SACRAMENTAL LIVING

“Jesus clearly knew that Judas felt no kindness or wise consideration for his master. He also knew that Judas was full of devilishly bitter poison, and even while [his feet were being washed by Jesus] he was devising the means to betray him. Nevertheless, Jesus honored him just as much as the rest of the disciples and washed his feet as well, continually exhibiting His own unique love…That Jesus put a thief [Judas Iscariot] in charge of the money shows that by every means He

“Those who are afflicted in various ways because of Christ and who persevere to the end have their faith tested and proved. They ought therefore to rejoice, even if some of their labor appears to be involuntary. Peter calls this kind of labor grief, a word which he uses in one of the two meanings described by the apostle Paul, who said [in 2Co 7:10] that there is one grief which leads to death and another which leads to repentance…There is no greater witness to the love of Go

“We see the ultimate magnitude and power of that compassion in the Cross of Christ. But as our baptism into the dying and rising of Christ symbolizes, our rescue from sin and corruption is not accomplished when we merely stand at the foot of the Cross and watch. It is achieved when we participate in the Lord’s sufferings.” (Fr. Basil) “…the bright-sadness — of which the fathers and the mothers speak. Even in the dryness of our desert journey, we are offered a sustaining taste

“When Esau and Jacob were born, Scripture records that the younger son, Jacob, follows so quickly that he grasps onto the heel of his older brother. His name, Jacob, means “heel holder” …Idiomatically, Jacob may also mean “supplanter,” as Esau bitterly notes when his birthright is stolen by Jacob’s deception…However, God changes deceivers and manipulators into devout servants. Saul, the persecutor and self-proclaimed “chief of sinners,” becomes the Apostle Paul; Simon, who de

“Each of us is born into this world with an instinctive desire to find meaning and purpose in our lives…I say, as do all Christian men, that it is a divine purpose that rules, and not fate…Many people have accepted that life must be meaningless on the basis of the secular worldview, but hardly any of them live consistently with that belief. People who believe life has no meaning or purpose and that objective truth is a delusion will actually take on convincing you that it is

“The only way we can genuinely live in reality is by discovering and surrendering to the natural movement toward God within each of us. The more this movement takes root in our lives, the more we are able to contemplate the nature of God and His creation…We shouldn’t view our struggles or problems as a bad thing just because they don’t feel good at the time. A wise elderly woman once told me all problems are an opportunity for growth. The obstacles we think are derailing can

“What lies hidden in the designs of God I confess I do not know—I am only a man—but this I know with full certainty, that, whatever it is, it is more just, more wise, and more solidly based on incomparable perfection than all the judgments of people….God’s will is determined by His wisdom which always perceives, and His goodness which always embraces, the intrinsically good.” (St. Augustine, C.S. Lewis) “The story of Isaac blessing his son Jacob illustrates the intense meanin

““Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham. . . .” By choosing Christ as our supreme authority, we have accepted His challenge: “You believe in God, believe also in Me” (Jn 14:1). Scripture now places before us an incident from the life of Abraham which shows that our faith will be put to the test, for God wishes our trust in Him to endure despite life’s wrenching contradictions. We learn that these tests often involve our dearest attachments; they force

“God’s love ignites our love, arousing us to repent and to plead for our fellow sinners…The great mercy of God, which “desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Ti 2:4), aims to awaken a love that pleases Him…From among the ranks of fallen men God enlists those who will join Him in extending great mercy and salvation to others…Awakened mercy in our hearts leads us to pray for others…” (Dynamis 4/15/2021) “Paul asks the Colossians to pray for hi

“Saint John the Theologian declares, “No one has seen God at any time” (1 Jn 4:12). Yet in another place the evangelist records Christ’s words to Philip: “He who has seen Me has seen the Father” (Jn 14:9). Somehow both statements are true, despite the fact that they seem contradictory. Taken together, the two expressions balance the truth concerning vision of God. On the one hand, the vision of God in glory has to be terrifying for fallen, sinful humanity – an unbearable sigh