While the Divine command focused on offering Isaac as a sacrifice, the true test was Abraham's willingness to sacrifice himself. He had to relinquish his own will in favor of the Divine will, setting aside his dreams and desires to fulfill God's command. This meant prioritizing God's wisdom over his own and letting go of his deep love for his only son in favor of a greater love and fear of God. "Now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.

God chooses to visit us. Have you ever thought about that? Were you filled with great expectation and excitement, fixing your hair, getting dressed, finishing that last cup of coffee, excited that God was going to visit you today? Choosing to extend his hospitality by condescending to us, namely by stepping out of heaven and stooping down to our creatural realities of time and place? And this is the great distinction between human hospitality and Divine hospitality: that God chooses to condescend, to come down in ways that we can receive his hospitable presence. Look how he chose to appear to Abraham in the common form of a man.

“God commanded Abram to walk before Him and to be perfect. The covenant required Abram to make an effort, take action, and perform the works necessary for his relationship with the Lord. Notice that God's promise to renew his covenant promise of abundant blessing is in direct response to Abram's conduct, actions, and deeds; how the man chooses each day to "walk" out his life (the thoughts of his heart expressed through his actions) in the sight of Almighty God.”

The way of St. Benedict is the way of the Cross. The good Abbot desires for his monks to be faithful, trusting Christ for all things. He desires for good works to abound within the School of Christ, and for the monks to persevere in doing good. Why? For the salvation of their souls, and not merely theirs, but the salvation of the world. You see, in the final analysis, St. Benedict knows that the way of the Cross is the way of love.

We persevere in this life as we live a prayerfully: through ordered daily prayer, personal prayers, prayers of desperation, prayer in times of doubt, and even our feeble and imperfect prayers. Each of these embedding our lives in Christ. In Him, we not only persevere but also overcome. Yet, it is not by our own strength or volition that we fall to our knees in prayer, but again, by grace.

Our Collect thanks God, not man, for the liberties we enjoy. It reminds us that freedom is not self-made, nor finally sustained by arms or constitutions alone, but by the mighty power of God, working providentially through the virtues and courage of those who came before us. But the Collect also contains a warning: liberty must be maintained in righteousness and peace, not merely preserved.

Jesus said, "When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father—He will testify about Me." In the midst of sorrow, the comforting words of our Shepherd come to our remembrance through the ministry of the Holy Spirit, who speaks not of himself but of the Son.

A Homily for Qunquagesima Sunday: “We must immerse ourselves in the wellspring of Charity alone, for only love can liberate our souls from the clutches of self-centeredness and the allure of worldly distractions. The spiritual work of Lent is not just about austere practices; it is a heartfelt pursuit of charity, wholeheartedly embracing the agape love of Christ.”

The great journey unto Jesus Christ began with the coming of the Magi, and even now, the wise of this world are also coming. Great and small, kings and slaves, men of all cultures and all peoples are coming. The men from the East were the first, followed by many more throughout the centuries. The wise men followed the Star; they grasped the revelation of Light, which was Divinely granted to them. Through the mysterious language of creation, they discovered the True God.

Dear Christian, I ask you: What will the Lord find when He comes to visit the Temple of your soul? A faithful servant or a thief? Will you be able to endure on the day of His coming? Will you stand firm when He appears? Are there tables in the temple of the heart that need to be overthrown? Wake up, friend! Now is the time to rise from your slumber.

"Jesus describes the path to life. Humility and repentance halt our death-march and turn us back towards life. Friends, Jesus wants to halt the procession of death. He wants to raise us from the bier of sin and back to life."