Despondency
“It is a commonplace in the Fathers to describe despair or sadness as the result of failing to get what we want. It sounds quite simple,...
God's Will vs Self Will
“Doing God’s will is easier said than done, for many factors enter into our lives which weaken our resolve to do His will. One only has...
Obedience (and Stillness)
“As Holy Scripture records, “Noah did according to all the Lord God commanded him” (Gn 6:22), never uttering a word of reply to God....
Rebellion
“That first human sin was about turning away from God. He had explicitly told Adam and Eve not to eat of that tree, and yet they did it...
Temptation
“Inevitably, the pain that follows sin is greater than the pain of struggling against temptation. Likewise, the pain caused by our sinful...
Knowing God
“Perhaps the most salient aspect of the sacramental life is something that has almost been forgotten within contemporary...
Center (Focus, Priority)
“And here is the crucial point: we begin with God as Being, Truth, Goodness, Beauty. The words and concepts only have meaning when...
Self
“The story of ‘the Fall’ is the story of human self-will: we like to do what we want regardless of how our relationships or others are...
Obedience
“While the rich man was probably being sincere when he insisted I have wholeheartedly obeyed all these laws [Mark 10:20], he had confined...
Obedience (and Freedom and Salvation)
“Obedience is not to carry out this or that order that you were given, while you object on the inside. Obedience is to subordinate your...