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Strengthening Our Walk with Jesus

Jan 16

3 min read

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To quote Fr. Tom, (again!), what a blessing we have in the Church! The church provides us with many tools to help us remember, enrich, and encourage our walk with Christ. This fills us up with His grace, mercy, and love.  Many of us know what it is like to walk without Jesus in our lives—whether we met him later in life, or like many we may have done a bit of wandering away from the church at times. The chorus would respond with an overwhelming “Hallelujah” that walking through life with God is much easier than without Him. The struggles of this life can become more manageable with Jesus by our side. Walking with God brings us love and hope in whatever situation we find ourselves.


To walk with Christ, it almost goes without saying, we need the community of the Church to keep us walking straight. Many tools are found in the church services themselves. The Gospel story is told throughout Orthros and into Liturgy. The prayers, hymns, psalms and, of course, the Eucharist, form a symphony that create a beautiful experience that infiltrates the body by sight, sound, smell and taste.


The Eucharist is a vital sacramental part of Liturgy! What more can be said when we understand that the bread and wine, common to us humans, is changed into His body and blood as He stated in the Gospels of the New Testament. The elements are infused with the sanctification of Jesus through the mystery we find hard to describe and explain. We accept it by faith. This is more than a tool, it is life.


Oh, and I should mention Confession! Another important sacrament and tool that goes along with the Eucharist. Repentance is a beautiful thing about our Church and helps open space for Christ to live in us. I grew up and lived most of my adult life in churches that do not have Confession. For brevity, just believe me that it is a jewel in the church.


Further, there is something to the weekly repetition of attending Liturgy that allows us to have the words imprinted in our minds. With time, the words of prayers and hymns flow seamlessly out of our mouths in response to the sights and sounds of the service. They may even come to you outside of church, bringing love and hope as you traverse through your days.


We are often not at church so our private tools need attention as well. Finding time - even short minutes of time - for prayer, bible reading, and readings by and about the Church Fathers and Mothers gives us encouragement and helps foster our relationship with Jesus. Sitting in silence listening for God or just listening to the silence can bring us peace.


When we utilize these tools, even by small steps, when life happens (as it does!) and brings us turmoil whether in health, relationships, jobs, or tragic events, if we are walking with Christ, it doesn’t seem as impossible to handle. From a personal experience of having cancer, that at first was thought to be imminently terminal, I encountered ineffable peace about it. This peace could only have been from God!  I am still dealing with the chance of the cancer spreading and deal with other health issues related to the huge surgery to take out the primary tumor. In the meantime, I’m trying my best to live in God’s time — Today! Which, truthfully, isn’t always easy, but I carry on as best as I can. I find that when I am filled with Christ, it is much easier. 


In Summary, I encourage you to attend Orthros and Liturgy as regularly as possible, schedule Confession, spend time in prayer, read your bible and other encouraging readings and/or podcasts today. Walking hand in hand with Jesus is the only way to gracefully get through the trials and joys of this earthly life.


St. Paul refers to our hope in our relationship with God at the beginning of his letter, 1 Timothy 1:1:


Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the commandment of God our Savior and the Lord Jesus Christ, our hope.

May this hope and the love from God surround and infiltrate our souls as we live each day, minute by minute.


In the Love of Christ,

Paisia

 

Originally published in the January 14, 2025 Holy Apostles E-bulletin. Subscribe here.


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