Joyful Sadness: The Journey to Easter Most assuredly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy (John 16:20) As Great Lent begins, we embark upon a challenging but rewarding spiritual journey towards Easter, the Feast of Feasts. It can be tempting to begin the fast focused solely on the difficulty of the fast itself, which is why it is important to begin the fast with the correct attitude and intentions. We should firstly remember our destination – the joyful Resurrection – [...]

He Came Down from Heaven for Our Salvation Christmas is the celebration of the Incarnation of God: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14). But why did God become human? Many people say that the only reason Christ was born was to save us from our flawed human nature. We know that Adam and Eve became subject to pain, suffering and physical death through their disobedience against God. From that moment, it seems that sin - against one’s own self, against others, and against God - became a basic human trait. Without being aware, we slip [...]

The Cross of the Faithful The cross is the one symbol that is instantly identifiable as being truly Christian. In the two millennia since Christ was crucified, the sign of the cross has proliferated all over the world marking things sacred. From apostolic times it was seen as a mystery and incorporated into daily life. Christ tells us to take up our cross daily and follow Him (Luke 14:27), teaching us to draw power from His suffering and His passion and carry on patiently, knowing that the crucifixion always leads to the resurrection. Furthermore, St. Cyril of Jerusalem writing in [...]

The Lenten Ladder   In the lead up to Pascha, we are slowly but steadily initiated into the Orthodox way of life through the period of Great Lent. Throughout these six weeks preceding Holy Week we are encouraged to: fast in order to detach from our desires; give alms so that we may connect with our neighbour; and, pray more than we usually do to be filled with the grace of God. As Pascha is the greatest feast on the liturgical calendar, it is also the best time to grow spiritually and to use each and every lead-up opportunity to [...]

‘We worship Thy Nativity, O Christ; show us also your divine Theophany’ (From the Service of the Great Hours, 24th December) Throughout the ages, there have been many people who have desired to see God. Moses, a faithful servant of God pleaded with his Maker to see His face, but was granted only a momentary glimpse of His Presence. As he stood behind the cleft of a rock, it was not the face of God that Moses saw, but His back (Exodus 33:22-23). This was a preview of the Nativity and Theophany, two events from the life of Jesus that [...]