SACRAMENTAL LIVING

“Through a sequence of questions and answers, even if ten just are found in the city [Sodom], God promises not to punish the entire populace thanks to the rectitude of a few. From this we should understand what a powerful bulwark a just person can be for the country and how we should not be jealous of saintly persons or criticize them with temerity. In fact their faith saves us; their rectitude preserves us from destruction. Even Sodom, if it had had ten just men, would have

Timothy 2:1); yet, note, there is no essential difference between these types of petitions, for both are “prayers,” and both are offered for others in need. Still, considering mankind’s physical, emotional, and spiritual requirements, the range of possible human problems is vast. Hence there is good reason to offer regular intercessions. The Apostle does not limit us, but urges that we pray for whatever needs and afflictions currently are befalling our fellow men.” (Dynamis 9

“Why does a man not see God? Because he has not love. He has not love because he does not love his brother…The heart’s eye must be continually cleansed and strengthened by love, in order to see that changeless being in whose presence the lover may always delight and enjoy it in the company of the angels for all eternity.” (St. Augustine) “Christ pins the blame for a lack of understanding on hardheartedness. So focused on their own physical needs, the apostles fail to see the

“Righteous anger is a natural human emotion experienced in the face of sin. While there is anger that is certainly sinful (Mt 5:22), there is also anger that is God-given and proper to humanity (Ps 4:4). Christ's anger here [Mark 3:1-6] is in response to people professing God, yet having such hardness in their hearts that they could not rejoice in the healing of one of their brothers.” (Orthodox Study Bible, Mark 3:5) “The Fathers teach that anger in and of itself is not a si

“We believe that God forgives us when we turn to Him for mercy. But though we receive this forgiveness from the Lord, do we forgive ourselves?...Becoming aware of our sins is a good thing…Yet the devil uses even godly things for evil. As the Accuser, Satan can lure us into the snare of unhealthy self-condemnation. In this deceitful trap, we assume that the accusations of the self have greater power than the mercy of God. Despite the Word of divine forgiveness through the bloo

“In the heart that knows nothing but love, there is no distinction between the love of God and the love of neighbor. The Apostle writes in 1 John that we cannot love God without loving our neighbor (4:20). “Love towards one’s brother cultivates love toward God…The two loves are bound together so tightly that the Apostle teaches that in each of them, love is “perfected,” that is, made complete (1 John 4:12 and 4:16)…” (St. Porphyrios, Fr. Basil) “So, what can we do? Perhaps in

“Disregard occurs whenever we fail to consider God’s view of how we are living – including our inaction…Chronic disregard sears the conscience and prevents us from knowing fear of the Lord. We can become completely sealed off from awareness of God’s presence and never notice the failure deep within us (Jeremiah 6:15). Most of the evils in this life come about when we turn away…When we lose the fear of God, we silence the heart, stifle the saving voice of shame, and shut off h

“At times we may become so consumed and focused on our own problems and worries that we forget that God is there. We also may feel that God gets impatient or frustrated with our setbacks or slow progress.” (Fr. Joshua Makoul) “God's timeline is never the same as ours, He works to bring about His purposes.” (Gordon T. Smith) “God the Eternal is above the categories of time and space. Therefore, we cannot measure God’s ways by our human calendar. As the apostle says, “With the

“‘The house of Israel and the house of Judah dealt very treacherously with Me,’ says the Lord. They lied to their own Lord, and said, ‘These things are not so. Evil will not come upon us; nor shall we see sword or famine.’” [Jeremiah 5:11-12]…Such assertions are either delusion or impudence…Sadly, we hear such statements uttered by people who enjoy parish camaraderie, the aesthetic beauty of the liturgy, and the grandeur of the Church’s hymnody and music. However, when faced

“Patience is indeed a virtue, but it is a rarity in our times In our age of instant gratification, combined with the extra pressures and expectations that come with being able to get so much done in a short time, the art of being patient is being lost and even considered as negative.” (Fr. Joshua Makoul) “When we bowed down before Christ as King and God at our baptism, we received the seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit then began intensive work within us, a work