A Problematic Viewpoint of Monks in Missions
“If you are called to be in the monastery, you better not go [into missions], and if you are called to go, you better not be in the monastery.” How these words came from the mouth of an Orthodox Christian deeply involved in missions, I cannot understand. In context, it was clear that this viewpoint […]
The Ten Lepers and a Life of Thanksgiving
At the center of the gospel passage in Luke 17, about the ten lepers is the idea of thanksgiving. In the Old Testament Law, we see different kinds of sacrifices brought to the Tabernacle, and one of those is a thank-offering. The word “eucharist” means ‘thanksgiving’, and the connection between our thanksgiving/eucharist and the thank-offerings […]
A Few Glimpses beyond Death
Here are some stories of what happens beyond the death of this body, and not mere stories, but ones passed down to us from the experience of the saints. A great place to start is to read the life of St. Theodora of Constantinople. But there are several more which are well worth mentioning…
Is “Heaven Is for Real”, for real?
Not too many years ago a book, Heaven Is for Real, came out about a three-year-old boy dying, going to heaven, and coming back to life. It certainly generated quite a lot of interest and has been widely read (and viewed, after being adapted into a movie). The story, retold by the boy’s father from […]
“Do the People on Earth Know What Awaits Them?”
Now…finally…we make it to one of the best examples to help bring clarity to our questions about what happens after we die. I have shared several warnings: warnings about those who were not dead for long and have limited knowledge of life after death, warnings that our preconceptions can cloud our reasoning in these matters, […]