SACRAMENTAL LIVING

“Jesus’ Parable of the Ten Minas stands at the heart of today’s Gospel passage. The parable points ahead to the time of our Lord’s return when each disciple will be assessed. Hence, our Lord urges us to invest the “spiritual capital” He has entrusted to us, for He will look for growth as evidence of what we have gained from the love, grace, and power we receive through the Holy Spirit.” (Dynamis 11/27/2020) “Do you understand, what acquiring money means? Acquiring the Spirit

“Some of us live in the past, our lives driven by memories of some powerful experience, defining event, or former relationship. Past-oriented people mix their present choices and relationships with a reality that no longer exists. They steer through life following the dictates of something or someone gone by. Perhaps we become fearful victims of childhood trauma, or cynical and bitter after a betrayal, or simply dwell in memories of better times. When we choose to inhabit suc

“When we seek the Lord, our heart begins to burn. The heart is warmed, and if our thoughts are concentrated in one point and the concentration is powerful, then the flame of the heart grows stronger and stronger, and we do everything from the heart. After that we see things around us changing—people's thoughts also start to change—all because of the peace that radiates from us. We see the thoughts of people around us actually changing! The people are changing! They feel good

“It is unnatural and unhealthy to live in a state of fracture or conflict with another, we must always strive to resolve the wound. When we live in a state of fracture or conflict with another, there is a part of ourselves that gets shut down in order to cope with this broken relationship. There is a part of us where we stop feeling. We get backed up emotionally so to speak. However, when the urge to reconcile moves us and we reach out and mend that broken relationship, the e

Quotes of the Day for November 17, 2020 – Thoughts on the importance of mutual support, love, and submission “…let each one examine his own work” and refuse to measure himself by others around him (Galatians 6:4)…Judging ourselves by others is a sin. Let us leave all final judgment to God and offer mutual support in the struggle set before us by the Lord…we are presumptuous if we take on God’s role as judge, either of ourselves or of others.” (Dynamis 9/12/2018) “God made us

“ ‘Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them’ (Matthew 11:2-6)…Belief in God and Church attendance are highest among the poor and lowest among the wealthy. Apparently, Jesus is still preaching to the poor.” (Father Stephen Freeman) “In taking upon Himself our shared human nature, Christ con

On Thursday, November at 7 pm, Michael will deliver a Zoom class to the St. Nicholas Orthodox Cathedral Community. Thursday's class, Our Thoughts (and Actions) Determine Our Lives, inspired by the famous book Our Thoughts Determine Our Lives by Elder Thaddeus, will offer a reflection on how our thoughts give rise to our actions, and our actions in turn reflect our thoughts; and how God holds us accountable for both. Michael will also discuss how we often entertain and get cap

Quotes of the Day for November 13, 2020 – Thoughts on if we have the guts “Contemporary science is starting to catch up to this ancient biblical wisdom about the human person. Scholars at UCLA and McMaster University have been conducting experiments that are shedding light on our “gut feelings.” Their studies point to the way microbes in our stomachs affect the neural activity of the brain. “Your brain is not just another organ,” they report. “It’s . . affected by what goes o

“The steward of God actively practices virtue and lives quietly and devoutly as God instructs him through holy tradition. By following these basic guidelines, the “friend of God” becomes a servant who controls the passions of anger and self-indulgence. Such a person draws strength from God, especially from the sacrament of holy communion, and has a genuine desire to make God-pleasing decisions at work, at home, and with everyone he meets. “Your will be done on earth as it is

“St. Paul identifies Christ as the “Wisdom of God,” and the “Power of God” (1 Cor. 1:24). And in doing so, specifically links this with “Christ Crucified.” The crucifixion of Christ for Paul is more than an event that accomplishes salvation – it is an event that reveals Him in His fullness. The Christ of the Cross is the humble and self-emptying Christ (Phil. 2:5-11). He is the God whose “strength is made perfect in weakness.” And it is this very image that St. Paul points to