SACRAMENTAL LIVING

“While we are accustomed to giving thanks to God for all the blessings we have received, we actually are told by St Paul to give thanks to God at all times, not just in happy or prosperous circumstances. “… give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18)…acquire that spiritual gift of being thankful for everything. If we nurture a grateful heart and always are thankful to God no matter what circumstances we are in,

“What then is the source of contention in human society? The apostle’s penetrating insight discloses that the cause is found in the “desires for pleasure” (James 4:1). But the term that this phrase translates has a broader meaning than this phrase suggests. It refers to sensual gratifications, that is, insatiable lusts (vs. 1). James says that these passions “war in your members” (vs. 4:1). He does not mean that the cravings set different parts of the body against each other.

“The gifts of the Spirit, wonderful as they are, are temporary and incomplete. They are for this age, while we are “children” (1 Corinthians 13:11). But love continues into the age to come: it is eternal, complete, and fulfilling.” (Orthodox Study Bible, 1 Corinthians 13:8-13) “...spiritual gifts are not self-serving but serve the whole body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:7); (2) each gift becomes practically useless when used without love (chapter 13).” (Life Application Study

“Sin works in the soul and heart, but most terribly in the mind (Romans 1:28) or nous, which is the center or eye of the heart according to the Church Fathers. Sin corrupts and distorts the governing of our being at the very core so that our inward faculties become deranged. If we allow sin to rage freely, we risk become fully debased. As this inward struggle unfolds, it leads us to physical acts of the flesh. Sin always begins inside us, within our interior life; only second

“Most of us do not think we are in a constant battle. Most of us, rightly so, recognize the ugliness of evil when we see it on full display, for example, in the horrible events of the news. However, most of us miss the daily evil of the enemy because we think certain things are benign and miss the malevolence behind them. The thoughts we are pummeled with on a daily basis that cause so much distraction from what is truly important are of the enemy. That is why Christ, St. Pau

“Redemption has a technical meaning relative to the freeing of slaves. Here, the bondage is to sins; the act of releasing is forgiveness; the price of redemption is blood—the human life of Christ given over to death for the sake of new life. This beginning of life in Christ is not merely legal, nor instantaneous, but living and dynamic.” (Orthodox Study Bible, Ephesians 1:7-8) “Forgiveness of sins follows redemption, for there would be no forgiveness of sin for anyone before

“Even if we do not constantly struggle against “murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies” (Matthew 12:19), all of us have evil thoughts! We are all defiled before God…We must earnestly address the impurity in our heart, that secret defilement which spawns both evil thoughts and actions. The impure heart is the greatest barrier between ourselves and God, for it separates us from Him who alone is able to restore in us the power to do good.” (Dynamis

“When we do something well, we want to tell others and be recognized. But recognition is dangerous—it can lead to inflated pride…Often those who try the hardest to become popular never make it. But the praise of people is not that important. Don’t spend your time devising ways to become accepted in the public eye. Instead, strive to do what is right, and both God and people will respect your convictions….How much better it is to seek the praise of God rather than the praise o

“This is the spiritual logic: affliction comes to those who follow Christ because He is the source of all goodness, love, and truth. Invariably, the world will seek to evade or silence any intrusions on its territory, for the ruler of the present darkness strikes out against the Light.” (Dynamis 10/30/2018) “God’s people are to be a light in darkness. Because Christ the Light lives in the Church, she uniquely reveals His glory. It shines within her despite the darkness of dis

“Sin is thus not primarily a willful breaking of another’s will. It is not a transgression of something external to us, enforced only through the threat of violence or force. It is a violation of the very constitution of our being and of the world around us…it is “disintegration.” … it as a movement towards non-being. Sin is substantial. It can be healed and washed, excised and destroyed. Sin is not a “legal” construct in the modern sense of legal nominalism.” (Father Stephen