SACRAMENTAL LIVING

“…even if we have spent time pursuing our deepest desires through the means that were not set up by God, even if we have become addicted by them, we can also repent and turn to Him in faithfulness. It is not wrong to do the things necessary for survival and even flourishing here on earth, but if we put our trust in those things to satiate the hunger for eternity that God has planted deep within us, then we will find ourselves in slavery to those pursuits. There is never enoug

“Untended emotional wounds affect us spiritually in many ways. They affect how we behave in relationships—our ability to trust and give up control, to forgive ourselves and others, to love and be loved, to allow ourselves to be vulnerable—and our ability to be in the present moment, both with ourselves and with those around us.” (Fr. Joshua Makoul) “Some people speak of faith as if entrusting our lives to God were as effortless and relaxing as soaking in a warm bath. If we ha

“We know that the Lord is anointed by the Father so that He may actualize the kingdom of life in this world through His suffering and saving Passion (Luke 9:18-27). As human beings, however, we are filled with an insidious lethargy. We sluggishly resist the Lord’s call for many reasons, including ignorance, sinful darkness, and the captivating cares and pleasures of this present existence (vs. 8:14)….Our present day “comfort culture” encourages us to flee from pain…As a resul

“The more vital the service the more demons undermine it. So it is with everything that the Lord asks us to do in His Name. Wherever there is the call to serve, there will also be challenges to overcome. When anyone goes about serving the Lord, the devil sets about making that work difficult. And the more vital the service, the more demons he sends to undermine it. How then should we respond to these countervailing forces? If we concentrate solely on the possibilities before

“Saint Paul,…says that he would rather address five comprehensible words to the Church, for the benefit of others than thousands of words in a language no-one understands.” (St. Gregory of Nyssa) “If you…don’t learn to speak to people in the world around you…You may attract a few converts who are looking for some esoteric brand of Christianity, but eventually you’ll [your church will] disappear… meaning needs to be made clear and comprehensible… if the Son of God came as “the

“The gifts of the Spirit, wonderful as they are, are temporary and incomplete. They are for this age, while we are “children” (1 Corinthians 13:11). But love continues into the age to come: it is eternal, complete, and fulfilling.” (Orthodox Study Bible, 1 Corinthians 13:8-13) “...spiritual gifts are not self-serving but serve the whole body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:7); (2) each gift becomes practically useless when used without love (chapter 13).” (Life Application Study

“My family members are weak and sinning human beings who, by definition of living in a fallen state, will wound and seriously offend me. My vocation is to live fully within this sometimes fractured and sometimes united lifestyle, love all my family members through it all, and to try to sustain the gift of a joyful disposition which is from the Spirit.” (Albert S. Rossi) “Note Saint Paul’s prayer: “Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one

“How do we make idols in our time? Whenever organizations, behaviors, and enterprises claim the commitment and loyalty that belongs to God alone, they tempt us to idolatry. When anyone or anything demands our ultimate dedication, that is, our worship, we can be sure that the demons are hovering around us. When we join in a group, ambition, or habit whose spirit carries us away and controls us, we can be assured that the devil has recruited us…every created thing is, in its de

“The adversary sows his half-truths in any of us who are willing to listen.” (Dynamis 1/9/2021) “Truth or Consequences was an old humorous TV game show that originated in 1940 and ran in various versions off and on until the late 1980s. But Truth or consequences in reality is more serious than a game show and much bigger than a city. It’s a condition of life. Christ is the truth and choosing anything less than Him to include half-truths and lies opens us up to the consequence

“We put a lot of time and effort into achieving balance in our lives. What do we mean by balance? Is our notion of what balance is for our lives the same as someone else’s notion of what balance is for theirs? What does a life lived in balance look like for a Christian, or perhaps better phrased, what should it look like? Our quest for balance can actually become an obstacle to our faith if we consider God, prayer, and worship one of many things to balance on a given day. If