The word for today is “cheerful.” At this challenging time, many people are frustrated and depressed. Yet even amidst this pervasive dreariness of heart, there are some who raise our spirits. These persons are bright lights in the darkness. Of them, the wise sage of Proverbs writes in today’s readings of Proverbs 17:17-18:5, “A merry heart does good, like medicine” (NKJV vs. 17:22).  Today we learn that we, the faithful, are called to “lift up our hearts” so that our cheerfulness can be medicine for others in a gloomy world. Nowadays, the word “merry” is associated with Christmas and its festivities.  However, the word in the Hebrew Bible means to be glad, joyful, and rejoicing (Strong’s Hebrew #8056, 284).  On…
The Word of the Day is “always.” In today’s reading of 1 Thessalonians 5:14-23, we find the teaching “pray without ceasing” (OSB vs. 5:17). Today we will study the context of this short directive, a teaching that many Orthodox know and strive to practice. Note that the two-word imperative comes in the middle of Paul’s concluding instructions to his congregation in Thessalonica.  Notice also that it appears in a series of practices that the faithful should always carry out.  The apostle writes, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks” (OSB vs. 16-18). The first and the last imperatives are a frame for the ideal of praying without ceasing. These bookends encourage the attitudes with which we should enter…
The word for today is “cheerful.” As the present crisis continues, many people are frustrated and depressed. Yet even amidst this pervasive dreariness of heart, there are some who raise our spirits. These persons are bright lights in the darkness. Of them, the wise sage of Proverbs writes in today’s readings of Proverbs 17:17-18:5, “A merry heart does good, like medicine” (NKJV vs. 17:22). Today we learn that we, the faithful, are called to “lift up our hearts” so that our cheerfulness can be medicine for others in a gloomy world. Nowadays, the word “merry” is associated with Christmas and its festivities.  However, the word in the Hebrew Bible means to be glad, joyful, and rejoicing (Strong’s Hebrew #8056, 284).…