Daily Meditations Archives - Page 76 of 333

Synaxis of the Archangel Michael and the Other Bodiless Powers

11/08/2021

The Synaxis of the Chief of the Heavenly Hosts, Archangel Michael and the Other Heavenly Bodiless Powers: Archangels Gabriel, Raphael, Uriel, Selaphiel, Jehudiel, Barachiel, and Jeremiel was established at the beginning of the fourth century at the Council of Laodicea, which met several years before the First Ecumenical Council. The 35th Canon of the Council of Laodicea condemned and denounced as heretical the worship of angels as gods and rulers of the world, but affirmed

Do We Believe in God?

11/05/2021

By Stephen Freeman, April 5, 2016 Belief is a strange thing. It rests like an idea in our mind. We can examine it, walk around it, argue it, and change it or reject it. But as an idea, belief really isn’t such a big thing. It is probably quite correct to say that most of the things we “believe” make no difference whatsoever. This is especially true of what most people mean when they say,

Nous versus Ego. Quietude.

11/04/2021

The true self versus the false self By Abbot Tryphon, January 5, 2020 Reformed theology focuses on forensic justification, whereas the mystical theology of the Orthodox Church focuses on restoration to God through healing of the darkened soul alienated from Him. These are two very different models, but not really equal, because one can have faith in Christ’s sacrifice, but still not be healed and restored. Our restorative healing is not about some terrible legal

Thoughts on basic kindness, on morals and virtues.

11/03/2021

Thoughts on basic kindness By Michael Haldas, July 21, 2016 “One of the New Testament commands is that Christians display kindness toward other believers (Romans 12:10) …Such kindness is a response to God’s wonderful kindness to us….as we bless others in this way, we will find ourselves receiving similar blessings of kindness (Luke 6:38).” (Foundation Study Bible, Romans 15:25-26) “We need to have our lives and relationships reflect the admonition of St. Paul who wrote

The Workplace. Other People’s Sins.

11/02/2021

The workplace can be a place for spiritual growth By Abbot Tryphon, December 29, 2019 Balancing the spiritual life with the workplace can be quite challenging. Our work day should begin with prayer, and should be planned with the help and guidance of one’s spiritual father, priest or confessor. If we have children, we should get up an hour early, so we have plenty of time for prayer before getting them breakfast and sending them

Holy Wonderworkers and Unmercenaries Cosmas and Damian of Mesopotamia

11/01/2021

The Holy Wonderworkers and Unmercenary Physicians Cosmas and Damian and their mother Saint Theodota were natives of Asia Minor (some sources say Mesopotamia). Their pagan father died while they were still quite small children. Their mother raised them in Christian piety. Through her own example, and by reading holy books to them, Saint Theodota preserved her children in purity of life according to the command of the Lord, and Cosmas and Damian grew up into

Do You Know God?

10/29/2021

By Fr. Stephen Freeman, March 29, 2016 My childhood was surrounded with very committed Evangelical and Fundamentalist Christians. Street preaching was quite common and even expected. In the downtown, the bus stopped in front of the Dollar Store before it made its trip to the Southside where I lived. Those waiting for buses were a captive audience. Saturdays especially brought bright young men with floppy Bibles and crew-cuts. They were largely students from Bob Jones University.

The Feast Day of the Protection of the Theotokos, Ayia Skepi

10/28/2021

On October 28 the Greek Orthodox Church commemorates the Feast Day of the Protection of the Theotokos, the Mother of God and Ever-Virgin Mary. The feast-day of the Holy Protection of the Mother of God was established following a vision of holy Father Andrew during the course of a Vigil in the Church of Vlachernae at Constantinople. At the Fourth Hour of the night while deep in prayer, the Saint lifted up his eyes to

Monks

10/27/2021

The Original Men in Black By Abbot Tryphon, December 28, 2019 The monastic vocation is a special calling from God that is all about relationships. It is a relationship that involves community (the monastic brotherhood), but primarily revolves around the monk’s relationship with God. Monks are not holy men who are living lives set apart from the world, but men who are seeking holiness by entering into a relationship with the God Who, through that

The Feast of Saint Demetrios

10/26/2021

By Leonidas Contos, October 25, 1965 In Paul’s letter addressed to Timothy the delicate, pivotal question of the believer’s relationship to the state is summed up. On the feast which commemorates the heroic life, and still more heroic death, of the youthful martyr Demetrios, who was an officer in the state legions, Paul’s letter takes on a special meaning. It is addressed to an officer in the legions of Christ, as it were, and it