Shame
“…humility is the acceptance of healthy shame in a manner that allows us to see the truth of ourselves as well as the truth of God…Humility is not a virtue in which we think less of ourselves, as in self-denigration. Rather, humility is a strength of the self, an ability to bear our own healthy shame. It allows us to see the excellence and strength of others and not be threatened or shamed. Our well-being does not require the misfortune of others.” (Father Stephen Freeman) “G
Trials and Temptations
“Trials should be distinguished from temptations. Trials come directly from the God of Providence, while temptations come directly from the evil spirits, although they are allowed by God. Trials are neither saving nor leading to spiritual death in themselves; they are only reasons for the manifestation of human will in relation to what the Lord gives us. The purpose of temptations is spiritual death, although they disguise themselves as something harmless and even good. Tempt
Power
“With one exception, all the major translations of Acts miss an important point about the question of the power and authority of the...
Enemies
“At the root of all this is the failure to see who our true enemies are. Our enemies are demons. Humans who teach false things are not...
Proud Minded
“The striving of the proud mind to know that which is supposedly hidden from others—the temptation of gnosis, self-deification without...
Words/Speech
“Words have something of a sacramental relationship with the reality they represent. Or, to be more precise, they have an iconic...
Seeking/Searching
“ We would like to think that gaining spiritual understanding comes from the sudden unveiling of a revelation, a quick flash of insight....
Fear (and Love)
“Love proved to be stronger than fear and death, stronger than threats, stronger than the horror of any danger. And where reason and...
Dangerous Pride
“…pride is stupidity. Why? Because how can we be proud when everything we have is not ours? How can I be proud of my appearance if God...
Devour (Being Devoured/Devouring Each Other)
“…the Lord offers us the choice to “eat the good things of the land” or “be devoured by the sword” (Isaiah 1:19-20). What is inescapable...