A common point of contention in society is that of supporting the clergy and the temple financially. Frequently one hears the opinion that the Church should provide everything completely free of charge, taking no money for anything from candles to private services, and that the priests themselves should ideally support themselves by working outside jobs.

Is there any point in submission without love? What is God’s plan for the submission of wives to their husbands? And Who is the head of the husband? The apostle Paul teaches that Jesus Christ is the head of the Church and the head of the family.

In society it is customary to enthuse over people’s talents and to discuss the achievements of the gifted. But what are spiritual gifts, and how many of these gifts can a person possess? Why strive for spiritual gifts, and which gift is the most important?

For many beginning believers, remaining attentive throughout the church service is no easy task. Numerous thoughts overcome the worshipper, forcing him to remain amid earthly cares. This occurs due to a lack of understanding of the language in which the services are conducted, and of the meaning of the texts read during the sacred rites.

In this day and age people in the Orthodox Church have forgotten in Whose name they received the sacrament of baptism, and before Whom they will be called to account. The Lord’s obligatory command to consecrate one day each week to Him Who created us, Who continues to nourish and preserve us, is no great sacrifice, especially considering that it exists for the benefit of man, not God.

The good things of this world intoxicate a person; vanity despoils the soul and the mind, and sobriety is lost. The mostwise Ecclesiastes understood that the soul is not capable of fi nding peace and perfect wisdom in this world. And though the meaninglessness of the world oppresses a person, inattentive people fail to notice the terrible maelstrom into which we are all caught up. The only escape from it is Christ.