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REFLECTIONS


Days of Our Lives
Death, for me, took on a different meaning three years ago. The cancer diagnosis was bleak. Initial reading of the biopsy concurred with CT scans that it was an aggressive cancer. I was a candidate for surgical removal of the tumor (a 9 hour surgery) followed by palliative chemo to give me more time.
Two days after the biopsy, I had my regularly scheduled hair appointment. I told Holly, let’s cut my shoulder length hair short. Chemo is around the corner. I went home. The GI

Paisia
Apr 244 min read


Receiving Christ: Becoming the Light
Through the Great Fast we are seeking to be further enlightened by Christ's Gospel, asking that the Light of our Lord penetrate our hearts more deeply so that we can recognize Him clearly and serve Him more fervently. We are on a journey to become transfigured and changed through prayer, fasting and humility, by responding to God's calling to not only receive the light but to 'become' light!
During each Lenten pre-sanctified liturgy, the priest comes through the royal doors

Fr. Tom
Apr 223 min read


Bearing the Cross
Holy Week is upon us. Every day of this week has important themes to encounter, but I am thinking a lot about Holy Friday. I’d like us to consider our own response to the cross of Christ and to our own particular crosses in life.
I would like to share with you a painful story from the life of my grandmother. She was born over a hundred years ago. Life was hard, but it was made harder still due to the selfishness of men. She had two girls and a boy...

Luke
Apr 173 min read


Taking up the Cross: A Path to Intimacy with Christ
Suffering is an undeniable part of life. Pain, distress, or hardship is something we all face. For me, suffering has never been just defeat; it has been survival. It shapes our fears, dictates our decisions, and weighs heavily on our hearts. We instinctively try to control our circumstances, believing that if we hold on tightly enough, we can avoid the pain. Yet, as we enter Holy Week, Christ offers another path. He is inviting us on this path with Him. This path is one of su

Maria
Apr 153 min read


Works in Progress
A work in progress—that’s what we all can claim. We are being refined each day. Hopefully, we are getting closer and closer to God...

Paisia
Apr 103 min read


The Cross: Our Greatest Weapon of Peace
Before the Cross, the devil believed death was his greatest weapon. But Jesus reversed this order completely, opening the path to life...

Fr. Tom
Apr 84 min read


Elizabeth’s Eyes
I have heard that St. Seraphim of Sarov would greet everyone he met with, “Christ is Risen, My Joy.” He would call each person, “My Joy.”

Luke
Apr 32 min read


Lessons from the Cross: When Pain Becomes the Teacher
I give up my thoughts and I accept what I feel, I bear it, I live it, and I offer it to God. I call to Him in my feelings so He can heal...

Maria
Apr 13 min read


Sisyphus and Bright Sadness
I'm a busy person. Too busy, really, and often prone to plunge forward in life with a Sisyphean list of to-dos, virtually impossible to...

Lynn
Mar 273 min read


The Courage to Repent
Have you ever become ashamed or afraid when you've thought of praying for forgiveness? Asking for forgiveness is priceless.

Fr. Tom
Mar 203 min read


St. Mark's Guide to Life, the Universe, and Everything
Hope is an important thing. How is yours holding up? When the world around us is full of fear and stress, it can seem hard to have hope.

Luke
Mar 204 min read


A Pathway to Perseverance
During Bible Study on Wednesday, we reflected on the word discipline and what it means. For many in this world, discipline carries...

Maria
Mar 183 min read
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