Sorry, mom: On Lenten Warfare.
I am not a morning person. When someone says, “Good morning!” to me, I’m usually thinking, “What’s so good about it?” Usually, however, I don’t articulate that aloud. It’s not polite. I’m also stubborn and obstinate. Then, there’s my mother. She’s obsessed with cleanliness. If she could choose one superhero ability, it wouldn’t be invisibility … Continue reading Sorry, mom: On Lenten Warfare. →
Learning to Say No
Fasting, coupled with prayer, is one of the most powerful spiritual weapons we have in our struggle against the devil, sin, and the passions. This is undoubtedly why the Holy Church, as a loving Mother, consecrates several periods of fasting throughout the year, including the 43-day Fast of the Nativity, which we just began. The […] The post Learning to Say No appeared first on Become Orthodox.
The Problem of Anger
In the wake of the recent terrorist attacks in Paris, I observed that the most frequent response was that of anger. President Francois Hollande, for example, vowed to destroy ISIS while the hacking cooperative Anonymous declared it would mercilessly hunt ISIS members down. It was anger that led the ISIS to attack France and now it is the French people’s turn to give in to anger and strike back, all while ISIS plots to strike – …
On the Different Methods of the Devil’s Warfare: The First Method
On the Different Methods of the Devil’s Warfare Against Those Who Journey on the Narrow Way That Transcends the World On the First Method OUR ADVERSARY, the devil, has the long-standing habit of artfully choosing modes of warfare against those who enter upon the ascetic contest according to the form of their weapons, and he changes the manner of his struggle against them according to the aim of each. He observes those who are indolent – …
Understanding Addicition (Part 1)
Addiction is a widespread, chronic condition that may have very serious emotional, physical, social, financial, and legal implications. It afflicts the life of the addict in all its aspects, leading to a wide range of consequences, and frequently ends up with loss of functioning or even death. Such consequences often extend to include the addict’s family as well as the whole community. Every year, millions of lives and billions of dollars are lost all over – …