Putting all the Pieces Together

Now that cooler weather has settled in and leaves have begun to fall, many families are looking for activities to gather and enjoy fellowship now that it’s too cold for beach fun. Among the many long-time traditions for family fun is building puzzles. Puzzles come in all sizes and shapes, and made for all ages young and old alike. Puzzles highlight beautiful scenery and famous landmarks. After an evening of family fun, NOTHING is more frustrating than have a missing piece to the puzzle. A puzzle with just a single piece missing will inspire families to search for long periods of time, overlooking nothing, to find that single missing piece. Everyone cheers when the missing piece is found; much more than if the family had completed the puzzle quickly without any missing pieces. Puzzles are great family fun...

We often hear life being compared to a puzzle that needs to be solved, and our spiritual life and Church are no different. The Orthodox Christian way of life is like a carefully crafted puzzle in which every piece is perfectly interconnected. Without EVERY piece, the puzzle just isn’t complete. It always surprises me that many, unlike game puzzles, have no difficulty in leaving the pieces of the Orthodox Way of Life puzzle either missing or not connected.

The pieces of the Orthodox Christian Way of Life puzzle include:

1. Receiving Holy Communion
2. Prayer
3. Fasting
4. Caring for the poor
5. Reading and studying the Holy Scriptures
6. Reading and studying the Holy Fathers of the Church
7. Reading and studying books about the Faith and Church history
8. Tithing to the Church
9. Attending Sunday Divine Liturgy EVERY SUNDAY ON TIME
10. Regular Holy Confession
11. Regular attendance at special Church blessing services
12. Regular attendance at special Church prayer services
13. Serving others (inside and outside the Church Family)
14. Reaching out to others and inviting them into the Church
15. Enjoying fellowship with others inside the Church

Like every puzzle, the most important piece is THE MISSING PIECE, since without it, the puzzle is not complete. As we enter into the Advent Season, and the Christmas Fast, take a moment and look over the puzzle you’ve been working on. Is there a missing piece? Have you spent any time recently working on completing your puzzle?

Like any puzzle, the Orthodox Christian Way of Life puzzle is best worked on as a family, when each member searches for the next piece and then rejoicing when each piece is carefully put into place. As a family, we can only rejoice when the entire family is participating in building the puzzle. Take it one piece at a time and, with dedication and unity, the entire puzzle will be complete. Let’s complete the puzzle!