Complaints about income inequality are common. Leaving aside the generally bad economic and moral arguments that seek to make the case that such inequality is unjust, there is one argument that is worth considering. What I have in mind are the subsidies available to those who purchase electric cars. An…

Sunday, January 13 (OS., December 31, 2018) 2019: Sunday Nativity Afterfeast and Leavetaking (33rd Sunday) Holy Righteous Ones: Joseph the Betrothed, David the King, James the Brother of the Lord. Epistle: Galatians 1:11–19 Gospel: Matthew 2:13–23 Christ is Born! St Matthew’s account of our Savior’s birth is drenched in violence…

Evangelical Christians have certainly run with the idea of a “personal relationship” with Jesus Christ but this doesn’t mean it isn’t true. Together with baptism, a personal relationship with Jesus Christ is the starting point of our life in Christ. This means that when we are asked by our Evangelical…

Monastic life is NOT the foundation of the Church marriage and family life are. In fact, monastic life — like the Church itself — is modeled after the family. This means that we need are strong marriages which in turn can be the foundation of strong families. And it is…

It’s better to think of your priest not as a spiritual father along the monastic lines but as a coach. Yes, the problem we ALL suffer is we are willful but the solution is not to become will-less (i.e., “obedient”) but willing. We need to become ever more willing and…

Let me be blunt, most Orthodox priests have little or no training in pastoral counseling or psychotherapy. Much less do must of us have any substantial preparation as spiritual fathers. This is important because, in the hands of an inexperienced or ill-prepared priest, obedience is a recipe for great and…

Unfortunately, Orthodox Christians tend to overemphasize the therapeutic nature of salvation at the expense of our own moral and legal tradition. This is unfortunate because Holy Tradition is deeper, broader and richer than that can be captured in a slogan. We have a rich, legal tradition. Not only canon law…

SDecember 2 (O.S., November 19) 2018: 27th Sunday after Pentecost; Prophet Obadiah (9th c. B.C.). Martyr Barlaam (304). Martyr Heliodorus (273). Martyr Azes, and with him 150 soldiers (284). Ven. Barlaam and Monk loasaph, prince of India, and St. Abenner the King, father of St. loasaph (4thc.). Ven. Hilarion of…

November, 25 (O.S., November 12), 2018: 26th Sunday after Pentecost.St. John the Merciful, patriarch of Alexandria (620); Ven. Nilus the Faster of Sinai (451); Prophet Ahijah (Achias) (960 B.C.). Ss Cyril & Methodius Orthodox Mission, Madison, WI Epistle: Ephesians 5:8–19 Gospel: Luke 10:25–37 Glory to Jesus Christ! Here’s the thing…