Matryoshka dolls and Christ who lives in us

Ancient Faith Radio puts out a lot of new podcasts. Some of them worth bending my ear for and some I choose to close my ears to. Most of the time I take a few minutes to give a listen, and, if I like it, subscribe. Often I can tell from the topic being discussed if it won't be my cup of tea, sometimes I find that I've been subscribed for a few weeks and unsubscribe knowing I'll never listen again, and sometimes (rarely really) I'll feel I've made a discovery that I feel obliged to tell people about. The podcast 'A Voice From The Isles' is one such "discovery."

I listened to Fr. Gregory Hallam's podcast entitled 'Indwelling: Gal 2:20 - I have been crucified with Christ.' and was hooked. I drove to work and sat in the parking lot unable to turn the key until it was over. For me, those homilies that can immediately applied to the congregation's lives are the most worthwhile. Certainly there is a place for more high brow fare about things esoteric, but for me as a parent if I can simplify and distill the message to my children later in the week during dinner I consider the homily invaluable to my domestic church.

Certainly the Church provides much to teach children apart from the words of the parish homilist (I read the Prologue to my kids most nights during dinner with some simplification and narration to keep their attention.), but if I can show the importance of listening to the Gospel and attendant homily I feel I've given them something of inestimable value. Last year I taught the teens in Sunday school and was shocked (among other things) by their complete inability to tell me what the Gospel reading was about or what our priest had said in his homily. They simply hadn't listened. Sunday after Sunday I'd start the class with the same question and every Sunday I was met with blank stares. As many bishops have said in recent days, there is no replacement for the spiritual care given by one's family (parents and godparents). If you show by example and by practice that the "sit down time" after the Gospel is important (not a potty break, not a time to get some water, not an opportunity to surreptitiously read the parish bulletin or check your cellphone for missed calls or texts), they will eventually get the message.

So, returning to the aforementioned podcast, I was struck by Fr. Gregory's use of Russian nesting dolls to explain Christ's indwelling in those of faith:

BRETHREN, you know that a man is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ, and not by works of the law, because by works of the law shall no one be justified. But if, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we ourselves were found to be sinners, is Christ then an agent of sin? Certainly not! But if I build up again those things which I tore down, then I prove myself a transgressor. For I through the law died to the law, that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

He expertly interweaves Scripture and imagery to impart not only our relationship with Christ, but also His relationship with the Godhead and our relationship to all men. I highly recommend you listen to his podcast (embedded below) and possibly, as I am going to do tonight, get your babushka doll out and take a few minutes to speak on the topic to your children.