Sacramental Living

Join Michael as he discusses the consumer culture and how consuming has become a spiritual sickness with many comorbidities. Drawing on Scripture, Orthodox theology, and observations of modern life, he explores how choosing consumerism can give rise to materialism, hedonism, narcissism, individualism, and even nihilism, shaping the way we view ourselves, others, and God, versus seeking Christ who...

Join Michael in a discussion about the debilitating type of anxiety based on lies that can lead to hopelessness, and what we need to do to overcome it.

Join Michael as he tells the story of a loved one’s final forty-eight hours and explores death as both sorrowful and strangely beautiful, revealing God’s grace, the power of love, and the hope of resurrection, even in life’s most painful moments.

Join Michael as he shares a personal experience and discusses the challenge of facing uncomfortable truths about ourselves that are necessary for our spiritual growth.

Join Michael in a discussion about how the culture we live in deeply effects our spirituality, and how the pragmatism of American culture, in general, can kill our spirit and what we need to do to maintain our connection with God.

Join Michael for an in-depth discussion of brokenness in our lives, how it can be either transformative or debilitating, and how to make sense of what the Gospels and Epistles say about having peace and joy within our suffering.

Join Michael as he compares the corporate world of business to what goes on in the Church, but also how a lack of corporate appreciation and understanding as an underpinning of reality at home, the arts, and in other aspects of life, is pervasive in its negative effects.

Join Michael in a discussion about what the abundant life is that Christ wants to give us; what is the experience of this life now amidst all of the daily worries, stresses and anxieties; and how learning to see and experience all of life as liturgical and Eucharistic is key to living how God wants us to live

Join Michael in a discussion about how we easily succumb to delusional thinking due to our egos, how this is a great detriment to ourselves and others, and what we can do to overcome it and move toward salvation and not destruction.

Join Michael in a discussion of how the quest for high self-esteem, and even having low self-esteem, often take us in the opposite direction of God, and what we need to do to break free of this self-made prison and become who we are meant to be in Christ.

Join Michael as he discusses what combat with the true enemy looks like, the weapons and strategies we should employ, and the trap we can fall into if we don’t learn how to see deeper spiritually.

Join Michael as he explores the difference between loneliness and being alone, and how we can be more aware and supportive to anyone struggling with debilitating loneliness.

Join Michael in a discussion of what is means to live as a pilgrim of Christ and how to understand and address our deep yearning and longing of unmet desire in a world of restlessness, noise, and distraction.

Join Michael in a discussion of God’s goodness versus our own goodness, and why the prevalent cultural belief of many that all you have to be is a good person is results in so many unintended consequences.

Join Michael in a discussion of our desires, how they get in the away of the elusive peace we seek, and what we need to do to find true contentment.

Join Michael in a discussion about how many people are haunted by a spiritual reality they consciously or unconsciously acknowledge, especially during times of tragedy and loss, and how to minister to them through relationship and storytelling.

Join Michael in a discussion about an encounter he had with man with severe facial injuries, and what it caused him to reflect on concerning the face of Christ and the theological understanding of our faces that should guide our daily encounters with everyone.

Join Michael in a discussion of the difficulty of getting out of our own heads, the cultural and spiritual challenges that perpetuate this, and leaning to live our faith through our hearts and not just our minds.

Join Michael in a discussion of how to guard our hearts and minds against the ancient sins of infidelity and individualism that are both subtle and celebrated in today’s culture.

Join Michael is a discussion on our need to navigate the difficult liminal spaces in our lives with patience and discernment, as illustrated beautifully in the story of St. Mary of Egypt, and how it is possible to overcome sin and depravity to fulfill our calling to become saints and living icons of Christ.

Join Michael in a discussion of some of the spiritual pitfalls we can fall into during Great Lent if we are not careful and attentive to its true purpose

Join Michael in a discussion of God’s essence and energies, other energies present in the world, and how we should really understand our motivations to ensure we participate in our actions with God’s grace and not with the enemy.

Join Michael as he discusses questions about why good people suffer, bad people thrive, and reconciling this with the goodness of God.

Join Michael in a discussion of what Christ said in the Gospel accounts, and what the New Testament in general says about being a thief or thieves, and how the symbolism of the thief applies to us and the choice of salvation or condemnation.

Join Michael as he uses the symbolism of the North Star to take a deep dive into the true nature of repentance and why we often misunderstand it to our detriment.