SACRAMENTAL LIVING

“Great changes occur continually in every aspect of our lives – physical, social, and spiritual. Most are beyond our control, for they begin and end with God. The first task of a servant of Christ is to “look unto the Lord our God, until He take pity on us” (Ps 122:2). We are to discern what God wills and how He is calling us to act. Such watchfulness must be continual. Otherwise, the heart may be wounded and our birth in the new life in Christ will be disrupted, injured, or

“When we’re bewildered, lonely or hurt, when the futility of efforts to connect is too painfully obvious, we can relinquish our confusion to the Lord. He knows every heart from the inside, and “in him all things hold together” (Colossians 1:17). His love is the life streaming through all Creation. So even in this life we are connected with those we love through God, something we can barely grasp now, but which will one day flood our awareness.” (Frederica Matthewes-Green) “…w

“We know intuitively that loneliness and being alone are not the same thing. Solitude can be lovely. Crowded parties can be agony. We also know, thanks to a growing body of research on the topic, that loneliness is not a matter of external conditions; it is a psychological state.” (Stephen Marche) “The greatest torment of suffering, particularly in the form of anxiety, is to be alone. Anxiety creates a deep fissure in communion, alienating us from others and trapping us in th

“Our Lord Jesus is the only one Who spoke the whole truth to His followers, both the bitter and the sweet side of the truth. He did not promise fruits without service, nor glory without suffering, nor ultimate rest without the thorny path, nor victory without struggle, nor pleasure without bitterness, nor the kingdom without tears and self-denial.” (St. Nikolai Velimirovich) “I'm just trying to say that as health comes from the bitter medicine, so too does the salvation of so

“Too often our minds are filled with worries or unnecessary concerns. Our hearts yearn to experience God, we long for peace and deep joy each day, but instead we feel lost. A spiritual attitude changes this, it softens our souls.” (Robert Wicks) “…we live in a changing world. It is a challenging and complex world due to change. We experience this in our own lives as we go through each day, as we reflect on the past month and years and consider the course of our lives over t

"So much of modern life is aimed at achieving quick results: there is a kind of immediacy that technology has made possible. If there is a question one wants answering then we pull out a device and connect to the internet. The Christian life however, is different; it is a life-long commitment that requires patience and suffering. Knowledge of God is the relationship granted to hearts that are being purified here in this world and in this body." (Father Spyridon Baily) “James

“Presumably we, too, desire to do the will of God. Two issues face us when we seek to conform to the will of God. The first is discernment, the second willingness. How do we discern the will of God in the flux of circumstances in this life, and then become willing to do His will?...Our first task then as disciples is to be spiritual so that we may more readily judge the will of God aright in every circumstance.” (Dynamis 5/21/2018) “The reasons the disciples are [were] painfu

“For most of us God is just there. We seldom give it a second thought. Some go away to school and we become confused...we see the church and the faithful leading double standards. We take note of inconsistencies that have nothing to do with the belief in God. Pain and suffering cause us to ask painful questions about God's love and we simply do not understand…No person ever really discovers God until there is a felt need in his life that only God can fill. Until you need Him

“We may be a grandmother, a doctor, a student, a prisoner, a parish Priest, a childcare worker, an attorney; but we all receive God’s grace in the circumstances in which He calls. How much patience is needed where we serve! Seek energy from God! Since God’s grace comes “by the Holy Spirit,” it is totally open-ended and vast, being ready to increase purity, knowledge, longsuffering, kindness, and sincere love within us (2 Cor 6:6). But we must draw on grace “by the word of tru

“Christians ought to be possessed of generosity, mercy, and forgiveness…Christians should not seek recognition for their efforts, other than to honor God.” (Orthodox Study Bible, 1 Corinthians 6:7, David Kinnaman & Gabe Lyons) “In a world that is filled with self-serving individuals, the genuine love of Christians should attract others to the faith.” (Foundation Study Bible, 1 Thessalonians 4:10) “Christians are called to influence the world, not to run away from it (Matt. 5