St. Mary Orthodox Church

December 21, 2003 - by Fr. Antony Hughes

A god that forever stands at a distance from his creation is no god at all. A god who limits his contact with humanity to laws and books is no god at all. At least he is not a god of love.

November 30, 2003 - by Fr. Antony Hughes

What we have to come to know is that we cannot produce anything worthy of God. There is no amount of effort that will automatically switch us into another gear. We are trapped in a voracious cycle of pleasure and satisfaction. It is a cycle that has no hope of fulfillment.

November 23, 2003 - by Fr. Antony Hughes

How did the rich man in today’s Gospel come to believe the lie that his wealth gave him security? Why do we? How is it that the human race had gotten so turned around that when it stared God in the flesh, when the Son of God became man and walked among us, we couldn’t recognize him? Why did we crucify God, calling him a blasphemer, impious and a sinner? Why was God not acceptable to us? Why was His goodness not enough for us?

September 28, 2003 - by Fr. Antony Hughes

Whenever we approach God the contrast that exists between us becomes dreadfully clear. We may not be aware of this as long as we live at a distance from God…as long as his presence or image is dimmed in our thoughts and in our perceptions, but the nearer we come to God, the sharper the contrast appears.

September 14, 2003 - by Fr. Antony Hughes

There is no greater evidence of this than the Cross where the Loving God has willingly died to bring life to the world because humanity, with its God-given freedom has messed things up royally. If God were in complete control, there never would have been a fall, there would not be sin, there would not be death, human beings would not relish war and there would be no need for the Cross.

September 11, 2003 - by Fr. Antony Hughes

We do not for a moment believe that the terrorists enacted the will of God on that terrible day. It was not God’s will these men performed, but their own. God’s will is not the same thing as his foreknowledge say the Orthodox fathers. Simply because God knows something is going to happen does not mean that he has willed it to happen!

September 07, 2003 - by Fr. Antony Hughes

If, as the Fathers and Holy Scripture teach, the preeminent desire of humanity is to be in communion with God, then the words of Law and the revelations of prophets could not possibly satisfy this longing. Only the coming of God Himself could do it.

June 22, 2003 - by Fr. Antony Hughes

Sanctity in our time has demanded such courage from countless thousands of our brothers and sisters in Christ. But whether or not any of us are ever called to this kind of martyrdom we are all called day after day to stand up for our Lord Jesus Christ, to lift up and glorify his name through our thoughts, words and deeds. We must never be ashamed to testify to our Faith wherever we are and whoever we are with

June 01, 2003 - by Fr. Antony Hughes

And since it is not far away we can at any and every moment gain access to it. In faith we make the descent from the busy, cumbersome and anxious world of our perceptions to the interior place of our redemption, gathering and quieting our thoughts as we go so that we can offer our whole selves to the God who dwells within without distraction and then the peace of God begins to reign in us and we become ourselves peace-makers.

April 21, 2003 - By Fr. Antony Hughes

The Christian God reveals himself in secret, in humility. His birth was in the quiet anonymity of a cave for animals. Few came to worship him. Only the humble who had been seeking and who would be able to recognize the Humble One found their way with divine assistance to the manger.

April 06, 2003 - By Fr. Antony Hughes

The invitation has been issued. The Marriage Feast is now in preparation. The Master of All calls us to cleanse ourselves with his divine help from all stain as we draw near to the pivotal moment in all of history when death is put to death and salvation shines from the empty tomb. Ready your wedding garment. Let nothing stand in your way.

March 28, 2003 - Joseph H. Kouyoumjian

There are two kinds of wisdom: human and divine. Up to this point, we have been discussing the wisdom of this Technological Age which is of the human kind. Human wisdom is based on what we call the “common sense” – that way of thinking that reasonable people share automatically. Even though we were not trying to empty Christ of his power, human wisdom is what led us to attempt use modern techniques of event marketing to bring people to Church.

March 23, 2003 - by David Vermette

There’s something about suffering and loss that stirs us from our waking sleep where we dream the dream of our private concerns and distractions and hopes and desires that make up what we call our ordinary lives. There’s something about difficult times that strips away everything that’s false and whatever is hidden in the heart is revealed.

March 21, 2003 - by Kerry Patrick San Chirico

The title Lenten Transformation is rather broad.  Perhaps when you read it, you naturally thought of a transformation within the person who maintains the disciplines of the season.  Those being prayer, almsgiving and fasting.  Well, you are partially right.