SACRAMENTAL LIVING

Understanding Christianity as a Way of Life

Circumstances

“When Esau and Jacob were born, Scripture records that the younger son, Jacob, follows so quickly that he grasps onto the heel of his older brother. His name, Jacob, means “heel holder” …Idiomatically, Jacob may also mean “supplanter,” as Esau bitterly notes when his birthright is stolen by Jacob’s deception…However, God changes deceivers and manipulators into devout servants. Saul, the persecutor and self-proclaimed “chief of sinners,” becomes the Apostle Paul; Simon, who de

God's Will vs Self Will

“What lies hidden in the designs of God I confess I do not know—I am only a man—but this I know with full certainty, that, whatever it is, it is more just, more wise, and more solidly based on incomparable perfection than all the judgments of people….God’s will is determined by His wisdom which always perceives, and His goodness which always embraces, the intrinsically good.” (St. Augustine, C.S. Lewis) “The story of Isaac blessing his son Jacob illustrates the intense meanin

Intercessory Prayer

“God’s love ignites our love, arousing us to repent and to plead for our fellow sinners…The great mercy of God, which “desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Ti 2:4), aims to awaken a love that pleases Him…From among the ranks of fallen men God enlists those who will join Him in extending great mercy and salvation to others…Awakened mercy in our hearts leads us to pray for others…” (Dynamis 4/15/2021) “Paul asks the Colossians to pray for hi

God's Will (Alway is Done)

“St. Paul lifts a song of praise to God, “For from Him, and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever” (OAB Romans 11:36). This hymn expresses the deep insight that God is the Giver of Life. He is the source of the life of the righteous and of the unrighteous. In this sense, as the sage suggests, even the wicked give Glory to God, their Creator. If it is true that those who do evil give Glory to God, how much more is it true for those who set out to

Hope

“The soul that desires to please God needs first of all patience and hope, because one of the tricks of the devil is, in time of trouble, to make us despondent and divert us from hope and trust in God. God never allows those who trust in Him to be overwhelmed by temptations so as to reach utter exhaustion; for says the Apostle, God is faithful and He will not let you be tempted beyond your strength, but with the temptation, He will also dispose the issue of it, and enable you

God's Nature/Our Nature

“Seth was begotten from Adam and Eve. This threefold relationship illustrates, to a certain extent, the Holy Trinity. Adam had no human father. He was begotten by no one. Thus, he was unbegotten. Seth was begotten from Adam. Eve was neither unbegotten nor begotten. Instead she proceeded from Adam (Genesis 2:21). Therefore, Eve and Seth were related to the unbegotten Adam, but each in a unique manner—Eve proceeded from Adam, but Seth was begotten from him. Each person had his

Secularism

“Today’s passage [Genesis 4:16-26] describes the history of Cain and his descendants, whom we might call the first “secularists.” Cain shows us what becomes of human life when it is devoid of any awareness of God. Here we see into the heart of secular man: his existence is entirely organized around the material and psychological dimensions of life, where the passions reign over the spirit…This is secularism: a life devoid of relationship with God…Secularism inevitably leads m

Light

“In all of creation light is the first thing spoken into existence. “God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light” (Genesis 1:3). The finite mind is tempted to ask, “How can there be light without sources that generate it? How is there day and night without a sun?” Light, however, is the first order of the Word of God…Our loving Lord is Light. If He comes to illumine the world, how then do we still love darkness? Our choice is self-defeating, and yet our practice of ev

Face

“Nothing is more fascinating than a human face…It is no mistake that the world's most famous painting, the Mona Lisa, is of an elusive and compelling human face. Even so, not one face painted…is greater than the human faces you will see in the coming week… look at each face with the reverence due to one made in the image and likeness of God…In Christ, all are one, all of creation. This unity includes each human face we see, and so each face has the potential, when we remember

Peace

“The peace of God is a beautiful thing; it is there for each of us if we desire it. Assuredly, just as we miss the sound of a gentle wind blowing through the trees during a busy day, so we miss and take for granted the peace of God that is all around us. It is as close to us as a breeze brushing across our face. It is as close to us as the present moment, yet we often look for it in the past and future.” (Fr. Joshua Makoul) “Foremost among these fruits is the restorative peac

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