How to become rich to sonship (Sons of God by grace) – Metropolitan of Strumica Nahum
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“The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully; and he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do? I have no room to store my crops. ‘So he said, I will do this: I will put down my barns, and build greater, and there I will store all my crops, and all my goods; and I will say to my soul, Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease, eat, drink, and be merry.’” (Luke 12: 16-19).
What we read in the Gospel reading of the day, the way the rich man thinks, is a faithful description of the mental illness – a personality disorder, that is, the way a passive sociopath thinks and acts. In his thoughts and feelings there is no place for those who suffer from poverty and other physical and mental afflictions, but only for himself, for his own ego and for his own good.
“But God said unto him, Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided? ‘So is he who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.” (Luke 12: 20-21).
God gives the most accurate diagnoses, thus, He describes the passive sociopath most accurately as – a fool.
How in reality can we become rich (gods)? We know that God identifies Himself (even the most) with every single sufferer. Therefore, whenever we help one of those lesser brothers of Christ who are suffering from our surplus, we do not collect riches for ourselves, but we become rich in God.
Thus, no one can call himself rich, that is, resemblant to God, without enriching others around him – above all, in the spiritual, but also in the material sense of the word.
If, on the other hand, we help the sufferer, from the little that is left only for us and we have kept, that is, if we give to God everything we have, then God will make us His sons by grace; dignity before which every treasure of this world looks … does not look.
Most-Holy Theotokos, save us!
P.S. Do not forget that without specifically helping those who suffer, and if we have the opportunity to help – there is no Holy Communion! No one can free you from this responsibility, not even an Angel from heaven.
Metropolitan of Strumica Nahum
(06.12.2020 12:40)
http://www.mpc.org.mk/MPC/SE/vest.asp?id=7355
