Archives for 2012

Courtesy of Orthodixie, let me recommend a book to you called Faith & Humor: Notes From Muscovy. He has an excerpt from the book which I really liked: “You see, Reverend Father,” a novice once said to the confessor at a convent. “I’m bored at the convent. I started to dance at the age of four […]

The deacon above has it just right! Most of my complaints tend to come out when something has happened in my life that does not appear to be in accord with what I think should have happened. All too often, I am of the opinion that God should agree with me. Well, I would never […]

Blessed is he who knows in truth that we are but tools in God’s hands; that it is God who effects within us all ascetic practice and contemplation, virtue and spiritual knowledge, victory and wisdom, goodness, and truth; and that to all this we contribute nothing at all except a disposition that desires what is […]

A friend of mine commented that her children say that they come out of confession with a minty-fresh soul. I think that is a wonderful way to phrase it. If 1 John 1:9 means anything, it certainly does mean that our souls have been refreshed through the process of repenting and confessing our sins so […]

Sinless is possible. In fact, every Christian on Earth has been sinless for at least part of their Christian life. Let’s take a look at a 1 John 1:9-2:1. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and […]

I must die before I die, so that when I die, I will not die. — heard from a Greek Orthodox priest. We are about to enter the season of Great Lent again. We are about to begin the Great Fast again. We are beginning a period of mortifying our flesh in multiple ways so […]

Yesterday I commented that no one has a good answer for where the line is between what a Church can insist on and what the State can insist on. That means that there is a constant set of arguments going on in this country between both sides. But, given the current healthcare debates, let me bring […]

Here is the question no one wants to ask, “Does religious freedom have limits?” Now, why do I ask that? Well, every freedom listed in the Bill of Rights has its limits. It is something that is not often brought up, but it is something that needs to be brought up now in the context […]