“This particular passage opens with the phrase, “Now it happened...” in which Saint Luke refers to Bethany as a “certain village,” and the “certain woman” is identified as Martha (Luke 10:38). These linguistic devices push us to get down to the specifics of people, times, and places, for God is concerned with all of life’s details. Moments, places, people, and events are tangible vehicles through which God reveals Himself.” (Dynamis 11/21/2023)
“It does seem as if nothing changes, or maybe that nothing changes for the better. And yet, God continues to act in the world, touching people’s lives, working to reunite all created things to the Creator’s self. God works in history, which means we can only experience God in the present, in the small things of our lives, in a moment of time, or in the life of a baby. God is found in the details of history, yet we think of God in cosmic and eternal terms so sometimes miss the things God is doing to touch and change our lives. God is forever working to help us experience the spiritual, the divine, heaven, eternity in our daily lives, even in the mundane. The world in fact is not hopelessly and permanently cut off from God; it is not devoid of grace, it is not totally depraved as some believe.” (Fr. Ted Bobosh)
“In history, we confront the factor of human freedom within the plan of God, wherein the Lord of all uses even men’s most violent opposition to fulfill His plan. So, the Herods repeatedly opposed the work of God; but, in the end, they and their actions contributed to the truth of “...Jesus Christ our Lord...born of the seed of David according to the flesh, and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead” (Rom. 1:3,4). God triumphs in the details.” (Dynamis 11/21/2023)
“There are many reasons why our souls aren’t at peace. We have to deal with lots of problems and our souls are often wounded by trials from the past and fears for the future. How are we to face unexpected and unforeseen difficulties? How will we be able to respond to economic hardships? How can we wean a relative off some kind of addiction? How can we restore peace to our home so that the strife and quarrels cease? How can we find a solution to all of this? It’s natural that these states should concern our soul, plunge it into dark thoughts and cause feelings of anxiety. They don’t allow us to be peaceful and tranquil. This is why we entreat that our Lady will give us peace: ‘Bring peace, Maiden, through the tranquility of your Son and God, spotless one’. Precious peace and calm reign in our soul when we follow the words of Christ, who urges us to entrust all the issues in our life to divine providence. Saint Porfyrios Kavsokalyvitis teaches us: ‘You know that the scriptures says that the hairs of our head are numbered. That’s the reality. That’s the way it is. Nothing in life’s coincidental. God takes care of the minor details of our life. He’s not indifferent towards us; we aren’t alone in the world. He loves us very much, He’s always concerned about us and protects us’.” (Archimandrite Theofilos Lemontzis)
“We should hope in God’s providence, and since we believe that God is watching over us, we should take courage and throw ourselves into His love, and then we will see Him constantly beside us…All things are under God’s providence. How many pine needles have each pine tree? Can you count them? God, however, knows them, and without His will, not one falls to the ground. Just as with the hairs of our head, for they are all numbered. He provides for the smallest details of our life; He loves to protect us.” (St. Porphyrios)