janice Joplin sang. But is that what freedom is? Not according to the timeless Faith. Freedom, for the wisdom of the Faith, has everything to do with actually disciplining my passions in such a way that I discover...
Please Check Out our Improved Parish Website
https://www.stsrni.org/
Love – More Than A Feeling, More Than Desire
The Apostle Paul says that love is the "more excellent way." But we have allowed the word "love" to be dumbed down to little more than "feelings of desire." But the Faith does not allow us to reduce "love" to anything less than God Himself. St. John insists that...