_________________
На нашем форуме лучше общаться с единомышлинниками.
Да, не много, но зато как приятно!
***
«Русскому человеку лучше всего удаётся невозможное!»

“And He Was Transfigured Before Them”
Feast of the Holy Transfiguration of Our Lord — August 6

Matthew 17:2 — “And He was transfigured before them, and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became white as light.”
Today, the Church celebrates one of the most beautiful moments in the life of Christ — the Transfiguration. Jesus takes Peter, James, and John up the mountain, and for a moment they see beyond His humanity and behold His divine glory.
The Transfiguration reminds us that Christ is the light we are looking for when life feels dark. We may not always understand what God is doing, and sometimes the road ahead can feel difficult. But Christ does not change. His glory is always there, even when we cannot see it.
Peter wanted to stay on the mountain. But Christ would lead them back down — back into the world, back into the struggles, and back into the work they were called to do.

That is our calling too. We come to Christ, we receive His light, and then we carry that light with us into our homes, our families, our workplaces, our friendships, and wherever God sends us.
Today, ask yourself: Am I allowing the light of Christ to shine through the way I live?
As we celebrate the radiant Transfiguration of our Lord, may His light illumine our hearts, dispel every darkness, and fill us with the unshakeable hope of those who have seen — even for a moment — the glory of God.
Glory to God for all things.

Christ is Transfigured!
With Christ’s Love,
Rev. Dn. Athanasios
“If you like this message, or know someone who could use it today, please share it.”

_________________
На нашем форуме лучше общаться с единомышлинниками.
Да, не много, но зато как приятно!
***
«Русскому человеку лучше всего удаётся невозможное!»

_________________
На нашем форуме лучше общаться с единомышлинниками.
Да, не много, но зато как приятно!
***
«Русскому человеку лучше всего удаётся невозможное!»

When I saw that painting of Jesus being the spotter for a weight-lifter, it troubled me—I felt obscurely that someone had made it to mock tough-guy Orthodox Christians.
On the contrary, it’s one in a series of a hundred or more paintings by the Russian artist Andrei Bodko. The series shows Jesus with people going through their everyday lives. No artist could paint these images who did not have an enormous love (a Christ-like love) for the whole human race.(с)

_________________
На нашем форуме лучше общаться с единомышлинниками.
Да, не много, но зато как приятно!
***
«Русскому человеку лучше всего удаётся невозможное!»

_________________
На нашем форуме лучше общаться с единомышлинниками.
Да, не много, но зато как приятно!
***
«Русскому человеку лучше всего удаётся невозможное!»

News about an Evangelical Church Plant called Hope Church that converted to Orthodoxy went viral. The once Reformed Protestant Doug Clark shares the story of what led him and his entire congregation to discover the Ancient Faith and embrace Orthodox Christianity!

_________________
На нашем форуме лучше общаться с единомышлинниками.
Да, не много, но зато как приятно!
***
«Русскому человеку лучше всего удаётся невозможное!»

Thank God for the leadership of our beloved and visionary priest at St John the Divine, JAX, Fr Nicholas Louh.

THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT OUR PRIESTS
1. They love God and you a lot. (Be mindful.)
2. They are painfully limited human beings. (Be realistic.)
3. They probably have a pretty low view of their “performance”. (Be kind.)
4. They wish they were a better preacher. (Be awake.)
5. They really do want God’s best for you and your family. (Be open-hearted.)
6. Their work knows no time or locational boundaries. (Be patient.)
7. They hear much more negative information than positive. (Be encouraging.)
8. They have chosen a vocation in which is hard to remain steadfast. (Be praying.)
9. They have chosen a highly leadership-intensive call. (Be lead-able.)
10. They need help. (Be available.)
11. Their God-given vision is bigger than themself and the church (Be faith-filled.)
12. They want to personally meet all the needs, but know they can’t (Be understanding.)
13. They are going to say some dumb things every now and then. (Be forgiving.)
14. They are greatly encouraged by your faithfulness. (Be there.)
15. They are passionate for God’s Word to be made practical to you. (Be hungry.)
16. They long for church to be your spiritual oasis. (Be loving.)
17. They dream for your and your family’s spiritual health. (Be receptive.)
18. They need to hear that you pray for them. (Be interceding.)
19. They are just regular people. (Be real.)

Pray for our priests! (c)

_________________
На нашем форуме лучше общаться с единомышлинниками.
Да, не много, но зато как приятно!
***
«Русскому человеку лучше всего удаётся невозможное!»

Why Does God Allow Human Suffering?
Every person experiences suffering.
Illness,
grief,
loneliness,
injustice,
disappointment,
and death touch every human life. In moments of pain we naturally ask: Why does God allow suffering?

The Orthodox Christian faith does not offer a simple answer. Instead, it invites us to trust in God’s love while drawing wisdom from Holy Scripture, the Church Fathers, and the Church’s worship. Orthodoxy reminds us first that God is not the author of evil. God is perfect love, the source of life and goodness. He does not delight in human suffering, but He permits it while continually working to bring healing, transformation, and salvation.

The world God created was good, but through humanity’s estrangement from God, creation became subject to corruption, sickness, and death. We live in a fallen world where suffering is part of our common human condition. At the same time, much suffering results from the misuse of human freedom through violence, injustice, hatred, and selfishness. God grants us freedom because genuine love cannot be forced, yet freedom also carries responsibility.
Although suffering is never good in itself, God can work through it for our spiritual growth. Trials often deepen our faith, teach humility, awaken compassion, and remind us of our dependence upon God. The Church never says that every tragedy is sent by God as a lesson, but it proclaims that no suffering is beyond God’s power to redeem.

The heart of the Christian answer is found in Jesus Christ. God did not remain distant from human pain. In His Incarnation, Christ entered fully into our suffering,
bearing,
betrayal,
humiliation,
agony,
and death on the Cross.
Through His glorious Resurrection, He conquered death and opened the way to eternal life. The Cross reveals God’s compassion; the Resurrection reveals His victory.
Even so, suffering remains a mystery. Like the righteous Job, we may never receive complete answers to every “why.” Yet we are invited to trust that God is present even when His purposes remain hidden.

Rather than asking only, “Why does suffering exist?” the Gospel encourages us to ask, “How should we respond?”
We are called to comfort the grieving, care for the sick, support the lonely, forgive one another, and bear each other’s burdens. In doing so, we become instruments of Christ’s love.
For Orthodox Christians, suffering is never the final word. Because Christ is risen, we live in the hope that God will heal every wound, wipe away every tear, and make all things new. Until that day, we place our trust in His unfailing love, confident that nothing can separate us from the love of God revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.(с)

_________________
На нашем форуме лучше общаться с единомышлинниками.
Да, не много, но зато как приятно!
***
«Русскому человеку лучше всего удаётся невозможное!»