St. Mary Orthodox Church

March 23, 2025 - by Christina Palis

It can feel frightening and vulnerable to confront the uncertainties, questions, contradictions, and concerns that we experience in our spiritual lives and in our relationship with God. We may feel the urge to either blindly accept or reject completely. But what if we embraced Mary’s curious stance as we face our faith and God?

March 16, 2025 - by Dr. Ioana Popa

Interestingly enough, the Jesus Prayer is exactly one pathway in achieving an authentic compassionate presence, toward the union of God, Theosis, in the midst of polarized opinions which we all face today in our country and the world.

March 09, 2025 - by Natasha Smith

God gives gifts to us, we offer them back, and then He gives them back to us as a means for communion with Him. A beautiful relationship. God gives us His best, and we must respond with our best—engaged, sacrificial, humble, sustained charity.

March 03, 2025 - by Fr. Antony Hughes

Forgiveness is always and forever the will of God. Always ready to forgive, always willing to come to the rescue. Tonight we are called to open the door to forgiveness for ourselves and our neighbors.

March 02, 2025 - by Sarah Byrne-Martelli

Fasting and forgiveness are examples of storing up our treasures in Heaven, and they are inseparable in the life of a Christian. Fasting is not merely about food, nor is forgiveness just about easing burdens. Both are intentional acts of the heart, stripping away pride and making space for God’s grace to enter in.

February 23, 2025 - by Fr. Antony Hughes

Avoid the dark and the cold and move towards the light and warmth. The light and warmth come from God.  We know this. And also from people who seek and embrace him. I share this with you because it seems there is a growing darkness around us. Still, here is a hopeful truth. If it were not for the light we could not see the darkness. So even in the Valley of the Shadow of death there is light or else there would be no shadow.

February 02, 2025 - by Dn. Jeff Smith

The righteous Symeon was waiting for Jesus. The Gospel says that the Holy Spirit was upon him. I love that about Symeon, that he was in tune with and blessed by the Holy Spirit to keep his eyes open for the Christ child. And, the Prophetess Anna could have known Mary as a child. I think that’s a nice thought. She heard what Symeon said, and as a widow, she told everyone who was looking for redemption about Jesus.

January 12, 2025 - by Dn. James Wilcox

Repentance, in light of this, should be understood as a formative transformation of the heart that realigns one's desires with the will of God. Taken this way, repentance should be seen as something positive, not as something negative as we might think of it.

January 05, 2025 - by Fr. Antony Hughes

We do not pray to change God. We pray so that we may be changed. With the perception of water as filled with grace our way of seeing everything changes. All of a sudden God appears to us everywhere. Everything that exists is blessed by God directly. Illumination is a very great gift.