Metropolitan of Strumica Nahum: If they do not hear Moses and the prophets…
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“There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and lived sumptuously every day. There also was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, that laid at his gate”. We can see that the rich man has no name, and the poor one has – Lazarus, that is, we can see that the first man has no personal relationship with God, and the other one, has.
“ Lazarus was asked only to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover, the dogs came and licked his sores. So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried.” We can see that through the endurance in the sufferings with gratitude, Paradise is reached, and that through the selfish pleasures of this world, hell is reached.
” And being in torment in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’” We can see that hell is a place of great and lonely suffering, and that Heaven is a place of great console and community.
“But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.’”And we can see that there is no passage from hell to heaven, and vice versa.
What is important for those who want to become children of God from today’s Gospel reading (see Luke 16: 19–31)?
First, the relationship which is being a son of God is not a magical act based on impersonal miracles, but a personal relationship of faith and trust in God. This conclusion comes from the final conversation between Abraham and the rich man: “If one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.” And Abraham answered, “Even if one of the dead rises, they will not believe him.” We are witnesses that the God-Man Christ Himself has resurrected, but everyone who has not developed spiritually in a correct way – does not effectively believe in it.
Second, Abraham himself reveals to us how to build a personal relationship with God, of proper development, as a process of growth and maturation through real obedience: ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one should rise from the dead.”
Today’s Prophets are our spiritual fathers in the Church, whom we freely and lovingly choose, so that through them we may hear the will of God, who, because of their human weaknesses, sometimes could give the wrong advice, but God – because of our trust in Him through them – in the end, everything will be made right for our spiritual benefit. For God is not unfaithful as are we, but faithful (see Romans 3: 4).
Obedience is an act of putting the mind in the process of healing, without which no one can purify his heart – and see God.
Obedience is a transition from the unnatural to the natural way of life. Obedience is the harmonization of our way of life with the level of spiritual growth we are at, as well as with the place and role we have in the Church and in our social life.
Obedience is the process of healing from neurosis and personality disorder, and prevention of religious neurosis and religious personality disorder.
Obedience is the activation of the primary function of the mind – the unification of our created energy with the uncreated energy of God through prayer, as well as the redirection of the mind’s secondary function to fulfil God’s commandments.
Obedience is a personal transference of the true Tradition of the Holy Fathers; and there is no other way.
Obedience is a process of Divine transfiguration, growth, and maturation to the dignity of the child of God.
Obedience to God is everything in the Church of God.
Obedience is possible only in the Church of God.
Lord Jesus Christ, through the Theotokos, grant us true obedience and have mercy on us!
Metropolitan of Strumica Nahum
(20.11.2021 16:49)
