Orthodoxy is…

If being a Christian in our present cultural ethos is becoming more and more difficult to do; then living as an Orthodox Christian is even more daunting… if one obviously embraces the full scope and teaching of Holy Tradition and actually lives  the Orthodox life.   As an Orthodox Christian I do not say these things to either [...]

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Hesychia

God is Heard in the Silence of the Heart The very heart of Orthodox monasticism is found in hesychia, that is, keeping stillness.The hesychast denies in order to affirm. Based on Christ’s injunction in the Gospel of Saint Matthew to “go into your closet to pray”,  in tradition has been the process of retiring inward [...]

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Life is Blessedness

  St. Barsanuphios of Optina Life is blessedness, and not simply because we believe in blessed eternity; but here on earth life can be blessed, if we live with Christ  – fulfilling His holy commandments. If a man is not tied to earthly goods, but will in all things rely only on God, will live for [...]

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Good Guys Wear Black

If you know a godly priest or monastic father… give thanks for the blessing that they bring to our lives.  May God increase his church through the increase of His holy Deacons and Priests. NEW WEBSITE FOR PROSPECTIVE PRIESTS, DEACONS June 1, 2011 – Today marks the launch of a unique new website in the [...]

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Black Dress

  Without prayer…               a monk is merely a man wearing a black dress…   This life has been given to you for repentance;                do not waste it in vain pursuits.     -St. Isaac the Syrian   +Anaphora

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Springtime.

Living in Michigan is a beautiful thing.   Si Quæris Peninsulam Amœnam Circumspice.    If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look about you!!  Great lakes, crystal clear water, magnificent forests, fast-moving rivers, ‘mountains’ (i.e. big hills) up north, and arguably the world’s very best beaches (available for sun-bathing about 100 days a year!)     But this past Spring [...]

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The Jesus Prayer Film

I want to write more about this later, but for now, enjoy the promo video and learn more (here)  about this amazing new full length feature film that takes you to the sacred and holy places of Orthodoxy discovering the Jesus Prayer, and encountering the holy men and women who have been praying this prayer [...]

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Of Hospitals and Emergency Rooms

This past Sunday April 24 Pascha Sunday, the day of Resurrection, 60 Minutes aired a marvelous and very well done video documentary on the Holy Mountain, Mt. Athos, in Greece.  Mt. Athos is the heart, the center, the core, the spiritual hub, the catalytic center, and source of Orthodox piety, wisdom and holiness for more [...]

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Ascend…ascend eagerly.

I am 47 and I’m finally  putting all of the pieces together and Orthodoxy has helped me in this process in so many ways that I cannot even begin to describe.  ”What is life all about?”  “What is most important?”  You see, grasping and coming to an understanding of these questions is the beginning of having and living a life [...]

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In Praise of Less

I work in an industry that publishes ‘words’. Lots of words.  And occasionally, even a few good ideas.   Those occasional combinations of words  that will actually stand the test of time. Have you noticed that the ‘soap box’ in our culture has grown to epic proportions?  Seems everyone these days has a ‘book’ to write, and some do.   Even guys [...]

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Cure for “The Shallows” – The Monastery

 In a previous post I mentioned and commented on a very fine book recently published called, The Shallows.  A book  that puts forth the provocative proposition that the ‘medium’, or the technological apparatus that are used to transmit information to us today, are not, as some people have mistakenly thought – neutral.  But evidence now strongly suggests that the [...]

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Seek Stillness

Be still and know that I am God.”  Psalm 46:10 Step one. Father John Konkle continues… Strive to be like Mary, doing the one thing needful – listening with her whole being.  But do not pretend that you are unlike Martha, distracting yourself with much busyness, being troubled and worried about many things.  There is [...]

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The ‘Stepstool” of Divine Ascent

“…Seek stillness…” Father John Konkle is a wonderful priest.   Humble, gentle, kind, and more than aware of his own sinfulness, and the goodness and mercy of God of which he (without doubt) feels ‘unworthy‘ of. He is a deeply spiritual man who has journeyed, like many of us through myriads of ‘denominations’ before finding our [...]

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St. Elizabeth the New Martyr – July 5th

Enjoy this wonderful account of a 21st century Orthodox Saint, St. Elizabeth who was martyred for her faith at the hands of Communist Socialists.  She gave up royalty, wealth, power and Protestantism for Christ and His Holy Orthodox Catholic and Apostolic Church.  Her endearing and enduring legacy reminds us that we must never take our [...]

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Patient Endurance.

A fool scorns his father’s instruction; but he that keeps his commandments is more prudent. In abounding righteousness is great strength: but the ungodly shall utterly perish from the earth. Proverbs 15:5 Some wise and sound wisdom from our Father in the faith Elder Joseph the Hesychast. One of the greatest ascetics of our century who [...]

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‘Lion Tamer’

Everyday is really a “feast day” in Orthodoxy, a celebration, for in the Orthodox Apostolic faith the Church always remembers Her saints, men and women who have departed this life and reside even now in the presence of Christ in paradise awaiting the final resurrection and judgement of all mankind.  Even though in the Church, there are [...]

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Mary – Mother of God

O Virgin Theotokos, rejoice Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Thou art blessed among women, and blessed [is] the fruit of thy womb, for thou hast given birth to the savior of our souls.   (Above is text sung in video taken from Luke 1:26f) Ecumenical Council of Ephesus 431 AD We confess, then, [...]

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Evagrius of Pontus – Food for the Fast

As we move into the second week of the Nativity fast, I am confronted with the discipline of prayer.   The purpose of the fast is to free us from worldly pursuits, and to set us free to engage in spiritual virtues – like prayer.  So what about prayer?  First, do I pray?  Second, if I do pray, [...]

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St. Maximus – Food for the Fast

Learning to do more  – with less.  Learning to be content with what I have – instead of with what I want.  Learning to live simply, that others might simply live. Words from the desert, from St. Maximus the Confessor, that give life to the world.   Love is a most holy condition of the soul in [...]

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Food for the Fast

The “Holidays” in America.  Synonymous for many things: family, parties, gifts, gifts that no one wants, or needs, ”spending” so the economy grows - an intense, but short time in which we try to cram all the relational connections that we should have been working on during the other eleven months of the year, into one frantic and frenetic [...]

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