EMERGING FROM SHADOWS OF OPPRESSION - FILLED WITH THE LIGHT OF LIFE’S FULLNESS
He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, yet he who sows bountifully will reap bountifully. Let each of you give wholeheartedly without a grudge or in necessity, but freely: God loves those who render with joy so that the receiver may be nourished! The Lord then shall bestow all grace upon you and will never allow you to lack: the reward for works of goodness onto others! (1 Cor 9: 6)
These words which the Apostle Paul conveyed to the Church in Corinth tells us something about the nature of people in general. Indeed, we must safeguard what we have in order to keep ourselves well, yet it is also true that many who have been blessed with an abundance of wealth – either through hard work of acquiring via various means – tend to become most stingy!
Paul does not say that it is a crime to be wealthy, nor did the Lord when he conversed with the wealthy in general; it’s about the gifts we have received either spiritual or material that are to be used with care!
We may recall the parable of the talents where the King gave amounts of money to his servants; most invested and produced abundance except one who was greedy – this rendered him stagnant and disliked in general. (Mt 25: 14-30)
I remember a time when a friend needed employment, and I asked on his behalf if a successful businessman who had such possibilities to bestow would take him on or at least point him in the right direction. Now these people are loaded with wealth and are the over religious type – leaders of prayer groups and all that goes with it.
This lad was poor but bright and needed guidance to get back on the right path whom I vouched for. Yet the answer that was given me was a bold No; informing me that there was little time for taking on others and all positions were occupied! I think there is no more to say about this category of people!
This is exactly what was going on in Corinth at the time, and I must say that I have experienced this in my ministry amongst such people (all parts of the world have their greed) yet it is disheartening when the people who supposedly are part of the world of the gospel truly fall short of it!
The moral of the story is to not allow things to get in the way of your growth and the potential growth of others; material things can chain us with ambition, so too does religiosity which in this case is proven as the means of spite and collateral damage!
When the Lord approached the city gates of Nain, there was a crowded funeral procession of a young man who was the only son of his widowed mother. When the Lord saw her, his heart flowed with compassion as he approached her and said: “Do not be frightened and no longer weep!” He then touched the corps whilst the procession came to a halt and said: “My lad, arise!” With that, the young man arose and Jesus gave him back to his widowed mother.” (Lk 7: 11-16)
Today’s gospel runs true for us in a sense as we emerge out of lockdown – a long awaited reality which we may grow towards re-living in a normal society with its new challenges! The previous epistle of the Apostle Paul perhaps also mirrored our situation in the considerate sense of keeping each other’s spirits up with a call, message or zoom meeting – rendering moral support which nourishes our very persona!
It is interesting to note the raising accounts within the gospels which presents individual situations, yet describes the grandeur of God and his will for life to be and continue; opposing the various death cult mentalities that surface in Christendom.
We must keep in mind that when the Lord publically declared that he is the Messiah – the one who is God made Son of Man; it all starts within the synagogue in Nazareth, where he begins his ministry and is called to read a portion from the scroll of the holy prophet Isaiah. (Lk 4: 14 -28)
“The Spirit of the Lord of hosts is upon me, for I am anointed to proclaim onto those who are poor the good news from on high. I am sent to comfort the broken hearted and to announce that the time for freedom and wholeness is here for those of you who have been held captive.” (Isa 6: 1-1)
There we have it: goodness, comfort, freedom and wholeness – not death, doom, gloom, tribulation, and punishment! Yes, hell is the place where the fullness of God’s presence is absent – a place for people who do not want a bar of life as we know it; depression is a taste of it (hell) which we may all experience when times are tough.
Yet, we are told to not dwell on these things, to lift up our gaze to the heights where the salvation will come – to not dwell in fear, but hope in love! (Ps 121: 1-4) For if wholehearted love is not present, then God cannot be there who is the source of all love! Hence, the death cult mentality found in various fundamentalist fractions which has surfaced - spiralling out of control within our time frame of Covid 19!
Hence, when the Lord approached the widow, he felt for her – an action only love can render! When a bishop of the Old Testament Church in Capernaum by the name of Jairus lost his young daughter; he committed an act of apostasy (according to the Levitical law) which results in being deposed from ecclesial office!
Thus, this offence of apostasy took shape via reaching out onto Jesus, because he (Jesus) was his only hope. Yet, when Jesus told them that she was not dead but only asleep and then he raised her from death; this confirms that in God there is no death, there is only life! (Lk 8:40-56)
Again, when Jesus came onto the city of Bethany where his cousin Lazarus who was entombed for four days and then ordered that the stone be removed; the smell of rotten flesh came forth from the tomb – but in God all is renewed and restored where there is no decay! (Jn 11: 1-44)
Indeed, there was a sense of hesitation by Miriam and Martha who were Lazarus’ sisters in have the stone removed at his command. By the same token - disappointment towards Jesus emerged who in their minds came too late for anything to be done. Yet the Lord reassured them via which they obliged when he boldly stated: “If you believe, you will behold God’s glory!”
Living in the assurance of God’s glory: today we celebrate one of the saints of our holy exarchate – St. Alexander Men (1935 -1990 AD) who was martyred by those within the Church who opposed progressive vision.
May I invite you to read about him on our section of Saints and allow his life, prayers, and works to inspire you as we re-emerge out of the darkness of Covid 19 into the light of life’s fullness as the holy people of God!
Troparion Hymn (tone 4)
Venerable Father Alexander, you were a descendant from the people of the elder law via blood. Therefore, he whose blood was shed upon the cross illumined you with the knowledge that he is the light of the nations and glory of Israel. Your heart burned with the desire to know, love and proclaim his name to the captives and he in turn called you to his service as a presbyter of his Holy Church. Intercede to the Lord that he save us his people and open the eyes of the spiritually blind.
Kontakion Hymn (tone 6)
Holy Father Alexander, God raised you up as another Stephen to give witness to the wondrous love he has for his people. Yet many despised you for their hearts did not understand, but the indwelling of the Holy Spirit challenged them through the gift of theology for that age imparted you. They in turn rendered your robes with the stains of your very life blood to silence you. Christ who is Bishop of his Church then raised you amongst the saints who died testifying his Name to the world. Pray that the Church continually rids itself of all worldly cares.
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