Christ has made us free (Galatians 5:1) St Paul’s invocation “Christ has made us free” invites us to reflect on what it really means to be free as Orthodox Christians living in a modern world. Freedom is commonly thought of as the ability to choose between right or wrong, good or bad. The word in Greek eleftheria (ελευθερία) is made up of two roots – eleftho (ἐλεύθω) meaning “to come towards” or “to approach”, and eros (ερώς), meaning “love” or “desire.” “Freedom” (ελευθερία) is taken to mean “being able to live consistent with that which we desire.” What is it [...]

We need and want many things in our life. Yet, Christ says, “but one thing is needful”. What is this one thing that we need? The one thing that is needful is the salvation of our souls. This is our first priority. The needs and wants of the body are of secondary importance. Indeed the needs of the body are few and limited. “But one thing is needful” is a timely reminder that our primary concern should be to lead a God-pleasing life and to draw near to Him in prayer and sacramental life. “But one thing is needful” acts [...]

The Church in Your House   Our motto this year, “the church in your house”, is a phrase taken from several of Apostle Paul’s Epistles, where in the early Church, groups of Christians gathered in homes to pray and worship together and partake of Holy Communion. This was a time when Christians felt they weren’t part of the world anymore, that is, they had rejected a world full of idolaters, people that sacrificed animals and children to the hundreds of gods they believed in, or people who had rejected the Messiah. Christians wanted to live God’s promise - they wanted [...]

"Let us love in deed and truth" Apostle John’s Epistle underscores the close relationship between the first great commandment - love of God, and the second - love of others. Words, thoughts and feelings are of lesser importance. Rather ACTS of love and mercy are the hard evidence of faith in God. It is with this background that St John advises his flock: “My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and truth” (1 John 3:18). tongue, but in deed and truth” Love is the fundamental and determining characteristic of Christianity. Our Lord [...]