We theorise, philosophise, or find comfort in psychology, only to find ourselves entrapped more deeply in our sins and infirmities. If only we were humble enough to cry out to the Lord, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"
Our saints inspire us to achieve sanctity by dedicating our lives to our Lord. We can be His servants in many ways – by keeping the house or taking care of our daily lives.
We may imagine ourselves to be masters of our lives and make our plans for decades ahead - only to find them derailed someday. But the Scripture tells us: "As for me, I am poor and needy; may the Lord think of me."
The Feast of the Ascension is past us, and the day the Holy Trinity is fast approaching. With the Lord, we have the plenitude of life, wherever we find ourselves - in a hospital ward, in a prison jail or in any other inhospitable location.
The world is jealous. One finds God and begins to hold little value in its treasures – money, wealth, power, pride and much else. But the world will go to any length to keep us from abandoning its treasures for the love of God.
Living in God gives us the freedom to be ourselves. So let us throw off our masks by becoming more genuine and sincere. Let us own up to our weaknesses and admit our need for transformation.
Out of pride, we isolate ourselves from others and also from God. Instead, we must be willing to do God’s will, even when it is different from ours. We must be prepared to put aside our desires, however painful it might seem.
Our congratulations go to all our women. We wish them to grow in their faith and success in their hard work to keep the peace in their families.
When we go to Church and trust our Lord, we have no reason to complain. So let us live as Christians and thank the Lord in our prayers.
In the kingdom of heaven, there is no need for human values or hierarchy. It is a new life, a new world and new relationships. We need to focus on Christ, Who came not only to give us courage, but also to teach us to live differently.
Most of us are not prepared to hear the truth about ourselves. Crack the truth to someone who is not ready for it, and you will only make them feel bitter. Christians should be wise and think hard before taking action.
He did not arrive in a chariot, or a limousine, not even on a colt. He came on a donkey. We need to be like children to believe it.
Jesus had not come to Jerusalem to reign there. He only wanted to be King in people's hearts. He made it clear that he had come to seek peace, not make war.
Is there any problem that God could not resolve? Is there a question that He could not answer? We only need to ask the right questions and be open to hearing the answer.
Our earthly life is getting less and less varied. The life of a Christian seems weird to outside observers in pursuit of large-scale events and effects. The outer life of a Christian is much quieter and simpler.
There are certain times in my life when I feel depressed when it’s hard for me to pray when my mind wanders around. What would you recommend doing in those moments? How do I deal with those emotional states?
How can we change our world? To quote Saint Ignatius Bryanchaninov, do not try to shake the foundations, but be vigilant; take care of yourself, your family and kin; be an example for others, and thousands will be saved around you.
We are accustomed to being guided solely by our personal experience. We do not have the courage to speak about the struggle and the triumph over the sin because it is beyond human power.
So what kind of fasting should we aim for if we want to please God and benefit our spirits? There is no need to muse too much over these questions - today's Gospel readings give us the idea.
What did the Lord come into the world for? He came to liberate man from the bonds of slavery. Apostle Paul explains what kind of slavery it was: For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. (Romans 7: 19).