Fathers Archives - Page 9 of 12

Tuesday of the Fifth Week of Great Lent: Do Not Judge. Pure like Susanna.

03/20/2018

Do Not Judge The Fathers teach us that nothing is more serious than judging your neighbour. Despite this, such a serious evil is committed even for things, let’s say, of little seriousness. It all begins with vague suspicions and thoughts like this: ‘What does it matter if I hear what so-and-so is saying? What harm is there in going to see what that person is up to?’ The mind quickly forgets its own sins and

Monday of the Fourth Week of Great Lent: Loving your Neighbour in Need. Make your Love as Big as the World.

03/12/2018

Loving your Neighbour in Need A brother asked an aged monk: ‘There are two brothers: one of them leads a life of solitude six days a week and does much penance, while the other is dedicated to the service of the sick. Which of the two is behaving in the way that is more acceptable to God?’ The old man answered him: ‘The brother who is always making a retreat would never attain the heights

A Child Enters the Temple

02/02/2018

By Father Stephen Freeman The story in the gospel of Christ’s visits to the Temple in his childhood – the first at 40 days of age (marked by the Feast of the Presentation and the occasion of prophecy by the Elder Simeon and Hannah the Prophetess) and at age 12 when He is lost and later found giving instruction to the teachers and scribes, is a reminder of the importance of children in the Temple

Doubt and Modern Belief

01/19/2018

By Father Stephen Freeman Why do people in the modern world find belief so difficult? Obviously, many find ways to believe in God and do so with great zeal, but others, even those who describe themselves as believers, admit either to doubts about God or about many traditional teachings of the faith. The more “miraculous” teachings, the Divinity of Christ, the Virgin Birth, Walking on the Water, Rising from the Dead, etc. present difficulties for most

The Mystery of Christ’s Baptism

01/06/2018

By Stephen Freeman This week, the Church moves from the feast of Christmas to the feast of Theophany – the celebration of the Baptism of Christ. The intent of this feast is not to celebrate a succession of historical events (the Baptism of Christ is at least 30 years later than His birth). Rather this feast takes us into the depths of the mystery of Christ and His salvation of the world. Many Christians, reading the gospel accounts of

The Thirty-Eighth Day of Christmas Advent. The Fiery Furnace of Christmas

12/22/2017

By Father Stephen Freeman The three youths, wise in God, who shone with joy in the furnace, proclaimed the birth of Christ on earth; For just as the Lord sent down a precious dew, He preserved from the flame her who gave birth; He keeps her undefiled and enriches her with divine gifts. Therefore, Daniel, pleasing to God, rejoiced and was glad, For having foreseen the stone from the unquarried mountain, he now prays

Society

10/17/2017

Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgement; because as he is, so are we in this world. I John 4.17 In many ways the word “society” serves to summarize most or all of that which a non-monastic Christian encounters on a daily basis, but which a desert monk seeks to avoid as a general rule. This includes constant interaction with other human beings, as

Patience (Part IV): Patience Manifests a New Awareness of Time

09/15/2017

Another old man came to see one of the Fathers, who cooked a few lentils and said to him, “Let us say a few prayers,” and the first completed the whole psalter, and the brother recited the two great prophets by heart. When morning came, the visitor went away, and they forgot the food.22 Sanctification of the monk is a state of being in which the life of the person manifests the likeness of God.

The Long Defeat and the Cross

08/22/2017

By Father Stephen Freeman Few ideas contrast as starkly to our modern myths as Tolkien’s view of history as “the long defeat.” I have been very interested in the continuing comments that struggle with the perceived pessimism of such a phrase. I have refrained from commenting at length myself, for the very reason that I wanted to do so in an article. For the nature of the long defeat that is the Christian life and

Orthodox Psychotherapy (Part II)

01/24/2017

Many contemporary Christians regard priests as ministers of the Most High and as church officials who are helpful in various bureaucratic dealings, who perform the different Sacraments when they are needed or celebrate the Divine Liturgy, and in this way can satisfy the need of their souls or fulfil a traditional duty. They are regarded as magicians who work magic! We know, however, that the grace of God is not transmitted magically or mechanically, but

Tags

Tuesday of the Fifth Week of Great Lent: Do Not Judge. Pure like Susanna.

Monday of the Fourth Week of Great Lent: Loving your Neighbour in Need. Make your Love as Big as the World.

A Child Enters the Temple

Doubt and Modern Belief

The Mystery of Christ’s Baptism

The Thirty-Eighth Day of Christmas Advent. The Fiery Furnace of Christmas

Society

Patience (Part IV): Patience Manifests a New Awareness of Time

The Long Defeat and the Cross

Orthodox Psychotherapy (Part II)

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