In His Sermon on the Mount (Mat 5:1-7:29), Our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ gives us a vivid description of the divine way of life, that is to say, He teaches us how to live as He does. This … Continue reading
Tag Archives: metanoia
One of the unique things about our Church is that through her liturgical practices during the Great Fast she leads us gradually to the celebration of the Great and Holy Week, one of two weeks which she celebrates as beyond … Continue reading
When I foolishly separated myself from your Fatherly glory, I squandered in wickedness the riches You had given me. So now I cry out to You with the voice of the Prodigal son, saying: “I have sinned before You, O … Continue reading
O God, Be Merciful to Me, a Sinner! What a simple and beautiful prayer we hear in today’s Gospel story. It is a simple prayer that is steeped in the second characteristic of personal transformation, that is humility. There can … Continue reading
This weekend the Church begins a five week sequence of Gospel stories which are meant to help us understand the idea of metanoia (repentance), the activity that we are especially called to engage in during the 40 days of the … Continue reading
When I think about the spirituality of the Christian East, I immediately think about the Transfiguration of Our Lord. This event in the life of Jesus always reminds me that the task of this earthly life is Personal Transformation. In … Continue reading
To be Church also means to consider ourselves as the People of God. Like the people of Israel, we must come to think of ourselves as the People of God. When we do this, it changes how we think about … Continue reading
On this fifth week of our celebration of Easter, I hear, as I reflect on our readings, two different messages: (1) what I must do in order to be saved, and (2) Jesus IS the true source of insight into … Continue reading
After sharing with you the thoughts of our Patriarch and Synod of Bishops about an initiative meant to help all communities become vibrant parishes, I have shared my thoughts about what it means to be Called to Holiness. It is … Continue reading
We must realize that change in a person is only truly produced by God’s grace; yet it does not occur without the participation of a person’s free will. In repentance or metanoia, free will must participate in the very act … Continue reading