Tag Archives: Piety

The Story of Righteous John the Hesychast of Romania

By Fr. Luke | Published: March 2, 2011

There have been people throughout history and across the world who have sustained themselves by God alone, having lived for years with neither food, shelter, nor clothing. We are far from the experience of such ascetics; however, stories of them reach us from time to time. The following account is a true story about an [...]

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Nativity Fast and Thanksgiving Turkey

By Fr. Luke | Published: November 23, 2010

On November 25 America celebrates Thanksgiving Day which has a very significant role in American families because it is one of the few times a year that the family gets together. Thanksgiving Day is also called a Turkey day because it usually involves a meal with turkey or at least a more elaborate meal. Most [...]

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Behavior During Divine Services

By Fr. Luke | Published: March 3, 2010

Q: “How should Christians stand in church during services, how should they pray, and what duties do they have when they go to church?” A: Christians should stand in church with faith, fear of God, and attention. They should force themselves as much as possible to pray without distraction and with feeling of heart. Also, [...]

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Why do we have our homes blessed?

By Fr. Luke | Published: January 19, 2010

Orthodox Christians have prayers of blessing for just about everything. From religious articles such as icons and vestments, to things like fields, flowers, barns, and animals. We even bless cars, boats and journeys. It is also our custom to bless our homes each year. Buy why? Certainly everything that our All-good God created was good—in [...]

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Love for Work

By Fr. Luke | Published: October 26, 2007

—Geronta, why do so many people feel bored at work? —Maybe they don’t love their job? Or, maybe they work on the same thing continually? With some jobs—say at a factory where they make door and window frames—a laborer might do the same thing from morning till the time he leaves: glue, glue, glue. Another [...]

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Tender Care for our Neighbor Helps the Family

By Fr. Luke | Published: August 16, 2007

People today will have as many problems as the amount of material goods they acquire. They neither thank God for His benefactions, nor notice the grief of their fellow-man that they may provide some kind of charity. They squander what they have and don’t even think of their neighbor who does not even have enough [...]

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