Royal Doors

Jan

16

2017

Mark 9:42-10:1- Yes, Hell Exists…

Faithfear, hell, repentance

Christ is Born! "There is nothing to fear but fear itself." These words uttered by Roosevelt in the 1932 Presidential election have taken on a life of their own, essentially saying that fear is unnecessary, crippling, and for those who haven't matured enough to realize that everything is possible. Christians however know that fear has a purpose. In our reading today our Lord outlines what awaits for those who turn their backs on Him through persisting in sin. He is not using scare tactics, but, as a loving Brother, trying to get us safely home to His Fathers house. Yes,…

Jan

14

2017

By Fr. Michael Bombak

Be Like the Lilies- Luke 18:18-27

Faithlilies, poverty, rich young man, riches

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

Jan

13

2017

By Fr. Michael Bombak

Mark 9:33-41- Chicken or egg? Faith or Works?

Faithcharity, faith, Lent, prostrations, repentance, works

Christ is Born! During our largest season of communal repentance- Great and Holy Lent- one of the ascetical practices we practice are prostrations. Over and over and over again we bow completely to the floor touching our heads on the ground. After the canon of St. Andrew, and over 300 prostrations later, it is fairly common to wake up sore the next morning. We bow down to the ground to show God reverence, but also to communicate with our own souls- to help us to repent! Many times we feel as though our actions are a one-way street which originate…

Jan

12

2017

By Fr. Michael Bombak

Mark 9:10-16- A Little Foolishness [Spoilers: Rogue One]

Faithfoolishness, john the baptist, star wars

Christ is Born! From the outside looking in there are many situations which appear as though the good guys have lost because they are silenced. The latest Star Wars Movie "Rogue One" is a great story of standing up to evil and inspiring hope- a story filled with sacrifice for the greater good. I discussed the movie afterwards with my seven year old son who was disheartened that "all the good guys died" in the movie. Sure enough they did all die, but there was something worth dying for, and because of that in the end, the good guys did…

Jan

11

2017

By Fr. Michael Bombak

Mark 8:30-34- Go for the Gold!

Faithathletics, mission, sacrifice

Christ is Born! Do you have dreams of being an Olympic athlete? When I was in grade school I had a number of friends who wanted to play in the NHL. By High School some of these friends were training very hard to make the cut- they only attended school for certain classes, took special training programs during the day and worked very hard to catch up on the studies they had missed in the evening after their training. The cost of professional athletics is incredible! Striving for athletic excellence changes what you eat, what you do in your spare…

Jan

10

2017

By Fr. Michael Bombak

Mark 8:22-26- Ask your Doctor if Spiritual Eyes are Right for You!

Faithblindness, healing, miracles, Sight, vision

Christ is Born! Number one...or number two? Number three...or number four? Is this clearer...or is this? This little song and dance should sound familiar to any of us who do not have perfect vision and need to have our eyesight checked to see if our glasses prescription has changed. Sitting in the chair the lenses are looked through, rotated and flipped and slowly but surely your view of the world becomes clearer. The blind man at Bethsaida experienced something similar in our gospel passage today. His vision comes back to him by degrees. First he sees a shapes which resemble…

Jan

06

2017

By Fr. Michael Bombak

Matthew 3:13-17- A Community of Persons

Faithlove, theophany, trinity

Christ is Baptized! At the World Meeting of Families, during the Papal visit to Philadelphia in 2015, a little boy asked Pope Francis what "God did with all His time before He created the world." The Holy Father paused for a few seconds and then responded "He loved." It is through this feast, the Holy Theophany, where God is manifested to the world as a truly loving God. God is not a monad but a community of persons, One God in three Divine Persons- Tri-unity- Trinity. Our God is a God of love, and love, which is always about the…

Jan

05

2017

By Fr. Michael Bombak

Luke 3:1-18- On the Road to Meet the Saviour

Faithcorporal works of mercy, repentance, road

Christ is Born! My grandfather spent many years as a draftsman working to design our highways. Years later my father would work with the construction crews which would actually level the ground and imprint the road not only on the map, but on the earth itself. My biggest contribution is using those highways to drive across the country. My journeys across the country would have been impossible without them! A lot of work had gone into establishing those roads. The people who John was ministering to in our reading today asked him an important question: "What must we do?" They…

Jan

04

2017

By Fr. Michael Bombak

Luke 21:5-7, 10-11, 20-24- Missionaries, Not Tourists

Faithdiscernment, temple, wardrobe

Christ is Born! I remember the drastic change in mood in the story "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" when Lucy has tea with Mr. Tumnus. To that point in the story she had accidentally slipped into what seemed a private magical world in an upstairs wardrobe and was being shown around by Tumus, to her mind a friendly mythical creature. All changes in an instant when Lucy wakes up after being lulled o sleep by Tumnus over tea. Tumnus had intended to deliver her over to an evil witch. He was a secret agent and the magical world…