On Selective Compassion

March 29, 2013

I recently saw a documentary called “Life in a Day.” It’s a film that compiled thousands of hours of footage from people around the globe going through one particular day. The film had some light-hearted moments – like when a young boy asked his dad why he was filming him and nervously veered his head out from the camera frame – but mostly, it was sobering.

It showed destitute people in Nepal, a helpless family in a hut in Egypt, a young boy carrying his wooden stand through streets till he arrived at his designated corner for his shoe shine operation. The juxtaposition of those images with a man giddily driving his Lamborghini, a teenage girl obsessing over her iPhone or a man in a restaurant watching sushi pass him by on a conveyor belt were naturally jarring. The idea that some people have so little while others (us) have a lot is a subject of which we are aware. And to see such images is heartbreaking.

The Temple of God

February 15, 2013

“You are the Temple of God.” I am? Really? What does that mean?

I didn’t know what to make of it when I first heard that I am the temple of God. I go to church, attend spiritual meetings and retreats – but have I been treating the "Temple of God" in the right manner? Am I keeping it holy as God desires?

I think the vast majority of people who live away from God do so because they have never understood who they are and how precious they are in God’s sight. But the Holy Bible make this clear:

“Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

What a privilege we have! A privilege to bear the Holy Spirit within us! Yes, we are precious – we are the temples of God. And we must treat our bodies as such.

Hide and Seek with God

February 8, 2013

Imagine a father and son spending some quality time together on a beautiful afternoon playing “hide and seek.” The father is hiding in the best hiding spot ever and the son quickly counts to 20 and scurries around the house to find him. The father can’t help but laugh because he knows his son is never going to look there.

The son searches for 5-10 more minutes, can’t find, and gives up in frustration. Victory for the father, right?

No earthly father would ever do that and neither would our heavenly Father either. Actually, He does the exact opposite.

Often we feel that God is in places that we are never going to get to. We convince ourselves that “He’s too far from us” so we just give up.

But this isn’t hide and seek. God isn’t hiding from us. He’s not in some secret hiding spot that only the holiest people can find. In essence, He’s right in front of us at all times, waving His hands in our faces, saying “I’m here, I’m here!” And since we often can’t see Him in front of our eyes, He puts Himself in places we look at every day – to try to get our attention.

He’s in everything! In the nice view we see on our way to work. He’s in nature – in moments of peace. Believe it or not, He’s even in the people we talk to on a daily basis. And He’s in all those places with one mission – He’s determined for you to know Him.

The Sluggard and the Rain

February 1, 2013

I have this tradition when I get home from work. And by tradition, I mean this crazy unexplainable thing that I do every day for no apparent reason. When I pull into my parking spot at home, I sit in my car for an uncertain amount of time, look in my backseat at the bags of things I have to carry, and dread the three flights of stairs I'm about to climb to my apartment.

Every day.

5 minutes. 10 minutes.

Sometimes 15.

I finally set my record for 50 minutes this one particular day. It was a sunny day, unusually warm for the season. I pulled into my spot, thought about the load I was about to carry, the work I was going to have to do once I made it up the stairs, the dog I would have to take right back down the stairs to do her business... It was looking pretty grim.

For 50 minutes I came up with at least 7 different plans to avoid the "suffering". As the 50th minute rolled around, the bottom fell out of the sky, and the rain began to pour. Now I was going to have to carry everything in the rain, take the dog out in the rain, and then, have the nerve to be mad at God about the rain.

Which begs the question... WHY DID I WAIT FOR THE RAIN???

Is Christmas Ruined?

January 25, 2013

Hurricane Sandy, turmoil in Egypt, Newtown, CT, a murdered church member. All these tragedies and disasters are playing out and wreaking havoc on our countries, communities and hearts. The question “Why?” is ever present in our heavy hearts and troubled minds.

Why does God allow for these events to occur? Why so close to Christmas? Christmas is a time we are supposed to be joyous and celebrate his birth and coming. How does He expect us to be able to bask in the joy of His birth when we are surrounded by all of these horrendous events?

When I began to wonder why God would allow these traumatic events to happen around Christmas and dampen everyone’s spirits, I realized I had fallen into the trap of forgetting what Christmas is actually about. Distracted by the worldly aspects of Christmas, I saw these happenings detracting from the spirit of Christmas and the joy of the season. I soon realized though that I was mistaken and had just become too comfortable in going through the motions of Christmas. Not only had I become too comfortable going through the motions of Christmas, I realized that it had seeped into other parts of my life as well.

Humbled by the Almond Tree

January 11, 2013

Sighh, on the brink of another new year... Naturally, this means I will overanalyze every part of last year and obsessively dwell on unrealized goals, disappointments, or failures. It feels like God has said “no” to me so many times last year; and not just in the “no, but I’m going to let you down easy” kind of way, but in what feels like the most devastating “no” and lead-up to “no” in the whole world.

But during this year’s annual obsession-fest, God taught me a really cool lesson – I am meant to be an almond tree. (How obvious!)

The almond tree is a giant tree which grows to be 15 to 20 feet in height. It is not afraid of the cold and begins to bloom in January, bringing forth beautiful pinkish, white flowers. During the cold season, the tree provides much needed nectar to the wild bees. The hard almond actually forms inside a soft, fleshy exterior. Although the exterior appears to be beautiful, it is unripe, and not preferred; instead, we prefer to eat the strong interior that contains the seed.

Evange-what?

January 4, 2013

How do I share my faith?

Luckily, I don't have to convince you that sharing your faith is important. Fr. Anthony has already done that in previous posts. The aim here is specific examples and principles on how you can do it. Hundreds of young Orthodox Christians around you and around the world have been the guinea pigs for this already, so rest assured :)

From LA and Vancouver, New York and Toronto all the way to the UK, Holland and Switzerland...God is doing a mighty work to show Himself strong on behalf of those who are willing to give it a try. (see 2 Chronicles 16:9). Wanna give it a go?

Who are you travelling with this Christmas?

December 28, 2012

Christmas is full of journeys....

Each year Christmas is a journey for me. Each year, I travel with a different character. One year, it was with Zacharias, on a personal journey from doubt to faith. Another year, I made the long trek with the wise men, seeking and depending on the guidance of the Holy Spirit, in their case through a star. Yet another year, I travelled with my dear St. Joseph, moving from fear and challenged to put faith into action. And I simply can’t tell you how many times, I have sat with St. Mary, shared in her awe when the angel appeared, persevered with her through that rough terrain as she prepared to give birth to the Saviour, and rejoiced in awe with her as she worshipped the Baby King.

This year, I travel with her in a brand new way.

Perfect Timing

December 27, 2012

In the midst of the Christmas festivities, a time where we are preparing to celebrate the birth of Christ, I find myself surrounded by tragedy, grief, and loss. Lost jobs, terminally ill loved ones, war, and, as anyone with a television set knows, slaughtered children for no apparent reason. It’s supposed to be Christmas; my favorite time of year!

The irony and sacrilege seem almost unbearable. What perfect timing, isn’t it?

In the midst of this moment of sarcasm, I recalled a quiet time I had many months ago. It came from Esther 3:1-13 from a Bible Study excerpt I was following by Beth Moore. Esther was a young, Jewish woman who miraculously became the chosen Queen of Persia. Persia was home to many Jews, but they were technically the foreigners. Esther had been cautioned not to reveal her true heritage because there was an evil man with power in the kingdom who hated God’s people.

Jesus came to save the world?

December 21, 2012

"Jesus came to save the world." An expression you hear over and over during this Christmas season. But what does that even mean? Sure, there are theologians with deep rooted answers about heaven, hell, life and death – things that are far from the here and now. But at the root of it, I think it hits much closer to home than we think.

I’ll be the first one to say “I love this time of the year!” Christmas time is so exciting for me. Every aspect of it takes me away from reality and makes me remember that while God allows us to decorate our homes, offices, and churches – He’s even busier decorating our hearts. And the one thing I enjoy the most is the music. The minute the radio stations and shopping malls begin to play: “Do You Hear What I Hear”, “Joy to the World”, and the one with the “fa-la-la-las”, I forget the madness of the holiday rush and just feel a sense of peace.

A Chance for Grace to Abound

December 14, 2012

It happens to all of us. None of us is exempt. No matter how much we want to turn away, we just can’t sometimes. It’s like watching a train wreck – we don’t want to see it, but we just can’t turn away. What am I talking about? I’m talking about GOSSIP.

Unfortunately, we’re suckers for gossip these days. We may not admit it outright, but it’s the truth. And when there’s a problem, gossip only does one thing to it…MAKES IT WORSE!

One of the biggest news headlines these days are the scandals of men in leadership roles having extramarital affairs. Most recently, General David Petraeus - the former Director of the CIA who resigned due to an extramarital affair. True, that news is a bummer and even stings a little bit. However, what is the best response that we can have for this (as a Christian)? The world might not forgive him, maybe not even his family, but Christ certainly will.

Graditude + Humilty = More GOD

November 30, 2012

“These two virtues – gratitude and humility – are important because they dispose the heart of man to open wide to God”

This simple sentence buried deep within the chapters of an amazing book absolutely rocked me. It totally transformed the way I have started to approach God, and I realized just how true it was as I kept thinking about it. Even the Church Fathers seemed to understand that both gratitude and humility are incredibly important in anyone's relationship with God because the Agpeya, our personal trainer when it comes to prayer, begins every hour with the Thanksgiving Prayer and Psalm 51.

The Anger Within Me

November 16, 2012

Let me start off by saying: YES. I am a Christian. But you wouldn’t necessarily know it by looking at the last few days of my life.

I’ve experienced an anger/rage that I’ve never felt before. I’m not sure exactly where it came from, or how it developed, but I know it was there – one of the most “present” emotions I’ve felt in a long time. It wasn’t necessarily directed at any one specific person – but rather several. That’s the best kind of rage, isn’t it? The kind that doesn’t discriminate. The kind that devours any and everything in its path without a second thought. That’s the sort of rage I’m talking about, and it was alive and well in my heart.

The worst part isn’t that I was so angry; it’s that I nurtured that anger as if it was necessary to my survival.

The Unveiling

November 2, 2012

These days, Fr. Anthony is talking about marriage in his series, For Better or For Worse. So that got me thinking… how does all of this sound advice for married people apply to me? I’m not married, but somehow I should be able to apply this to myself spiritually. Right?

As I thought about this more, I started thinking about my wedding day (yes, every girl does) so naturally the first thing that came to mind was the dress. And with that, THE VEIL. Tradition teaches that the veil is worn by the bride as she walks towards her groom and the father of the bride unveils her before giving her away. I’ve also seen it where the groom is the one who unveils his bride. Interesting thought.

To me, that’s a symbol of the oneness the bride and groom share when they are finally married; she walks to him veiled, and then she becomes unveiled before him – like a precious gift. I’m not sure how you feel, but for me, THAT’S A SCARY THOUGHT!

My first reaction to this unveiling business was “NO THANK YOU!”

The One Thing No One Tells You About Pain

October 26, 2012

"Those who sow with sorrow reap with joy," he said. The words kept running through my mind.

For the past few months, I've been doing just that. Sowing in tears at a dream and plans I've watched crumble before my eyes. The one thing no one tells you about pain is that it seems like you’ve forgotten how to swim in an endless, cold ocean with no hope of a rescue boat in sight. To put this in the theological zone: everything you once believed and clung to fervently about God does not make much sense anymore.

Oh my soul, let hope arise!

We cannot see God through our situations but we must see our situations through God.

Are You Living Too Comfortably?

October 12, 2012

Comfort: ‘relief in affliction; consolation; solace; a state of ease and satisfaction of bodily wants’

Comfort. Sounds nice doesn’t it? Whether it’s mom and dad, the puppy that nuzzles you in bed, a great meal, an afternoon with friends, or a morning reading at the lake, comfort is something we all make sure to have. This idea of comfort plays a HUGE part in our society and it’s been on my heart for some time now.

Being in a new place has shown me exactly how much I rely on this comfort factor. Here I am, miles away from the comfort of my home. I moved approximately 1,874 miles away from home to pursue a graduate degree, but all I can think about is Chicago. The food, the people, the lake, the lights, the music, the tourists, and the sweet sights of the city lit up at night. Chicago is a place of life, of love, of opportunity in every corner. Sometimes it takes traveling 1,874 miles away to really embrace these facts.

It feels like my comfort zone has been completely taken away. I want to briefly paint a picture for you on my canvas. In our life we go through stages and changes. For example, we transition to different levels in school: first high school, which seems so glamorous at the time, and then to college, where I believe reality starts to hit.

Ignorance Is Not An Excuse

October 5, 2012

When I was in high school one of my teachers had a poster up in her classroom with the phrase “Ignorance is Not an Excuse in the Court of Law.” At the time I had high hopes of becoming a lawyer. And even though my career took a turn when I learned that law school was three years, the phrase stuck with me.

The official legal term is “Ignorantia Juris Non Excusat,” and in my loose legal translation it essentially means that people cannot claim ignorance as an excuse to do something illegal. I have been thinking about this lately as I have been feeling convicted about the faith and the Bible which I claim so fervently to love.

I can picture Judgment Day and going up to the Throne of God and attempting to claim my ignorance of His Law as the reason for my disobedience. I then imagine laughter infiltrating the depths of Heaven. I grew up in a home where we had about 4 Bibles per capita, access to countless sermons (in HD), books available on order, and Google. I’ve had parents and a plethora of teachers willing to listen to the questions I’ve had and answer them with research and deep consideration. All these thoughts brought me back to “Ignorantia Juris Non Excusat.” I really have no excuse.

Your One Thing

September 14, 2012

A few generations back, before the world of Twitter, Facebook, or cool blogs on the Internet (subscribe to us here!), there was Popeye the Sailor man: the short, balding, mischievous cartoon character on television.

For those not familiar with the character, he was a sailor by trade but more than that to millions of kids who tuned in faithfully every weekend. He also had a special lady friend named Olive Oil, a dashing young lady with a pickle-shaped nose and spaghetti-thin arms (every young boy’s fantasy!). And most of the time, Popeye and Olive Oil went about life enjoying their days and taking things in stride as they happened.

But when things took a more serious turn, and if it looked like Olive Oil might be in some danger, Popeye would race to her side and utter those famous words of an entire generation: “That’s all I can stands, and I can’t stands no more!” (Popeye was never known for his impeccable grammar however)

How Good is God in Your Money?

August 31, 2012

Last summer I sat down with my wife and two fish tacos at Baja Fresh. We prayed and I was just about to dig in after a day of fasting. Suddenly, a young woman walked in with a cardboard sign that said something about starving family members. Despite the many people who were there, for some reason she walked right up to us.

What was I to do? I handed her one of the fish tacos in front of me, and the woman was out the door. I’d like to say I was generous and thankful. But the truth is, I was sulky for having to part with my taco.

That same summer I was leading a Coptic Orphans staff book study with On Social Justice (St. Vladimir’s Theological Seminary Press, 2009) where St. Basil the Great preaches on the rich young man in Matthew 19:16-22 who walked away from Jesus sulky, too. In “To the Rich”, Basil says “those who love their neighbor as themselves possess nothing more than their neighbor…” (§1, p. 43)

But what about my Health Savings Plan? Retirement? Surely there are some exceptions, right?

I’m learning that God isn’t out to part us from as much of our substance as He can. He wants to use our money to show just how good He is—to us and to others. So what exactly does He want then?

A Mother's Heart

August 17, 2012

“The loveliest masterpiece of the heart of God is the heart of a mother.” ~ St. Therese of Lisieux

A few years ago, something happened to me that changed my perspective on what motherhood really means. I remember it as if it were yesterday. At the time, my prayers were focused on one thing: becoming a good mother.

I wanted to be a good mother to my newborn son. And, as the wife of a priest, I wanted to learn how to be a mother of the church. Both are overwhelming tasks, tasks that I cannot handle on my own. So I looked to the best mentor and guide I could find for this vocation: the blessed Virgin Mary, mother of our Savior Jesus Christ.

At the time, there was a group of young women I was discipling in a small group. We were growing in the Word of God. We had spiritual retreats and fellowship outings. We had fun too – with cooking nights and having them over to spend the night.