This evening, we will celebrate the Liturgy of the Pre-Sanctified Gifts for the first time this Lenten season. Perhaps no other service better exemplifies the spirit of the Fast than this beautiful Liturgy. It is so unique and different when compared to any other service we do. The Divine Liturgy...
For those of you who follow the weekly scripture readings in the, you will have noticed that with Lent underway, the appointed readings are very different. Normally, we read each day from one of the Epistles and one of the four Gospels. During lent, at least from Monday through Friday,...
by Andrew Nova Orthodox Christians in America are living in a very challenging era, yet at the same time are living in the most exciting age of the Church. Americans have been blessed with the appearance of the Orthodox Church and its appearance couldn’t have come at a better time. With...
Why Run? Why exactly am I running a marathon? I ran track in high school. I was a half-mile runner primarily. I was never too fond of running distances. Over the years, I have tried many times (and failed most of them) to get back into running. Several years ago, I...
Following Forgiveness Sunday vespers a couple of weeks ago, one of our parish family remarked to me concerning their thankfulness of coming to another Lent. They remarked that, God willing, they would see another Pascha as well. This is how he marks time for himself, from year to year. I...
Yesterday was a beautiful day. The temperatures got up into the 60s, the children got to play outside. It was wonderful. As I write this afternoon, the wind is whipping, there's a mix of snow and rain coming down and the temperature is dropping fast. By tonight and into tomorrow...
Brothers and Sisters, Imagine if the world stopped for us during Lent. How much easier would it be for us to attend services, pray more and focus on our spiritual growth if all of our other obligations went away. Work keeping you busy? You get 40 days off. School work and...
Then Jesus said, 'Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.' What a powerful example of Christian forgiveness our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ offers to us while hanging on the life giving cross. Forgiveness is a difficult thing for us. This is likely due in large part...
By Father Daniel Rentel Belief leads to life! Through belief, I belong to something greater than myself. Through belief, my life has purpose, structure and meaning—it is life itself. . Through faith, my senses and my intellect have been nourished abundantly. Through faith I have been called in the most personal...
'The effective fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.' Last fall, we introduced a monthly Moleben, primarily to St. Nectarios, with the opportunity to be anointed with oil. This simple prayer service was very meaningful to me as a young adult. We prayed it every summer when I attended Camp,...