"So rather than all the nonsense that the world says is so important to our happiness, we should follow St. Paul’s direction, and speak “to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.”  That is exactly what we do at each Divine Liturgy and every service of the Church.  The focus has always been Christ, Who is celebrated without all the trappings.  A Christmas with Christ is the one gift that fits all, is the perfect color, and no one will be boxing up to return to the store the next day.  Salvation is the gift that you will want to keep this year."

"We may never be called to raise the dead or exercise demons.  We may never receive the notoriety of being a passionate saint for Christ.  But we should never forget that all great kingdoms are built one small brick at a time.  It is when each of these bricks is thoughtfully and carefully placed in just the right spot according to plan that the building begins to take shape.  After enough bricks have been laid, the building is complete.  It is the same for God’s kingdom on earth.  Each of us supplies a single brick that will eventually be part of that great kingdom.  And just as the brick does not tell the mason where it wants to go, so too should we be willing to be used as God sees fit, for after all, it is His kingdom that we are building, and not our own."