The world now thirsts to see living faith in the person of Jesus Christ; not simply to hear about it, but to live it. So many books tell about Christ; so many preachers speak about Christ; but so few people live and speak with Christ. 

The Church cannot live on principles of faith to be studied. Faith in Christ is not a theory. It is a power that changes lives. Everyone in Christ should have this power. One must be able to change one’s life and renew it through the power of Christ.

Abbot Matta el Maskine/Matthew the Poor, Orthodox Prayer Life, introduction to the second edition.

Tepidus gave me this book. It is in my set of “best books of all time”. I suppose changing my life in Christ should involve not posting pious quotes in the beginning of a terrible all-nighter that I am having to pull as a result of my own indolence.  This quote came to mind recently in some conversation or other I was having, and I was reminded of it again when I saw the blog Transformed in Christ  pop up on Britcatblogs. It is written by a young woman who is (I think) a catechist working in a London parish. Have a look here, for example.