Dear Saints,

Have you ever gotten into a disagreement with a loved one, and before you knew it, disagreement turned into argument, argument became suspicion, and finally suspicion devolved into acrimony? In the blink of an eye, understanding had been supplanted by separation and unity had been overpowered by mayhem.

Human beings are notoriously good at misunderstanding one another. Even relationships marked with deep love sometimes find themselves pulled under by currents of confusion, and in those moments we tend to react with typical fight-or-flight panic, which only widens the divide.

But there’s a split second choice there, and a split second is all God needs to send his Holy Spirit into the fray. Where, left to our own devices, we might jump to jealousy or envy, the Holy Spirit guides us to patience and joy. Where we’d wrap ourselves up in tribalism, the Holy Spirit prompts us to generosity. Where we’d get caught up in competition and keeping score, the Holy Spirit encourages us to peace.

There are many forces at work sewing seeds of disunity and trying to scatter our fragile hearts. And no wonder! How much of God’s kingdom never gets built because the workers wasted their time bickering? But we should take heart, because there’s a much more powerful force at work - the only source from which power can truly be generated. The more we follow it and turn our lives and relationships over to it, the more we will live and build together fruitfully as one.

Christ’s Peace,

Father Daniel

δοῦλος Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ