"I was praying for you"
In a world where we struggle to put on a show to match up to superfecial
standards, these words are hard to hear in our society. But every now and then,
within and without the artificial boundaries of the Church, we are truly blessed
when these five sweet words are heard - whispered into the ear by someone close,
someone dear, whom you have understood from previous experiences, cares for you,
so you know that they are spoken from the heart. Blessed indeed are those who
have experienced this.
Such words, such experiences, reveal the foundations of the Church of our Lord;
such words are what give hope when someone is down. The Canaanite woman's story
tells us that the Lord's grace transcends artificial boundaries and sets the
parameters for the true Church's boundaries. Such words are never recorded in
General Body Minutes, are never uttered from rooftops, are never used in
arguments to win a point, but they form the essence of what has held us together
as the Body of Christ for 2000 years. The Church is sustained only by prayer.
Have we heard these five sweet words lately? (I am not speaking of the cunning
vipers around us who plant these words with an agenda, but have we heard these
words lately from trusted friends and dear ones, from co-worshippers?)Have we
been able to honestly say these 5 sweet words lately to others? If not, maybe it
is because we are losing focus on the true priorities?
If we start right now, maybe the sheep that is leaving out the door will look
back and stay. The leaving sheep seems to be searching for the Lord's Church,
but so am I. The difference between them and me seems a very thin line, its
about a conviction of the treasure within, even though it seems so buried deep
within that it is hardly recognizable from the surface anymore. If only the
leaders in the Church could teach the sheep to look beyond the thick layers of
rot gathered on the surface of the Church to let the true light shine from the
core - no sheep would ever leave - because everyone would be blessed by hearing
these 5 sweet words again and again almost continuosly connecting the heart with
the heart.
Have a blessed Lent.
Mathew Samuel
Albany, NY
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/IndianOrthodox/message/22776
In a world where we struggle to put on a show to match up to superfecial
standards, these words are hard to hear in our society. But every now and then,
within and without the artificial boundaries of the Church, we are truly blessed
when these five sweet words are heard - whispered into the ear by someone close,
someone dear, whom you have understood from previous experiences, cares for you,
so you know that they are spoken from the heart. Blessed indeed are those who
have experienced this.
Such words, such experiences, reveal the foundations of the Church of our Lord;
such words are what give hope when someone is down. The Canaanite woman's story
tells us that the Lord's grace transcends artificial boundaries and sets the
parameters for the true Church's boundaries. Such words are never recorded in
General Body Minutes, are never uttered from rooftops, are never used in
arguments to win a point, but they form the essence of what has held us together
as the Body of Christ for 2000 years. The Church is sustained only by prayer.
Have we heard these five sweet words lately? (I am not speaking of the cunning
vipers around us who plant these words with an agenda, but have we heard these
words lately from trusted friends and dear ones, from co-worshippers?)Have we
been able to honestly say these 5 sweet words lately to others? If not, maybe it
is because we are losing focus on the true priorities?
If we start right now, maybe the sheep that is leaving out the door will look
back and stay. The leaving sheep seems to be searching for the Lord's Church,
but so am I. The difference between them and me seems a very thin line, its
about a conviction of the treasure within, even though it seems so buried deep
within that it is hardly recognizable from the surface anymore. If only the
leaders in the Church could teach the sheep to look beyond the thick layers of
rot gathered on the surface of the Church to let the true light shine from the
core - no sheep would ever leave - because everyone would be blessed by hearing
these 5 sweet words again and again almost continuosly connecting the heart with
the heart.
Have a blessed Lent.
Mathew Samuel
Albany, NY
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/IndianOrthodox/message/22776
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