The Lord brought us to the church so that we could change our thinking, our life, so that we could get off the earth and switch to the language of eternity. Of course, it’s an impossible task, for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. (Gen. 3: 19). But inside our body there is an immortal soul, and if we still understand that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God (1 Cor. 15: 50), if at some point the Lord reveals to us that there is another life, without any external constraints and human vibrations, then, of course, such life should be the one to fight for. Therefore, we come to the church. We come here to strengthen our faith, with our hope and desire to go on. Often a person simply does not have such a desire, or even a rejection occurs within him or her. All this is mixed up in a person: the grace of God and a sin dwell together in one heart.
A new day is a new fresh start. We do not understand anything about spiritual life – we must remember it once and forever. When a person says: “I know this already…” – this is nonsense. We must begin with “I am the worst, I prevent people from living with my words, my deeds, my thoughts, my feelings, and this is sad”. And when a person finds out what he really is and what he must be (one can see it in those rare moments when God’s grace touches him, and one becomes able to see the beauty around, see his neighbors, understand, accept and even love them – that is just amazing), then there will be some point in talking on this topic.
At each Divine Liturgy, we hear: “Let us love one another, that with oneness of mind we may confess.” This “to love” means that Christ must be in the midst of us. This is not about loving it or liking it. What if I do not like it? What if I cannot bare this person, but I have to love him? We know the Lord says: “love your enemies” (Matt. 5: 44). The question is, do I want to? Of course, I do not want. I do not want to make an effort, I do not want to break my “self”, my pride; I do not want to give up what I like. I do not want anything at all, I am tired. Our old self will always moan, will always lead us to destination unknown, and for sure not to God. Perhaps, only to the cemetery. And that is why I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord (Ps. 118: 17). It is very important for us not to trust ourselves until we lie down in the coffin. And there we will see where we get.
The Lord has done everything for us to live in a beautiful world, but, unfortunately, it seems there is very little beauty in it. Why? Maybe God didn’t give us enough of it? Or maybe we misunderstand what beauty and spiritual life are? When a person finds God, this is a really amazing moment. After this, the whole world changes! And when a person states he knows what God is, knows how to pray to Him, what to say, then it is just a dead end: a person has already limited himself with his “self”, his pride, and there is no spiritual development at all.
While we are here, we must develop ourselves. You can learn even if you are 100 years old. To develop oneself is to really discover God for yourself. God is immeasurable, unsearchable, and unknowable, but He reveals Himself to us, so that we take to Him.
Help us all, Lord!
