Hunger, the basic desire or need for food, is not always as “basic” or straightforward as its definition makes it sound. We feel it all the time or maybe hardly at all, we blindly obey it or frequently fight it, we confuse it with other needs, and ultimately, it lets us down.

In Fr. Thomas Hopko’s 55 Maxims for Christian Living, he outlines 55 simple practices he believes characterize an authentic Christian life. The list is brilliant. Not only does it appeal to the brain’s need for organization (and my personal love of lists), but it deconstructs the pursuit of an authentic relationship with God into actionable items.

It’s the beginning of a new school year. I am a recent graduate of Cornell University, sitting in the basement of the religious studies building on campus at our weekly Orthodox Christian Fellowship (OCF) meeting, our small but mighty group of six brainstorming possible speakers to bring to our university for the school year.