Paths
“St. Paul tells us that we are never actually free (not in the sense that we understand). We are always slaves but for the lack of a better word we “choose” our form of slavery. Sometimes people will want to come and talk about things they are dealing with, temptations they are having. They are sometimes irritated that the thing they are fascinated by or the activity they desire is not supported by the teaching of Christ and the Church. We have to realize that neither Christ nor the Church can stop you from choosing to go down a different path. God is love and because this is true, He gives us the freedom to choose a path. Even if we choose the path of destruction, Christ will allow us to go down that path. He will certainly try to find ways to correct us along the way and help us to repent and amend our way of live but ultimately, if we are firm in our desire for rebellion and if we choose a path that destroys our souls, the Lord will let us do so because He loves us completely. He cannot force us to love Him or to choose a particular path of life. Sometimes people so desperately desire this illusion of freedom that they chase it to their own peril. They run full speed ahead towards the edge of the cliff.” (Fr. James Guirguis)
“The divine brilliance of Christ’s Ascension is entirely different from the illusion of trying to raise ourselves up according to the standards of a world that has not yet entered into the joy of the heavenly Kingdom. Since we all know how weak and insignificant we are in the larger scheme of things, we are eager to distract ourselves from facing that truth. We do that by seeking fulfillment in created things that can never heal our souls. Doing so only serves to make us even more enslaved to self-serving illusions that alienate us from God, our neighbors, and ourselves. No wonder that we so often know the misery of captivity to disordered desires that hold us captive to vain pursuits of pride, power, and possessions that will never satisfy us. That is a path not of ascent but of descent to slavery to fear, anxiety, and despair.” (Fr. Philip LeMasters)
“He [Christ] challenged the accusers to look at their own hearts, and when they did so, they found that perhaps they were not in so strong a position as they had thought they were, in comparison to the woman caught in adultery. So they slipped away quietly. And Jesus said, “Where are they? Did none of them condemn you?” adding, “Neither do I condemn you. Go on your way! And from now on, sin no more!” (John 8:11). The Lord does not condemn, does not emotionally blackmail, give a sermon, or talk of consequences, does not bewail lost innocence or talk of falling away. None of this. Instead, He simply utters three short sentences. With the first, “Neither do I condemn you!” we learn that it is not condemnation that will inspire repentance. And with the simple imperative, “Go on your way!” Jesus affirms the woman’s—and our—freedom. He does not force us to do good but waits for us in our freedom to choose the path of love and righteousness.” (Andrew Williams)
“The path of humility, in union with the self-emptying Crucifixion of Christ, is the single path to sanity in a shame-bound world. The joy that is found in intimacy and the bond of love lies just beyond the gates of humility. It is an earthly paradise.” (Father Stephen Freeman)
“God is speaking to us. He is awakening us, raising our awareness, setting us on the path He chooses for our salvation. And we will reach that goal, if we are attentive.” (Dynamis 8/7/2022)
“Our reading [Proverbs 10:31-11:12] presents a stark contrast between the path of righteousness and the ways of wickedness. Is it, perhaps, too well-defined? Is there no middle ground, a little bit of evil mixed in with the good, a portion of sin blended with a measure of righteousness? St. Paul answers this question with a question: “For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness” (NKJV 2 Corinthians 6:14)? No, our description of the two ways of life shows that they are irreconcilable opposites. They are two paths, and if we think we can walk down both of them at once, we deceive ourselves. Soon a situation or dilemma will force us to make a choice between one way or the other.” (Fr. Basil)
“We face the choice every day of our lives whether we are going to make the blessings and struggles of this life opportunities to find the healing of our souls or excuses to become further enslaved to our passions. Pursuing our chosen path we will shape us decisively, leading us either to the joy of the heavenly kingdom or the despair of those who waste their lives on what can never truly satisfy them. The question is not whether we will make ourselves perfect by some religious or moral standard, but whether we will gain the spiritual clarity to see our daily cares as points of entrance into the eternal life of the Savior… If we do not, then we will find it impossible to welcome Him into our hearts with integrity, for we will then have embraced an imaginary spirituality that tries to escape the calling to live faithfully amidst the joys and sorrows of life in the world as we know it.” (Fr. Philip LeMasters)
“The various adversities and temptations we encounter, whether they’re from Satan or from the many other things in our life, aren’t any threat to us, an obstacle barring our way, or a cause for doubt, but are the secret, practical means by which the mystery of the Cross is wrought. They’re the ways through which we can demonstrate our proper faith, so that we can justify ourselves as regards His promises. When we see temptations, we rise to our full height and continue on our way, because their presence is a clear indication that Divine grace, which called us and set us on the path of knowledge, is with us at this time and is urging us towards the prize of betterment.” (Elder Joseph of Vatopaidi)
“We, too, do not always understand the path on which God is leading us. We do not always see the purpose behind the suffering which at times may break in upon our lives. We do not know all the details of the Lord’s plan for our future. Like Panagia [Mary], we are given the choice: to trust in Jesus, to say ‘yes’ and follow him even through the darkness, or to go on our own reckless way.” (Fr. Matthew Baker)
“…if we have strayed off course from where God wants us to be, He will reveal it to us. During the deep and quiet times of prayer, a path will be illuminated for us to follow.” (Fr. Joshua Makoul)
“At our birth, we set out on two journeys in life: the biological, here on earth, and the one which leads to heaven. We start off on these two parallel courses which we follow whether we want to or not…The first journey has a specific end at some moment in time which we don’t know, but God alone, our Maker, does. The second is everlasting and leads to eternity. From childhood we’re provided for the first path by our parents and teachers, in order that we may tread it as painlessly as possible, with increased knowledge and goods, so that we may enjoy the changes, the adventures and the experiences with which this life fills us. The second, the everlasting, should be our priority in terms of provisions, but, alas, we’re only very little interested in it, if at all. But success on the first path presupposes concern for the second.” (Dr. Haralambos Bousias)
“We each need to find our path in life – we cannot simply try to imitate what saints in other lands or in past centuries did. We have to find our path in our life and world today. I shouldn’t judge others who perhaps focus on different aspects of the Gospel than I do. Conversely, I don’t need to focus on everything other Christians focus on, and I shouldn’t worry if they judge me. When we are on the path which God wants us on, we will find eternal life. It may be an arduous path, and we may need wisdom to navigate the choices before us. God will guide our hearts, if we have good intentions and good will. The good news is that God loves each of us and has gifted each according to His love. I don’t need to worry that my interests and abilities are different from the saints or from my fellow Christians. God has blessed me with my gifts, talents, resources, personality and expects me to use them according to the abilities He has bestowed on me. I don’t need to be concerned that I don’t have the spiritual gifts of some of the saints, for God gifts me with what I need in my life, my lifetime, my world.” (Fr. Ted Bobosh)
“Failure, disappointment, and loss are our teachers, along with the good that we experience, the grace that carries us along. It is not that we become personally perfected, rather, that as we fall and rise, we enter communion with God and each other. The search for the “true self” is one in which we “fall upwards,”…Shaped by rules and structures, compliant with institutions and standards in the first half of our lives, we become our true selves as we are able to let go of what formed us…the personal journey each of us is on, the path of becoming who we were intended to be, our true selves. But this process always involves Christ. God is within, closer to us than our hearts.” (Fr. Michael P. Plekon)
“There are a variety of ways that this movement towards non-being manifests itself in our lives. Christ describes two of them. He tells us that if we are angry with our brother, we have committed murder. He also says that if we lust after someone, we have committed adultery. Both this “murder” and this “adultery” are true on the level of being. They are actions that attempt to reduce the being of another. As such, they are actions of Satan, “the murderer from the beginning,” and the “father of lies.” We also seek to kill ourselves throughout the day. In subtle ways and choices, we often make moves towards lesser being or even non-being itself. The false identities and consumer-based personalities that often fill our closets or inhabit our anxieties are not part of the path to the truth or the reality of being. When Christ says that He has come to “bring life, and that more abundantly,” He is pointing towards the fullness of being that is grounded in God Himself.” (Father Stephen Freeman)
“The logic is plain. If the Living God gives life, then His ways are the paths of life. Outside His wisdom, truth and righteousness is only the realm of death.” (Fr. Basil)
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