Faith (During Adversity/Struggle)
“The greatest obstacle to sharing Christ’s pastoral care is the temptation to serve only ourselves. We may give in to weariness, or simply become indifferent to others. However, the Lord Himself calls us to this struggle!” (Dynamis 9/2/2021) “All the truths that are given to us in the Gospel, that the Church presents to us in the Apostolic Epistles, in the Church’s typikon, speak of one and the same thing: that saving your soul, and even more so the souls of others, takes tim
Overwhelmed
“We will face trials and tribulations in this life, but we need not be overwhelmed by them. Even Jesus stumbled and fell carrying His Cross…Through the operation of our wills, in cooperation with God's grace, we can surmount many of the trials and tribulations that life in the fallen world brings with it. We must endure them, because they are part of this world that we dwell in, but we need not be overwhelmed or determined by them.” (Fr. Joseph Irvin) “Our task is to become s
Patience, Persistence, and Perseverance
“Many people today lack perseverance. We have become so accustomed to instantaneous communication and access to entertainment and...
Healing
“…Church is a hospital. The model of a courtroom or a business or even a social club is misguided and lacks the heart and the purpose of...
Moments
“There are moments in life when our customary peace is temporarily set aside by unanticipated events. None of us are immune to these...
Disposition
"The level of commitment that is required of monastics is no different from those who are married. Our marital status is not the issue....
Anger (at/toward God)
“The evening of my wife’s death I was driving my son, Timothy, to buy a blazer for the funeral. In the darkness of the moving car I said,...
Judgment (and Grace)
“As the Gospel makes clear, with the statement do not judge Jesus had in mind making a judgment that caused one to cut oneself off from...