Together, we need help. We need strength to overcome all the barriers of sin, ignorance, indifference, despondency. We need strength to fight for the joy that God gives to mankind. “Rejoice!” Says the Lord to His disciples.
If we look at everything that is being done here: a few dozen workshops, our sisters and brothers who work here, then, of course, we can surely say that this is the work of the Holy Spirit. But if each one of us begins to look at ourselves, we will see that during different times we are under a different light, different colors, different inner states. Sometimes we are filled with life, and we want to thank God for this life. And sometimes everything suddenly dies, and we need to remember life and nurture the Spirit of God within us…
Sometimes it just so happens that a person searches and finds justification for his sins within the faults of others, within the worries of everyday life. A person begins to hang on to this and says that he is not to blame, but rather someone else. Sin finds a foundation while becoming lawful and justified. Then everything becomes quite vivid in one’s imagination which is infected with sin and within the heart where sin takes root and in the mind that is congested with sin. This is why “there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.” (Luke 15: 7). We believe that repentance will definitely happen. And then a person who overcome all the barriers and untruths behind which he has been hiding himself, will truly repent. He will see himself transparent before God, he will see his guilt, and this in turn will be a resurrection.
It’s hard for us to go toward resurrection because we fall, stray away from the path and feel sorry for ourselves. We look at the laws of mankind, at earthly situations and can not ascend from the ground. Remember that the earth was not a place for Christ. Christ was crucified on earth! This is why all the changes in our inner condition,which happened and will happen, are all a test which we have to live through and we can not say: “I can not do it anymore.” God knows the extent of what we can and can not do.
We constantly need to say: “Lord help, I can not do anything without you. I can not say a word, raise my hand or even look at a person. But with you Lord, we can do anything.” We see this with our own eyes, when a person who does not understand anything, does not know, did not learn anything, is enlightened by God and can suddenly surpass any wiseman or teacher. In this, we see the victory of the church!
Direct my steps by Your word, And let no iniquity have dominion over me. (Psalm 118: 133). Your hands have made me and fashioned me; Give me understanding, that I may learn Your commandments. (Psalm 118: 73).
St. Elisabeth Convent
July 9, 2018