Sacramental Living

In this episode of Sacramental Living, Michael explores the fascinating science of empathy, what it means to be an “empath,” and how the gift of entering another person's suffering can sometimes become a burden. He also considers how literature, art and beauty can form or deform our ability to see through another person's eyes. Through science, personal experience, and the example of Christ, he considers a deeper question: Is the measure of empathy how much of another person's pain we can feel or how well we can love them in their pain?

What can the science of light teach us about the spiritual life? In this episode, Michael explores the fascinating science of the light emitted by living things and the strange relationship light has with space and time, not as proof of faith, but as a physical image that can deepen our sense of wonder at spiritual reality. From Tolkien’s image of becoming “a glass filled with a clear light” to the Christian call to become the light of Christ in the world, the discussion ultimately turns to two simple practices that can transform how that light shines through us.

There are moments in life when we find ourselves descending through suffering, loss, failure, grief, or circumstances beyond our control. In this episode, Michael explores the Christian idea of katabasis, the descent into the depths, and its surprising connection to what we call “rock bottom.” What if reaching the bottom is not necessarily the end of the story? Through reflections on faith, suffering, and the people God sends into our lives at difficult moments, Michael considers how a descent can become the place where surrender, transformation, and eventually a new ascent in our lives begin.

What if attention is far more than a mental skill? What if it is one of the deepest expressions of love and one of the primary ways God transforms us? In this episode, Michael explores the spiritual significance of attention, From interruptions and distractions to self-obsession, prayer, multitasking, and the modern attention economy, he examines why our inability to be fully present has profound consequences for our relationships with God and others. By recovering the discipline of attentiveness, we begin to see interruptions as opportunities for grace, discover God’s timing within our own plans, and learn how even the ordinary moments of daily life can become encounters with Christ.

Join Michael in an in-depth discussion about artificial intelligence, its history, what secular and Orthodox Christian thought leaders are saying about it and, most importantly, what is the potential danger of AI to our formational growth as human beings.

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 offers the way from endless consumption to authentic communion, spiritual growth, and true human flourishing.

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.