Anyone who aspires to greatness must serve the rest; whoever wants to rank first among you must serve the needs of all. The Son of Man has not come to be served but to serve. As we get ever closer … Continue reading
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It is my contention that the foundation of Eastern Spirituality is truly the Gospel of John. His Gospel, perhaps more than the other three, leads us inside the true reality of Jesus – leads us in a real sense of … Continue reading
I ended the last installment of this article with the thoughts of the Greek Fathers of the Church on the true destiny of humankind. They asserted that the goal of human existence is participation in God – deification. Maximus describes … Continue reading
As I shared in the last installment of this article, the Liturgy of Basil the Great, which is the prescribed liturgy of the Great Fast, was the result of Basil shortening an existing Liturgy that was used in Jerusalem. Over … Continue reading
Our journey to holiness, as I shared in the last installment of this article, is facilitated by honest self-examination. We first discover where we have failed to unconditionally lover others. Seeing how well we have done on the journey is … Continue reading
Our Church introduces the Great and Holy Week by commemorating Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. This event prefigures Jesus’ resurrection from the dead and also declares the truth about human immortality. We use the following Tropar for this celebration. … Continue reading
I have been considering the Gospel of John in this article. While few verbal parallels are found between John’s gospel and the three Synoptics, the few that exist could be accounted for if both John and the synoptic authors knew … Continue reading
The Lenten Practice for this sixth week is almsgiving. Do research and find a reputable organization and make a donation. The amount doesn’t matter.
Almighty and everlasting God, I know that the Church called me, this past week, to reflect upon the Holy Cross of Jesus, the Christ. I am deeply thankful for the insights You have given me about the meaning of the … Continue reading
Lord Jesus Christ, I truly believe that You voluntarily embraced the suffering of Your crucifixion to reveal to me how to respond to the challenges of life. Your way of living leads to a deeper understanding of the meaning of … Continue reading