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The Fifth Monday of Great Lent: Forgiveness for All the Sundays to Come

By Fr. Stephen Freeman, February 23, 2017  I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; (John17:20-21) The Elder Sophrony, together with St. Silouan, wrote about the “whole Adam.” By this, they meant all the human beings who have ever existed and those yet to come. They were, for them, something known in the present tense, a “hypostatic” knowledge of the fundamental unity of the human

The Answer to Anxiety and Stress

By Fr. Christopher Makiej, November 4, 2019 I want to talk to you today about the answer, the solution, to worry and anxiety in your life. There are so many people stressed, anxious, worried, pessimistic about life. But the Church provides us with the answer in the Bible – Saint Paul’s letter to the Phillipians 4: 4-9. TRY TO BE JOYFUL The first answer-response to worry and anxiety is to rejoice – to seek to have some joy

Thoughts on Thought and Action, Ministering and Ministry

Thoughts on Thought and Action By Michael Haldas, August 4, 2016 “As we think in our hearts, or inner beings, so we are. The raw material of our actions is what we take into our minds and allow to settle in our hearts…The body cannot be defiled without the consent of the mind.” (Foundation Study Bible, Matthew 15:18, Holy Virgin Martyr Lucy) “Be on guard at all times so that you do not listen to any bad

Venerable Macarius the Great of Egypt

Saint Macarius the Great of Egypt was born around 331 in the village of Ptinapor in Egypt. At the wish of his parents he entered into marriage, but was soon widowed. After he buried his wife, Macarius told himself, “Take heed, Macarius, and have care for your soul. It is fitting that you forsake worldly life.” The Lord rewarded the saint with a long life, but from that time the memory of death was constantly

The Workplace. Other People’s Sins.

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

Self-Emptying Prayer

By Fr. Stephen Freeman, February 29, 2016  We are told that Christ “emptied Himself” in His death on the Cross (Philippians 2:5-11). Further, we are told that this self-emptying is to be the “mind” that we ourselves have. It is possible to grasp that such self-emptying can be practiced in our dealings with others when we place them above ourselves – when the “other” is our greater concern. But how is this possible in prayer?

Forgiveness for All the Sundays to Come

By Fr. Stephen Freeman, March 10, 2016  I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; (John17:20-21) The Elder Sophrony, together with St. Silouan, wrote about the “whole Adam.” By this, they meant all the human beings who have ever existed and those yet to come. They were, for them, something known in the present tense, a “hypostatic” (the term Sophrony preferred) knowledge of the fundamental

The One Thing Progress Cannot Do

By Stephen Freeman, February 6, 2016  It is common among Orthodox teachers to identify prayer with the “one thing necessary” that Christ speaks of in John 11. This emphasizes prayer as communion with God – for communion with God is the very source of our life. I will expand this meaning of the “one thing necessary” to include the very “mind” required for its practice. And, as we shall see, it is strikingly at odds

The Dormition Fast: The Most Holy Mother of God

By Fr. Stephen Freeman, August 13, 2008  On August 15, the Orthodox Church (new calendar) commemorates the Dormition (falling asleep) of the Most Holy Mother of God. The feast is considered to be one of the 12 Great Feasts of the year and thus an integral part of the proclamation of gospel of Jesus Christ. Many who are not familiar with Orthodoxy, or its manner of understanding saints, easily see feast days and the veneration

The Fifth Wednesday of Great Lent: Experiencing Great Lent as a Couple

Rev. Fr. Nicholas Verdaris Orthodox Christians around the world are embarking upon the spiritual journey of Great and Holy Lent, a time that encourages all people to renew, refresh and rediscover their life in Christ. But as this blessed season begins to unfold in earnest, it is important to correct the misconception of the practice and experience of Lent as a lonely or solitary journey. This important clarification applies especially to those in the community