The Christian Family Suspended Between Tradition and Temptation*

Root of JeseeBeloved Brothers and Sister in Christ,

As you can see, even from my short greeting, this talk about family is actually a talk in the family. I am not here to preach to strangers, but to converse with people familiar to us who will be able to better understand what I have to say, because you are hearing it from within. You hear a lot from the outside as well; there is a lot of talk about family these days, with everyone trying to define, or rather re-define, what family is, many times based on personal thoughts and feelings or ideologies of various groups of interests, creating a lot of confusion. In the midst of all… Continue reading

An Icon of the Christian Family

Everyone’s favorite time of the year is the period before Christmas, when the air is filled with joy, peace and expectation. We are blessed to live in a country that looks forward to Christmas although we might seem to have lost some of its meaning along the way.  We have radio stations that air carols without ceasing, exalting the season, although many of them speak about snow, jolly figures carrying gifts, family time and other things that are all fine, but missing maybe the point of all this festival. It is wonderful that everyone celebrates Christmas, in their own way, and even people that don’t believe in God enjoy the season and try to be “good for goodness’ sake”, as a recent billboard from our atheistic friends reads recently (we… Continue reading

The Great Confusion – reflections on the disruption of Gods order in our lives

The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them (Gen 1:21)
The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them (Gen 1:21)

Last night I went to a talent show at my kids’ school. It was enjoyable to watch an entirely random blend of performances unfolding in front of a room full of parents eager to applaud at the slightest hint of aptitude showing on the stage. I know this because I was one of them. There really was true talent to applaud and, even when talent was not really present, there was a lot of courage to be praised.

The one thing that set… Continue reading

Anger management – Controlling the escalation of anger

When anger goes out of control, the consequences can be devastating and irreparable. When people have a destructive angry episode, there is a series of steps involved in the escalation of the interaction. We should aim to stop the escalation before it spirals completely out of control. We can learn to break into this chain of behavior at any point to prevent anger from reaching a destructive level, although the Continue reading

The Theology of Marriage and Sexuality -Fr. George Morelli

The writer of Genesis said of Adam and Eve: “And God blessed them, and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it;’ Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and cleaves to his wife, and they become one flesh” (Genesis 1:28; 2:24). St. Paul wrote in Hebrews: “Let marriage be held in honor among all . . .” (Hebrews 13:4).

St. John Chrysostom typified the Orthodox Church Fathers: “From the beginning God has been revealed as the fashioner, by his providence, of this union of man and woman, and He has spoken of the two as one: ‘male and female He… Continue reading

Marriage As a Path to Holiness: Lives of Married Saints

“Marriage As a Path to Holiness: Lives of Married Saints” is a very interesting book taking a closer look at saints that lived a married life.

Here is an excerpt from the foreword by Bishop Kallistos Ware

“Drawing on that rich but often neglected source, the Lives of the Saints, this book provides us with a representative selection of models, of icons in words, to encourage us on our own journey to the kingdom, whether we are married or not. . . . What is striking first of all about the examples chosen is their diversity. They are spread in time across nearly four thousand years, from the Old Testament era up to our own day. In space… Continue reading

Prayers for the Family

Family or Group Prayer
Leader: May the grace or our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God the Father and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you.

All: And with your Spirit.

All: You have given us grace at this time to offer You a common prayer together and have promised that when two or three are gathered together in Your name, that You will grant their requests; fulfill, Lord, the prayers of Your servants, which are for our welfare, grant us the knowledge of Your truth in this world and life everlasting in the world to come. Amen.

(At this point you may add your own private prayers and intercessions, using your own words or some of the prayers… Continue reading

Prayer for ones spouse

Lord Jesus Christ, our God, Who taught us that we should always pray for each other, for in this way we will fulfill Your law and we will be found worthy of your mercy, look with compassion and safeguard my husband (wife), which you have granted me in order to spend our  lives together until the end. Continue reading