SACRAMENTAL LIVING

“…it’s important to learn to see the small wonders of everyday life. In a drop of rain, in a breath of wind, in a stranger’s smile—in places where we previously didn’t look for meaning—a new discovery of life can begin. In simple things, in the ordinary, may lie the answer to the most complex questions of the soul.” (Viktor Luzhkov) “The physical world is astounding and amazing. It is filled with wonder and beauty. We can often find resonance between the magnificence of natur

“How often do we hear people uttering familiar phrases like: “Once I get my life in order, I’ll start.” “Once I pay off my loan.” “Once I lose weight.” “Once I get my vacation, then…” Taken individually, there’s nothing alarming about these phrases. What becomes alarming is when they add up to form an entire life. It’s as if a person is writing a draft of his life, hoping to one day rewrite it in a final draft. He lives in a state of a dress rehearsal, but the performance nev

“If we truly care for one another, let us help one another spiritually.… Let us hinder those things that lead our friends away to hell.” (St. John Chrysostom) “…the Lord entrusts each one of us with responsibility for those who have spiritually faded. A word of comfort, help in trouble, and involvement in the lives of others—all this can become that very “spirit” that will quicken our loved ones and ourselves…It is important to note that when we do outreach to those in distre

“Often, we’re so caught up in the rush of life that even when we’re with loved ones or doing something together, it can feel perfunctory. We rush around, trying to accomplish what we perceive as important tasks. But these very tasks make us insensitive, coarse, and callous, even as we reassure ourselves that this isn’t the case. We might think our outward cheerfulness is a sign of happiness, but that’s far from true. The Holy Fathers teach that one of the primary signs of des

“Sometimes the only and best way to enter into the cell of your soul is to disconnect from the outside world and simply immerse yourself in silence. It’s precisely in silence that we’re able to hear the voice of God. It may seem scary at first; the silence may frighten and irritate us, since we’re so accustomed to noise, music, conversations. But it’s only in silence that you can sense God and the peace of Christ. But the inner silence that we acquire through prayers and sobr

“…our concept of human rights would not—and could not—have come into existence without Christianity’s revolution of the concept of the human being….It’s difficult to measure the exact cultural effect of something of this magnitude. But one thing that’s very noticeable is the correlation of the new concept of human dignity with the sudden increase in technological development. Parallel to the weakening and transformation of slavery, Western culture developed an interest in tec

“The second category, hope, occurs when life becomes more troublesome. When things are more difficult and confusing, we may feel an uncertainty about where God is in the mix. We hope the Gospel is true though circumstances may cause us to doubt a little and feel uncertain about what God is doing or if God is really there. We experience the ambiguities of life which cause ambivalence in our hearts and minds. Perhaps we imagine the world should be better than it is if God is th