HOLY SILENCE

My soul is scattered Like ashes in the wind. Gray, dry, gaunt Drifting aloft On a cold, Cloudy day speckled with Drops of rain and Long shadows dancing on The burnt embers that have lost their glow and Chased by the howling and cheering and Jeering of faces with glee that a Life is smothered and a soul is lost. Unknown, Unwanted, Forgotten, and Forsaken There is nothing but death and The stench of failure that Strains at the irony of Eking out the one refrain That never forge

When I wake up in the morning, I experience In equal amounts, Hope and dread. The hope comes from the Expansiveness of the Eternal and the Depths of the Divine, both of which Comfortably make a home in the depths of my soul. The dread comes from the Depraved diabolism and the Maleficent machinations that Perniciously taunt me through the windows of my soul. The former is a pure gift given Despite my sin Separate from my failures and Filled with forgiveness. The latter is an o

Each week I send a short email to help you deepen your relationship with the Holy Spirit. If you have a question or a prayer request, please reach out here . Read : "Ever assailed in my soul by the storms of destructive passions and spirits, I set my hope of salvation on thee, the most good Paraclete, in that Thou art God" ( St. Maximos the Greek, A Canon to the Divine, Worshipful and All Holy Spirit, the Paraclete , Ode 1). Ponder: It is truly disappointing how badly our liv

We tend to take for granted that we are a people called to the heavenly kingdom by God through His love, mercy, joy, and desire for our salvation. Thus, we are reminded today to have faith in the Holy Trinity, to believe in Christ, and to seek the Holy Spirit. And this is how we live like we mean it: pray intimately with God every day in order to know His will, and to love and sacrifice for Him (and His people) with all our mind, all our heart, all our soul, and with every la

Each week I send a short email to help you deepen your relationship with the Holy Spirit. If you have a question or a prayer request, please reach out here . Read : "It is the spirit that gives life, the flesh is of no avail; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life." (John 6:63). Ponder: In John 6:56, Jesus declared that "He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him." Some of the disciples, like many people today, either did not understa

Today, we are reminded that it is not enough to follow all the prudential rules of the church (e.g. fasting). Rather, it is vital to train the entirety of the human person - body, mind, soul, and spirit - to focus entirely on God who creates, redeems, and sanctifies. Thus, it is incumbent upon each of us to follow the eternal Logos, Christ, the Word made flesh, who leads us to salvation. And to listen, to obey, and to be forever changed by the Holy Spirit who leads us into sa

Each week I send a short email to help you deepen your relationship with the Holy Spirit. If you have a question or a prayer request, please reach out here . Read : "Have mercy on me, O Master, Paraclete and God! Have mercy on me, sanctify my soul and body, enlighten my mind and reason, and cleanse the conscience of my soul from all defilement" (A selection from the "Prayer to the Holy Spirit" in A Canon to the Holy Spirit by St. Maximos the Greek). Ponder : Did you know tha

Intercede for me and pray for my spiritual sons and daughters so that we may have a stable foundation of deep prayer and a ministry of healing the afflicted. "In you, o venerable Father Paul, the image of God shone forth, for you carried your Cross and followed Christ. By so doing you taught us to disregard the flesh for it passes away, and to care instead for the soul since it is immortal, wherefore your soul forever rejoices with the angels" (Troparion — Tone 8). An icon of

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The sun is setting in your eyes I can see it on your face. Your head is bowed And your back low. The brightness of your Illumination Is...