SACRAMENTAL LIVING

“Our experience of God from the beginning is that God is creative. Many scholars think Genesis 1 is meant to be a poem, and the Greek word for ‘made’ is related to our word for ‘poem’, making God the first poet and first to speak lyrically. God speaks poetically as He creates. The creation of the visible universe also suggests to us that God is an artist…creation is an ongoing process which God continues to guide and is not just something that happened once billions of years

“…our goal is not to make the world into paradise, but rather to prevent it from becoming hell. Each of us can work to make holiness present in our lives – which means not so much becoming morally perfect as it means allowing Christ into our hearts and homes so that each of us is transformed by the Gospel commandments. We do not need to be sinless, but we do need to be repentant to have Christ in our lives. The Kingdom of God is not established on earth through governments, l

“The abstraction that we call “thinking,” etc., in the contemporary world is a diminishment of what it means to be human. We have learned to focus on a very narrow stream of information, and, in turn, have come to be possessed by the information on which we focus.” (Father Stephen Freeman) “…one of the fundamental traps of the spiritual journey: identification with our thoughts and feelings. If we think we are our thoughts and feelings, we go through life simply reacting to w

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

“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

“Purity is the foundation of theology and a true relationship with God…Acquiring purity must be our first step toward knowing God…purity of heart is the goal of every Christian…“To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled” (vs. 15). The pure in heart shall see God (Mt 5:8). They follow the Lord, being qualified “for every good work” (Tts 1:16), for we “know them by their fruits”

“Today’s business climate puts a premium on efficiency. Management models focus on ways to save time and energy to increase profits. However, efficiency does not equal effectiveness. One can be most efficient, but our work may not be worthwhile. Today in our reading of Ephesians 4:14-19, Paul warns his flock against living as other Gentiles do in the “futility of their mind” (vs. 17)…The Greek term translated as “futility” refers to what is empty, meaningless, and in vain…Fro

“The story of Christianity is the story of humanity’s rebellion against God.” (John Moriarty) “It is possible to find those who consider themselves enemies of God. But most people would deny it. Instead, many may admit that “God” does not mean much to them. They harbor no ill will toward God as long as He doesn’t interfere with their lives…this attitude is the bedrock of human sinfulness. From the initial sin of Adam and Eve, humankind has declared its independence from its C

“ ‘Do not be afraid, Paul! You must stand before Caesar, and God has graciously granted you the safety of all who are sailing with you.’ The safety of all who are sailing with you" (Acts 27:24 NET Bible). In a sense, Paul’s presence protects them all. For Luke, it serves as a picture of what the Gospel does through Christ and through the one who brings the message…[and] the importance of having holy people dwell among us, for they guide us to safety according to the will of G

“Many people make the serious error of thinking of the Holy Spirit as only some kind of vague principle or influence. On the contrary, the Holy Spirit is as much a person (individual existence of a conscious being) as the Father and the Son.” (Foundation Study Bible, Ephesians 4:3) “Everything begins from our faith in Christ and accepting His word. When we make His commandments the unique law of our life, then we gradually acquire a certain mystical depth. We become mystical,