Obedience to the Church (1)

Obedience to the Church (1)
The God-preserved Diocese of Canada and we, the local priests, have been exposed to terrible shocks and stresses for months now. Something that had never happened before was occurring in our very own home and, alas, is still going on in this eparchy of the Serbian church. Harsh words and have been thrown around, and ...

Finding out what is acceptable to the Lord

Finding out what is acceptable to the Lord
(Eph. 5: 9–19) “Finding out what is acceptable to the Lord” (Eph. 5:10) says the holy Apostle Paul in his epistle to the Ephesians. Of the Christians in Rome, he asks, “do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good ...

Lest we drift away

Lest we drift away
(Heb. 2:1) “Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away,” says the holy Apostle Paul (Heb. 2:1). Christ’s followers have always been under attacks of every kind and, as you know, it is no different today, nor will it be any different or better tomorrow. ...

Are we the good earth for the seed of God?

Are we the good earth for the seed of God?
Luke 8:5-15 We have the parable of the sower and the seed before us. It is easy to understand and, lest there be no doubts and misunderstandings, the Lord even provided us with an explanation. “A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside, and it was ...

All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution

All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution
(2 Tim. 3:12) We often wonder where God’s justice is, since human justice is clearly missing in the world. The reason for this is that we often see criminals and impostors, evildoers of every kind, seemingly living a peaceful and easy life and showered with endless attention and respect. On the other hand, we find ...

Without me you can do nothing

Without me you can do nothing
Luke 5:1-11 “Without Me you can do nothing,” (John 15:5) says our Lord. “The Lord never spoke in hyperboles. No words have ever been spoken with a greater measure than His. Therefore, when He says that without Him we can do nothing, then this should be taken literally. He is referring to good, not to ...

Love God and your neighbor

Love God and your neighbor
Matthew 22:34-46 Words, with time, become used up, they lose their meaning and their content. As with everything else, it is the fault of us humans. Wherever we have set foot, whatever we have touched with our hands, we have managed to darken the beauty and the splendor of many things. By abusing words, we ...

Let all that you do be done with love

Let all that you do be done with love
(1 Cor. 16 : 13 – 24) We heard the words that the holy Apostle Paul addressed to the Christians in Corinth. The Apostle exhorts his brethren, since they knew about Stephanas and his household that he was one of the best among them, to acknowledge him as such and to submit to him. Not ...

Not I, but the grace of God

Not I, but the grace of God
(1 Cor. 15 : 1 – 11) In chapter 15 of his first epistle to the Corinthians the holy Apostle Paul puts his apostolic and priestly calling to the test before the Christians of Corinth. The criteria that St. Paul set then as a basis for priesthood is still valid today. The grace of God ...

If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him

If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him
(1 Cor. 3 : 9–17) “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple are you,” says St. Paul. (1 Cor. 3:16-17). And to cast ...