SACRAMENTAL LIVING

“The Cross is the singular demonstration of the breadth and depth of God’s love for us. And it becomes the model for all who would take up their cross daily and follow the Lord (Luke 9:23). By walking in the light of the Cross, we will reach our destination of eternal life in the Holy Trinity. We will lose our life in the radical love of one another so that we might find it. And in the self-sacrifice of love, we will be obedient to the new commandment that the Lord gave us du

“Jesus is repeatedly identified with light in the Gospel of John. In the prologue, we are told that "the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it" (John 1:5). In the last teaching of his public ministry, he says, "I have come as light into the world, so that everyone who believes in me should not remain in the darkness" (John 12:46). In the middle of his public ministry, in the verse that inspired the conclusion of our prayer, he goes beyond metaphor

“People feel unhappy and they don't know why. They feel that something is wrong, but they can't put their finger on what...They have everything, yet they want more. And when they get more, they are still left ...dissatisfied. They want happiness and peace, but nothing seems to bring it. They want fulfillment, but it never seems to come. Everything is fine, and yet everything is wrong...It is covered over by frantic activity, and endless running around.... It is drowned out by

“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

“When we desire to grow in the spiritual life, we might be tempted to disregard and even denigrate the body. We might treat it as the seat of the passions and the source of the corruption of our soul. However, Paul says that we should “glorify God in your body and your spirit” (OSB 1 Cor. 6:20). In itself, the body is neither moral nor immoral. But the body can be either sanctified (1 Thessalonians 5:23) or defiled (1 Cor. 3:17). The body is God’s creation meant to be the “te

“Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.” (Matthew 18:21-22)… Seventy times seven: Symbolic of an unlimited amount. This parable illustrates the need for unlimited forgiveness….Because God forgives us, we in turn are required to grant the gift of forgiveness to others.” (Orthodox Study Bible, Matthew 18:21

“Throughout the Holy Scriptures, beginning in the Old Testament, the God who created the universe and everything in it, who created we human beings to dwell therein and with whom to share His Life, expresses and reveals to us His character.” (Father Stephen De Young) “Boundaries (and, thus, love) requires that we endure healthy shame – for this is the emotional experience that comes with boundaries. The virtue of enduring such healthy shame is known as humility. Love is impos

“…it may seem to be a surprising question since our society assumes that our goal in life should be to fulfill our dreams, whatever they may be. But in our reading of 1 Corinthians 7:12-24, Paul states “Let each [believer] remain in the calling in which he was called” (1 Cor. 7:20). We may react to this passage because it seems to accept slavery, though St Paul says that “…if you can be made free, rather use it [take the opportunity] (1 Cor. 21). But it also seems to counter

“…every material reality has a spiritual aspect to it, that the seen and the unseen are deeply intertwined… If we had stood at Golgotha on the day of the Crucifixion, our material eyes would have seen Roman soldiers nailing Jesus to the Cross. But our eyes of faithfulness would have seen the young Warrior, ready to do battle, about to use this Weapon of Peace, the Trophy Invincible, as His means to enter into Hades, smash down its doors, and to defeat the devil and death. If

“Having come to his own country, [Jesus] is not so intent upon miracles. He does not want to inflame them into further envy or to condemn them more grievously by the aggravation of their unbelief. Yet he presents his teaching, which possesses no less wonder than his miracles.” (St. John Chrysostom) “There is such power in the body and blood of Christ communicated to us in the eating and drinking of His gifts (Jn 6:54–56) that to do so in willful disregard of the Lord could re