Christian Life – Page 2

Sep

30

2018

Giving Back to the Giver

Christian Life, Featured Articlesgiving, Tithing

FROM TIME TO TIME, Christians in a number of communities, including the ancient historic Churches, are encouraged to tithe to their congregation. Tithing – the giving of 10% of one’s income – is mandatory in some groups. Mormons, for example are required to tithe and only tithe-paying members are allowed to enter Mormon temples and to receive its “ordinances” (sacraments). Many Pentecostal groups teach that, if you are not tithing, you are robbing God. Tithing in the Old Testament The practice of tithing arose at the start of the Israelite nation. When the Israelites occupied the promised land, eleven…

Sep

24

2018

By Fr. Roman Planchak

Imitator of Stephen in his trials

Christian Life, Faith, Featured Articles

FROM SEPTEMBER, 2013 TO APRIL, 2014 government and rebel forces struggled for control of the ancient Christian town of Ma’loula, Syria, a UNESCO World Heritage site and home to a number of shrines and monasteries. One of them is the ancient Orthodox women’s monastery of St Thekla from which 12 nuns were abducted and held by rebel forces for three months. Almost unknown in the West today, St Thekla was held in great esteem in the early Church and is still revered in the Christian East. Her festival, on September 24, has attracted pilgrims since at least the fourth century.…

Feb

07

2018

By Fr. Roman Planchak

Eastern Hospitality: A Discussion on Fasting

Christian Life

https://vimeo.com/202874284

Feb

05

2017

By Fr. Michael Winn

The Purpose of the Great Fast

Christian Life, Featured Articles, Liturgy

Because we did not fast we were banished from paradise. So then let us fast so as to return back to paradise. (St. Basil, On Fasting, 1) Although our time has brought with it many changes in church laws, traditions, and discipline, and the Second Vatican Council has relaxed the rules for fasting, including the Great Fast[1], nevertheless, the Forty Days Fast still has significance for our spiritual life. For various reasons, today we may be unable to fast in the same way as our ancestors did; yet even today we are obliged to a spiritual fast—that is, we are…

Jan

28

2017

By Fr. Michael Winn

Fasting and Abstinence Rules Prescribed for the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church | 2015

Christian Life, Featured ArticlesFasting

Definitions Abstinence means that we do not eat a certain type of food or any other foods that have that as an ingredient. Fasting means that we eat less food. A general rule is that for a day of fast, the amount of food of the main meal is less than the other two meals combined. Those exempt from fasting and abstinence are: Children under the age of 14 Adults over the age of 60 those who are gravely ill pregnant women post-partum mothers breast-feeding mothers travellers (if travel time exceeds 8 hours) those engaged in heavy labour those who…

Jan

23

2017

By Fr. Michael Winn

Blessed Martyrs of Pratulin

Christian Life, Faith, Featured Articles

Today is the anniversary of the massacre of thirteen peasant men and boys who died defending a little Greek Catholic church in what is now Poland. They gathered, with their families and neighbors, to prevent the Russian Imperial government from imposing an Orthodox priest into their parish. This took place when the Tsar destroyed the last Greek Catholic eparchy in the empire, Chelm, in 1873 – 1875. Deportations had already begun of clergy and lay leaders who were sent off in long columns on foot to Siberia. Read more at Father Christopher Zugger

Jan

14

2017

By Fr. Michael Winn

Feast of Theophany | Skete of the Precious Cross, Alberta

Christian Life, Featured Articles

https://youtu.be/1VSc-Ydh0kE?rel=0

Dec

12

2016

By Fr. Roman Planchak

Enough vs. Abundance

Christian Life, Featured Articles

DAY AFTER DAY Christians say the Lord’s Prayer, asking God to “give us this day our daily bread,” that is, to provide us with what we need for today. The rich man in Christ’s parable (Luke 12:16-22) clearly has a different perspective. He is not just concerned about today but about tomorrow, finding his security in the “grain and goods” he has stored up. The man’s approach seems eminently practical – we do the same with our IRAs and annuities. Nobody wants to end their days on earth in a welfare hotel. But if we put absolute confidence in any…

Oct

13

2016

By Fr. Roman Planchak

St. John Chrysostom: Family

Christian LifeWisdom of the Fathers

"Don’t say, “Bible-reading is for monks; am I turning my child into a monk?” No! It isn’t necessary for him to be a monk. Make him into a Christian! Why are you afraid of something so good? It is necessary for everyone to know Scriptural teachings, and this is especially true for children. Even at their age they are exposed to all sorts of folly and bad examples from popular entertainments. Our children need remedies for all these things! We are so concerned with our children’s schooling; if only we were equally zealous in bringing them up in the discipline…

Oct

01

2016

By Fr. Roman Planchak

St. Romanos: Patron of Church Musicians

Christian Life, FaithMusic

ONE OF THE MORE POPULAR CHANTS in our Church is the kondakion of Christ’s Nativity, “Today the Virgin gives birth…” What many do not know is that this hymn is an excerpt from a much longer work and that it was written by St Romanos the Melodist. Who is This Saint? St Romanos was born in Homs, Syria (some say Damascus), to a Jewish family in the latter part of the fifth century. We do not know when he was baptized or whether his family was converted as well. As a young man he moved to Beirut and entered the…