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What can I do? Reading this week the foreword, written by Thomas Hopko, to Sergius Bulgakov's book The Orthodox Church, he writes:- "....a time of change, confusion and chaos of apocalyptic proportions". He is referring here to the time, first half of the last century, when the book was written. He also refers to:-"..... a world gone mad in its worship of Man". So I ask myself if the truth applicable to those times is equally true today and the answer is that we have not learned anything nor have we progressed, rather we have regressed and it is only the means of achieving what we believe to be the truth that has changed. Where is the truth, beauty and goodness of the Ancient Greeks now fulfilled in Christ? How are we, as individuals, to restore the beauty of holiness to a people who refuse God's forgiveness and mercy? How do we come to terms with our collective responsibility for the atrocities that are attacks against all of us? Apart from acknowledging the reality of our self-righteous selves, our pride and our lack of humility in all things then I know no other way forward into spiritual growth than through repentance. Perhaps we need to wake up to the reality of threats to our planet by pollution or are the threats of the destruction of love more relevant at this time? If we focus our minds on the Giver of Life then we may find the answer through prayer and change our attitudes. I am sure that our God is grieving now but I am equally sure that He is teaching us. Are we ready to listen and learn? Will we recognise the gift of the cross and ask forgiveness? Metropolitan Anthony say s:- "All life is at every moment an ultimate act". There are many questions here to which I would be pleased to find an answer and as the days shorten towards the Nativity of our Lord I ask myself another question: "Where is God in all this?" and yet I know that He is there making Himself known in whichever way He can to people who would not otherwise acknowledge His presence amongst them. May His love and mercy be evident now and ever and may we re-discover the Word and understand. Meanwhile, forgive Lord the sin that I am. Three more questions on which to contemplate :- How unsearchable are His judgements and His ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? Or who hath become His counsellor? Or who hath first given to Him and it shall be recompensed unto Him again? Romans 11. 33-36. Dwynwen East |
