PROTECTED FROM WOLVES WITHIN
“When you want someone to render good onto you then you must be prepared to render the same good on to them if not more! For if you only love those who love you, then you really have not grown in order to accumulate blessings and you fail to render goodness onto others around you. Likewise, goodness must be extended onto all for if you only render thus onto those who reciprocate, then you leave yourself short in the potential of your growth for those who err also know how to render good onto those who are good to them.” (Lk 6:31-33)
Comfort religion is the name of the game these days regardless of what denomination or faith one comes from; point scoring and status is a wonderful setting with many within. There is a growing superficiality present where we like to vest with the garment of religiosity – the longer the prayers, the elaborate the ceremony, the closer to the divine we think we are.
Yet, the sad reality is that all these things however necessary within reason; we miss the whole point when we forget to look underneath that garment and see how far away we are from God. Our religiosity (not faith) for if one has faith then that must transcend all the stupidities that have camouflaged our path towards the divine (theosis) has indeed derailed from the name that caused the big bang (love divine) revealed in time.
It is a sad reality that the majority of Christians are duplistic in what they say, do and preach…..God’s love can’t be conditioned in any way, shape or form! Yet we categorise who is acceptable and who is not, who is worthy and who is not; in actual fact, we complain that the Muslims lack compassion and love due to their fanatics within – I can assure you in all truth that the Church is full of Jihadists who are ready and waiting to persecute anyone that doesn’t fit their criteria!!!
Rendering good…..this reminds me of the parable of the cleansing of the ten leapers – nine were Hebrew and one a Samaritan (the Hebrews considered Samaritans half breeds) in modern terms; the spite between these two groups equates to the same stupidity between the Greeks and Macedonians or more recently – the Russians and Ukrainians.
These lot (the leapers) who unfortunately became diseased were at quarrels previously, yet the disease brought them to their knees. They begged for mercy (Jesus) and were healed but it was only the Samaritan that actually came back (goodness not taken for granted) and wholeheartedly gave thanks to the Lord for the goodness rendered him which was the healing of the flesh!
“If you lend to those from who you know will restore the sum back; how can the source of all goodness live in you for they who may not be so good within also know how to lend to those who will restore the sum back. Therefore, love those you consider not close to you who may be enemies in your eyes; extend your goodness onto them; when you lend - do so wholeheartedly not expecting the sum back for your reward will be immense. Thus, due to the acquiring of such a nature within – you shall earn the title of children of the Most High because he is kind to good and bad alike; be merciful just as your heavenly father is merciful towards all.” (Lk 6: 34-36)
There are good Christians amongst us and their mercy, love, compassion and strength put many of us to shame….these, especially one well known to me are people that break themselves in half for people so to speak, (working behind the scene) cancel the debt of others afflicted with illness, raise funds for those in need, feed those who do not earn enough, pay medical expenses for those who have no one or nothing, and even run the risk of being judged because they minister to those who the Church (what it has become) would classify sinful and unworthy due to the tainted Levitical law which the Apostles themselves moved away from. (Gal 5:2)
At this point I would like to share a paragraph of an important document (pastoral letter) I sent to one of my clerics which addresses such issues and makes my position clear concerning thus. “This is not the Church I promised to serve at the Altar of God and clearly not the God I serve and worship! This is not the Church I endured suffering for these 20 years of ministry, nor is it the Church that Christ has appointed me shepherd over in his Name!!! Hence, if this is what the rest of the so called Church is, think and do: “I don’t want communion with any of them for there is nothing/no-one worth being in communion with!!!! Let them fall amongst pigs and run down the embankment and drown (Mat 8:31) for they have truly placed the vision, function and haven of what the Church is supposed to be on LIFE SUPPORT – DYING AND DETERIORATING RAPPIDLY!!!!”
Some of you may think that this bishop (me) has lost his marbles by such a statement, yet the problem is that we can’t be saying things and doing other things behind closed doors! We need to be transparent just as the Church was transparent, totally different and allot more with in - in the sense of true charity, love and reaching out beyond the confined walls of a tainted school of thought that impedes itself to grow in God.
For instance, I enjoy delightful moments with my parishioners and their bishop is always invited however bad that is for the waist line…..yet there are most wonderful conversations. One such is with a good friend who is well versed in the eastern schools of thought which compliment his Christian faith. Hence, we spoke about how hard it is at times to let go of certain people who via their stupidity, distasteful actions and even contradictions get on one’s nerves.
Thus, we spoke about how the Lord addressed his own at the mystical supper recorded in the Gospel of St. John where the gift of peace is imparted (Jn 14;27) yet there is one thing that withholds peace and it is the greatest sin: HATE! For such is hate that it causes many injustices and ultimately leads to murder!
We recently canonised two sons of the Church present in Alexandria: Father Matthew the Poor and Bishop Epifanios. Matthew was despised by his own because they were jealous of him and the gift of wisdom the Lord bestowed him – causing him to be marginalised. Whilst, Epifanios was murdered by his fellow monks because they didn’t like the fact that his mild was open and ready to reach out onto others.
This coming Monday the Church commemorates the apparition of our Holy Mother Mariam Theotokos when she cast her veil over the basilica of Holy Wisdom in Constantinople amidst the crisis of invasion in the tenth century. Such a feast is most important to us for Mariam was given us as our mother and protectoress from the foot of the cross and we ask her intercessions amidst the crisis the Church faces in our times.
Unfortunately many jump up and down about how everyone on the outside is attacking the Church, yet they fail to understand that the attacks are coming from within – this is the problem! The reason why the Church is not at peace is because there is much hate, vanity, spite and greed within its administration and amongst its so called faithful (the jihadist type especially)! For if love (the acceptance of the whole human person) is not present then the presence of God cannot dwell within you. (1Jn 4:20)
Today you visited your people Holy Mother of God and we faithfully commemorate this account sublime. Cover us under the protection of your holy omophorion (authority Christ gave you) delivering us from all evil, hate and malice of those who desire to shame us. Entreat Christ your son to open onto us the portals of the promise to come. Kontakion of the Protecting Veil Holy Apostles Exarchate
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