Home

Fr George's Letter

Details

Written by: Fr George

IMPOSSIBLE?

 

“The virtues build a new person radiating love to the world.”

(Metropolitan Paul (Yazigi) of Aleppo who consecrated our temple.) 

 

“For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” 

                                                                                       (Hebrews 4:15-16)

 

SUNDAY 23^rd AUGUST. Leavetaking of the Dormition. St. Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyons (202). Martyr Lupus, slave of St. Demetrius of Thessalonica (4^th).

 

“We have very little faith in the Lord, very little trust. If we trusted the Lord as much as we trust a friend when we ask him to do something for us, neither we as individuals nor our whole country would suffer so much.”  (Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnica)

 

“God saves His fallen creature by His own love for him, but man’s love for his Creator is also necessary.........Striving towards God and cleaving unto the Lord by its humble love, the human soul obtains power to cleanse itself from sin and to strengthen itself for the struggle to complete victory over sin.” (St. John Maximovitch)

 

 

 

TODAY’S GOSPEL. Matthew 19:16-26. Now behold, one came and said to Him, “Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?” So He said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.” He said to Him, “Which ones?” Jesus said, “’You shall not commit murder,’ ‘You shall not commit adultery,’ ‘You shall not steal,’ ‘You shall not bear false witness,’ ‘Honour your father and your mother,’ and, ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’” The young man said to Him, “All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?” Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. Then Jesus said to His disciples, “Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven. And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” When His disciples heard it, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?” But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

 

Most of have experienced the frustration of trying to thread a needle with a thin piece of cotton. If we look at the eye of a needle and imagine trying to get a camel through it, we immediately realise the impossibility of the situation. Christ uses the example of the camel and needle to show us that worldly wealth and all that it brings is ultimately worthless. When we die any worldly wealth and possessions are of no more use to us. It is our heavenly treasure that is important. When we look at the world today, we see so called celebrities, with immense riches, constantly being paraded before our eyes as if this was something we ought to applaud. The disciples would see wealthy and powerful people who in their own day would appear to have everything that was desirable, something that we ourselves are constantly bombarded with. Does wealth make us happy? Does it shield us from illness? Does it prevent us from accidents? Does it buy our immortality?

The disciples, seeing all this, asked, “Who then can be saved?” Before He answers them, we are told that Jesus looked at them, a simple statement, but one carrying a profound mystery. One wonders what the Divine Countenance looking on them conveyed to them before any words were spoken. These men, chosen by Jesus, were ordinary human beings with all the faults and failings inherent in our race. His call was to make them extraordinary people and Christ’s words of “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” takes on a new meaning.

 

In our lives that we so love to plan and organise, thinking that we are able to control our destiny, we are often overtaken in reality by unforeseen events that take over and change our plans and perceptions in ways that we could not possibly imagine. Our trust in and our love of God is thrown into stark contrast to worldly perceptions. As Jesus tells us, with God all things are possible and may He look upon us and smile and make us worthy to be called Christians.

 

                                                                                    Much Love, 

 

                                                                                    Fr. George.