Quotes of the Day for April 23, 2026 – Thoughts on our continual inner renewal
- 3 days ago
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Updated: 7 hours ago
“Christianity is not a religion of external demands and taboos; it is the worship of God “in spirit and truth” (Jn. 4.23). Our faith must first of all renew the inner person. Then, the inner peace that results from this correction and purification will inevitably manifest itself externally, healing and shaping the outer world aright. Strictly speaking, the external world can only undergo changes for the good, when acting in it are people who have themselves been renewed internally. Our faith, then, is the life of the inner person, a life [lived] before the face of the One “who sees [what is done] in secret” and “rewards [us] openly” (Mt 6.4).” (Archpriest Andrei Tkachev)
“Life is a marathon; it is not a 50-yard dash. It takes preparation, training, hydration, and stamina to make it through. We may fall, we may not finish every race, but we rise each day to try again. How I love having a second chance at things! I long for the end of the day when I can rest, give glory to God for the day, and then realize that tomorrow, I will have another opportunity to renew the likeness of God within me.” (Reverend Christopher T. Metropulos, D. Min)
“There is also another amazing truth: Sin is an extremely exhausting thing. Your mind and heart, soaking filth like sponges, become heavy and stiff, while your thoughts and feelings get sluggish and earthbound, like birds caught in a net. It is as tiring as every other illness, because sin is an illness, yet man is a child of God and a child of Paradise. And this is the reason why our heart is languishing. The thirst for renewal is an unconscious longing for God and for Paradise lost.” (Priest Valery Dukhanin)
“…the faith that God counts for justification is not merely a belief in one’s acquittal. It is a living, growing, and transforming relationship with God the Holy Trinity…The more we grow in grace the more Christ lives in us and we live in Him. And the more we are renewed in our relationship with Christ, the more we participate in our sanctification. That is, we become holy by the power of the Holy Spirit working in us…Each thought from the mind of God guides us, heals us and has the power to give us renewed purpose and focus in our lives.” (Fr. Basil, Fr. James Guirguis)
“The true spiritual life includes a recovery of the fullness of our being. St. Paul speaks of the “renewing of the mind” (nous) in Romans 12. Today, it not only needs renewing, but discovery. That discovery is not found in the maze of our thoughts. Rather, it is found moment by moment in paying attention to the whole self. As we withdraw from the noise of our false mind generated by the cacophony of our consumer world, we work slowly at encountering the world in true communion. Live slower. “Whatsoever you do, in thought, word and deed, do it as unto the Lord.” This does not mean ignoring your activity and “thinking about God.” It means, when you walk, walk with God. When you eat, eat with God in thanksgiving. Give your body as much credit as you’ve been giving to your mind. I strongly expect that the nature of our activities would change if this were so. Some complain about their minds wandering when they pray. I have ADHD, my “mind” always “wanders.” But I don’t worry so much about it. When I pray, I stand before the icons. If my mind wanders, I remain standing. The icons have been given to us for “communion,” and that communion is real regardless of the noise of my mind. The noise is not me; it’s noise.” (Father Stephen Freeman)
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