SACRAMENTAL LIVING

“How greatly almsgiving contributes to prayer. If you want to pray you have to become a generous person. Generous in the whole meaning of the word. If people say a kind word to someone else, or offer them something or give alms, this condition moves their soul to prayer. It’s well established that, when the generous stand in prayer, their prayer flies to God, who accepts it….People who are not disposed to almsgiving are like trees that bear no fruit. In other words, no matter

“…God calls us in unanticipated ways to cooperate with His gracious purposes for bringing salvation to the world… God uses our cooperation to accomplish His gracious purposes in the world. That was certainly the case in the Old Testament: Abraham, Moses, David, and countless others responded to God’s initiative, and He worked through them, despite their many failings. And through the free response of a teenaged Palestinian Jewish girl came the Messiah in Whom the ancient prom

“A strange illness has appeared in our days – the passion for distractions. Never before was there such a desire for distractions; people have forgotten how to lead a serious life for the good of others; they have no spiritual life and are bored. They exchange the profound content of a spiritual life for distractions! What madness! It is here that pastors must deploy their strength: they must re-introduce into life its lost meaning and give back to the people the knowledge of

“We go to Church to set our hearts on fire with love for God and the world. We go to Church because there are so many things to care about and for which we offer prayer to the merciful God. We are to awake from our slumber so we can follow the Lord with diligence and vigilance.” (Fr. Ted Bobosh) “Although some early Christians failed the test of faith, the names of steadfast disciples such as Timothy, Luke, Mark, Priscilla, Aquila, and Onesiphorus, are well known to readers o

“The Holy Spirit, one of the Three Persons of the Holy Trinity comes to abide in us, God’s people, if we are receptive to having the Spirit abide in us…We make ourselves receptive to God through humility, love and by following Christ’s commandments to love God and neighbor. God is revealed to us through those in whom the Spirit abides. In God’s Holy Ones we find God’s holiness. Humans are capable of being God-bearers, of being a light to the world as is our God.” (Fr. Ted Bob

“Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh (ὅτιγελάσετε).” (Lk 6: 21) Here is an oft forgotten, oft-neglected promise made by my Lord to those who take up their cross: laughter! I have seen this promise come true in the lives of people who lead lives of conscious, spiritual growth and struggle: Despite their unmistakable, focused earnestness, they often laugh wholeheartedly. They have the capacity to laugh good-naturedly at themselves, and at the absurdity of some of o

“This passage holds great hope for the Christian ministry. “Who is sufficient for these things?” (2 Corinthians 2:16) — the one who places trust through Christ in God (2 Corinthians 3:4). The minister gives his all in study and service, but ultimately human power is not sufficient for ministry or for salvation: we must depend utterly on God.” (Orthodox Study Bible, 2 Corinthians 3:4-6) “All of us become involved in the daily difficulties and pressures of life. We become overw

“Whenever we are obediently engaged in a labor to which God has called us, giving His work our undivided attention and considering its concrete elements in prayer and reflection, the Lord faithfully sends a messenger to encourage us…God is more likely to send angelic support – whether in a form visible to our bodily eyes, or only to the eyes of the heart – at those moments when we are actively engaged in His work in this world.” (Dynamis 11/7/2019) “Encouragement in Christ ar

“We must not be distressed by anything that happens to us, even if it affects our present weaknesses. For although we don’t know why everything that happens to us is sent by God as a blessing, we should be convinced that everything that happens to us is for our good.” (St. Basil the Great) “A continuously happy life produces extremely unhappy consequences. In nature we see that there are not always pleasant springs and fruitful summers, and sometimes autumn is rainy and winte

“God is kind by nature and always provides for our good and, when we ask Him for something, He will provide it, as long as it is for our good. Whatever is necessary for the salvation of our soul and for the maintenance of our physical existence, God will provide it in abundance, and we’ll have His blessing. Whatever He deprives us of, either to test us or to protect us, we accept with joy as well as with thoughtfulness, as it is for our benefit.” (Elder Paisios of Mount Athos