My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ Our Only True Lord, God, and Savior,
CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.
"TO THINE OWN SELF BE TRUE" A RELEVANT MESSAGE
FOR ALL YOUNG ADULTS TODAY.
The above famous quotation from William Shakespear, a line from Hamlet and final advice to his son Laertes. This advice is very relevant for today’s young men and women, especially those who are studying at the universities which have failed them. Universities who do not offer quality education and to prepare them for the future. American universities that instead indoctrinate them to possess ideologies that are contrary to traditional values and to higher goals and aspirations. Universities whose tuition is among the highest in the country and institutions of higher learning who have left the students unprepared for the world which they will eventually must face and function in and in some cases totally confused and lost. Furthermore, these same students have not the ability to think for themselves or even understand who they are as individuals.
"To thine own self be true" is a most appropriate message for "self" is most important. They need to know that the Almighty God has created them unique and has enriched them with many talents and strengths not only for themselves but to help others and the society which they live in. "To thine own self be true" does not only apply to oneself and eventually be true to all others. If you are not loyal to others, you are not being loyal to oneself. If you are not honest with yourself how can you be honest to others? Having a good character is necessary, and so is, to be a person of integrity with strong values and principles.
Needless to say, a Christian young man and woman must not be convinced by unbelievers that there is no God. To be indoctrinated to believe that the only person that matters is one’s self and no one else. The young Christian, is a person of faith, of prayer, of noble aspirations and the willingness to serve one’s fellow citizens. He or she is a person who is inspired by the grace of the Holy Spirit given to him or her on the day of baptism. A person with the gift of discernment who is able to know right from wrong and one who lives a godly life taught to them by the greatest Teacher of all, Jesus Christ. Therefore, Christians of all ages and status must "be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless" [2 Peter 3:14]. They are believers who place enormous importance on the salvation of their souls.
Scholarship, although has its significance, it does not save or bestow fulfilment to one’s life. Fulfillment is derived only by adhering to the commandments of God in our life. It is He Who gives meaning to our life and without Him there is only a feeling of emptiness and worthlessness. Education is most important, provided that it is quality and genuine education. No one, however, must be deceived that it is as important as growing "in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" [2 Peter 3:18]. One, however, can be a scholar with a Ph.D., and be a devout and practicing Orthodox Christian. I must caution you, however, that there is some danger in possessing such a degree that at times it leads to a feeling of superiority and pride. The sin of pride is considered to be an obstacle to one’s salvation.
You, as young Christian men and women, will eventually decide what will comprise your priorities in life. You ought not allow others to decide what your priorities are for you. Everyone desires to have a good profession, a profession with a future and one which will provide one with a good income and benefits. But even when one acquires all that it does not guarantee a happy and successful life. What is necessary to make our life meaningful "is giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love" [2 Peter 1:5-7].
If we claim to be Christians we must begin to think, feel and act as Christians. There are many young Christian men and women that are Christians in name only. In what used to be a Christian Europe, now, those who profess Christianity there say that Christianity for them is not something that they believe in, or practice, but is a part of their national heritage. Unfortunately, there are numerous young adult Christians that hardly attend church services, receive the sacraments, have any kind of prayer or spiritual life. Happily, recently I have come across a number of Christian university age men and women that have rediscovered their Orthodox Christian faith and are flocking to the local Greek Orthodox monasteries and attending the divine services there. I am so thankful that they have their way back to Christ and pray that others will emulate their good example. It is NEVER TOO LATE!
Mankind should realize, once and for all, that nothing in life is as important as our faith and dependence to God. Christ Himself says to us, "you can do nothing without Me" [John 15:5]. That is, nothing which is properly motivated and gives glory to God. Our actions as Christians must always give glory to God since everything that we do in life is for the sake of Christ and NOT for our own aggrandizement and satisfaction. We must not be lukewarm Christians whose life is in reality hollow and without any substance. These people are actually imposters pretending to be Christians but actually they are not because they lack faith and commitment to Christ. May God have mercy on them!
Let us pray to the Lord
Kyrie eleison
+ In the Name of the Father and of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Make us worthy, O Lord
to be kept without sin this evening.
Blessed are You, O Lord, the God of our fathers,
And praised and glorified is Your Name unto the ages. Amen.
Lord, let Your mercy be upon us,
Even as we have placed our hope in You.
Blessed are You, O Lord, teach me Your commandments;
Blessed are You, O Master, make me prudent by Your Commandments;
Blessed are You, O Holy One, enlighten me with Your Commandments;
Lord, Your mercy endures forever.
Do not overlook the creation of Your own hands.
To You belong praise, hymns and glory,
To the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,
Now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen.
_________
"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!"
– Saint John Chrysostomos
+ + +
With sincere agape in His Divine and Glorious Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+ Father George
The Eastern Orthodox Christian Ethos 