Imagine God jumped onto the world stage in an obvious manner. By what measure would we know beyond a doubt that that is God? How do we know that most people wouldnât think we were being visited by an alien from another world? What about a mass hallucination? What about a massive government conspiracy? How would we know what God would look like such that we could be sure it was really Him? That presupposes some prior knowledge of what to look for when God shows up. If God showed up, would we even know or believe it was really Him?
It is shown in many places in the Old Testament that to be in the presence of God in an unworthy manner is to risk destruction and death. And so being âvisitedâ by God is not something you actually wanted. Being visited by God was dangerous.
Is it any wonder that, since the shaping of the world into order from formlessness and void in Genesis was begun with a light shining in the darkness, that the coming of Christ into this broken world of chaos and horror would also be begun with a star shining in the darkness?
If we want to be like Jesus Christ, then we have to worship Him by sacrificing to Him. Sacrifice always means giving over something valuable that then becomes a means of sharing and communion with God. A Christianity that is convenient, that is without sacrifice, is not the true Christianity that worships Christ.
When we look at the Twelve Apostles, we should know that we are looking not just at heroes who spread the faith and are admired for their work. We are looking at future kings who will reign with Christ over the nations.
Forefeast of the Annunciation / Sunday of St. Gregory Palamas, March 24, 2019 Hebrews 1:10-2:3; Mark 2:1-12 In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, one God. Amen. For if the word spoken through angels was confirmed, and every transgression and disobedience received a just retribution, how shall we escape, if we neglect so great a salvation,âŠ
Feast of St. Haralampos / Sunday of the Canaanite Woman, February 10, 2019 II Timothy 2:1-10; Matthew 15:21-28 In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, one God. Amen. Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, of the seed of David. (II Timothy 2:8a) I was struck this week when I read that first phrase: âRemember JesusâŠ