Good Guys Wear Black | Discerning Your Vocation In The Orthodox Church
For Orthodox Christian Men Discerning A Vocation
By St. Ambrose of Milan Chapter 4 The same care must be taken that our speech proceed not from evil passions, but from good motives; for here it is that the devil is especially on the watch to catch us. 14. If any one takes heed to this, he will be mild, gentle, modest. For in guarding his mouth, and restraining his tongue, and in not speaking before examining, pondering, and weighing his words--as to whether this should be said, Read more…
I love my sons who are now all adults, and in at least one parish I paid a price for putting them first. That being said, I never missed a single meeting for Church business. Remember, sometimes everything isn't enough for some people. As an Orthodox priest, you will have to be there for your own kids. If you're not, who will be? I was a husband and father before I was a priest, and that is a part of who I am and what makes me effective Read more…
There was once a priest who did not want to serve the liturgy because it was a cold winter day. The temperature was 10 degrees below zero and the priest knew that the only person who was likely to come to the service was the chanter. The priest had no idea about the Church's teaching on the presence of the Triumphant Church and how the Divine Liturgy benefits the living and the departed. With difficulty he forced himself to go to Read more…
by St. Ambrose of Milan Silence should not remain unbroken, nor should it arise from idleness. How heart and mouth must be guarded against inordinate affections. 9. What then? Ought we to be dumb? Certainly not. For: "there is a time to keep silence and a time to speak." [Eccles. 3:7] If, then, we are to give account for an idle word, let us take care that we do not have to give it also for an idle silence. For there is also an Read more…
by Thom S. Rainer It can be done. You can go from pastorally fried to evangelistically fired up. There are few vocations that can engender burnout like the pastorate. The demands on a pastor’s time, emotions, and energy can be overwhelming. When I was a pastor, I often felt at least the symptoms of burnout. I recently spoke with 17 pastors who had experienced burnout, or who felt they came precariously close to burnout. The good Read more…
by St. Ambrose of Milan Manifold dangers are incurred by speaking; the remedy for which Scripture shows to consist in silence. Book 1: Chapter II 5. Now what ought we to learn before everything else, but to be silent that we may be able to speak? lest my voice should condemn me, befor that of another acquit me; for it is written: "By thy words thou shall be condemned." (Matt. 12:37) What need is there, then, that thou should Read more…
By St. Ambrose of Milan Book I: Chapter I Elected to the episcopacy while still a layman, by the common acclaim of the citizens of Milan, St. Ambrose took his duties and those of his clergy with great seriousness and exacting. We'll be publishing a section of his work "On The Duties Of Clergy" every Monday for awhile. Read and enjoy. 1. I think I shall not seem to be taking too much on myself, if, in the midst of my children, I yield Read more…
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