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 understand what He meant or refused to believe what He was telling them. So, Jesus responds by explaining that understanding this mystery requires spiritual perception, not human logic or materialistic thinking. In other words, this verse emphasizes that receiving the Eucharist requires spiritual preparation and understanding. To put it another way, we must approach it with faith, repentance, and spiritual awareness. The reason I share this with you today is not only to reaffirm the importance of Eucharist and all the sacraments, but to demonstrate, once again, how vitally important it is to train the entirety of the self - our physical senses, our emotions, our thoughts, our relationships, even our prayers - to approach God spiritually. In other words, to desire, to accept, to receive, to understand, and to live in and through the Holy Spirit. Pray : "Most Holy Spirit, save me from myself and sanctify me." A Coptic Orthodox icon of Pentecost. To donate, please click here .

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. Please keep me close so that I may have strength to walk with everyone who comes for confession and spiritual guidance. Thank you for your example of humility in the face of great difficulty. An icon depicting St. Nektarios of Pentapolis.

We talk a lot about praying, but why do we do it? Prayer Brings Us Close to the Holy Spirit "Virtues are formed by prayer. Prayer preserves temperance, suppresses anger, restrains pride and envy, draws down the Holy Spirit into the soul and raises man to heaven" (St Ephraim the Syrian, in Moore, Orthodox Prayer , p. 22). Prayer Keeps Us Steady "Hold on to the staff of prayer and you will not fall. And even a fall will not be fatal, since prayer is a devout, persistent coercing of God" (cf Lk 18.5), (St John Climacus, Ladder of Divine Ascent , 28.63, p. 281). Prayer Strengthens Us in the Face of Tribulation "Prayer heartens the conscience, invests the mind with power, strengthens one's hope, fires one's confidence. Thus, is man made able to withstand the tribulations and evils of this world, for when he compares them with the glorious things he is to inherit, he can defy torture and all manner of affliction" (St Isaac the Syrian, in The Four Books of St Isaac the Syrian , the Bishop of Nineveh, 1.1.118, Arabic version). Prayer Shows Us More than Virtue "The power of prayer lies not in its words but in righteousness ... Prayer is superior to all other virtues" (St Isaac the Syrian, The Four Books , 2.40, 41, 42, 44). Prayer Helps Us Enter into the Mystical "By means of words we find access to mysteries, for prayer draws the mind near to God" (St Isaac the Syrian, The Four Books , 1.134, 135). Prayer Leads Us to Contemplate God's Love "It is not by reason of our requests that God dispenses his gifts and blessings. No, He made our petitions and requests as a channel to lead our mind to contemplate His eternity that by doing so we may realize how much concern He has for us" (St Isaac the Syrian, The Four Books , 1.144, 145). Sand Candle Holder · Free Stock Photo

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 : "Heavenly King, Comforter, Spirit of Truth, present in all places and filling all things, treasury of goodness and giver of life: come; abide in us, cleanse us of every stain, and save our souls, O Good one." Ponder: These words of the best-known Holy Spirit prayer are recited so much that they are often forgotten or looked past. Today, more than ever, it is important to remember that through this prayer, we are literally asking the Holy Spirit to take up its abode in us. Think about that for a few minutes. Even though the Holy Spirit is "present in all places and filling all things," we are actually choosing for God to live within us. Consider what this means. We are asking for the Holy Spirit to breathe life within us, to warm us with its love, to light the path to heaven for us, to show us when we've strayed, and to love us enough to bring us back to the path into eternity with the Triune God. Ask yourself: "Do I live my life according to this truth?" Pray : "Most Holy Spirit, save me from myself and sanctify me." A Coptic Orthodox icon of Pentecost. To donate, please click here .

And pray for my people. “The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your midst, from your brethren. Him you shall hear" (Deuteronomy 18:15). An icon of Moses at the Burning Bush

I live at the end of the road Literally. I live at the far end of an island Where the land gives way to water And that water stretches far and wide. First through a gulf Then to a sea Onward into an ocean. Every day I watch that water Lap at the sand, Break onto the rocks, and Rush over my feet I think a lot about where those waters come from And where they're going. They make me think of my own origins, My comings, my goings, and my destiny too. In that ebb and flow I hear all the possibilities I see all the beginnings and ends I feel all life and death Especially my own. What have I done? What have I failed to do? How much more time do I have? I would give anything for people to know How much I love God How much I love them How much I hate that I am a disappointment. I will give everything To do what I know God calls me to do next To share that vision more boldly and To ask for help because I cannot do it alone! This is my deepest longing... To serve To sacrifice To pray and To share peace This is life and death for me. Tranquil Beach Scene · Free Stock Photo

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 : "O radiant children of the Church, receive the fiery dew of the Spirit, the cleansing of sins which brings deliverance; for now from Sion has the law gone forth: the grace of the Spirit in tongues of fire" ( Canon to the Divine, Worshipful & All-Holy Spirit, the Paraclete , St. Maximos the Greek, Ode 5, Irmos). Ponder : Please take a few minutes to think about this passage. What does it mean? First, it mentions radiant children. When was the last time you thought of yourself as God's son or daughter? Does that make you feel cherished? Or does that make you feel afraid? That may depend on your childhood. But now you're an adult. Decide to accept that God created you out of love and has a purpose for you. The result of such a reflection can make you feel brighter, more radiant because you better recognize that God is with you. But don't forget that radiance here also means that we are called to repentance and real change because this is how we heal and grow. Second, it mentions a fiery dew. Look at the icon below. Doesn't it depict beautifully the tongues of fire and the radiance of those receiving the presence of the Holy Spirit? Ponder how this has worked in your life at Baptism, Chrismation or Confirmation, Eucharist, Confession, Anointing, and ... in those everyday moments that bring God's relief, care and love. Third, it mentions the grace of the Spirit . None of us earns this divine kindness and goodwill, but we must choose to accept it and live by it. And that's the hardest thing to do. We fail. We sin. We are shortsighted and forgetful, scared and self-interested, anxious and alone. That is why we need to do a better job of forgiving and loving more each day . Pray : "Most Holy Spirit, save me from myself and sanctify me." A Coptic Orthodox icon of Pentecost. To donate, please click here .

Arrogant Aggravating Annoying Knowledgeable Focused Prayerful Distant Disappointing Detached Faithful Hopeful Loving Unwelcome Undependable Unwilling Silent Servant Sacrificial Lamb True people of God ... you know who I mean ... the ones for whom God is an intimate ... and the saints seem as close and as plentiful ... as raindrops that gently fall into the palm of your hand. When someone in your midst gives themselves completely to God, prayer, and faithful service, they may not look, talk, or act like everyone else. So, be measured in your criticism, choose to learn from them, and help them, too. Because we need more people like that ... who would give anything ... absolutely everything ... to help everyone they meet to heal, to grow, to pray, and to spend eternity in the loving embrace of God. Hands Reaching Toward Each Other · Free Stock Photo

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 that one of the titles of the Holy Spirit is "Paraclete?" It means advocate, counselor, or helper. Have you ever thought about how close God is to you? Ponder it ... like this ... The Holy Spirit is our advocate? What a relief it is to know that God is helping me! The Holy Spirit is our counselor? What a joy it is to know that God is advising and guiding me! The Holy Spirit is our helper? What a comfort it is to know that God is aiding me in this difficult world! But you have to do your part, too! Cleanse your mind and body. Confess your sins. Seek mercy. Desire sanctification. Hope for eternal life with God. You are not alone! Pray : "Most Holy Spirit, save me from myself and sanctify me." A Coptic Orthodox icon of Pentecost.

Intercede for me and pray for my spiritual sons and daughters so that we may have a stable foundation of contemplative prayer and a ministry of healing the afflicted. Mary, my dear mother in heaven, I am deeply, deeply grateful for your protection and eternally humbled by my priesthood. Please keep me close and give me strength to walk with everyone who comes for confession and spiritual guidance. An icon representing the Feast of the Protection of the Theotokos.

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 : I have "fallen into grievous perils ... I am... beset by perplexity ... and falling into diverse misfortunes ... like a boat upon the waves of the sea I am bestormed. O all-good Comforter, quickly rescue me from this grievous battering..." (Ode 6, "A Canon to the Holy Spirit" by St. Maximos the Greek). Ponder : Are you hurting? Alone? Recovering from the bad deeds of others? Seeking help for your own faults? Ask yourself: "Have I truly thought about what it means to be helped or flat out rescued by God?" Now, say to yourself: "I can do something today to heal and grow because I am not alone! The Holy Spirit is with me, always!" Pray : "Most Holy Spirit, save me from myself and sanctify me." A Coptic Orthodox icon of Pentecost.

1,200,000,000 abortions globally since 1980 200,000,000 war dead since 1915 3,000,000 drug deaths per year 700,000 suicides per year. We all have to die of something, But we're slaughtering ourselves because of A deep self-loathing An obsession with revenge An unrelenting hatred of life A lust for blood, and a Fixation on death. We all have to live for something to live for, But we're ignoring our yearning for the Presence of God Desire for good Existence of truth Proximity of beauty Destiny that lies beyond. A bit esoteric? Perhaps. Then, how about this? Good or Evil. Make a choice. Stop the slaughter. Brown Bare Trees in the Cemetery · Free Stock Photo