Orthodox Christian Initiative for Africa: "And you, Orthodox clergymen and the Orthodox Church, what are you doing?"

Τρίτη 23 Ιανουαρίου 2018

"And you, Orthodox clergymen and the Orthodox Church, what are you doing?"

St. Simon of Cyrene Orthodox Mission (African Americans)

A Protestant pastor once met an Orthodox priest and told him:
"We Protestants are doing charity work, we are building homes for the elderly, social institutions, halls, hospitals, we organize pop and rock music concerts and attract young people, we conduct excursions, we are very are active. And you, Orthodox clergymen and the Orthodox Church, what are you doing?And the priest, instead of listing him different kinds of pastoral work, said only one short phrase:
"We Orthodox serve the Divine Liturgy."
We do this and fill paradise with people, souls who are saved. We comfort people, we bring God down to earth and raise people to heaven. This is our contribution, this is the infinitely important thing that the Church gives to the world. The most important. This is the source from which the rest of the affairs of the Church flow.

Archimandrite Andrew (Konanos)
Photo: Feast day of Saint Macarios of Egypt in Rwanda

All of humanity is made in God's image; but to be in His likeness is granted only to those who through great love habe brought their own freedom into subjection to God. For only when we do not belong to ourselves do we become like Him who through love has reconciled us to Himself.
St. Diadochos of Photiki (here)