Good Guys Wear Black | Discerning Your Vocation In The Orthodox Church
For Orthodox Christian Men Discerning A Vocation
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 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…
HOMILY GIVEN BY ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM ON THE DAY HE WAS ORDAINED PRIEST St. John Chrysostom was called to the priesthood and ordained by Flavian, bishop of Antioch, early in the year 386. This is the date of his first sermon: he had not yet descended into the lists, as he himself puts it. What will you preach at your ordination? Think about it! St. John Chrysostom speaks of himself, the bishop and the people. 1. Is what has Read more…
by St. Nikolai Velimirovich "And when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them" - Acts of the Apostles 6:6 By laying their hands on the chosen faithful, the apostles consecrated bishops, priests and deacons. It is apparent from this that the Christian Faith is not only a teaching, but also a power. It is not only necessary to know but also to have power. It is not only necessary to be chosen by men but you should be Read more…
by Dimitrios N. Kagaris We clergy are often reminded how few 'parish priests' inhabit our Church calendar. It almost seems as if martyrdom is our only chance. Men like Papa Dimitri show us clearly that this is not the case. He lived in Greece during the time when Communists were everywhere and intimidation and killing was rampant. The ardent and bold statements of this simple, faithful priest are an inspiration for all who will be Read more…
by Metropolitan Hierotheos of Nafpaktos 3. Remission of Sins The subject of the remission of sins needs to be examined here because, under the influence of Western ideas, we have a legalistic view of it. We look upon sins as moral transgressions that arouse God’s anger, and so we see the remission of sins as nothing other than the propitiation of God’s justice and wrath. This whole perception, which is borrowed from courts of law, Read more…
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