The word of the day is “heart.” St. Theophan the Recluse taught that the heart is the innermost center of our being.  It is the seat of our thoughts, emotions, will, self-awareness, and conscience.  It follows that the state of the heart determines the condition of our bodies, minds, and souls. In this vein, in our reading of Proverbs 14: 27-15:4, the wise sage of Proverbs says, “A sound heart is life to the body, but envy is rottenness to the bones” (NKJV vs. 30).  Today we consider what it means to possess a spiritually healthy heart. A Calm, Peaceful, and Tranquil Heart What does it mean to have a “sound” heart? Various versions translate the adjective “sound” as “peaceful”…
The word of the day is “anchor.” So many people these days are drifting. The currents of society are carrying them one way and then another.  Subtle and almost irresistible influences are assailing believers and unbelievers. Our reading of Hebrews 6:13-20 offers us the only defense from manipulating these social forces. The apostle writes, “This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast…” (NKJV vs. 18).  Today our reading helps us to realize that nothing in this swirling world is unchanging. But this passage teaches us to look to our hope in the Eternal God to keep the sweeping forces of worldliness from overwhelming us. The thing about drifting is that we don’t notice it. …
The word of the day is “diligence.”  Time erodes zeal. As the days go by, our original dedication to a cause tends to diminish. This observation is true of our spiritual intensity. We have passed the mid-point of Great Lent. Have your steps slowed on your Lenten journey to the house of our Heavenly Father?  That is likely unless you have found a way to overcome natural spiritual inertia. If we have become sluggish in our observance of Lent, we need the word of our reading of Hebrews 6:9-12.  The apostle speaks to all of us, saying, “And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end” (vs. 11).…
The word of the day is “devise.” Often those who promote acts of mercy make an emotional appeal. They show a malnourished child or an abused animal and in pleading tones ask us to care. But in today’s reading of Proverbs 14:15-20, the wise sage of Proverbs offers a different viewpoint. He says, “Deceivers devise evil things, but good men devise mercy and truth” (OSB 14: 23). The word “devise” suggests that “good men” plan their acts of compassion just as evil men strategize their wicked deeds.. Today we will consider the sage’s suggestion that charitable giving involves the mind as well as our feelings. To Devise a Plan Both the Hebrew Bible and the Septuagint (LXX) agree that the…
The word of the day is “company.”  “A man is known by the company he keeps.”  This adage is one of the most familiar of Aesop’s Fables.  But the  Scriptures often repeat the same thought. For instance, in our reading of Proverbs 13:19-14:6, the wise sage of Proverbs writes, “He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed (NKJV vs. 30). We learn from this humble saying that we should seek the best kind of companionship as followers of Christ. Not every would-be friend is a suitable travel companion as we walk in the way of the Lord. We Become Like Our Friends A Spanish saying observes, “He that goes with wolves…
The word of the day is “anxious.” W. H. Auden published his Pulitzer-prize winning poem, “The Age of Anxiety,” in 1947.  That title is still an apt description of our time, especially during this present crisis.   Psychology Today reports that anxiety levels in America are three times higher now than they were before the Covid-19 pandemic. But anxiety is a product of the human condition and has been a factor of our human experience since the Fall.   We are fragile and vulnerable creatures who have built-in survival mechanisms. These systems respond in body, mind, and soul to alarms of threats to our well-being, and we become anxious. In our reading of Proverbs 12:23-13:9, the wise sage of Proverbs makes a…
The word of the day is “eyes.” How do you respond when someone points out your fault? Do you bristle with indignation, or do you respond to correction with appreciation? In our reading of Proverbs 12:8-22, the wise sage writes, “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but he who heeds counsel is wise” (NKJV vs. 15).  Today we learn that thinking that we are wise in our own wisdom is a sign of pride. And we suggest that this kind of deep self-conceit requires salvation and healing more than instruction. A Law unto Themselves The Old Testament Book of Judges ends with the social disintegration of the People of God. The writer explains the cause…
The word of the day is “judgment.” The adage that “Man proposes but God disposes” is true. But without plans, our lives are aimless and without purpose.  To steer the course of our lives, God has given us faculty of judgment to decide between alternatives to the actions we should take. But our judgment may be in line with the will of God or against it. In our reading of Proverbs 11:19-12:6, the wise sage of Proverbs says, “The thoughts of the righteous are right, but the counsels of the wicked are deceitful” (NKJV vs. 12:5).  Today we will examine what it means to think “right” thoughts, that is, to make sound judgments. Our commentary will use the translation of…
The word of the day is “offer.”  For the Orthodox, today is the mid-point of Great Lent, the Sunday of the Adoration of the Cross.  For Western Christianity, today is the Day of Resurrection. In both cases, the Cross is the center. By His Cross, Christ delivered us from sin and “trampled down death.” Thus, in today’s reading of Hebrews 4:14-5:6, we learn that by the Cross, the Lord became our High Priest (OSB 4:14).  The apostle writes that God appointed Him to offer “gifts and sacrifices for sin” as a priest (NKJV vs. 5:1).  Today, we view the Cross through the lens of the apostle’s teaching of Christ, the High Priest. For the Orthodox, the Lord’s death on the…
The word of the day is “cast .” There are things that can be taken from us. There are things that only we can give up. And there are things can neither be taken from us or given away. Today, in our reading of Hebrews 10:32-38, the apostle urges us “Do not, cast away your confidence which has a great reward” (OSB Vs. 33).  This verse prompts us to reflect on the things that are in our control to keep, the things that require our endurance to preserve. In today’s reading, the apostle encourages his flock to persevere in endurance. The Greek word derives from the idea of “remaining” or “persisting.” Especially the term means to bear trials patiently (Strong’s…