Spiritual Ill Health

Q & A with Fr Job:

Question: Everything burns inside me (throat) when I approach holy things (reading, people). I feel that something unclear in sitting in me, and I don’t have the strength to overcome it.

Answer: Such a sick feeling when coming into contact with holy things witnesses to spiritual ill health. The reading of a few prayers is not enough. You have to strictly investigate yourself: how much does your life correspond to the holy tradition of Orthodoxy and the rule of the Church, which is the “pillar and foundation and truth” (1 Tim 3:15). Are you attracted to games of chance (and this includes computer games), have you left serious sins unconfessed? Participation in the holy Mysteries (Confession, Communion, Unction) should be regular.

Healing from such an infirmity does not happen instantly, but one needs to believe that the God Who loves you is powerful enough to give you spiritual healing, seeing your efforts and labors.