Better not to be Born? Homer says that humanity is weak and worried. Theognis, the Sicilian, cries out: ‘The best fate for a person would be not to be born, not to see the rays of the sun.’ Euripides is fully in agreement with them: when someone is born, everyone ought to join together in weeping for him. How much misery he has come to suffer! On the other hand, the one who dies is
Mystery within Us The Apostle Paul says: ‘Who has known the mind of the Lord?’ [Rom. 11:34] To this I would add, ‘Who knows his own mind?’ Let those who pretend that God’s nature is within their comprehension explain their own nature. Do they understand the functioning of their own mind? It has many parts and many components. How does it comprehend knowledge? How are its different elements brought together? The mind is a single
Humanity as Witness to the Unknown When we consider how human beings are made, we are filled with wonder at the wisdom of the Creator that is revealed in us. Suffice it to observe the different functions of the senses which all stem from one centre, the brain, and report back to it all sorts of perceptions: sight, smell, taste, touch …, and also to observe the other organs of the body both internal and
God does not Need us, But He Longs to Shower us with Gifts God created Adam in the beginning, not because he needs the human race, but so that he might have a recipient of his generosity. Moreover, God commanded us to follow Christ, not because he has any need of our service, but because he wants to give us salvation. To follow the saviour is to share in salvation, just as to follow the
Seek to be like God The main aim of all rational creatures, defined by many philosophers as the greatest good, is to become like God. Actually this is not so much a discovery of the philosophers as something derived from Holy Scripture. The book of Genesis illustrates it when it describes the original creation of the human race….that the human race received the dignity of God’s image at the beginning of its creation, whereas the
Nothing touches the mystery of personal existence like this theme of human love, which is why we should show reverence and restraint, and heed even more the evangelical caution against judging. We should remember the attitude of Jesus towards the woman ‘taken in the very act of adultery’ (John 8.3-11). We should remember the other, almost tangibly sensual account of the same Jesus allowing a prostitute to wipe his feet with her hair and anoint
ST. BASIL THE GREAT says: One cannot approach the knowledge of the truth with a disturbed heart. Therefore we must try to avoid everything that disturbs our heart, that causes forgetfulness, excitement or passion, or that awakens unrest. We must free ourselves as much as possible from all fuss and flutter and ado over vain things. Yes, when we serve the Lord we shall not be troubled about many things, but always keep in mind
Who is My Neighbor? “Love your neighbor as yourself” the Gospel says (Matthew 22:38). But who is my neighbor? We often respond to that question by saying, “My neighbors are all the people I am living with on this earth, especially the sick, the hungry, the dying, and all who are in need.” But this is not what Jesus says. When Jesus tells the story of the good Samaritan (see Luke 10:29-37) to answer the
So the first situation with which Exodus begins, and we begin, is the discovery of slavery and that it cannot be resolved by an act of rebellion or flight, because whether we flee or whether we rebel we remain slaves, unless we re-establish ourselves, with regard to God and to all the situations of life, in the way taught by the first beatitude: ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of
I said to the Elder, “They are constantly saying prayers at the monastery. They are always saying the Jesus prayer. While at their various chores they recite supplications and salutations. They do this for whole hours at a time. After this they go to the Church for services. “I can’t stand it anymore. My mind has become tired. I feel that I am about to burst. But nevertheless I want to become a monk. What
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