Doors
“There has only ever been one door in all of history that truly mattered: the door of Christ’s Empty Tomb. It is that place where that which was hidden beneath and within showed forth into what is present and clear. The meaning of all things (the Logos) revealed Himself and spoke with us. If we saw Him then, or see Him now, then we are not wrong to see Him in every tree, rock, and cloud – in all created things. St. Paul is among those who saw Him. Of Him, he said this: All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist (Col. 1:16-17). St. John who also saw Him, handled Him, and heard Him speak, said this: All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it (John 1:4-5).” (Father Stephen Freeman)
“What is the meaning of this parable? [Parable of the Sower - Mark 4:1-9]. He [Christ]went out to sow His seed. From where could He “go out” who is present everywhere, and fills all places? He went out, not into a place, but into a life and into a historic dispensation wherein He saved us, being brought close to us by reason of assuming our flesh. Since we could not enter in, for our sins had shut the door to us, He came out to us. . . . He came to till and to take care of the earth: to sow the word of compassion. For here He calls his teaching seed, the souls of men a ploughed field, and Himself the sower.” (St. John Chrysostom)
“Faith in Christ is principally a matter of the heart, and then of reason. The Lord didn’t say, ‘If you understand Me’, but ‘If you love Me, keep my commandments’. This means that we can understand Him to the degree that we try to love Him. Our love for Him, expressed as observance of His commandments, opens the door for Him to come and dwell in our soul and body, so that understanding Him becomes a matter of experience- the believer is literally taught by God. And, in any case, this is what He promised: the moment we keep His commandments, He appears within us; the whole of the Holy Trinity finds a ‘site’ to build a monastery. And His fundamental commandment is to have faith in Him: ‘Believe in God and believe in me’. Everything to do with faith is bound up with love for His person. Loving Christ means believing in Him, and believing in Him means loving Him.” (Protopresbyter Georgios Dorbarakis)
“…even among us believers, faith changes and wavers. Sometimes it is strong, sometimes it is weak, sometimes doubts arise not only in faith in God, but in faith in His Providence and in the meaning of our lives. And people who do not have faith in the Lord are the opposite people in some ways—they do not want, or sometimes do not know, what a deep, beautiful and unknown world of faith opens up to a person who comes to the faith. But faith depends on you and me. The Lord says in Revelations, Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me (Rev. 3:20). And, of course, there are many different ways of acquiring faith. Sometimes it is present throughout your life, from childhood, sometimes it comes at a young or mature age, and sometimes it comes during an illness.” (Igumen Pavel Polukov)
“It is not only preoccupations that can keep us from opening the door of our hearts to Him as He stands beside us. Even holy and sacred things can keep Him waiting. The beauty and grandeur of the rituals of the church may overwhelm us. The elation of corporate praise may overpower us. The eloquence of a preacher may stir us. But if these spiritual experiences do not prompt us to open our hearts to the Lord, then the Lord is still standing at the gate of our hearts.” (Fr. Basil)
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