God's Love
“In shame, the only thing we accept is our failure and the idea that we deserve perpetual punishment….The shame we are speaking of is a...
Freedom (as a gift)
“We relish this concept of unfettered freedom. But, of course, it is absurd, even for a secularist. For whether we choose to admit it or...
Falling Down and Getting Up
“…there’s no reason to be depressed by your shortcomings or discouraged when you fall. Repentance as a lifestyle doesn’t mean that you...
Dangerous Pride
“The term translated as “pride” in Orthodox Tradition is the Greek philautia—literally, “love of self.” It does not mean a proper concern...
Hearing/Listening
“I am becoming increasingly convinced that in our age of inattention, distraction, and scattered focus, the greatest gift we can offer...
Perfectionism
“We have to follow our life’s path, although our life isn’t always perfect. Let’s not just stand around waiting for everything to be...
Conviction
“Our Christian faith requires conviction. One of the reasons that we celebrate and often remember the martyrs, those who die for their...
Blame
“St. John Chrysostom writes an encomium of Abraham, pointing out that nothing in his life prepared him for such faithfulness to God. For,...
Hope
“Many people indeed live lives of “quiet desperation” simply because they have no hope and cannot imagine where hope would begin. The...
Challenges and Choices
“Love is both the greatest gift as well as the greatest challenge in life. It is a challenge to love those who dislike us or who annoy...