St. Augustine - A Model of Repentance

In the late fourth century in North Africa, a boy who would one day become a saint was born. The path of sanctity, however, was not paved with simplicity or virtue for St. Augustine in the beginning.

Born in a Roman family of moderate standing, St. Augustine's parents highly valued education for their son. They did everything within their means to make sure that he went to the best schools and was able to receive the training he needed to be a highly successful rhetorician when he graduated. Though St. Augustine wasn't terribly interested in his education, he did what his parents required of him. 

Image from Orthodoxwiki

What Augustine was interested in doing during his "college years" was getting by and having a good time with his friends. In his Confessions, Augustine admits that he felt that his parents were willing to turn a blind eye to his social and moral decisions so long as he completed his education. So while he was completing his studies, Augustine was also spending his time partying with his friends, satisfying his lusts, and pulling mindless pranks. When his mother finally realized a little of what was going on and warned him against certain behaviors, especially with women, Augustine scoffed at her reprimands and continued on his destructive path.

As a student and citizen of Rome, Augustine was also exposed to a variety of philosophies and religions. It was around the time of his late-teens and early-twenties when Augustine joined the ranks of the Gnostic sect, the Manicheans, turning away from the little bit of Christian upbringing that he had been given. He also dabbled in astrology for many years and later when he had abandoned Manicheaism, was interested in the philosophy of Neoplatonism.

Saint Catherine the Great - An Example of Godly Scholarship

Saint Catherine was born in Alexandria, the daughter of Cinstus or Cestus. A virgin with great beauty and wisdom, she was famous for her wealth, noble origin, and education. By her remarkable knowledge, she conquered the passionate and untamed soul of Emperor Maximin. By the strength of her discourses, she reduced to silence rhetors who wished to dispute with her. She obtained the crown of martyrdom about the year 305.¹

CC Image from Wikimedia Commons

Saints of the Church are uniquely special—they were real people, with real struggles and joys, who willingly chose to direct their lives toward Christ. Saint Catherine is no exception. Life circumstances aside, we all have things we can define in our lives as blessings. Saint Catherine was indeed blessed—as the daughter of an Alexandrian governor she was wealthy, beautiful, and highly intelligent. However, as it goes with blessings, when they are given, we are entrusted to not abuse or neglect them. Saint Catherine did neither.

On Unity: Living in Spiritual Unity

This year's OCF theme is unity, centered around Psalm 132:1 (OSB),

"Behold, what is so good or so pleasant as for brothers to dwell together in unity."

This week is part five of a six-part series centered around Orthodox perspectives on unity. The series will consist of reflections from student leaders and College Conference workshop speakers, leading up to College Conference at the end of December.

This is a guest post from Kiana Murray. Kianna is a freshman at Oregon State University in the Honors College. She is the Northwest Student Leader on the Student Advisory Board.

"Teach me thy way, O Lord, that I may walk in thy truth; unite my heart to fear thy name."
- Psalm 86:11

On Unity: Moving Beyond Spiritual Tribalism

This year's OCF theme is unity, centered around Psalm 132:1 (OSB),

"Behold, what is so good or so pleasant as for brothers to dwell together in unity."

This week is part four of a six part series centered around Orthodox perspectives on unity. The series will consist of reflections from student leaders and College Conference workshop speakers, leading up to College Conference at the end of December.

It’s hard to believe that the reality game show Survivor has been around since 1997 and appeared in 60 countries! Regardless of country, the goal is the same—be the sole survivor. In the early stages the tribe is all important in helping people survive to the next round, but in reality, even the tribe is just a means to an end—something to be used. Everything in the show serves the ultimate goal of one person “surviving.”

How totally different is our Orthodox Christian faith? St. Seraphim of Sarov (d. 1833) taught, “Acquire a peaceful spirit, and around you thousands will be saved.” In Christianity, unlike the TV show Survivor, the goal is not just our own survival, using others so that we win. In working out “our own salvation in fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12) we participate in bringing our fellow brothers and sisters back to God.

On Unity: Members of One Body

This year's OCF theme is unity, centered around Psalm 132:1 (OSB),

"Behold, what is so good or so pleasant as for brothers to dwell together in unity."

This week is part three of a six part series centered around Orthodox perspectives on unity. The series will consist of reflections from student leaders and College Conference workshop speakers, leading up to College Conference at the end of December.

This is a guest post from Thano Prokos, Great Lakes Regional Student Leader on the 2013-2014 Student Advisory Board. Thano is a junior at DePaul University, majoring in Secondary Education. This is his first year serving OCF on the SAB.

"Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, then healers, helpers, administrators, speakers in various kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? But earnestly desire the higher gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way." - 1 Corinthians 12:17-31

I’ll be the first to admit that I often feel beaten over the head with the message of unity. After two years attending a school in Chicago that prides itself on diversity and social justice, I've reached a certain level of cognitive dissonance when processing the message of unity.

On Unity: Communion & Culture

This year's OCF theme is unity, centered around Psalm 132:1 (OSB),

"Behold, what is so good or so pleasant as for brothers to dwell together in unity."

This week is the beginning of a six part series centered around Orthodox perspectives on unity. The series will consist of reflections from student leaders and College Conference workshop speakers, leading up to College Conference at the end of December.

It's Really Just about Everything

As we reach the conclusion of our series on stewardship, I know that I've left many stones unturned. We could have talked about our role as stewards of the environment, or stewards of our particular talents, or stewards of our relationships. The truth is, each of us will have to figure out exactly what the Lord expects from us as a steward in the time we have in this life.

The secret is to remember that it’s really just about everything.

You Can’t Take It with You, So Do Something Now

I hope by now in this series, you have gained a richer, fuller, and deeper understanding of what it means to be a Christian steward. Namely, that stewardship is about a way of living, about tending to and caring for the things God loves. But I’m betting some of you are wondering how we've made it to part five of this series without mentioned money. Well, here it comes!

“Give and receive and deprive yourself, because in Hades there is nowhere to seek luxury.” Wisdom of Sirach 14:16 (LXX)

Eternity Comes to Us in Time

Do you ever go to bed at the end of the day and wonder, “What happened to my day? This morning, I was committed to finishing this project and that book and making time for my friend who’s having a rough week and doing a little laundry and...about a hundred other things...and now, I’m at the end of the day, and I feel lost. What did I do with my time?”

Time is perhaps the most undervalued gift of God—at least while it’s being given to us. As soon as we’ve lost it, of course, we suddenly realize how valuable it was. Well, good stewards, it’s time to turn this pattern on its head!

Keepers of the Temple of the Holy Spirit

There are a lot of things that make us different from one another and that make our stewardship vary: some of us have been given little plots of land to care for while others have been given vast kingdoms to rule, each of us based on our talents. But there’s one thing all of us have that we’ve been asked to prepare for the coming of the King.

Our bodies.

Every one of us has been given a particular set of appendages and features, organs and bones. All of our cells are working together in a crazy and delicate way to animate our unique souls. We aren’t, well, ourselves without our bodies.

Stewards of Grace

These guys knew how to do it right.

So, kings and queens, now that you know you’re sitting on the throne, how are you going to rule? You've been charged to rule with nothing less than the steadfast, long-suffering love of the King Himself. Where will you find the strength and where will you begin?

The Interim King

Have you ever said a word so many times that you start to question whether it has any meaning any more?

Broccoli. Broccoli. Broccoli. Broccoli. broccoli. broccolibroccolibroccoli

Know what I mean? Well, I think that sometimes this is a problem we have in our spiritual lives. We’ve heard so many times to be merciful or to love others or to repent that it’s all sort of blurred together, and when a moment comes along in our lives where we could have been merciful or loving or repentant, we walk away kicking ourselves for forgetting what that means. I know I’ve had this happen in my life too many times to count.

Does anyone understand that
metaphor anymore?

Well, I’m about to throw down one of those words that’s running through our minds like a broken record:

Stewardship.

Your mind has probably already been flooded with a string of old sermons, bulletin inserts, and “campaigns” you heard about when you were a kid. But have you ever taken the time to think about what a steward really does?