To live the life we Orthodox have obviously much to learn. Maybe we can see that currently we do not live fully the ten-point program. But we must remember that being an Orthodox Christian is to be in continued growth. By approximating God, we learn more clearly what He expects of us. Growing closer to Him, He gives us a greater ability to practice his teachings. We are all sinners and the Church is where we come to spiritual direction and forgiveness. In the eyes of God it is never too late to change our way of life. He certainly expects us to be perfect as He is perfect, but the greater the sinner, even greater is his mercy.
Reflect on each of these issues and seek ways to include them in our present life, too busy or hectic as it is, and we see that we grow spiritually. Moving forward, we find everything we need to know. It should however bear in mind this: the points of this list can not be selected according to our tastes. It is very important to include these points in our lifestyle. They are intimately linked. Not one of them does alone.
Finding a spiritual father to guide us is obviously something very valuable and it is not always easy. A good spiritual father - though he has not the charisma of great elder or large Gerondi (as Father Porphyrios who read the souls of those who came to consult before they start talking ...) - must be a faithful mirror of ourselves not only to reflect our weaknesses but also to discern what is best in us, so call it more than anything to encourage us and sustain our faith commitment in the Way, the Truth and the Life.
And we who are in the world with our families, of our origins and that of our spouse, and that we have established ourselves and we sincerely hope to do a little church, remember that the gate is narrow and it is often difficult to determine and harmonize what is owed and to God what is due to our relatives, our only prayer we will be enlightened by the Holy Spirit, who alone is good for us not behave according to the morality of men but to the will of God.
impossible not to keep in mind these terrible (sometimes) the words of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
" Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him will I confess also Me even before My Father in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, I also deny myself before my Father in heaven. Do not think that I am come to send peace on the earth I am not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to separate the man from his father and daughter with her mother and step-daughter with her stepmother and the man's foes shall be they of his own house. He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. Whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of Me . "
And Peter said to Jesus:" Behold, we left everything and followed thee. What shall we say? "
Jesus replied: " Verily I say unto you, in the new world, when the Son of man sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters, father, mother or children or fields for my sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life. But many first shall be last, and first shall be last . "
How to solve this dilemma between what we think of our love and the love of Christ? Again, only the Spirit Saint can surely guide us in this area as in others, this Holy Spirit of God can we get essentially a life of prayer.
Thus we can say and repeat:
Blessed are you, Lord, teach me Thy will
Blessed are you Lord make me understand thy will
You are blessed St. enlighten me by Thy will
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